WILLIAM BENDIX COLLECTION

OLD TIME RADIO - 4 CD - 280 mp3 - Total Playtime: 133:03:50

William Bendix (January 14, 1906 – December 14, 1964) was an American film, radio, and television actor, who typically played rough, blue-collar characters. He is best remembered in movies for the title role in The Babe Ruth Story. He also memorably portrayed the clumsily earnest aircraft plant worker Chester A. Riley in radio and television's The Life of Riley. He received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for Wake Island (1942).
It was Bendix's appearance in The McGuerins of Brooklyn, playing a rugged blue-collar man, that led to his most famous role. Producer and creator Irving Brecher saw Bendix as the perfect personification of Chester A. Riley, giving a second chance to a show whose audition failed when the sponsor spurned Groucho Marx for the lead. With Bendix stumbling, bumbling, and skating almost perpetually on thin ice, stretching the patience of his otherwise loving wife and children, The Life of Riley was a radio hit from 1944 through 1951, and Bendix brought an adaptation of the film version to Lux Radio Theater. He made Riley's frequent exclamation, "What a revoltin' development this is," into a national catchphrase.
Bendix as Riley with Sterling Holloway, 1957.

Bendix was not able to play the role on television at first because of a contracted film commitment. The role went instead to Jackie Gleason and the show aired a single season beginning in October 1949. Despite winning an Emmy award, the show ended, in part because Gleason was less than acceptable as Riley, and Bendix had been so identified with the role on radio. In 1953, Bendix became available for a new television version, and this time the show clicked. The second television version of The Life of Riley ran from 1953 to 1958, long enough for Riley to become a grandfather.

On the 1952 television program This Is Your Life, hosted by Ralph Edwards, Bendix was declared a descendant of the 19th-century composer Felix Mendelssohn.

In 1958, Bendix played the lead in Rod Serling's The Time Element, a time-travel adventure about a man who travels back to 1941 Honolulu and tries to warn everyone about the impending attack on Pearl Harbor.

In 1958, Bendix appeared on NBC's The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford. He returned for a second appearance on October 1, 1959, the fourth season premiere of the series in which he and his friend, Tennessee Ernie Ford, perform a comedy skit about a safari.

In 1960, Bendix starred in all seventeen episodes of the NBC western series Overland Trail in the role of Frederick Thomas "Fred" Kelly, the crusty superintendent of the Overland Stage Company. Doug McClure, later Trampass on NBC's The Virginian, co-starred as his young understudy, Frank "Flip" Flippen. The program was similar to another offering on ABC the following season, Stagecoach West.
Bendix was a Republican. In 1944, for instance, he attended the massive rally organized by David O. Selznick in the Los Angeles Coliseum in support of the Dewey-Bricker ticket as well as Governor Earl Warren of California, who would become Dewey's running mate in 1948 and later the Chief Justice of the United States. The gathering drew 93,000, with Cecil B. DeMille as the master of ceremonies and with short speeches by Hedda Hopper and Walt Disney. Among the others in attendance were Ann Sothern, Ginger Rogers, Randolph Scott, Adolphe Menjou, Gary Cooper, Eddy Arnold, Lionel Barrymore, Leo Carrillo, and Walter Pidgeon.

