The Girl from Manhattan

A New York fashion model who arrives to stay with her Uncle Homer Purdy in Pittsfield. Her metropolitan glamour contrasts with the town’s practical humor, and she becomes a catalyst for Tom’s plans. She collaborates with the residents to organize space in Purdy’s boarding house and supports the effort to save the church and the home it sits on.

An ex-football star who presents himself as a minister-in-waiting. He navigates the bishop’s concerns about his past reputation while fast-tracking his town-building ambitions. He partners with Carol to save Purdy’s boarding house, ultimately contributing his own money to cover debts and secure the future of the community.

The uncle who runs the aging boarding house and funds its residents’ wild schemes. He frees rooms for little personal gain, but his improvised ventures trigger mishaps, culminating in an injury when a miniature railway explodes. His generosity and mismanagement set the stage for the town’s collective effort to rescue the home.

A church leader who contemplates Tom’s background from the world of sport. He weighs public perception against the need for a strong community leader who can spearhead the new church and unite the town. His approval at the end signals acceptance of a more communal, practical pastorate.

A local benefactor who proposes to buy and demolish the 150-year-old church to build a new one closer to the town center. His seemingly generous offer is revealed as a sham designed to profit from the town’s upheaval. His scheme is undone by the community’s resolve and Tom’s financial intervention.

An eccentric guest who is allowed to build a miniature railway in Purdy’s basement. His project embodies the quirky, celebratory mood of the boarding house and adds a comic, chaotic element to the plot. He represents the kind of whimsical energy that keeps the residents hoping and working toward a common goal.