The Life of Riley

Several years before Jackie Gleason made the first great television sit-com, he starred as everyman Chester Riley in this very early television series. You don't have the explosive Ralph Cramden here, or one of the bizarre characters he did on television during the 1950's. His Chester Riley is something of a straight man. Gleason of course, is younger here (He's in his early 30's) and only has a slight weight problem. Still, he's a charming presence, worth catching on TV re-runs.

1949's "The Life of Riley" must be one of the oldest, if not the oldest sit-com in television history, considering that television first came into existence only three years earlier. I remember briefly seeing a few episodes in reruns on a local New York station when I was a kid around 1980, but I don't remember what any of them were about. I just remember that Jackie Gleason played Riley, and Riley's demeanor was nothing like Ralph Kramden's. I only remember Gleason playing Riley like the poor soul. And I remember the opening-credit intro was animated and showed the outside of the house and Riley's mailbox. But that's about it.

THE LIFE OF RILEY (1949) has an interesting history for that it is remembered, if at all, solely as the role created by William Bendix. This in part is true, for that Bendix did originate the role of Chester A. Riley on radio in 1944. Although it's been said that he was unavailable to star in the proposed TV series in 1949, he did get to star as Riley in the 1949 Universal-International movie version of that same name with Rosemary DeCamp as his wife, Peg (which at one time aired on American Movie Classics in the late 1980s).

As for the TV series, the Dumont network substituted the unavailable Bendix for the not-so-well-known Jackie Gleason as Riley; with Rosemary DeCamp as Peg; Lanny Rees as son, Junior; and Gloria Winters as daughter, Babs; along with Sid Tomack as Riley's friend, Gillis. After 26 episodes, the series was cancelled in early 1950. Then in 1953, THE LIFE OF RILEY was brought back to television (NBC), this time with William Bendix playing Riley and Marjorie Reynolds as Peg. The new series lasted five successful years. By the time THE LIFE OF RILEY ended its run in1958, Jackie Gleason had won immortality with his role as Ralph Kramden in THE HONEYMOONERS series from 1955-56, which enjoys TV reruns up to this very day. But as for Gleason's role as Riley, it has become long forgotten, until ...

New York City's own WPIX, Channel 11, resurrected THE LIFE OF RILEY series in February 1977 and played it only on weekends during the 11 p.m. to midnight time slot, following Gleason's ever popular THE HONEYMOONERS. It remained on that channel for the next few years before being moved to 5 a.m. and disappearing from TV land once again by 1986.

THE LIFE OF RILEY opens with a whistling underscore (long before THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW) with the camera focusing on the drawing sketch of the outside of a house with the lights turning on, which fades to THE LIFE OF RILEY starring Jackie Gleason and Rosemary DeCamp, followed by a guest star name, if any. While watching this 1949 sit-com, many things came to mind. First, Jackie Gleason was surprisingly slim with his hair sometimes blondish (later darker) and/or curly, not the "fat man" he made famous years later as Ralph Kramden; second, the show was done on film, not the usual kinoscope (frequently used in early TV) that makes the show appear faded and sound distant; and third, this early TV show even had a laugh track and possibly the use of three camera operation - two years before I LOVE LUCY (1951) had claimed to be the first to use these techniques. As for the episodes, I found Episode One to be the funniest, in which, in typical TV sit-com format, Riley believes he's going to die when he mistakes a butcher's message with that of his doctor's, messages that got mixed up by Junior. The episodes that followed were somewhat passable, not great. The true character who helped the series along was Digger O'Dell, the friendly undertaker (played by John Brown, who played an insurance agent in the first episode). His dry sense of humor and true mortician appearance, with funeral jokes were as welcome here as Fonzie was to HAPPY DAYS in the 1970s. Of course, Digger would exit the segment by speaking words, "I must be shoveling off." This may sound morbid to some, but Brown succeeds into making his character the one viewers eagerly await for an appearance, even for a few minutes, knowing that when he's on, there definitely is going to be some good laughs (especially when a viewer happens to be Count Dracula). Brown reprised his role in the Bendix 1949 movie version, but sadly, the Digger O'Dell character made famous in the Bendix radio series, is not visible at all in the latter Bendix TV series. Also seen in the Gleason series are Jimmy Lydon (the movies' Henry Aldrich) as Simon, the boy who loves Babs but is hated by Riley; Bobby Jellison as Waldo Binny, among others. Although a comedy series, the show did take time to have sentimental episodes, such as I in which there is a flashback that leads to the event of the birth of Chester and Peg's first baby.