SHOWS LIST
Al Jolson 47-10-30 First Song - Almost Like Being In Love, Guest - William Bendix
Bob Hope Show 530318 Guest William Bendix
Burns and Allen 44-01-18 Guest - William Bendix
Cavalcade of America 430329 The Cook on the P-T Boat Writes Home
Cavalcade of America 450305 425 Bernadine I Love You
Cavalcade of America 460422 476 Meet Artie Greengroin
Cavalcade of America 520318 736 The Marine Who Was 200 Years Old
Charlie McCarthy Show-William Bendix
Christmas on the Blue 1944
Columbia Workshop 400707 The Cock-Eyed Wonder
Command Performance - 45-02-08 Jeannie Crain, William Bendix, Gene Krupa
Command Performance - 45-03-29 Bob Hope-Ingrid Bergman-William Bendix
Dinah Shore - Ford Show 461106 Guest William Bendix
Family Theater 500920 God and a Red Scoote
Family Theater 511212 Fable of the Perfect
Fifth Horseman - 460711 Down
GI Journal 45-01-26 Guest - William Bendix, Arthur Treacher
GI Journal 45-04-13 Guest - Monte Wooley, William Bendix
Gunsmoke 59-01-04 The Coward (Joseph Kearns)(reused script)
Kraft Music Hall 47-10-30 First Song - Almost Like Being In Love, Guest - William Bendix
Lux Radio Theater 43-11-22 China
Lux Radio Theater 44-02-28 Guadalcanal Diary
Lux Radio Theater 50-01-23 I'll Be Yours
Lux Radio Theater 50-05-08 Life of Riley
Marine Story 1948 Captian James Willing
Marine Story 1949 Lt Francis DeBellvue
Martin & Lewis Show 49-04-10 William Bendix
Screen Guild Theater 45-04-09 Abroad with Two Yanks
Screen Guild Theater 46-07-08 The Great OMalley
Screen Guild Theater 48-10-21 The Babe Ruth Story
Suspense 450419 Pearls Are a Nuisance
Suspense 470227 Three Faces At Midnight
Suspense 481230 Break-Up
Suspense 510301 The Gift of Jumbo Brannigan
Theater Guild on the Air 45-09-09 Wings over Europe
Truth or Consequences - 1948-01-17 - Guest - William Bendix (Walking Man Contest Begins)
Yours Truly Johnny Dollar 590315 The Baldero Matter

Life of Riley 43-07-25 (xxx) Riley Wants to Build a House
Life of Riley 44-01-30 (003) The Butler Part 2
Life of Riley 44-02-06 (004) Riley Rents a House and Moves from the Hotel
Life of Riley 44-02-13 (005) Telephone Story
Life of Riley 44-02-20 (006) Van Planten Theater Part 1
Life of Riley 44-03-26 (011) The Barber Chair
Life of Riley 44-04-02 (012) Riley's Birthday - Thinks Baxter Is Giving Party
Life of Riley 44-04-09 (013) Riley Is Best Dressed Man
Life of Riley 44-04-23 (015) Proxy Wedding Part 2
Life of Riley 44-04-30 (016) Baxter Goes to New York
Life of Riley 44-05-07 (017) The Dog Catcher
Life of Riley 44-05-14 (018) Riley Fixes Dinner for Mother's Day
Life of Riley 44-06-04 (021) Fish Story
Life of Riley 44-06-25 (024) Riley Tries to Marry Baxter to Miss Grimshaw, Waldo's Aunt
Life of Riley 44-08-27 (033) The Houseboat Vacation Part 1
Life of Riley 44-09-03 (034) The Houseboat Vacation Part 2
Life of Riley 44-09-24 (037) Making Each Other Jealous
Life of Riley 44-10-08 (039) Muley's Surprise Party for Riley
Life of Riley 44-10-22 (041) The Boss's Son-In-Law
Life of Riley 44-10-29 (042) Halloween Haunted House
Life of Riley 44-11-05 (043) Piano Lessons for Junior
Life of Riley 44-11-12 (044) Big Football Bet
Life of Riley 44-11-19 (045) Turkey Hunt
Life of Riley 44-11-26 (046) Bridesmaid Babs
Life of Riley 44-12-03 (047) Most Popular Boy
Life of Riley 44-12-10 (048) Riley's Mash Note at Night School
