Life Of Riley, The

The Life of Riley is an American radio situation comedy series of the 1940s that was adapted into a 1949 feature film, as well as two different television series, and a comic book. The radio program initially aired on the Blue Network (later known as ABC) from January 16, 1944, to July 8, 1945, and then moved to NBC, where it was broadcast from September 8, 1945, to June 29, 1951.

Stars

The reworked script cast William Bendix in the title role of blundering Chester A. Riley, a wing riveter at the fictional Cunningham Aircraft plant in California. Riley’s frequent exclamation of indignation—“What a revoltin’ development this is!”—became one of the most famous catchphrases of the 1940s.

The radio series also benefited from the immense popularity of a supporting character, Digby “Digger” O’Dell (John Brown), “the friendly undertaker.” Brecher told Brown, “I want a very sepulchral voice, quavering, morbid,” and he got it right away.

The supporting cast featured Paula Winslowe as Riley’s wife, Peg, and as Riley’s mother-in law; Brown as O’Dell and as Riley’s co-worker Jim Gillis; Francis “Dink” Trout as Waldo Binney; Tommy Cook, Bobby Ellis, and Scotty Beckett as Junior at various times during the show’s run; Barbara Eiler as Riley’s daughter, Babs; Shirley Mitchell as Honeybee Gillis; Hans Conried as Uncle Baxter; and Alan Reed as multiple characters, including Riley’s boss (Mr. Stevenson) and Peg’s father.

Key Dates

• The radio program initially aired on the Blue Network (later known as ABC) from January 16, 1944, to July 8, 1945.
• It then moved to NBC, where it was broadcast from September 8, 1945, to June 29, 1951.
• The American Meat Institute (1944–45), Procter & Gamble (Teel dentifrice and Prell shampoo) (1945–49), and Pabst Blue Ribbon beer (1949–51) took turns as the radio program’s sponsor.

Other Information

An unrelated radio show with the title Life of Riley was a summer replacement show heard on CBS from April 12, 1941, to September 6, 1941. The CBS program starred Lionel Stander as J. Riley Farnsworth and had no real connection with the more famous series that followed a few years later.

The 1949 film version of The Life of Riley directed by Irving Brecher starred William Bendix and earned $1.6 million in the U.S. and Canada, preventing him from starring in the TV series that began in the same year. Bendix and Rosemary DeCamp reprised the roles in an hour-long radio adaptation of the feature film that was presented on Lux Radio Theatre on May 8, 1950.  A comic book adaptation of the show was produced by Dell Comics in 1958 as part of their Four Color series of one-shots.