Since the death of her husband, Abby McClure (Doris Day) has had to be mother, father and breadwinner – taking over operation of the family lumber store business – to her three sons.
Her sister, Maxine Scott (Pat Carroll), has tried to be a matchmaker for Abby, much to her exasperation as Abby sees most eligible men as those with whom she would rather not associate.
Abby changes her mind when Maxine reminds her of a casual acquaintance, widowed chemical engineer Jake Iverson (Brian Keith), who she has not seen or thought about in six or seven years.
Abby and Jake’s new-found relationship does not start off well, but when a serious courtship does begin, their respective children – most specifically Abby’s oldest, late teen Flip McClure (John Findlater), and Jake’s only offspring, late teen Stacey Iverson (Barbara Hershey) – are their biggest obstacles as Flip and Stacey don’t want their role of male and female head of their respective household replaced.
When Abby and Jake eventually get married, one other pressure is how they will live while both their too-small houses wait to be sold.
Abby McClure
Doris Day Jake Iverson
Brian Keith Maxine Scott
Pat Carroll Stacey Iverson
Barbara Hershey Herbie Fleck
George Carlin Molly
Alice Ghostley Flip McClure
John Findlater Cleo
Elaine Devry Harry Scott
Herb Voland Jo Jo
Jamie Farr Bud Young
Milton Frome Jason McClure
Richard Steele MitchMcClure
Jimmy Bracken
