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Starring: William Bendix (as Chester A. Riley)
with: Marjorie Reynolds (as Peg Riley). Tom D'Andrea (as Jim Gillis)
Season 6 (NBC) (1957-58)
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 6 1957-58 ##############
############### (final season) ###############
NBC Fridays 8:00pm (35 episodes)

 6.01 [185] Life of Riley: GOSSIP
Show no. 183 [LP25636]
13Sep57 NBC orig. airdate
Riley explains to Junior how gossip spreads, but the lessons backfires.

6.02 [186] Life of Riley: RILEY'S UPS AND DOWNS
Show no. 184 [LP25637]
20Sep57 NBC orig. airdate
Riley takes a downstairs apartment and agrees to switch with
Gillis and move upstairs at the end of the year.

6.03 [187] Life of Riley: THE NEW DEN
Show no. 185 [LP25640]
27Sep57 NBC orig. airdate
Peg tries to convert an unused room into a den for Riley.

6.04 [188] Life of Riley: GILLIS'S CHILDHOOD FRIEND
Show no. 186 [LP25638]
4Oct57 NBC orig. airdate
An old friend of Gillis spends so much time with him that Riley feels neglected.

6.05 [189] Life of Riley: DOWN FOR THE COUNT
a.k.a. RILEY AND THE BEAN CONTEST
Show no. 187 [LP25639]
11Oct1957 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis 1:
Dejected over his failure to provide the family with a car, Riley sees hope when he discovers a bean
counting contest in a local store in which the first prize is a brand new car.
Synopsis 2:
Riley almost loses his job and nearly lands in a mental institution as the result of a contest to guess
the number of beans in a jar.

6.06 [190] Life of Riley: THE GRUESOME TWOSOME
Show no. 188 [LP25641]
18Oct57 NBC orig. airdate
Peg and Honeybee suggest golf lessons as a diversion for their tired husbands

6.07 [191] Life of Riley: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LITTLE CHESTER
Show no. 189 [LP25642]
25Oct57 orig. airdate
As baby Chester's birthday approaches, Riley decides a surprise
party is in order.

6.08 [192] Life of Riley: BABS AND THE LATIN
Show no. 190 [LP25643]
1Nov57 NBC orig. airdate
Riley and Gillis can't understand why Babs is acting so strange lately.

6.09 [193] Life of Riley: ANCHORS AWAY a.k.a. "Anchors Aweigh"
Show no. 191 [LP25644]
8Nov57 NBC orig. airdate
Riley and Gillis join a team from their factory and enter a fishing contest.

6.10 [194] Life of Riley: FRAMED
Show no. 192 [LP25646]
15Nov57 NBC orig. airdate
The factory foreman names Riley and Gillis as the organizers of a charity play.

6.11 [195] Life of Riley: NOBODY DOWN HERE LIKES ME
Show no. 193 [LP25648]
22Nov57 NBC Fri
Synopsis:
In return for Riley's help in repairing his boat, Cunningham offers to let Riley
use his lakeside cabin for a fishing party. Not knowing that Peg has planned a
surprise birthday celebration for him, Riley is crushed when the friends he
invited for a weekend of fishing all cancel out. [RF]

6.12 [196] Life of Riley: BABY CHESTER'S FIRST WORDS
Show no. 194 [LP25650]
29Nov57 NBC orig. airdate
Babysitters Riley and Gillis hear baby Chester talking, so
Riley calls Don in South America and forgets to watch the baby.

6.13 [197] Life of Riley: A TRIP FOR PEG
Show no. 195 [LP25645]
6Dec57 orig. airdate
Riley writes a letter to his relatives informing them that Peg
is going to visit, but the letter isn't clear, so the relatives
misunderstand and a niece arrives at Riley's house for a visit.

6.14 [198] Life of Riley: GOING STEADY
Show no. 196 [LP25647]
13Dec57 NBC orig. airdate
Riley has great plans for father-son activities during Junior's
school vacation, but the plans are upset when Junior starts to go steady.

6.15 [199] Life of Riley: A GUEST FROM ENGLAND
Show no. 197. [LP25649]
20Dec57 NBC orig. airdate
A young English student comes to spend two weeks at the Riley
household, but Riley has trouble understanding his Cockney way of speaking.

6.16 [200] Life of Riley: LITTLE AWFUL ANNIE
Show no. 198 [LP25655]
3Jan1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis 1:
Annie becomes infatuated with Junior's friend Moose.
Synopsis 2:
Riley decides to take steps when his visiting niece and her new boyfriend eat the family out of their
monthly food supply in one night. [Niagara Falls Gazette]

6.17 [201] Life of Riley: MUSIC HATH CHARMS
Show no. 199 [LP25657]
10Jan1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Tone-deaf Riley decides to study music.

6.18 [202] Life of Riley: MOVIE STRUCK
Show no. 200 [LP25653]
24Jan1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Annie and her friend go to a movie studio. [Chicago Tribune]

6.19 [203] Life of Riley: BOWLING BEAUTIES
Show no. 201 [LP25654]
31Jan1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Peg and Honeybee object when their husbands begin teaching bowling to women at the plant.

