CTVA US Comedy - "The Life of Riley" (NBC) Season 4 (1955-56)

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The Classic TV Archive - US Comedy Series

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Starring: William Bendix (as Chester A. Riley)
with: Marjorie Reynolds (as Peg Riley). Tom D'Andrea (as Jim Gillis)

Season 4 (NBC) (1955-56)
Episode Guide compiled by The Classic TV Archive
with contributions by:
John King,  Tom Alger, Rina Fox
references:
TV Guide /   Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com)
UCLA Film and Television Archive


############## The Life of Riley #############
 
############## season 4 1955-56 ##############
##############################################
NBC Fridays 8:30pm
   (39 episodes)

4.01 [107] Life of Riley: LETTER OF INTRODUCTION
[LP25168]
16Sep1955 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis 1:
Riley would like an old friend for a neighbor. [Yonkers NY Herald Statesman]
Synopsis 2:
Terrible developments occur which change Riley's mind about an old friend.
Synopsis 3:
Riley tries to convince a couple of old friends not to become new neighbors. [Niagara Falls NY Gazette]

4.02 [108] Life of Riley: THE BIG SACRIFICE
[LP25169]
23Sep1955 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis 1:
Riley wants to be invited to the formal dinner of the department heads.
Synopsis 2:
Riley tries to pep up his department. [Yonkers NY Herald Statesman]

4.03 [109] Life of Riley: THE MARINES HAVE LANDED
[LP25170]
30Sep1955 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis 1:
Babs is depressed because she hasn't heard from her Marine fiance since he's been at camp.
Synopsis 2:
Riley invents a scheme to cheer up his lonely daughter. [Yonkers NY Herald Statesman]

4.04 [110] Life of Riley: LOVE COMES TO WALDO BINNEY
[LP25171]
7Oct1955 orig. NBC airdate
Guest cast:
Sterling Holloway ... Waldo Binney
Stanja Lowe ... Millicant
The Life of Riley: Love Comes To Waldo Binney, Part 1
The Life of Riley: Love Comes To Waldo Binney, Part 2
The Life of Riley: Love Comes To Waldo Binney, Part 3
The Life of Riley - Love Comes To Waldo Binney, Part 4 of 4
Synopsis:
Riley's confirmed bachelor friend Waldo finally falls in love.

4.05 [111] Life of Riley: DARLING, AM I GROWING OLD
[LP25172]
14Oct1955 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis 1:
Riley believes you are as young as you feel and he is feeling pretty old.
Synopsis 2:
Riley tries to keep up with the kids. [Yonkers NY Herald Statesman]

4.06 [112] Life of Riley: DO IT YOURSELF
[LP25173]
21Oct1955 orig. NBC airdate (22Jun1956 NBC repeat)
Cast includes:
Henry Kulky
Synopsis 1:
Riley is unable to rent a boat for a fishing trip with his boss.
Synopsis 2:
Riley builds a boat. [Long Island Star Journal]

4.07 [113] Life of Riley: WEDDING PLANS FOR BABS
[LP25174]
28Oct1955 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley goes all out in his plans for Babs's wedding.

4.08 [114] Life of Riley: DUDLEY, THE BURGLAR
[LP25175]
4Nov1955 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Neighbor Calvin Dudley puts Riley's watch in a vase for safekeeping, only no one knows it.

4.09 [115] Life of Riley: PAY THE PENALTY
[LP25176]
11Nov1955 orig. NBC airdate (29Jun1956 NBC repeat)
Synopsis 1:
As a gift for his family, Riley tries to win a free vacation by entering a TV contest.
Synopsis 2:
Chester appears as a contestant on a TV quiz show. [TA]

4.10 [116] Life of Riley: GHOST TOWN
[LP25177]
18Nov1955 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley gets a week off by telling his boss he's suffering from a severe backache.

4.11 [117] Life of Riley: THE FAMOUS CHESTER A. RILEY, JUNIOR
[LP25178]
25Nov1955 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Junior lets his football fame go to his head.

