The Life of Riley

Home , Alan Reed, Irving Brecher, The Life of Riley, William Bendix

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Irving Brecher: Before and After Riley Irving Brecher’s Described by humorist S.J. Perelman as one of the quickest wits in America, The Life of Riley creator Irving Brecher (born January 17, 1914) started his THE LIFE OF RILEY entertainment career as an usher at the Little Carnegie Playhouse in New York City and soon Program Guide by Ivan G. Shreve, Jr. after became a writer for comedian Milton Berle, first for vaudeville and later for his Gillette “It’s a losin’ fight!” Irving Brecher & Groucho Marx Community Sing radio series in the 1930’s. The origins of The Life of Riley , the popular radio sitcom than ran from 1944 Brecher followed Berle to Hollywood as a writer and soon after landed a host of to 1951, can be traced all the way back to Groucho Marx. At least, that’s the additional work in the movies. It was then that he began regular work for producer version from Riley’s creator—Irving Brecher—who relates the series of events Mervin LeRoy at MGM, including uncredited script revisions for The Wizard of as beginning sometime in the early 1940s. Oz (1939). Brecher, an MGM For MGM, he was assigned to write two screenplays for the Marx Brothers, At the screenwriter who had Circus (1939) and Go West (1940). It was here that Brecher began the friendship scripted the films At the with Groucho Marx that would later lead to the creation of The Life of Riley. Circus (1939) and Go West (1940) for Groucho At MGM, Brecher further co-wrote the screenplay for Shadow of the Thin Man and his brothers, was (1941) and was a contributor and co-writer on many famous musicals, including approached by the cigar- among others For Me and My Gal (1942), Best Foot Forward (1943), and smoking comedian one Ziegfeld Follies (1946). His most successful screenwriting effort came in 1944, as day; Marx wanted his co-writer for the Judy Garland classic Meet Me in St. Louis , for which he was friend to create a radio nominated for an Academy Award. After his success with The Life of Riley on show tailored specifically radio and television, Brecher continued his career as a screenwriter, notably on to his talents. Brecher Bye Bye Birdie (1963). recalled that Groucho’s “radio show had been Mr. Brecher’s biography, The Wicked Wit of the West: The Last Great Golden Age cancelled recently, in an Screenwriter Shares the Hilarity and Heartaches of Working With Groucho, abrupt fashion that had Garland, Gleason, Burns, Berle, Benny, and many more , as told to Hank humiliated him.” Irving Rosenfeld, is scheduled to soon be released by Ben Yehuda Press. confessed to Groucho that he had nothing for him at the present time, only an idea for a sitcom he called The Flotsam Family . www.RadioSpirits.com The idea was that PO Box 1315, Little Falls, NJ 07424 Groucho would play the head of a household in Audio programming © P 2008 Irving Brecher, Trustee, under license from Irving which the father “floated Brecher, Trustee. like flotsam” from job-to- All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited. job every week; often Program Guide © 2008 Ivan G. Shreve, Jr. and RSPT LLC. All Rights Reserved. William Bendix life_of_riley_8pgbooklet.qxd:8 pg. Booklet 10/20/08 10:46 PM Page 2

engaged in various hare-brained, get-rich-quick schemes. Groucho was sold on disaster. With William Bendix, Paula the idea and arranged for an audition record to be produced…and the audience Winslowe, Barbara Eiler, John loved the show, primarily because “they loved Groucho.” But the would-be Brown, Alan Reed, Eleanor Audley, sponsor ultimately thumbed down the idea, feeling that Marx simply wouldn’t Ken Harvey, Sid Tomack and be believable as a flesh-and-blood family patriarch. announcer Jimmy Wallington.

