For a small taste of this great
series,
listen to the preview below.
This show comes on 2 CDs In MP3 Format
The Life of Riley, with William Bendix in the title role, was a popular
radio situation comedy series of the 1940s and continued as a long-running
television series during the 1950s. "Living the Life of Riley" has been used
to suggest an ideal life of prosperity and contentment. Riley is portrayed
as stubborn, opinionated and knows his way is the right way; although his
family, friends and neighbors would disagree with him on that.
Producer Irving Brecher saw Bendix as taxicab company owner Tim Mc Guerin in
the movie The Mc Guerins from Brooklyn (1942). He then cast him as blundering
Chester A. Riley, riveter at a California aircraft plant, and his frequent
exclamation of indignation "What a revoltin' development this is!" became
one of the most famous catch phrases of the 1940s.
The series also benefited from the immense popularity of the supporting
character, Digby "Digger" O'Dell (John Brown), "the friendly undertaker."
The radio program starring William Bendix aired on the ABC Blue Network from
January 16, 1944 to June 8, 1945. Then it moved to NBC, where it was
broadcast from September 8, 1945 to June 29, 1951. The supporting cast
featured John Brown, who portrayed not only undertaker Digger O'Dell but
also Riley's co-worker Gillis. The series was co-developed by the
non-performing Marx Brother, Gummo. The Life of Riley, along with The
Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet were two radio shows, later also shown on
TV, which were produced with the intention of celebrating the classic
American family.
Pabst Blue Ribbon beer was the show's longtime sponsor.
The idea of a regular Joe getting put out and put upon by life's daily grind
is a classic comedy concept, and so the Life of Riley appears still fresh
after all these years. The TV show was one of my favorites as I was growing
up and I wish it was available on DVD. Until then, I will continue to
relive my youth, and enjoy one of America's classic sitcoms.
There are over 185 episodes
and better then 90 hours of wonderful 1940s & 50s life and hilarity contained on the CD.
The following are the episodes contained on the
two CD set.
1944-01-16 Riley Plans to Build A House
1944-04-09 Riley Is Best Dressed Man
1944-04-30 Baxter Goes To New York
1944-10-29 Halloween Haunted House
1944-11-05 Piano Lessons for Junior
1944-11-12 Big Football Bet
1944-11-19 Turkey Hunt
1944-12-03 Most Popular Boy
1944-12-10 Riley's Mash Note At Night School
1944-12-17 Christmas Present
1944-12-24 Roswell's A Guest For Christmas
1945-01-07 Silver Gloves Boxing
1945-01-14 The Watch
1945-01-21 Riley Takes Phone Booth Nickels
1945-02-25 Riley Helps Luigi Pass English Exam
1945-03-04 Expectant Fathers
1945-03-11 Junior Runs Away
1945-03-18 Riley Is A Pal To Junior
1945-03-25 Five Dollars Is Missing
1945-05-13 Pegs Mother Visits
1945-09-08 Lay Offs
1945-09-15 Neighbor Feud Over Juniors Goat
1945-10-20 Sidney Monahan Is A House Guest
1945-11-24 Will Babs And Simon Marry
1945-12-01 Phonograph Record Saves Riley
1945-12-08 Job Promotion Exam
1945-12-15 Grandma s Boyfriend
1946-02-26 School Play
1946-03-09 Babs Music Scholarship
1946-03-16 Riley Buys An Insurance Policy
1946-04-06 Riley Finds Fur Coat
1946-04-13 Bread Shortage
1946-04-27 Gambling Lesson
