The Life of Riley, with William Bendix in the title role, was a popular radio situation comedy series of the 1940s that was adapted into a 1949 feature film and continued as a long-running television series during the 1950s, originally with Jackie Gleason playing Bendix's role. William Bendix ( January 14, 1906 – December 14, 1964) was an Academy Award -nominated American film Actor. Radio is the transmission of signals by Modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible Light. In the Film industry, a feature film is a Film made for initial distribution in theaters and being the "main attraction" of the screening Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic Herbert Walton Gleason Jr, baptized John Herbert "Jackie" Gleason ( February 26, 1916 – June 24, 1987) was an
The show began as a proposed Groucho Marx radio series, The Flotsam Family, but the sponsor balked at what would have been essentially a straight head-of-household role for the comedian. Then producer Irving Brecher saw Bendix as taxicab company owner Tim McGuerin in the movie The McGuerins from Brooklyn (1942). Irving Brecher (b January 17 1914, in New York City New York) enjoyed early success as a Screenwriter for the Marx Brothers; he The Flotsam Family was reworked with Bendix cast as blundering Chester A. Riley, a wing riveter at the fictional Cunningham Aircraft plant in California. His frequent exclamation of indignation became one of the most famous catch phrases of the 1940s: "What a revoltin' development this is!" The radio series also benefited from the immense popularity of a supporting character, Digby "Digger" O'Dell (John Brown), "the friendly undertaker. A catch phrase (or catchphrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance "
"Living the life of Riley" suggests an ideal life of prosperity and contentment, possibly living on someone else's money, time or work. Rather than a negative freeloading or golddigging aspect, it instead implies that someone is kept or advantaged. The expression was popular in the 1880s, a time when James Whitcomb Riley's poems depicted the comforts of a prosperous home life [1], but it could have an Irish origin: After the Riley clan consolidated its hold on County Cavan, they minted their own money, accepted as legal tender even in England. James Whitcomb Riley ( Greenfield, Indiana, October 7, 1849 &ndash July 22, 1916) was an American These coins, called “O'Reillys” and “Reilly's,” became synonymous with a monied person, and a gentleman freely spending was “living on his Reillys. ” Thus, the radio-TV title has an ironic edge.
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Radio
The first Life of Riley radio show was a summer replacement show heard on CBS from April 12, 1941 to September 6, 1941. Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 3114 BC - According to the Proleptic Julian calendar the current era in the Maya Long Count Calendar started Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The CBS program starred Lionel Stander as J. Lionel Jay Stander ( January 11, 1908 – November 30, 1994) was an American Actor in movies radio theater and television Riley Farnsworth and had no real connection with the more famous series that followed a few years later.
The radio program starring William Bendix aired on the ABC Blue Network from January 16, 1944 to June 8, 1945. The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC) is an American Television network. Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Then it moved to NBC, where it was broadcast from September 8, 1945 to June 29, 1951. The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC) is an American Television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Events 70 - Roman forces under Titus sack Jerusalem. 1264 - The Statute of Kalisz Events 512 - A Solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic chronicler in Ireland. Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January The supporting cast featured John Brown, who portrayed not only undertaker Digger O'Dell but also Riley's co-worker Gillis. Whereas Gillis gave Riley bad information that got him into trouble, Digger gave him good information that "helped him out of a hole," as he might have put it. Brown's lines as the undertaker were often repetitive, including puns based on his profession; but, thanks to Brown's delivery, the audience loved him. The series was co-developed by the non-performing Marx Brother, Gummo. The Marx Brothers were a popular team of sibling Comedians who appeared in Vaudeville, stage plays film and television Milton Marx ( October 23, 1892 - April 21, 1977) known as Gummo, was one of The Marx Brothers.