Life of Riley 44-12-17 (049) The Christmas Present
Life of Riley 44-12-24 (050) Roswell's a Guest for Christmas
Life of Riley 44-12-31 (051) New Year's Eve Party
Life of Riley 45-01-07 (052) Silver Gloves Boxing Tourney
Life of Riley 45-01-14 (053) The Wedding Anniversary
Life of Riley 45-01-21 (054) Riley's Conscience Bothers Him for Taking Phone Booth Nickels
Life of Riley 45-01-28 (055) Five Dollars Is Missing
Life of Riley 45-02-04 (056) The BPLA Initiates a New Member
Life of Riley 45-02-11 (057) Riley Trains Junior's Dog
Life of Riley 45-02-25 (059) Riley Helps Luigi Pass English Exam to Become US Citizen
Life of Riley 45-03-04 (060) Expectant Fathers
Life of Riley 45-03-11 (061) Junior Runs Away
Life of Riley 45-03-18 (062) Riley Tries to Become a Pal to Junior
Life of Riley 45-05-13 (069) Riley's Mother-In-Law Visits
Life of Riley 45-09-15 (078) Feud with Neighbor New Neighbor Gillis Over Junior's Goat
Life of Riley 45-09-22 (079) Junior Is Head of the Household
Life of Riley 45-09-29 (080) Change of Time
Life of Riley 45-10-06 (081) Riley Refuses to Let Babs See Simon - Thinks He's a Suicide
Life of Riley 45-10-20 (083) Peg's Old Boyfriend, Sidney, Is House Guest
Life of Riley 45-10-27 (084) The Football Game
Life of Riley 45-11-03 (085) Rosewell Visits
Life of Riley 45-11-10 (086) Junior's Birthday Party
Life of Riley 45-11-24 (088) Babs and Simon - Married
Life of Riley 45-12-01 (089) BPLA Lodge Election - Phonograph Record Saves Riley
Life of Riley 45-12-08 (090) Riley Takes Job Promotion Exam
Life of Riley 45-12-15 (091) Grandma's Captain Riley
Life of Riley 46-01-26 (097) Riley's Tonsillectomy
Life of Riley 46-02-02 (098) Junior's School Play
Life of Riley 46-03-09 (103) Babs Music Scholarship
Life of Riley 46-03-16 (104) Riley Buys an Insurance Policy
Life of Riley 46-03-23 (105) Junior Races Egbert - Poison Ivy
Life of Riley 46-04-06 (107) Riley Finds a Silver Fox Fur Coat
Life of Riley 46-04-13 (108) Riley Thinks Junior Is a Shoplifter
Life of Riley 46-04-20 (109) The Giant Easter Bunny
Life of Riley 46-04-27 (110) Gambling Doesn't Pay
Life of Riley 46-05-04 (111) Rileys Take in the Gillises After a Fire
Life of Riley 46-05-11 (112) Junior Forgets Mother's Day
Life of Riley 46-05-18 (113) Playing Hookey
Life of Riley 46-05-25 (114) Junior Sells Peanuts at the Circus
Life of Riley 46-06-01 (115) The Riley Family of Actors
Life of Riley 46-06-08 (116) The Bread Shortage and the Black Market
Life of Riley 46-06-15 (117) A New Suit for Father's Day
Life of Riley 46-06-22 (118) Morris Buys the Riley House
Life of Riley 46-06-29 (119) Paper Route Subscription Contest to Go to Camp
Life of Riley 46-09-07 (121) Riley Thinks He's Been Promoted
Life of Riley 46-09-14 (122) Riley Doesn't Want Peg to Work for Sidney Monahan
Life of Riley 46-09-21 (123) Riley Hides on Boat to Catch Babs and Her Boyfriend Simon
Life of Riley 46-09-28 (124) Riley Bribes Junior to Win Football Game
Life of Riley 46-10-05 (125) Good Neighbor Week
Life of Riley 46-10-12 (126) The School Formal Dance - Helene's Swap Shop Dress For Babs
Life of Riley 46-10-19 (127) Riley Sues the Bus Company
Life of Riley 46-10-26 (128) Riley Gets a Job in South America for His Company
Life of Riley 46-11-02 (129) Peg and Riley Both Run for Park Supervisor
Life of Riley 46-11-16 (131) Music Brings Riley and Peg Together