A year later, Brecher was attending a sneak preview for a friend’s film when he B: March 10, 1950 – NBC, happened to spot actor William Bendix in a Hal Roach "streamliner": The sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon – McGuerins of Brooklyn (1942). The screenwriter believed that Bendix would Riley has difficulty getting his be perfect for the part of “Flotsam,” and in contacting the actor’s agent, learned landlord to fix the leaky roof in his that Bendix had expressed an interest in doing a radio show. Brecher made a few apartment and the landlord retaliates changes to the script, and another audition record (which is in circulation today) by raising the family’s rent. When was cut on July 25, 1943. Again, it was much appreciated by the audience in Junior takes the rap for the landlord’s attendance but Brecher heard no further word on the project…not until six daughter cheating in school, Riley months later, when he was contacted by a representative of the American Meat plans to use it to his advantage. With Institute—a consortium of agencies pitching the idea that Americans should eat William Bendix, Paula Winslowe, more meat, “the yardstick of protein foods.” The show debuted over the Blue Bobby Ellis, John Brown, Alan Reed Network (soon to become ABC) on January 16, 1944, renamed The Life of and announcer Jimmy Wallington. Riley , (The expression “life of Riley,” taken from the Irish, means an individual John Brown who has no financial worries and is living a life of ease. It had been used on CD 7 radio before, notably for a short-lived CBS sitcom in 1941 starring Lionel A: March 17, 1950 – NBC, sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon – In flashback, Peg Stander, which confused radio biographers for a time into thinking Stander had relates the history of Riley’s “popcorn empire” and how it was brought to its played “Riley” before Bendix.) knees by one small allergy. With William Bendix, Paula Winslowe, Barbara Eiler, John Brown, Alan Reed and announcer Jimmy Wallington. Riley was a family sitcom that focused on Chester A. Riley (Bendix), a Brooklyn expatriate who had relocated to Los Angeles with his wife Peg and B: March 24, 1950 – NBC, sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon – Riley is trying children Barbara (“Babs”) and Chester (usually referred to as “Junior”) and was to fix his sister Cissie up with his pal Otto…but she’s determined to land a fortunate to secure work as a welder at an aircraft factory in the wartime gambler named Hugo instead. With William Bendix, Paula Winslowe, Bobby economy. He was a beefy, lovable lunkhead who blundered his way week after Ellis, Mary Jane Croft, John Brown, Alan Reed, Jim Backus and announcer week into some minor catastrophe, and usually had to be extricated from such Jimmy Wallington. predicaments by his sensible, down-to-earth spouse (Paula Winslowe, a wonderful actress who struck the pitch-perfect balance between exasperation CD 8 and support). He wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, and once he was set A: March 31, 1950 – NBC, sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon – Peg fumes when on a course of action he would stubbornly refuse to deviate from his plan (“My Riley demonstrates a noticeable lack of common courtesy towards her. After head is made up!”). After the disaster had played out, he would often mutter wrestling with his conscience, he’s determined to be the most chivalrous “What a revoltin’ development this is!”—which became a national catchphrase. individual alive. With William Bendix, Paula Winslowe, Louise Erickson, John Still, he remained a good-hearted slob through it all. Brown, Alan Reed, Sid Tomack and announcer Jimmy Wallington.

The plots in the sitcom’s early days often revolved around the incongruency of B: November 3, 1950 – NBC, sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon – Riley and Peg Brooklynite Riley’s having to function in the fish-out-of-water environs of Los stop Babs from eloping with her boyfriend in the nick of time. Riley changes Angeles, California. (Oddly enough, Riley always seemed to find a lot of his tune when he learns that Babs has plans to marry into a wealthy family. With expatriates in his neck of the woods that had had the same relocating idea that William Bendix, Paula Winslowe, Barbara Eiler, John Brown and announcer he had. Later, the writers would ingeniously use Brooklyn as a backdrop for Howard Petrie. “flashback” episodes, outlining Chester and Peg’s early courting days, wedding life_of_riley_8pgbooklet.qxd:8 pg. Booklet 10/20/08 10:46 PM Page 3

