THE LIFE OF RILEY

CONTENTS:

     First heard as a CBS program from 04/12/41 to 09/06/41, this series starred Lionel Stander in the lead role as J. Riley Farnsworth and lasted only 22 broadcasts.  When the series was revised on Blue / ABC network, starring William Bendix as Chester A. Riley, and Paula Winslowe as Riley's wife Peg, it was heard for the American Meat Institute 01/16/44 to 07/08/45. Riley's character worked at the Stevenson Aircraft Company, very patriotic during the war years.  Moving to NBC 09/08/45 to 06/29/51, the sponsors were Procter & Gamble for Teel and Prell (1945 to 1949) and finally Pabst Beer   (1949 - 1951).  Also in the credits were Hans Conried as Uncle Baxter, John Brown as Gillis and Digby O'Dell, and Shirley Mitchell as Honeybee Gillis. Sharon Douglas and later Barbara Eiler as Babs, the daughter.  Conrad Binyon, Scotty Beckett, Jack Grimes, Bobby Ellis and Tommy Cook playing Junior.  Ken Niles, in 1944, Ken Carpenter for Procter & Gamble, and Jimmy Wallington for Pabst Beer were the announcers.

 

     Very popular on both radio and television. Jackie Gleason played Riley during the first television season and there after was replaced by Bendix.  Gleason did, however, substitute on radio only once when Bendix was sick.  We've included that 11/11/49 broadcast.

 

C11891 06/22/46 Riley's Buys The House

              00/00/46 Riley The Composer

 

C11816 07/25/43 # 1 Riley Wants To Build A House

              09/24/44 #37 Making Each Other Jealous

 

C15438 04/09/44 Uncle Baxter's Easter Clothes

              04/30/44 New York Trip

 

C11817 10/08/44 #39 Surprise Party For Riley

              10/22/44 #41 Boss's Son-In-Law

 

C11818 10/29/44 #42 Halloween Haunted House

              11/05/44 #43 Piano Lessons For Junior

 

C11819 11/12/44 #44 Big Football Bet

              11/19/44 #45 Turkey Hunt

 

C11820 11/26/44 #46 Bridesmaid Babs

              12/03/44 #47 Most Popular Boy

 

C11821 12/10/44 #48 Mash Note At Night School

              12/17/44 #49 The Christmas Present

 

C11822 12/24/44 #50 Guest For Christmas

              01/07/45 #52 Silver Gloves Boxing Tourney

 

C16024 09/07/46 Riley Thinks He Has Been Promoted

              01/14/45 The Wedding Anniversary

 

C11823 01/21/45 #54 Taking Phone Booth Nickels

              01/28/45 #55 Five Dollars Is Missing

 

C15836 02/04/45 #56 The BPLA Initiates a New Member

              02/11/45 #57 Riley Trains Junior's Dog

 

C11824 02/25/45 #59 Helps Luigi Pass English Exam

              03/04/45 #60 Expectant Fathers

 

C17821 03/11/45 Junior Runs Away

              09/08/45 Layoffs

 

C11825 03/18/45 #62 Tries To Become a Pal To Junior

              03/25/45 #63 Missing Five Dollars

 

C11826 05/13/45 #69 Riley's Mother-In-Law Visits

              09/05/45 #77 Lay-Offs

 

C11827 09/15/45 #78 Feud Over Junior's Goat

              10/20/45 #83 Sydney Is House Guest

 

C17822 09/29/45 Change Of Time

              10/06/45 Rileys Refuses To Let Babs See Simon

 

C11828 11/24/45 #88 Are Babs & Simon Married?

              12/01/45 #89 Phonograph Record Saves Riley

 

C11829 12/08/45 #90 Takes Job Promotion Exam

              12/15/45 #91 Grandma's Boyfriend Capt Riley

 

C11892 00/00/46 Riley's New Dog

              00/00/46 Simon's Play

 

C11830 02/02/46 #098 Junior's School Play

              03/16/46 #104 Buys An Insurance Policy (Missing)

 

C11831 04/06/46 #107 Finds Silver Fox Fur Coat

              04/13/46 #108 Thinks Junior Is a Shoplifter

 

C11832 04/20/46 #109 The Giant Easter Bunny

              04/27/46 #110 Gambling Doesn't Pay

 

C11833 05/04/46 #111 Neighbors Move In After Fire

              05/11/46 #112 Junior Forgets Mother's Day

 

C11834 05/18/46 #113 Playing Hooky

              05/25/46 #114 Sells Peanuts At the Circus

 

C11835 06/08/46 #116 Bread Shortage & the Black Market

              06/15/46 #117 New Suit For Father's Day

 

C11836 06/29/46 #119 Paper Route Subscription Contest

              09/28/46 #124 Riley Bribes Junior To Win Football Game

 

C11837 10/05/46 #125 Good Neighbor Week

              11/09/46          To Boy Scout Camp

 

C11838 11/23/46 #132 The Football Hero

              12/28/46 #137 New Year's Eve - 10 Dates For Babs

 

C11839 01/11/47 #139 Efficiency Expert

              01/18/47 #140 Riley & Simon, Business Partners

 

C11840 01/25/47 #141 Riley's Honeymoon

              02/01/47 #142 Mr X - Riley Switched As a Baby

 

C11841 02/08/47 #143 Riley's Birthday - Forgotten

              03/15/47 #148 Advice To the Lovelorn Column

 

C11842 03/22/47 #149 Riley, the Milkman

              03/29/47 #150 The New Chair

 

C11843 04/05/47 #151 Riley, the Child Beater

              04/12/47 #152 Marriage Can Be Beautiful

 