Jackie Gleason does what he can in stepping into William Bendix's shoes, even though Gleason is as miscast in playing Riley as Bendix would be all wrong in playing Ralph Kramden. For those accustomed in seeing Gleason as Ralph Kramden, the blabber-mouth bus driver from Brooklyn, NY, it would also seem awkward watching Gleason playing a father of two teenagers, since his future Kramden role was fatherless. But one thing remains the same as both Riley and Ralph, his screen wife has more common sense than he does.

So whenever anyone asks the question, "Who originated the role Chester A. Riley on television," and the answer comes up "William Bendix," think again. But here's another question. Will this series ever turn up on TV again? I guess that's up to anyone wanting to place all 26 episodes onto DVD to decide.

"The Life of Riley" originated as a popular 40s radio show created by Irving Brecher for Groucho Marx, but sponsors didn't like the idea of his character being a straight man in the comedy. They turned to Brooklin-born "everyday man" William Bendix to play the lead role of Chester A. Riley and reformatted the show. In 1949, a feature film was made casting Bendix in his familiar role and produced by Brecher. Meanwhile, Brecher jumped to get the series on the air with NBC, with plans for Bendix to star in the television series as well. RKO stood firm with his picture contract, however, preventing him from doing the series. As such, audience favorite John Brown, as an undertaker named Digger O'Dell serving up droll puns on his profession, was the only original cast member to appear in the series (and also appeared in the film). Jackie Gleason had made a name for himself as a stand-up comedian in New York and worked as a minor supporting actor in films throughout the 40s. He was cast as Chester A. Riley for the series and developed the prototype for the blue collar television character, one later cemented by the character of "The Honeymooners" Ralph Kramden, also portrayed by Gleason. Riley was a good intentioned everyday man who could turn minor troubles into big ones. "The Life of Riley" aired as one of television's first sitcoms and was successfully despite only lasting 26 episodes due to a conflict with the sponsor. The show won television's very first Emmy Award (for "Best Film Made For and Shown on Television"). When NBC revived the show in 1953 they turned to Bendix who enjoyed a successfully six-season run. Influence from the series can be seen in shows such as 80s/90s hit "Married... With Children", with the lead everyday man character's delivery very similar to Riley and whose wives shares the same name (Peg). Additionally, the concept of a show opening with whistling pre-dates "The Andy Griffith Show" by 11 years.

Reflecting upon the series, the original "The Life of Riley" is notable for being one of the earliest sitcoms, as well as for the role of a young Jackie Gleason. Interestingly, it did feel much like the radio series it was based upon and as such is perhaps exactly what it would be like if we could see the action of a radio program. Despite winning the first Emmy I overall found it to be an uneven series with a mix of good, average, and below average episodes. I felt Gleason's everyman befuddlement worked, but the characters of Peg, Junior, and especially Babs offered very little. Neighbors Gillis and Waldo were more of a pest than comic. The character of Digger O'Dell brought some nice comedy, but was very rarely used. It could have been something special if the effort given to comical episodes such as "Tonsils", "Insurance", and "Riley's Firstborn" was given to other offerings. Some mixed in some heart for feel-good episodes. But more often than not the episodes were a bit of a strain to get into and there wasn't enthusiasm to see what the next episode would bring.

The show worked but not with Gleason. It had been very successful on radio with William Bendix and later came back to TV successfully with Bendix (one of the only times a cancelled show was recast and brought back for a second chance).

Gleason came back, too. Once again playing a Blue Collar everyman from Brooklyn but the second time lightning stuck in The Honeymooners.

But Reilly and Gleason together was a losing formula. Gleason was subdued and not funny. He could have played Reilly. He should have been able to. My guess was bad directing (by the writer and creator of the radio show).