CD 3 day, first baby, etc.) Creator Brecher (who had to get permission from MGM— A: February 14, 1948 – NBC, sponsored by Prell and Ivory Snow – Riley and later Universal-International—to work on the show) oversaw a top-notch refuses to defend Peg’s honor when the butcher makes an inappropriate remark. writing staff that consisted of scribes like Reuben Ship, Alan Lipscott, Ashmead He then decides to get her a “comical” card for Valentine’s Day. With William Scott, Robert Sloane and Dick Powell (not, it should be pointed out, the famous Bendix, Paula Winslowe, Tommy Cook, Barbara Eiler, John Brown, Alan Reed actor-crooner). and announcer Ken Niles. Many of radio’s prized character actors appeared on Riley; the most noteworthy B: January 20, 1950 – NBC, sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon – Riley’s spinster being Hans Conried, who played freeloading parasite Uncle Baxter (Baxter sister Cecilia (“Cissie”) is visiting, upset that her fiancé Lionel jilted her at the never let Riley forget that he once loaned him a pint of blood, securing his rent- altar by joining the Navy. With William Bendix, Paula Winslowe, Bobby Ellis, free presence in Riley’s domicile) in the program’s early years (and was Barbara Eiler, Bea Benaderet, John Brown, Herb Vigran, Marlo Dwyer and replaced from time to time by Charlie Cantor as the equally shiftless Uncle announcer Jimmy Wallington. Buckley). Francis “Dink” Trout, king of the radio milquetoasts, was Riley’s neighbor, Waldo Binney, who suffered under the thumb of his domineering wife CD 4 and aunt much in the same manner of Fibber McGee & Molly’s Wallace A: January 27, 1950 – NBC, sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon – When Junior Wimple. And future Flintstone s icon Alan Reed was also a Riley fixture, often starts to sneak out at night, Riley and Peg become convinced he’s involved with in the role of Mr. Stevenson, Riley’s long-suffering boss. a juvenile gang. Not so—Chester A. Riley, Jr.’s just in love. With William Bendix, Paula Winslowe, Bobby Ellis, John Brown, Sid Tomack and announcer But it was the versatile John Brown who made the biggest impression on the Jimmy Wallington. series, playing two of The Life of Riley’s best-known characters. One was Jim Gillis, Riley’s sarcastic co-worker/next-door neighbor who often took it upon B: February 3, 1950 – NBC, sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon – After getting a himself to give his “pal” advice whenever Riley was bollixed up in another lecture from Riley on the importance of getting good marks in school, Babs calamity—the net result generally seeing Riley in further hot water. Gillis had learns she’s flunked her midterm math exam and Junior brings home a bad a son with the bully-magnet moniker of “Egbert” and a nagging spouse named report card. With William Bendix, Paula Winslowe, Bobby Ellis, Barbara Eiler, Honeybee, played by actress Shirley Mitchell. (Mitchell also appeared on the Gil Stratton, Jr., John Brown and announcer Jimmy Wallington. show as Louella Lounsberry, a flirtatious Southern belle not unlike her Leila Ransom character on The Great Gildersleeve .) Gillis was not too far removed CD 5 from neighbor “Thorny” on The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet —a part also A: February 10, 1950 – NBC, sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon – Rebuffed by played by Brown. Riley when he tries to get money to get his girlfriend a special Valentine’s Day gift, Peg tells Junior (in flashback) a tale of how Riley bought her a box of Brown’s most famous contribution to candy in their Brooklyn courting days…and ended up in the hoosegow! With The Life of Riley came in the form of William Bendix, Paula Winslowe, Bobby Ellis, John Brown, Alan Reed, Sid a character that creator Brecher had Tomack, Norman Fields and announcer Jimmy Wallington. intended as a one-shot one week when the program was running short. He B: February 17, 1950 – NBC, sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon – Riley loses his was undertaker Digby “Digger” job bluffing for a raise and Peg is forced to go to work as a waitress, much to O’Dell, who often greeted Riley in a his chagrin. With William Bendix, Paula Winslowe, Bobby Ellis, Barbara Eiler, gloomy, sepulchral voice with “You’re John Brown, Alan Reed, Sid Tomack, Stanley Waxman and announcer Jimmy looking fine, Riley— very natural !” Wallington. The Meat Institute (and more than a few undertakers, who threatened to CD 6 boycott by no longer purchasing the A: February 24, 1950 – NBC, sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon – Since the meat renderings used to make soap to Rileys rarely go out, Chester decides to rectify the situation by taking Peg out wash the bodies) balked at the gallows on the town…not once, but twice! As predicted, both “nights out” end in utter humor than emanated from the funeral Paula Winslowe life_of_riley_8pgbooklet.qxd:8 pg. Booklet 10/20/08 10:46 PM Page 4

parlor director, but the audience took a shine to Digger—and from that moment on, each broadcast was good for at least one walk-on from the character, who signed off with “Cheerio—I’d better be shoveling off .” (Brecher credits the undertaker with saving the comedy from an almost certain cancellation; ironically, the same representatives from the undertakers’ industry invited actor Brown to speak at their annual convention.)