4.12 [118] Life of Riley: RILEY, THE TYCOON
[LP25179]
2Dec1955 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley gets a day off from the plant and decides to spend it in the park.

4.13 [119] Life of Riley: REPEAT PERFORMANCE
[LP25180]
9Dec1955 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley and Peg plan surprise parties for each other on the same night.

4.14 [120] Life of Riley: MIDDLE-AGE BLUES
[LP25181]
16Dec1955 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley thinks a job will cheer up Peg and get her out of the dumps.

4.15 [121] Life of Riley: WALDO'S MOTHER
[LP25182]
23Dec1955 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley helps a friend out of the frying pan and into the fire.

4.16 [122] Life of Riley: SHOWER FOR BABS
[LP25183]
30Dec1955 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis 1:
A surprise bridal shower is planned for Babs, and Riley is asked to take care of Don, the groom-to-be.
Synopsis 2:
Riley minds his future son-in-law during a bridal shower. [Yonkers NY Herald Statesman]

4.17 [123] Life of Riley: HEAD OF THE FAMILY
[LP25185]
6Jan1956 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley's Uncle Chester doesn't approve of Babs's engagement to Don.

4.18 [124] Life of Riley: RILEY AND THE WIDOW
[LP25187]
13Jan1956 orig. NBC airdate (13Jul1956 NBC repeat date)
Synopsis 1:
A charming Southern widow talks Riley into helping her with her new dress shop.
Synopsis 2:
Fashion models cause Chester trouble.
Synopsis 3:
Chester is ruffled by a sweet-talking Southern belle. [NY Times]

4.19 [125] Life of Riley: BABS'S WEDDING
[LP25189]
20Jan1956 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Babs seems destined to be late for her wedding when her excited father leaves without her.

4.20 [126] Life of Riley: RILEY'S RAFFLE
[LP25188]
27Jan1956 orig. NBC airdate (20Jul1956 NBC repeat date)
Synopsis 1:
Riley decides that the family needs a second car.
Synopsis 2:
Life of Riley: Chester decides to hold a raffle. [Yonkers NY Herald Statesman]
Synopsis 3:
Riley decides to raffle off his motorcycle. [NY Times]

4.21 [127] Life of Riley: JUNIOR QUITS SCHOOL
[LP25186]
3Feb1956 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Junior decides that having a job is more profitable than finishing high school.

4.22 [128] Life of Riley: THE TREE THAT GREW IN BROOKLYN
[LP25191]
10Feb1956 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley is appointed custodian of a sickly tree by the Brooklyn Patriots of Los Angeles.

4.23 [129] Life of Riley: BABS'S NEW JOB
[LP25190]
17Feb1956 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley writes a letter of protest. [NY Times]

4.24 [130] Life of Riley: THE TRAIN TRIP
[LP25184]
24Feb1956 orig. NBC airdate (03Aug1956 NBC repeat date)
Synopsis 1:
Riley unknowingly helps a convict escape from police custody.
Synopsis 2:
Chester is double-talked by a handcuffed prisoner.

4.25 [131] Life of Riley: THE CONTESTANT
[LP25206]
2Mar1956 orig. NBC airdate (10Aug1956 NBC repeat date)
Synopsis 1:
Riley enters a newspaper contest.
Synopsis 2:
Chester enters a puzzle contest. [NY Times]

4.26 [132] Life of Riley: THE SONG WRITER
[LP25192]
9Mar1956 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Junior enters a high school song writing contest.

4.27 [133] Life of Riley: HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW'S KEEPER
[LP25193]
16Mar1956 orig. NBC airdate (25Aug1956 NBC repeat)
Synopsis 1:
Riley has in-law trouble when his sister and her husband move in with them.
Synopsis 2:
Riley ambles into a gamble, trying to cure his brother-in-law of betting.

4.28 [134] Life of Riley: PARTNERSHIP
[LP25194]
23Mar1956 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis 1:
Riley and Dudley decide to go into business together.
Synopsis 2:
Chester buys a machine shop which seems to be doing business. [Yonkers NY Herald Statesman]

4.29 [135] Life of Riley: RILEY'S ALLERGY
[LP25195]
30Mar1956 orig. NBC airdat (31Aug1956 NBC repeat date)
Synopsis 1:
Riley's mother-in-law thinks he is in love with another woman.
Synopsis 2:
Chester Riley thinks he's allergic to his wife.