Life of Riley 46-11-23 (132) Riley, Football Hero for the Night Club Team
Life of Riley 46-11-30 (133) Riley Gets Free Medical Advice from Simon's Uncle, a Horse Doctor
Life of Riley 46-12-14 (135) Riley Accidentally Invites Monahan for a Visit to New York
Life of Riley 46-12-28 (137) New Year's Eve - 10 Dates for Babs
Life of Riley 47-01-11 (139) Efficiency Expert
Life of Riley 47-01-18 (140) Riley and Simon, Business Partners
Life of Riley 47-01-25 (141) Riley's Honeymoon
Life of Riley 47-02-01 (142) Mr X - Riley Switched as a Baby
Life of Riley 47-02-08 (143) Riley's Birthday - Forgotten
Life of Riley 47-03-15 (148) Simon Is `Advice to the Lovelorn' Column Editor
Life of Riley 47-03-22 (149) Riley, the Milkman
Life of Riley 47-03-29 (150) Riley the Gentleman - New Chair
Life of Riley 47-04-05 (151) Riley, the Child Beater
Life of Riley 47-04-12 (152) Real Life Soap Opera, `Marriage Can Be Beautiful'
Life of Riley 47-04-19 (153) Riley, the Boxer - Junior, the Coward
Life of Riley 47-04-26 (154) Simon the Waiter Blackmails Riley
Life of Riley 47-05-03 (155) Launching Babs in Society
Life of Riley 47-05-10 (156) Model Son, the Mother's Day Speech
Life of Riley 47-05-31 (159) The Accident Insurance Policy
Life of Riley 47-06-14 (161) Junior Wins the Soap Box Derby
Life of Riley 47-06-21 (162) Babs Almost Gets a Job in San Francisco
Life of Riley 47-06-28 (163) Riley and Gillis Spend a Week at the Lake
Life of Riley 47-07-05 (164) Riley Thinks Peg Is Leaving Him
Life of Riley 47-09-06 (165) Riley Enrolls at PIP Instead Of UCLA
Life of Riley 47-09-13 (166) Babs Has Two Dates
Life of Riley 47-09-20 (167) Junior Wants to Run Away from Home
Life of Riley 47-09-27 (168) Venus with a Radio in Her Stomach, Art Object for the Piano
Life of Riley 47-10-04 (169) Riley Gets a Promotion - Old Age Sets In
Life of Riley 47-10-11 (170) Riley the Cop
Life of Riley 47-10-18 (171) The Community Chest Drive
Life of Riley 47-10-25 (172) The Ragamuffin Ball
Life of Riley 47-11-01 (173) The Football Pool Card
Life of Riley 47-11-08 (174) Junior and Babs Put on Anniversary Party
Life of Riley 47-11-15 (175) Riley in School Play
Life of Riley 47-11-22 (176) Win a Buick Contest - Guess the Number of Beans in the Bowl
Life of Riley 47-11-29 (177) Thanksgiving with the Gillises
Life of Riley 47-12-06 (178) The Greatest Man I Know
Life of Riley 47-12-13 (179) Babs Is Blackballed at the Soroity
Life of Riley 47-12-20 (180) First Christmas in Store Window
Life of Riley 47-12-27 (181) Family Christmas Present - TV or Piano
Life of Riley 48-01-03 (182) Riley Gets Junior Two Dates for a Dance
Life of Riley 48-01-10 (183) Women's Equal Rights - Wedding Ring
Life of Riley 48-01-17 (184) The Telephone Is Rationed - Walking Man Contest
Life of Riley 48-01-24 (185) Babs Quits School
Life of Riley 48-01-31 (186) Uncle Baxter Returns - Scholarship
Life of Riley 48-02-07 (187) Father and Son Banquet
Life of Riley 48-02-14 (188) Riley Sends Peg a Comic Valentine
Life of Riley 48-02-21 (189) Riley Lies to Peg About Going to a Wrestling Match
Life of Riley 48-02-28 (190) Babs' Sweet Sixteen Birthday Party
Life of Riley 48-03-06 (191) The Nuts and Bolts Club - Riley Punches His Foreman
Life of Riley 48-03-13 (192) The Monkey
Life of Riley 48-03-20 (193) The Suggestion Contest