1946-05-04 Riley Takes In the Gillises
1946-05-11 Junior Forgets Mothers Day
1946-05-18 Playing Hooky
1946-05-25 Junior Sells Peanuts at the Circus
1946-06-01 Shoplifter
1946-06-08 The Bread Shortage and the Black Market
1946-06-15 New Suit For Fathers Day
1946-06-29 Newspaper Subscription Contest
1946-09-07 Riley Gets Promoted
1946-09-14 Pegs Job
1946-09-21 Riley Hides on Boat
1946-09-28 The Football Game
1946-10-05 Good Neighbor Week
1946-10-19 Riley Sues Bus Company
1946-10-26 Job in South America
1946-11-02 The Park Supervisor
1946-11-09 Boy Scout Camp
1946-11-23 Riley the Football Hero
1946-11-30 Medical Advice From Horse Doctor
1947-01-11 Efficiency Expert
1947-01-18 Riley Simon Business Partners
1947-01-25 Riley's Honeymoon
1947-02-01 Riley Switched at Birth
1947-02-08 Riley's Birthday Forgotten
1947-03-15 Advice to the Lovelorn Column
1947-03-22 Riley The Milkman
1947-03-29 Riley The Gentleman
1947-04-05 Riley the Child Beater
1947-04-12 Peg s Old Boyfriend
1947-04-19 Mystery Fight
1947-04-26 Simon Blackmails Riley
1947-05-03 Babs Enters Society
1947-05-10 Mother s Day Speech
1947-05-31 Accident Insurance Policy
1947-06-07 Riley Courts Peg At Summer Camp
1947-06-14 Junior Wins A Soapbox
1947-06-28 Riley And Gillis Spend Week At Lake
1947-07-05 Is Peg Leaving
1947-09-06 Riley Enrolls At PIP
1947-09-13 Babs Has Two Dates
1947-09-20 Junior Runs Away
1947-09-27 A Statue For The Piano
1947-10-04 Riley Thinks He's Getting Old
1947-10-11 Riley The Cop
1947-10-18 The Community Chest
1947-10-25 Ragamuffin Ball
1947-11-01 Football Pool Card
1947-11-08 17th Anniversary Party
1947-11-15 Riley In School Play
1947-11-22 Win a Buick Contest
1947-11-29 Thanksgiving With The Gillises
1947-12-06 The Greatest Man I Know
1947-12-13 Babs Blackballed at College
1948-01-03 Riley Gets Junior Two Dates
1948-01-10 Equal Rights
1948-01-17 Radio Contest
1948-01-24 Babs Quits School
1948-01-31 Uncle Baxter Moves In
1948-02-07 Father and Son Banquet
1948-02-14 Riley Sends Peg A Comic Valentine
1948-02-21 Riley Tells Peg a Lie
1948-02-28 Babs Sweet 16 Birthday
1948-03-06 Riley Punches His Foreman
1948-03-13 The Monkey
1948-03-20 Suggestion Contest
1948-04-03 Juvenile Delinquency
1948-04-10 Peg Studies French
1948-04-24 Spring Fever
1948-05-01 Baseball Uniform
1948-05-08 Mothers Day Present Explained
1948-05-15 Riley Man of Distinction
1948-05-22 Monahan Spends A Week
1948-05-29 Riley And Gillis Buy A Car Together
1948-06-12 Babs Graduation
1948-06-19 Fathers Day Bathrobes
1948-06-26 Vacation on Prison Farm
1948-09-03 Riley Meets Clem Kadiddlehopper
1948-09-10 The Household Drudge
1948-10-08 How to Pick a Mate
1948-10-15 Riley Campaigns
1948-10-22 The Problem Child
1948-10-29 Riley Seeks Knowledge
1948-11-05 Comic Books
1948-11-12 Riley's Tonsillectomy
1948-11-19 Father In Law Trouble
1948-11-26 Babs Elderly Boyfriend
1948-12-03 Trying to Get Football Tickets
1948-12-10 Riley's Jilted Sister Visits
1948-12-17 Riley and Mrs. Morris Buys A Car Not A Wife
1948-12-24 Christmas Bonus From Mr. Stevenson
1949-01-07 Riley Coaches Juniors Team
1949-01-14 Riley Gets a Job in
1949-01-21 Bertha Riley's Old
1949-01-28 Quiet Evening By the Fireside
1949-02-04 Riley Talks in his Sleep
1949-02-11 Babs Elopes with Simon
1949-02-18 Valentine Locket
1949-03-04 The Life of Riley Movie Premiere
1949-03-11 The Wire Recorder
1949-03-25 Babs Runs in College Election
