meanwhile, joe is unable to convince anybody that cleveland is actually an impostor. frank erickson (clinton sundberg), his rival for a promotion, and the entire hodges family - son george (allyn joslyn), daughter-in-law della (thelma ritter), and alice - all think joe is crazy. however, when hodges returns home with his dyed hair, joe is vindicated. because hodges will be exposed anyway, della proposes that joe turn him in so that he can get the promotion, but joe refuses to do it. the next day, erickson finally believes joe and tries to warn their mutual boss horace gallagher (wally brown), but gallagher thinks erickson is mentally unstable and gives the promotion to joe. this enables joe to finally propose to alice.