Life of Riley 48-03-27 (194) The Giant Easter Bunny - Fertilizer
Life of Riley 48-04-03 (195) Riley, the Crime Buster - Juvenile Delinquency - Curfew
Life of Riley 48-04-10 (196) Peg Studies French
Life of Riley 48-04-17 (197) The Care Drive
Life of Riley 48-04-24 (198) Spring Fever
Life of Riley 48-05-01 (199) Junior's Baseball Uniform - Reform School
Life of Riley 48-05-08 (200) Riley's Mother's Day Gift Is Explained
Life of Riley 48-05-15 (201) Riley, Man of Distinction
Life of Riley 48-05-22 (202) Monahan Spends Weekend with the Rileys
Life of Riley 48-05-29 (203) Cooperation Picnic - Riley And Gillis Buy a Car Together
Life of Riley 48-06-12 (205) Babs' Graduation
Life of Riley 48-06-19 (206) Father's Day - Bathrobes
Life of Riley 48-06-26 (207) A Vacation on the Prison Farm
Life of Riley 48-08-27 (208) Second Job
Life of Riley 48-09-03 (209) Riley Meets Clem Kadiddlehopper
Life of Riley 48-09-10 (210) The Household Drudge
Life of Riley 48-10-08 (214) How to Pick a Mate
Life of Riley 48-10-15 (215) The Problem Child
Life of Riley 48-10-22 (216) Riley Campaigns
Life of Riley 48-10-29 (217) Riley and the Aardvark
Life of Riley 48-11-05 (218) Comic Books
Life of Riley 48-11-12 (219) Riley's Tonsillectomy
Life of Riley 48-11-19 (220) Father-In-Law Trouble
Life of Riley 48-11-26 (221) Babs' Elderly Boyfriend
Life of Riley 48-12-03 (222) Riley Tries to Get Football Tickets - A Foremanship Is up for Grabs
Life of Riley 48-12-10 (223) Riley's Jilted Sister Visits
Life of Riley 48-12-17 (224) Riley and Mrs Morris Buys a Car - Not a Wife
Life of Riley 48-12-24 (225) Christmas Bonuses from Mr Stevenson
Life of Riley 48-12-31 (226) Riley Invites Himself to His Boss's New Year's Eve Party
Life of Riley 49-01-07 (227) Riley Coaches Junior's Basketball Team
Life of Riley 49-01-14 (228) Riley Gets a Job in Arabia
Life of Riley 49-01-21 (229) Riley's Old Flame, Bertha
Life of Riley 49-01-28 (230) A Quiet Evening by the Fireside
Life of Riley 49-02-04 (231) Riley Talks in His Sleep About 'Gertrude'
Life of Riley 49-02-11 (232) Babs Elopes, Sells Cards with Simon
Life of Riley 49-02-18 (233) A Valentine Locket from Monahan Is Signed by Riley
Life of Riley 49-03-04 (235) The Rileys Are Guests of Universal Film Opening in Cincinnati
Life of Riley 49-03-11 (236) Wedding Photograph - Wire Recorder
Life of Riley 49-03-18 (237)The Rileys' Wedding, Complete with Monahan
Life of Riley 49-03-25 (238) Babs Runs for UCLA President
Life of Riley 49-04-01 (239) Riley Won't Let Peg Help Junior with His Homework
Life of Riley 49-04-08 (240) Riley Is Held Up
Life of Riley 49-04-22 (242) Riley Breaks a Vase with His Bowling Ball
Life of Riley 49-04-29 (243) Riley Goes to War After Reading a 1941 Newspaper
Life of Riley 49-05-06 (244) Babs Leaves Home - 3rd Riley Movie Show
Life of Riley 49-05-13 (245) Riley Waits Tables to Meet Peg
Life of Riley 49-05-20 (246) Junior and Egbert Leave for Camp
Life of Riley 49-05-27 (247) Junior Has His Own Delivery Business
Life of Riley 49-06-24 (xxx) Wally Brown Audition - Dialogue Only
Life of Riley 49-10-07 (248) Babs' Wedding - Baby Sitting
Life of Riley 49-10-14 (249) The Geiger Counter
Life of Riley 49-10-21 (250) The Policeman Boarder
Life of Riley 49-10-28 (251) A Television Set on a 10 Day Free Trial
Life of Riley 49-11-04 (252) The Expectant Father