C11844 04/19/47 #153 Junior the Coward

              04/26/47 #154 Simon Blackmails Riley

 

C11845 05/03/47 #155 Launching Babs In Society

              05/10/47 #156 Mother's Day Speech

 

C11846 05/31/47 #159 The Accident Insurance Policy

              06/07/47 #160 Riley Courts Peg At Summer Camp

 

C11847 06/14/47 #161 Wins the Soap Box Derby

              06/28/47 #163 Spending a Week At the Lake

 

C11848 07/05/47 #164 Thinks Peg Is Leaving Him

              09/06/47 #165 Enrolls At PIP Instead of UCLA

 

C11849 09/13/47 #166 Babs Has Two Dates

              09/20/47 #167 Jr Wants To Run Away From Home

 

C11850 09/27/47 #168 Art Object For the Piano

              10/04/47 #169 Riley Gets a Promotion

 

C11851 10/11/47 #170 Riley, the Cop

              10/18/47 #171 The Community Chest Drive

 

C11852 10/25/47 #172 The Ragamuffin Ball

              11/01/47 #173 The Football Pool Card

 

C11853 11/08/47 #174 Anniversary Party

              11/15/47 #175 Riley In School Play

 

C11854 11/22/47 #176 Bean Guessing Contest

              11/29/47 #177 Thanksgiving With the Neighbors

 

C11855 12/06/47 #178 The Greatest Man I Know

              12/13/47 #179 Babs Is Blackballed

 

C11856 12/20/47 #180 First Christmas In Store Window

              12/27/47 #181 Family Christmas Present

 

C11857 01/03/48 #182 Two Dates For a Dance

              01/10/48 #183 Wedding Ring

 

C11858 01/17/48 #184 Telephone Is Rationed

              01/24/48 #185 Babs Quits School

 

C11859 01/31/48 #186 Uncle Baxter Returns

              02/07/48 #187 Father & Son Banquet

 

C11860 02/14/48 #188 Sends Peg a Comic Valentine

              02/21/48 #189 Lies About Attending Wrestling

 

C11861 02/28/48 #190 Babs Sweet Sixteen Birthday

              03/06/48 #191 Riley Punches Foreman

 

C11862 03/13/48 #192 The Monkey

              03/20/48 #193 The Suggestion Contest

 

C11863 03/27/48 #194 The Giant Easter Bunny

              04/03/48 #195 Riley, the Crime Buster

 

C11864 04/10/48 #196 Peg Studies French

              04/17/48 #197 The CARE Drive

 

C11865 05/01/48 #199 Junior's Baseball Uniform

              05/08/48 #200 Mother's Day Gift Explained

 

C11866 05/15/48 #201 Riley, Man of Distinction

              05/22/48 #202 Monahan Spends the Weekend

 

C11867 05/29/48 #203 Riley & Gillis Buy a Car

              06/12/48 #205 Babs' Graduation

 

C11868 06/19/48 #206 Father's Day - Bathrobes

              06/26/48 #207 Vacation On the Prison Farm

 

C11869 10/08/48 #214 How To Pick a Mate

              11/26/48 #221 Bab's Elderly Boyfriend (Missing)

 

C11870 12/03/48 #222 Tries To Get Football Tickets

              12/10/48 #223 Riley's Jilted Sister Visits

 

C11871 12/24/48 #225 Christmas Bonuses

              01/14/49 #228 Job In Arabia

 

C11872 03/25/49 #238 Runs For UCLA President

              11/11/49 #253 Community Chest Drive

 

C11890 06/24/49 Wally Brown Audition (Dialogue Only)

              00/00/00 The Roof Leaks

 

C11873 11/25/49 #255 Thanksgiving Dinner With the Boss

              01/13/50 #262 Southern Female Neighbor (Missing)

 

C18587 04/14/50 #275 The Riley's Anniversary

              04/21/50 #276 Riley Goes To A Drive-In Theatre

 

C06671 10/06/50 #287 Surprise Party Show

              10/13/50 #288 Riley's First Car

 

C06672 10/20/50 #289 Collection Agency

              10/27/50 #290 Riley Wants a New Stove

 

C06673 11/03/50 #291 Bab's Elopement

              11/10/50 #292 Riley Wins a Hudson

 

C06674 11/17/50 #293 The Riley's First Date

              11/24/50 #294 Babs Locked Up

 

C06675 12/01/50 #295 Trouble With the New Foreman

              12/08/50 #296 Lawn Mowing Venture

 

C06676 12/15/50 #297 Peg Goes To Work

              12/22/50 #298 The Riley's First Baby

 

C06677 12/29/50 #299 Be Kind To Simon

              01/05/51 #300 Peg's Father Comes For a Visit

 

C06719 01/12/51 #301 Anniversary Tiff - Light Bill Paid

              01/19/51 #302 Scoutmaster Riley

 

C06720 01/26/51 #303 Engaged To Two Women

              02/02/51 #304 Babs Blackballed

 

C06721 02/09/51 #305 Charleston Dance Lessons

              02/16/51 #306 Second Honeymoon

 

C06722 02/23/51 #307 Riley's Tonsilitus

              03/02/51 #308 Louella Moves In

 

C06723 03/16/51 #309 Riley Installs a Timeclock

              03/23/51 #310 Basketball Game - Bribe?

 

C11887 03/30/51 #311 Riley, the Rent Collector

              04/06/51 #312 Old Man Riley

 

C11888 04/13/51 #313 Civil Service Exam

              04/20/51 #314 Riley & Louella, Kiss In the Dark

 

C11889 04/27/51 #315 Babs Moves Out

              06/29/51 #324 Vacation In Brooklyn (Missing)