The American Meat Institute stopped sponsoring The Life of Riley when the opportunity to pay the bills for a classical music program arose, and Proctor & Gamble picked up where the meat people left off (by this time, the show had been moved from its 3:00pm Sunday afternoon slot to primetime), plugging Prell shampoo, Teel dentifrice and Ivory Snow from 1945-49. (Pabst Blue Ribbon—“What’ll you have?”—would later sponsor the show until its cancellation in 1951.) Castwise, the players remained fairly stable; Bendix and Winslowe went the distance as Riley and Peg, with only the Riley offspring William Bendix, Paula Winslowe, Barbara Eiler & Bobby Ellis undergoing any real changes. Conrad Binyon was the original Junior, but actors Scotty Beckett, Jack Grimes, Tommy Cook and Bobby Ellis all played the part Includes the following episodes: at various times; ditto with Babs, originally essayed by Sharon Douglas but Barbara Eiler and Louise Erickson also took a whack at the role. CD1 A: April 2, 1944 – Blue, sponsored by the American Meat Institute – Uncle By the time Riley went off the air in 1951, the show had seen a successful big- Baxter, Peg and Junior are planning a surprise party for Riley’s birthday…but screen movie adaptation in 1948 (one of the best radio-to-film transplants of they have to get him out of the house first. With William Bendix, Paula that era), followed by a short-lived TV show in the fall of 1949 which starred Winslowe, Francis “Dink” Trout, Conrad Binyon, Hans Conried, Joseph Jackie Gleason (back when he was merely The Good One) because Bendix was Kearns, Frank Nelson and announcer Ken Niles. contractually unable to appear on the series. (Brecher had been warned off Gleason by several people as being unreliable, but after a disastrous pilot B: May 14, 1944 – Blue, sponsored by the American Meat Institute – Riley and starring Lon Chaney, Jr. he felt he had no other choice.) It is interesting to note the kids decide that Peg needn’t lift a finger for Mother’s Day. Riley that Gleason once was afforded the opportunity to play Riley on radio on a complicates matters when he takes charge of dinner preparations. With William November 11, 1949 broadcast when star Bendix developed a sore throat (he was Bendix, Paula Winslowe, Sharon Douglas, Conrad Binyon, Joseph Kearns, working on the feature comedy Kill the Umpire at the time) and couldn’t go Charlie Cantor and announcer Ken Niles. “on with the show.” With Bendix still playing Riley on radio, however, audiences never quite warmed up to Gleason in the role and the series was CD 2 cancelled after one season—even after the program won one of the first Emmy A: June 11, 1944 – Blue, sponsored by the American Meat Institute – Riley Awards as Best Comedy Series. Bendix took another crack at it in the winter of accidentally bids and wins a worthless antique jewel box at an auction…with a 1953 and made The Life of Riley a TV smash for five seasons. valuable stamp inside! Uncle Buckley then puts the kibosh on Riley’s dreams of wealth by mailing a letter with the same stamp. With William Bendix, Paula Many years after Riley had run its course and was living “the life of retirement” Winslowe, Conrad Binyon, John Brown, and announcer Ken Niles. in television reruns, series creator Irving Brecher encountered actor Carroll O’Connor at a party during the time O’Connor was enjoying his great success B: October 1, 1944 – Blue, sponsored by the American Meat Institute – As part on All in the Family . According to Brecher, O’Connor paid him a compliment of a home economics assignment, Babs has to throw an intimate dinner party by remarking: “We’re doing your program with freedom. We’re doing The Life by inviting her professor and a snobbish girl from her class. Riley borrows a of Riley with the freedom you couldn’t have.” Nevertheless, the original Life most unusual dining room table. With William Bendix, Paula Winslowe, of Riley still stands the test of time—an excellent example of great situation Sharon Douglas, Conrad Binyon, Charlie Cantor, Joseph Kearns, John Brown comedy from the Golden Age of Radio. and announcer Ken Niles. life_of_riley_8pgbooklet.qxd:8 pg. Booklet 10/20/08 10:46 PM Page 4