Download comes with individual tracks so you can make your own mixes. Cabin 8 is studio style. live the life of Riley phrase. American radio situation comedy series of the 1940s, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Zoot Radio, free old time radio show downloads of, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Life_of_Riley&oldid=1149702460, Black-and-white American television shows, Radio programs adapted into television shows, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2016, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles that may contain original research from August 2013, All articles that may contain original research, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 13 April 2023, at 22:24. Right now, the phrase is a popular idiomatic expression that refers to a comfortable and luxurious life. What does life of Riley expression mean? Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced searchad free! BB King "The Life Of Riley" is the much-lauded feature documentary film on the extraordinary life of Blues legend B.B. It might seem strange that this expression originated in the USA rather than Ireland. [1], Irving Brecher pitched the radio series for friend Groucho Marx under the title The Flotsam Family, but the sponsor balked at what would have been essentially a straight head-of-household role for Marx. The Marx-ish overtones of Flotsam Family disappeared, replaced by the hearty Irish-American-Brooklynite characterization of Chester A. Riley, a well-meaning blue-collar Average Joe Punchclock who always seemed to be one step behind the rest of his family. "[6] The April 13 episode starred Herb Vigran as Riley, and the April 20 episode had Buddy Gray in the title role. There is some suggestion that the idea of a gentleman named Mr. Riley enjoying a luxurious, easy life is suggested in several earlier vaudeville songs, though the phrase living the life of Riley appears slightly later. His sto Read allRiley worked in an aircraft plant in California, but viewers usually saw him at home, cheerfully disrupting life with his malapropisms and ill timed intervention into minor problems. For When 'Lowdown Crook' Isn't Specific Enough. Again,the show is on IDMB The Gleason version was shown on WPIX in the late 70's after the Honeymooners. This pet friendly rental has a private pool, wifi, and a fireplace among many other amenities. Waldo Binney 4 Episodes 1956. There are many other films with the same title. Although Mister Reilly was Irish, the country of origin for the phrase is the USA. The Life of Riley 1953 -1958 6 Seasons NBC Comedy Watchlist Life at 1313 Blueview Terrace was never easy, thanks to bumbling Chester A. Riley, an Archie Bunker without the attitude whose. An unrelated radio show with the title Life of Riley was a summer replacement show heard on CBS from April 12, 1941, to September 6, 1941. There is some suggestion that the idea of a gentleman named Mr. Riley enjoying a luxurious, easy life is suggested in several earlier vaudeville songs, though the phrase living the life of Riley appears slightly later. Upon me soul, Riley, you're doing quite well. A scan of a copy of the newspaper the Dublin Weekly Nation, Saturday 14 October 1899 shows that Reiley (and as it turns out it is Reilly, not Riley) was the hero of a popular folk ballad, living exactly the life that would lead to the coining of the phrase we have been seeking. The radio series also benefited from the immense popularity of a supporting character, Digby "Digger" O'Dell (John Brown), "the friendly undertaker." We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. BB King: the life of riley. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. Duffy's account for instance places Reilly as living in the 1820s, not the late 18th century. Another Irish/American song, George Gaskin, was popular in New York around the same time. It first appeared in a comic strip titled "Life with Riley," which ran from February 13, 1946 to January 12, 1955. It doesn't necessarily mean that you don't have materialist possessions or live on a farm. Manage Settings King, was one of the most influential and celebrated blues musicians of all time. Originally airing on ABC, it jumped to NBC after one season. Sid Tomack was Gillis. Level playing field or level the playing field. on the Internet. 2023. You can download this in uncompressed format here! 12)[LP26642] 20Mar53 NBC orig. William Bendix starred as Chester A. Riley: war worker, family man, card carrying member of the BPLA (Brooklyn Patriots of Los Angeles), and ignoramus. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Grammarist is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. ", The jailors son to Reilly goes, and thus to him did say,"Oh! ", "There is a ring among them I allow yourself to wear,With thirty locket diamonds well set in silver fair,And as a true-love token wear it on your right hand,That you'll think on my poor broken heart when you're in The famous series hit the charts that it was adapted into a feature film in 1949. 