1949-04-01 Wont Let Peg Help Junior With His Homework
1949-04-02 Riley Talks in His Sleep About Gertrude
1949-04-08 Riley Held Up
1949-04-22 Riley Breaks Pegs Chinese Bowl
1949-04-29 Riley Is Fired
1949-05-06 Babs Leaves Home
1949-05-13 Gitchigoomi
1949-05-20 Junior Drops Out of School
1949-05-27 Junior and Egbert Go Camping
1949-10-14 The Geiger Counter
1949-10-21 The Policeman Boarder
1949-10-28 Television Set on Ten Day Trial
1949-11-04 The Expectant Father
1949-11-18 The Escort Bureau
1949-12-02 Riley the Bookie
1949-12-09 Babs and the Stevenson's Nephew
1949-12-30 Riley Drives Cab
1950-01-27 Junior is in Love
1950-02-17 Riley Quits
1950-03-03 Riley Becomes an Actor on TV
1950-03-24 Riley's Sister Engaged
1950-04-07 Miracle of the Bells
1950-04-28 Riley Buys A Hamburg
1950-05-12 Mothers Day
1950-10-06 Surprise Party
1950-10-13 Traffic Court
1950-10-20 Collection Agency
1950-10-27 Cake Baking Contest
1950-11-03 Babs Elopement
1950-11-10 New Car In Bean Bowl
1950-11-17 Riley's First Date Flashback
1950-11-24 Riley Locks Babs Up
1950-11-24 Student Riot
1950-12-01 Troubles With New Foreman
1950-12-08 The Lawnmower Company
1950-12-15 Peg Goes to Work
1950-12-22 Baby Babs is Allergic to Riley
1951-01-05 Pegs Father Visits
1951-01-12 Anniversary Tiff
1951-01-19 Riley the Scoutmaster
1951-01-26 Engaged to Two Women
1951-02-02 Babs Blackballed By
1951-02-09 Charleston Dance Lessons
1951-02-16 Riley's Case of Nerves
1951-02-23 Riley Has Tonsillitis
1951-03-02 Louella Is A House Guest
1951-03-16 Riley Installs A Time Clock
1951-03-23 Basketball Game Bribe
1951-03-30 Riley the Rent Collector
1951-04-06 Old Man Riley
1951-04-13 Civil Service Test
1951-04-20 Kiss in The Dark
1951-04-27 Babs Moves Out
1951-05-11 Black Chiffon Nightgown
1951-05-18 Soapbox Derby
Presented for your enjoyment is an entire episode for you to sample.
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Production Notes
Source
Material:
Please note that the
DVDs/CDs whether video or audio are produced with the original film
footage or audio stock. We have deliberately left in all the slight
imperfections which adds to the nostalgia, charm and wonder of these
vintage DVDs and old time radio shows. All are compiled from public
domain sources.
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then packaged in full size DVD cases for easy storage with your other
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DVDs:
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play on all home and computer DVD players, they are region free, NTSC
productions. We use only high quality DVD media to maximize
compatibility. The vast majority of DVD players work fine with our DVD
discs. Still, there are some that may experience problems, this
compatibility issue does exist for a small percentage of older DVD
players in use today.
Radio
Show CDs & DVDs:
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playable on any computer with a DVD/CD drive and an MP3 player such as
Window Media Player. The CDs will also play in CD players which accept
MP3 files. This includes both home and auto players. Also, we've found
that many DVD players will play MP3 files. The individual episode
files have been left accessible so that they can be transferred to
portable devices or CDs for your convenience.
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