6.20 [204] Life of Riley: THE LETTER
Show no. 202 [LP25656]
7Feb1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley and Gillis get themselves involved with robbers when they advise the caretaker who lives next
door to write a violent letter to his employer. [Chicago Tribune]

6.21 [205] Life of Riley: TEN O'CLOCK SCHOLAR
Show no. 203 [LP25658]
14Feb1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley decides to go to night school to get his high school diploma when a good job at the plant comes along.
[Chicago Tribune]

6.22 [206] Life of Riley: THE OILY BIRDS
Show no. 204 [LP25659]
21Feb1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley spreads the rumor that there is oil on his ground in order to get Gillis to help him with work on
the property. [Chicago Tribune]

6.23 [207] Life of Riley: MRS. AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES
Show no. 205 [LP25652]
28Feb1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley convinces his boss that daughter Babs should be entered in the "Mrs. Aircraft Industries" beauty contest.
[Chicago Tribune]

6.24 [208] Life of Riley: AFTER YOU'RE GONE
Show no. 206 [LP25651]
7Mar1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley decides to be more thoughtful of Peg but his plans to turn over a new leaf backfire. [Chicago Tribune]

6.25 [209] Life of Riley: A TEST FOR GILLIS
Show no. 207 [LP25660]
14Mar1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley hatches a plan to test Gillis's friendship.

6.26 [210] Life of Riley: RILEY'S BURSTED BUBBLE
a.k.a. "Riley's Busted Bubble"
Show no. 208 [LP25661]
21Mar1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley decides to try psychology in an attempt to persuade his niece to return home to Brooklyn. [Chicago Tribune]

6.27 [211] Life of Riley: TEENAGE TROUBLES
Show no. 209 [LP25662]
28Mar1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
While Junior is cramming for his examinations Riley sets out to find unattractive dates for Junior's girl friend.
[Chicago Tribune]

6.28 [212] Life of Riley: THE OTIS YONDER STORY
Show no. 210 [LP25664]
4Apr1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley and Gillis try to crash big time show business with a sensational guitarist and hillbilly singer. [Chicago Tribune]

6.29 [213] Life of Riley: THE BARRACKS BAG
Show no. 211 [LP25665]
11Apr1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Gillis' old army barrack's bag, lost since World War II, is returned to him with near disastrous results. [Chicago Tribune]

6.30 [214] Life of Riley: THE PRICE OF FAME
Show no. 212 [LP25666]
18Apr1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley becomes a hero when he captures a thief. He then learns that being famous is hard on the nerves.

6.31 [215] Life of Riley: ANNIE'S RADIO ROMANCE
Show no. 213 [LP25663]
25Apr1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley tries to end his niece's violent crush on a crooner. [Chicago Tribune]

6.32 [216] Life of Riley: DUDLEY COMES TO TOWN
Show no. 214 [LP25667]
2May1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley and Gillis go into a business with an old friend and lose their boss' money as well as their own.
[Chicago Tribune]

6.33 [217] Life of Riley: LIVE MODERN
Show no. 215 [LP25668]
9May1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis 1:
Riley decides to surprise Peg by redecorating the house while she's away visiting Babs.
[TA /Steubenville Ohio Herald Star]
Synopsis 2:
Things gets pretty hectic around the Riley household when Peg goes away and Riley decides to redecorate the house.
[TA/Long Beach CA Press-Telegram]

6.34 [218] Life of Riley: HELP FOR HONEYBEE
Show no. 216 [LP25669]
16May1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Gillis and Honeybee decide to cure Riley's meddling in other people's affairs by pretending to break up,
but unknown to them, Riley overhear the plan. [TA /Oneonta NY Star]

6.35 [219] Life of Riley: HERE COMES CONSTANCE (final episode)
Show no. 217 [LP25670]
23May1958 orig. NBC airdate
Synopsis:
Riley and Gillis are miserable when Peg and Honeybee invite Mr. Canny's
sister Constance to stay with them. [TA/San Mateo CA Times]
Synopsis 2:
The sister of one of Riley's friends comes to visit Peg and Honeybee. [TA /Steubenville Ohio Herald Star]
Synopsis 3:
Peg and Honeybee schedule evenings at the ballet and the symphony to entertain a lady visitor. Riley and Gillis
are informed that they must accompany them. [Chicago Tribune]

Spring/Summer repeats:
[---] 30May1958 - repeat of 3.29 "Singing Cowboy" (from 01Apr1955)
[---] 06Jun1958 - repeat of 3.12 "Riley's Wild Oat(s)" (from 03Dec1954)
[---] 13Jun1958 - repeat of 3.37 "Out to Pasture" (from 27May1955)
[---] 20Jun1958 - repeat of 3.30 "Look Peg, I'm Dancing" (from 08Apr1955)
[---] 27Jun1958 - repeat of 3.10 "Riley Versus Numerology" (from 19Nov54)
[---] 04Jul1958 - repeat of 3.28 "The Gymnasium" (from 25Mar55)
[---] 11Jul1958 - repeat of 3.06 "Babs and Junior Try Home Economics" (from 22Oct1954)
[---] 18Jul1958 - repeat of 3.22 "The Auction" (11Feb55)
[---] 25Jul1958 - repeat of 3.13 "Puppy Love" (10Dec54)
[---] 01Aug1958 - repeat of 3.14 "The Car Pool" (17Dec54)
[---] 08Aug1958 - repeat of 3.04 "Destination Brooklyn" (8Oct54)
[---] 15Aug1958 - repeat of 2.39 "Riley's in Brooklyn" (18Jun1954)
[---] 22Aug1958 - repeat of 3.35 "The Blockade" (from 13May1955) (final NBC broadcast)

Beginning September 1958, "Life of Riley" moved into national syndication.

############## The Life of Riley #############
################## the end ###################
##############################################

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