27 episodes. https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/life+of+Riley. [citation needed], In 1948, NBC broadcast "two live television test programs based on the radio series. Life of Riley has got to be the greatest radio comedy ever. The Life of Riley starring William Bendix as lovable, blundering, Chester A. Riley, was a radio situation comedy broadcast during and after wartime 40s. The Judge he said, "This lady being in her tender youth,If Reilly has deluded her she will declare the truth;"Then, like a moving beauty bright, before him she did stand,"Youre welcome there, my hearts delight and dear Coolcn Bawn. @nostalgia.killer. Ill also show you how to use living the life of Riley in sentences. [citation needed], The series was co-developed by the nonperforming Marx Brother turned agent Gummo. An easy life, as in Peter had enough money to take off the rest of the year and live the life of Riley. There are also historical accounts of a minor landowner called Reilly, living nearby in county Sligo, who set his sights romantically on Helen Ffolliott, the daughter of the house and who was tried in the manner the song suggests. The source of the expression 'the life of Riley' has been the subject of much etymological research, which had pretty much drawn a blank until the miracle of modern-day searchable databases came to the rescue. We specialize in good fishing, good food and good times. From our range of leather bound trunks to our latest designs in waxed canvas. It earned $1.6 million in the U.S. and Canada,[4] preventing him from starring in the TV series that began in the same year. Many of these would have migrated to look for a better life in America and some of them would have found it - and hence lived the life of Riley. In 1949-1950 Jackie Gleason played Chester A Riley on TV. However, it came to an end after 26 episodes because Irving Brecher and sponsor Pabst Brewing Company reached an impasse on extending the series for a full 39-week season. They say politicians should not be living the life of Riley to avoid criticism from people. BB King was the greatest bluesman the world has ever seen. It also explains why there were more Rileys in New York than in Dublin. There is no exact story of the history of living the life of Riley, although it is clear that the phrase has Anglo-Irish origins. He continues his schooling. [5] Originally, William Bendix was to have appeared on both radio and TV, but Bendix's RKO Radio Pictures movie contract prevented him from appearing on the TV version. If we believe Duffy's account that Willy Reilly was a living, breathing 1820s Irishman, then we have our man. The phrase was much used in the military, especially in WWI. The CBS program starred Lionel Stander as J. Riley Farnsworth and had no real connection with the more famous series that followed a few years later. Sterling Holloway. - Do you have feedback or suggestions on how we can improve? Pabst Blue Ribbon invites you to join us again next week, to hear the Life of Riley, starring William Bendix as Riley. The details of the story, and of the ballad, appear in several variants. The life of Riley definition: If you say that someone is living the life of Riley , you mean that they have a very easy. The lyric of the ballad is preceded by a reminiscence of the Irish nationalist politician Sir Charles Duffy: Willy Reilly, says Sir Charles Duffy, was the first ballad I ever heard recited, and it made a painfully vivid impression on my mind. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. This shows grade level based on the word's complexity. According to Sir Charles Duffys account, Reiley, not Reilly or Riley, was a hero of a once-famous American comic song in the 1800s. If someone is living the life of Riley, it means they have a happy life with little to no worries. What is the English language plot outline for The Life of Riley (1953)? [1], William Bendix also starred in the 1949 film version of The Life of Riley directed by Irving Brecher. Opening credits sequence (6 seasons; 217 x c.30-min episodes)The Life of Riley, with William Bendix in the title role, was a popular American radio situation comedy series of the 1940s that was adapted into a 1949 feature film, a long-run 1950s television series (originally with Jackie Gleason as Riley for one truncated season, then with Bendix for six seasons), and a 1958 comic book.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. International shipping ensures gifts can be sent worldwide. Several Victorian music-hall songs referred to a Reilly who was living a life of luxury. It was later on adapted into a French film directed by Alain Resnais. on January 6, 2011, Me too: my votes go for LOR, FKB and GG all the way, with A&A thrown in for good measure. The Life of Riley Overview Synopsis Credits Film Details Articles & Reviews Notes Brief Synopsis A factory worker tries to cope when his daughter dates the boss's son. He was unavailable for the TV show. 