Procter and Gamble (Prell shampoo) and Pabst Blue Ribbon beer were the show's longtime sponsors. Procter & Gamble Co ( P&G,) is a Fortune 500, American global corporation based in Cincinnati Ohio, that manufactures a wide Pabst Brewing Company is an American company founded in 1844 by Jacob Best
Television
Beginning October 4, 1949, the show was adapted for television for the DuMont Television Network, but Bendix's film contracts prevented him from appearing in the role. Events 610 - Heraclius arrives by ship from Africa at Constantinople, overthrows Byzantine Emperor Phocas Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The DuMont Television Network was the world's first commercial Television network, beginning operation in the United States in 1946 Instead, Jackie Gleason starred along with Rosemary DeCamp as wife Peg, Gloria Winters as daughter Barbara (Babs), Lanny Rees as son Chester Jr. Herbert Walton Gleason Jr, baptized John Herbert "Jackie" Gleason ( February 26, 1916 – June 24, 1987) was an Rosemary DeCamp ( November 14, 1910 - February 20, 2001) was an American television and movie actress Gloria Winters (born November 28, 1932, in Los Angeles California) is an Actress most noted for playing Penny in the 1950s-1960s American (Junior), and Sid Tomack as Gillis, Riley's manipulative best buddy and next-door neighbor. John Brown returned as the morbid counseling undertaker Digby (Digger) O'Dell ("Well, I guess I'll be. . . shoveling off"; "Business is a little dead tonight"). Television's first Life of Riley won television's first Emmy (for "Best Film Made For and Shown on Television"). However, it came to an end on March 28, 1950 because of low ratings and because Gleason left the show, thinking he could find a better showcase for his unique abilities. Events 37 - Roman Emperor Caligula accepts the titles of the Principate, entitled to him by the Senate. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Groucho Marx received a credit for "story. "
The second TV series brought back William Bendix, beginning January 2, 1953 on NBC. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC) is an American Television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's He was supported by Marjorie Reynolds as wife Peg, Tom D'Andrea as schemer buddy Gillis, Gloria Blondell as Gillis' wife, Honeybee, Lugene Sanders as daughter Babs, and Wesley Morgan as son Junior. Marjorie Reynolds (b August 12 1917, Buhl Idaho - February 1 1997, Manhattan Beach California) was an American This Life of Riley series with Bendix remained an NBC fixture until August 22, 1958. Events 392 - Arbogast has Eugenius elected Western Roman Emperor. Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. It then went into syndicated reruns that lasted until Bendix's untimely death in 1964. Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar.
The comedic plotlines focused on Los Angeles-area aircraft worker Chester A. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Riley, a gullible and occasionally clumsy (but big-hearted) lug, and the doings and undoings of his family. Riley's penchant for turning mere trouble into near-disaster through his well-intentioned bumbling was often aided or instigated by his arch best friend/next-door neighbor, Gillis.
In several ways, Riley was a prototype for later blue-collar sitcom protagonists such as blustery, get-rich-quick schemer Ralph Kramden and his animated stone-age counterpart Fred Flintstone; blustery bigot Archie Bunker; benign, bighearted Dan Conner; and King of Queens Doug Heffernan. The Honeymooners debuted as a half-hour series on October 1 1955. Frederick J "Fred" Flintstone is a Fictional character who originated in the animated Sitcom The Flintstones on All in the Family is an American Situation comedy that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12 1971 to April Roseanne is an American sitcom broadcast on ABC from 1988 to 1997 starring Stand-up comedian Roseanne The King of Queens is an Emmy -nominated American Sitcom that ran for nine seasons from 1998 to 2007 Bendix's Riley, especially, was perhaps too guileless to be the true prototype for this group, but for making blue-collar characters as operable on television as on radio or in film, Chester Riley earned his place in broadcasting history.
One of the William Bendix film commitments that kept him from bringing Chester Riley to television the first time around was a 1949 film version of The Life of Riley itself. The cast cross-matched both television versions: the future TV Riley was flanked by half of Gleason's Riley family: Rosemary DeCamp and Lanny Rees, not to mention John Brown's Digger. Bendix and DeCamp repeated the roles when an hour-long radio adaptation of the feature film was presented on the legendary Lux Radio Theater in May, 1950. Lux Radio Theater, one of the genuine classic radio Anthology series (NBC Blue Network (1934-1935 CBS (1935-1954 NBC
The two actresses who played teenage Babs Riley on television later acted together. On an episode of TV's Richard Diamond, Private Detective, Lugene Sanders, whose Babs grew up to marry and give Riley a grandson (her husband was played by future Route 66 and Adam-12 co-star Martin Milner), played a woman whose boyfriend was in trouble with the law. Richard Diamond Private Detective is a detective drama which was on radio from 1949 to 1953 and on television from 1957 to 1960. Route 66 is an American TV series in which two young men traveled across America Adam-12 is a Television program which ran from September 21, 1968 until August 30, 1975 on NBC for 175 Martin Sam Milner (born December 28, 1931) is an American actor best known for his performances in two Popular Television series Gloria Winters portrayed her roommate in the story.
Gulf Oil was a longtime sponsor of the TV show. Gulf Oil was a major global oil company from the 1900s to the 1980s
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