The Life Of Riley

[@justindandrea]

It's always a pleasure to see comments about how people in the world enjoyed watching my grandfather on both the small screen and the big screen in movies like Dark Passage with Humphrey Bogart & Lauren Bacall or This Is The Army with Ronald Regan whom was a very good friend of my grandfathers.

[@margaretpetersen9275]

way cool!

[@davesiler4064]

I have never forgotten your grandfather---he brought a lot of enjoyment!!!

[@frederickrusso]

Was your grandfather and family of Italian descent?

[@fromthesidelines]

There's just one thing, though- why did your grandfather sit out the 1955-'56 season, and replaced by George O'Hanlon {as "Calvin Dudley"} that season?

[@Shopgirl325]

Your grandpa was great. Riley should have listened to him more 😉😉😉😉

[@davesiler4064]

Who would turn thumbs down on this wonderful show????

[@johnfotia3356]

I loved the show and your grandfather was wonderful in it. I was also a big fan of Marjorie Reynolds and never missed a showing of "The Time of their Lives." I identifed with Junior. Such warm memories of sitting on the floor and watching the television with my older brother.

[@leftys408]

One of my favorite shows when I was a kid. Your grandfather was terrific as Gillis!

[@JJJBRICE]

The beautiful Marjorie Reynolds . In the 1942 film Holiday Inn she was the object of affection of both Crosby and Astaire . Gloria Blondell played the nurse here, later on she played her regular role as the Honeybee .

[@erikranker5106]

Thanks for posting this classic show. Your Grandfather was great.

[@fmazzar]

Your grandfather was/is one of my favorites...somehow he snuck into my subconscious when i was a kid and never came out....you should do some research and put out an article or book about Tom, he was an interesting guy and appeared in some great movies. Thanks Justin.

[@mercedestierney4679]

This was my favorite show when I was a kid. I absolutely loved the Life of Riley and thought your grandfather was so cool!

[@markmunson2684]

This is great old time television at it's best. I remember watching a few shows growing up. I'm glad these recordings are availsble.

[@AndyMangele]

Nice to find something about Tom D'Andrea on youtube - he was one of my favorite characters in "Dark Passage"!

[@deanmartian3846]

Saw Tom D'Andrea in short a couple of days ago on TCM called I Won't Play. I recognized him right away as Gillis on LofR. Good comedic actor.

[@AubreyÆsohn]

how cool to have a remembrance of a grandparent like that! ♡

[@harrymonster1589]

I listen to this show on Sirius Radio on the radio classics channel and wouldn't miss an episode but had no idea the show was ever on television. The show is tops in every aspect. The fast paced quick wit banter captivates and draws you into the scenes.

[@justindandrea]

The show started out as a radio show and then NBC picked it up to be a television show.

[@harrymonster1589]

Several shows took similar routes and moved into TV such as Lucille O Ball and Jack Benny and im sure you probably know of many more.

[@fromthesidelines]

Justin, why DID your grandfather "sit out" the 1955-'56 season (with George O'Hanlon replacing him as "Calvin Dudley")? Was it a beef he had concerning his salary?

[@cmoore185]

I loved this show. I think it was on Friday nights around 8:00 eastern. You are lucky to have had a grandfather in tv. Did he live long enough for you to meet him. Tv was great back in the 50's. growing up then was great. Except for worrying about the bomb, everything was wonderful. My parent's generation was totally different. they loved everything about America. It truly was a great country. Everyone worked. Nobody thought the world owed them a thing.

[@labelleetlebete1228]

C moore it was on at 8 on Friday nights.

[@justindandrea]

I knew my grandfather from as young as I can remember until the day he died in 1998 when I was 18 years old. I knew him very well. His favorite TV show was Seinfeld and we used to watch it together.

[@fromthesidelines]

8:30pm(et), most of the time. It only appeared at 8pm in the fall of 1956.

[@markhoward8301]

Justin D'Andrea He played with Garfield in Humoresque didn't he ..My FATHER resembled him I grew up in the 50s we got our first TV in 53-54 Riley is one of the first shows I remember..

[@garymorell6924]

I remember a movie your Grandfather made with William Bendix in 1950, in which they both were studying to be baseball umpires. They worked so well together the studios paired them together again for this sitcom.

[@rickcentore2801]

LOR was one of my favorite shows. I like the fact that while most TV dads worked at "the office," Riley and Gillis were blue collar factory workers like my dad.

[@johnirby493]

Remember well, watching the series on our Philco, when I was a kid.

[@andrearichardson4374]

I just love ❤️ this episode 👍😍

[@jsilence418]

William Bendix was great in the " Blue Dahlia" with Alan Ladd

[@OregonDarlingsPress]

loved this as a kid esp his saying "What a revolting development this is!"

[@margaretpetersen9275]

how cool! love this show

[@scottlahti1252]

Gillis 1:38, upon thinking Riley has swallowed a rivet (actually a fishbone): Now the way I diagnose it, we got two methods - pull it out, or drive it home ...

[@davegibson1432]

A great TV series from the 50’s. William Bendix was the perfect average Joe.

[@fromthesidelines]

This episode, "Riley's Operation", was adapted from a radio script {by Irving Brecher, Reuben Ship and Alan Lipscott}, and was originally telecast on April 24, 1953. George Fenneman is the opening narrator.....

[@jrzzrj]

gee...i can barely remember this sit-com as i was a itty bitty baby back then.......yea...right...!!

[@Tommy-76]

The boogeyman, lemonade stands and TAKING YOUR TONSILS OUT!! Oh boy talk about revoltin’ developments!!

[@SpScarletSpider]

I've never seen this show before, but after watching it, it's great. I never knew that the Thing's "what a revoltin' development this is" was a direct homage to this show so it was cool to learn where Stan Lee and Jack Kirby got the idea for that catchphrase for the thing. It kinda fits his character perfectly.

[@jaykauffman4775]

Wes Morgan who played Junior was extremely intelligent and became involved in nuclear physics

[@mattikaki]

I remember watching this when I was a kid in the very early 60's here in Finland. The name in Finnish was "Riemuperhe Riley", something likeThe Joy (at its uppermost) Family of Rileys, Try to say it. =)

[@cmoore185]

There are a few episodes I will always remember, at least a little bit. I remember one where Riley cut down some of Gillis's garden. Gillis was always the one with just enough brains to be dangerous.

[@rustyb1642]

S01E17 Riley's Operation

[@originalmatchgame]

Are you related to Tom ?

[@justindandrea]

Tom is my grandfather on my fathers side. I knew him very well.

[@michaelcummingsherrera1232]

One of my Irish names is, Riley. So howcum I'm not living the Life of Riley?

[@TheFingerboardHero]

I'm D'Andrea too!

[@justindandrea]

Not in my family tree though.