4.30 [136] Life of Riley: STAGE DOOR RILEY
[LP25196]
6Apr1956 orig. NBC airdate (07Sep1956 NBC repeat)
Synopsis 1:
Riley wants Peg to drop out of the dramatics club she just joined.
Synopsis 2:
Riley takes the role of a gorilla in a community play. [NY Times]

4.31 [137] Life of Riley: RILEY'S CLUB FOR SERVICE WIVES
[LP25197]
13Apr1956 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis 1:
Riley's concern over Babs's lack of outside interests leads Otto to suggest that she join the B.M.C.
Synopsis 2:
Chester suggests his wife join a motorcycle club. [Yonkers NY Herald Statesman]

4.32 [138] Life of Riley: WATERFRONT
[LP25198]
20Apr1956 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley and Otto are on the waterfront to repair the wing of a plane.

4.33 [139] Life of Riley: EXPECTANTLY YOURS
[LP25199]
27Apr1956 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
When Riley stumbles into Babs's instruction list from the doctor, he thinks Babs's mother-in-law is going to have a baby.

4.34 [140] Life of Riley: JUNIOR GETS A CAR
[LP25200]
4May1956 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley discovers that his driver's license has expired.

4.35 [141] Life of Riley: FROM RAGS TO RICHES
[LP25201]
11May1956 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
A pair of con men sell Riley some phony uranium stock.

4.36 [142] Life of Riley: HOUSE FOR SALE
[LP25202]
18May1956 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
The honeymoon cottage Riley bought as a surprise for Babs and her new husband is right in the path of the new freeway.

4.37 [143] Life of Riley: BABS MOVES OUT
[LP25203]
25May1956 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis 1:
Riley doesn't like the idea of Babs and her husband moving into their own place.
Synopsis 2:
A scramble for Babs' apartment begins. [Yonkers NY Herald Statesman]

4.38 [144] Life of Riley: RILEY TRADES HIS HOUSE
[LP25204]
1Jun1956 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis 1:
The Riley-Dudley good neighbor policy has reached the breaking point, so Riley decides to sell the house.
Synopsis 2:
Life of Riley: Chester has trouble with his neighbor's dog. [Yonkers NY Herald Statesman]

4.39 [145] Life of Riley: WHEN WOMEN WERE WOMEN
[LP25205]
8Jun1956 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Dudley and Riley remark that women have it too easy in this modern age, unaware that their wives are listening.

Summer repeats  (15Jun1956 - 07Sep1956)

15Jun1956 - repeat of 4.04 LOVE COMES TO WALDO BINNEY (from 7Oct55).
22Jun1956 - repeat of 4.06 DO IT YOURSELF (from 21Oct1955)
29Jun1956 - repeat of 4.09 PAY THE PENALTY (from 11Nov55)
06Jul1956 - repeat of 4.10 GHOST TOWN (from 18Nov55)
13Jul1956 - repeat of 4.18 RILEY AND THE WIDOW (from 13Jan1956)
20Jul1956 - repeat of 4.20 RILEY'S RAFFLE (from 27Jan56)
27Jul1956 - repeat of 4.22 THE TREE THAT GREW IN BROOKLYN (from 10Feb56)
03Aug1956 - repeat of 4.24 THE TRAIN TRIP (from 24Feb56)
10Aug1956 - repeat of 4.25 THE CONTESTANT (from 2Mar56).
17Aug1956 - repeat of 4.26 THE SONG WRITER (from 9Mar56)
24Aug1956 - repeat of 4.27 HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW'S KEEPER (from 16Mar56)
31Aug1956 - repeat of 4.29 RILEY'S ALLERGY (from 30Mar56)
07Sep1956 - repeat of 4.30 STAGE DOOR RILEY (from 6Apr1956)

############## The Life of Riley #############
############### end of season 4 ##############
##############################################

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