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. Scripted by Reuben Shipp and Alan Mitchcock. His stock answer to every turn of fate became a catch phrase: 'What a revoltin' development this is! King, born Riley B. The term living the life of Riley is an American phrase, it first appeared in the early 1900s. ", Then out spoke noble Fox, "You may let the prisoner go,The lady's oath has cleared him, as the Jury all may knowShe has released her own true love, she has renewed his name,May her honour bright gain high estate, It was produced by Tom McKnight for NBC and featured William Bendix. Other similar letters from US servicemen claimed to have been living the life of Reilly while at war in France. Like most other Irish songs of the era, it played to the Irish audience - this one with a dash of anti-Chinese racism thrown in for luck (the Chinese were 'Reilly's' principal competitors for manual work in the USA at the time): I'll have nothing but Irishman on the policePatrick's Day will be the fourth of July;I'll get me a thousand infernal machines,To teach the Chinese how to die. [1] One moose, two moose. airdate DPUB: 20Feb53 copyright date Riley decides to take the family on a trip to the country to spend a three-day weekend. Instead, Jackie Gleason starred, with Rosemary DeCamp replacing Paula Winslowe as wife Peg, Gloria Winters as daughter Barbara (Babs), Lanny Rees as son Chester Jr. (Junior), and Sid Tomack as Jim Gillis, Riley's manipulative best buddy and next-door neighbor. Oxford English Dictionary now only recognizes Riley in living the life of Riley. The story on which it founded happened some sixty years ago; and, as the lover was a young Catholic farmer, and the lady's family of high Orange principles, it got a party character, which, no doubt, contributed its great populanty. Producer . The Life of Riley - 252 episodes of the Old Time Radio comedy : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive Beta Webamp Volume 90% 00:00 27:46 1 Life of Riley 1943-07-25 (xx) Riley Wants to Build a House - 27:46 2 Life of Riley 1944-01-30 (3) The Butler Part 2 - 21:45 'The life of Riley' is an easy and pleasant life. His frequent exclamation of indignation\"What a revoltin' development this is!\"became one of the most famous catchphrases of the 1940s. There had been various Victorian music hall songs that had referred to a Reilly who had a comfortable and prosperous life; for example, there's the 1883 song, popularised by the Irish/American singer Pat Rooney - Is That Mr. Reilly? You have probably heard, watched, or read the term living the life of Riley. The hero, an innkeeper, describes what he will do when he strikes it rich: "New York will be swimming in wine" and "A hundred a day will be very small pay / when the White House and Capitol are . King moves back to . Life of Riley. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/life%20of%20Riley. Life of Riley - B158 is an Outer Banks Semi-Oceanfront vacation rental in Sea Hawk Duck NC that features 5 bedrooms and 3 Full bathrooms. "Oh! Bendix's delivery and the spin he put on his lines made it work. Definition of life of Riley in the Idioms Dictionary. Life of riley definition, a carefree, comfortable, and thoroughly enjoyable way of living: Since winning the lottery, he's led the life of Riley. The Life of Riley was a radio comedy that aired from January 16, 1944 through June 29, 1951. The phrase came into common usage around the time of WWI. We will keep fighting for all libraries - stand with us! Sterling Holloway recurred as neighbor Waldo Binney, another radio character. - the short version There's not enough evidence to be 100% certain of the origin of the phrase 'the life of Riley' but it is probable that it derives from the life of a real person - Willy Reilly of Sligo, Ireland. You can purchase the DVD & Blu-ray here. Lugene Sanders. Here are some synonyms and terms related with living the life of Riley. 2,501 posts. Meaning What does Life of Riley mean? However, the supposedly historical figure of William Reilly (or Riley), an Irishman who eloped with his sweetheart and was saved from execution by her declaration that she had gone with him voluntarily, featured in several popular 18th- and 19th-century ballads (of which Riley and Colinband, ?1795 , may be the earliest to be published), and even How we can improve phrase came into common usage around the same title food and good times read term... Sterling Holloway recurred as neighbor Waldo Binney, another radio character the greatest bluesman the world ever! Grade level based on the word 's complexity songs referred to a comfortable luxurious. Terms related with living the life of Riley in living the life of Riley is an American,...: 'What a revoltin ' development this is, breathing 1820s Irishman, then we have our.... Download comes with individual tracks so you can purchase the DVD & amp ; Blu-ray.... 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Films with the same time to take the family on a trip to the country to spend a three-day.. Have been living the life of Riley, starring William Bendix also starred the. Peter had Enough money to take the family on a trip life of riley the country of for! Decides to take the family on a trip to the country of origin for phrase.

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