Life of Riley 49-11-11 (253) The Community Chest Drive
Life of Riley 49-11-18 (254) The Escort Bureau
Life of Riley 49-12-02 (256) Riley the Bookie
Life of Riley 49-12-16 (258) Riley the Fireman
Life of Riley 49-12-23 (259) The Christmas Club
Life of Riley 49-12-30 (260) Riley Drives a Cab for Babs' Boyfriend
Life of Riley 50-01-06 (261) The Care Drive
Life of Riley 50-01-13 (262) Riley's Southern Female Neighbor
Life of Riley 50-01-27 (264) Junior Is in Love
Life of Riley 50-02-17 (267) Peg the Waitress
Life of Riley 50-02-24 (268) The Rileys Step Out
Life of Riley 50-03-03 (269) Riley Becomes an Actor on TV
Life of Riley 50-03-10 (270) Riley Has a Rent Controversy with His Landlord
Life of Riley 50-03-17 (271) Babs Is Allergic to Riley
Life of Riley 50-03-24 (272) Cissie's Marriage
Life of Riley 50-03-31 (273) Chivalry Is Dead
Life of Riley 50-04-07 (274) Miracle of the Bells
Life of Riley 50-04-14 (275) The Rileys' Anniversary
Life of Riley 50-04-21 (276) Riley Goes to a Drive-In Theater
Life of Riley 50-04-28 (277) Riley, the Hamburger King
Life of Riley 50-05-05 (278) Riley Decides to Move
Life of Riley 50-05-26 (281) Peg in a Beauty Contest
Life of Riley 50-06-02 (282) South Pacific
Life of Riley 50-06-09 (283) A Spicy Book
Life of Riley 50-06-16 (284) Two TVs for Father's Day
Life of Riley 50-10-06 (287) Surprise Party Show
Life of Riley 50-10-13 (288) Riley's First Car - Traffic Court
Life of Riley 50-10-20 (289) Collection Agency
Life of Riley 50-10-27 (290) Riley Wants a New Stove for a Cake Baking Contest
Life of Riley 50-11-03 (291) Babs' Elopement
Life of Riley 50-11-10 (292) Riley Wins a Hudson Guessing the Number of Beans in a Jar
Life of Riley 50-11-17 (293) The Rileys' First Date
Life of Riley 50-11-24 (294) Riley Locks up Babs After Student Riot
Life of Riley 50-12-01 (295) Riley's Troubles with New Foreman
Life of Riley 50-12-08 (296) Junior's Lawn Mowing Company Venture
Life of Riley 50-12-15 (297) Riley the Coward - Peg Goes to Work
Life of Riley 51-01-05 (300) Peg's Father Comes to Visit
Life of Riley 51-01-12 (301) Anniversary Tiff - Riley Pays the Light Bill
Life of Riley 51-01-19 (302) Scoutmaster Riley - Housekeeping System
Life of Riley 51-01-26 (303) Tillie Boomer - Riley Becomes Engaged to Two Women
Life of Riley 51-02-02 (304) Babs Blackballed at the Sorority
Life of Riley 51-02-09 (305) Charleston Dance Lessons with Louella
Life of Riley 51-02-16 (306) Riley's Case of Nerves
Life of Riley 51-02-23 (307) Riley Has Tonsillitis
Life of Riley 51-03-02 (308) Louella Stays with the Rileys'
Life of Riley 51-03-16 (309) Riley Installs a Time Clock
Life of Riley 51-03-23 (310) Basketball Game - Bribe
Life of Riley 51-03-30 (311) Riley the Rent Collector
Life of Riley 51-04-06 (312) Old Man Riley
Life of Riley 51-04-13 (313) Civil Service Exam - Riley Contemplates Changing Jobs
Life of Riley 51-04-20 (314) Riley and Louella, a Kiss in the Dark
Life of Riley 51-04-27 (315) Babs Wants Privacy - Moves Out
Life of Riley 51-05-11 (317) Riley and the Black Chiffon Nightgown
Life of Riley 51-05-18 (318) Junior Wins the Soap Box Derby
Life of Riley 51-06-01 (320) Riley and the Ballot
Life of Riley 51-06-15 (322) Riley the Forger
Life of Riley 51-06-29 (324) The Rileys Leave for a Vacation in Brooklyn

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