The Life of Riley - 252 episodes of the Old Time Radio comedy


(3.7 stars; 6 reviews)

This upload contains 252 episodes of the great Old Time Radio comedy, The Life of Riley, starring William Bendix. The radio show aired from 1944 to 1951 and also spawned a feature film and two television adaptations, one with Jack Gleason that aired for 26 weeks (1949-1950) and the second with William Bendix reprising his role for six seasons (1953-1958).

The dates, episode numbers, and titles are believed to be correct based on available information. While I tried to put together a collection that contains the best version of each episode, there may be better copies of some recordings available from collectors and dealers.

We OTR enthusiasts owe a huge debt to those who have worked tirelessly to discover, acquire, and preserve these recordings. My goal is to ensure these excellent artistic expressions of our past are preserved for this and all future generations.


This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.

Chapters

Select a chapter to play

Riley Wants to Build a House 27:46
The Butler Part 2 21:44
Riley Rents a House and Moves from the Hotel 25:37
Telephone Story 29:55
Van Planten Theater Part 1 30:02
The Barber Chair 30:16
Riley's Birthday - Thinks Baxter Is Giving Party 30:05
Riley Is Best Dressed Man 59:17
Proxy Wedding Part 1 29:40
Proxy Wedding Part 2 29:42
Baxter Goes to New York 59:27
The Dog Catcher 22:15
Riley Fixes Dinner for Mother's Day 23:11
Fish Story 13:54
Riley Tries to Marry Baxter to Miss Grimshaw, Waldo's Aunt 28:17
The Houseboat Vacation Part 1 28:58
The Houseboat Vacation Part 2 25:40
Making Each Other Jealous 28:12
Muley's Surprise Party for Riley 28:19
The Boss's Son-In-Law 28:35
Halloween Haunted House 26:35
Piano Lessons for Junior 28:45
Big Football Bet 28:13
Turkey Hunt 21:27
Bridesmaid Babs 28:40
Most Popular Boy 28:32
Riley's Mash Note at Night School 30:18
The Christmas Present 26:33
Roswell's a Guest for Christmas 29:47
New Year's Eve Party 31:00
Silver Gloves Boxing Tourney 30:01
The Wedding Anniversary 24:01
Riley's Conscience Bothers Him for Taking Phone Booth Nickels 28:11
Five Dollars Is Missing 29:12
The BPLA Initiates a New Member 27:49
Riley Trains Junior's Dog 29:35
Riley Helps Luigi Pass English Exam to Become US Citizen 28:31
Expectant Fathers 26:41
Junior Runs Away 29:49
Riley Tries to Become a Pal to Junior 29:41
Missing Five Dollars 29:21
Riley's Mother-In-Law Visits 27:38
Feud with New Neighbor Gillis, over Junior's Goat 29:42
Junior Is Head of the Household 24:48
Change of Time 29:41
Riley Refuses to Let Babs See Simon - Thinks He's a Suicide 29:41
Junior's House Key 29:43
Peg's Old Boyfriend, Sydney, Is House Guest 28:09
The Football Game 29:18
Roswell Visits 29:01
Babs and Simon - Married 28:07
BPLA Lodge Election - Phonograph Record Saves Riley 28:39
Riley Takes Job Promotion Exam 29:27
Grandma's Boyfriend and Captain Riley 28:11
Riley's Tonsillectomy 24:58
Junior's School Play 28:12
Babs Music Scholarship 29:26
Riley Buys an Insurance Policy 25:15
Riley Finds a Silver Fox Fur Coat 27:42
Riley Thinks Junior Is a Shoplifter 28:40
The Giant Easter Bunny 27:35
Gambling Doesn't Pay 59:14
Rileys Take in the Gillises After a Fire 27:06
Junior Forgets Mother's Day 27:12
Playing Hookey 29:17
Junior Sells Peanuts at the Circus 28:51
The Riley Family of Actors 28:51
The Bread Shortage and the Black Market 28:40
A New Suit for Father's Day 27:29
Morris Buys the Riley House 27:52
Paper Route Subscription Contest to Go to Camp 29:24
Riley Thinks He's Been Promoted 1:00:07
Riley Doesn't Want Peg to Work for Sidney Monahan 29:57
Riley Hides on Boat to Catch Babs and Her Boyfriend Simon 29:59
Riley Bribes Junior to Win Football Game 29:29
Good Neighbor Week 25:52
The School Formal Dance - Helene's Swap Shop Dress For Babs 23:43
Riley Sues the Bus Company 23:08
Riley Gets a Job in South America for His Company 29:43
Peg and Riley Both Run for Park Supervisor 29:36
Egbert and Junior Go to Boy Scout Camp 29:23
Music Brings Riley and Peg Together 26:56
Riley, Football Hero for the Night Club Team 29:04
Riley Gets Free Medical Advice from Simon's Uncle, a Horse Doctor 26:03
New Year's Eve - 10 Dates for Babs 27:39
Efficiency Expert 27:42
Riley and Simon, Business Partners 27:57
Riley's Honeymoon 28:36
Mr X - Riley Switched as a Baby 29:15
Riley's Birthday - Forgotten 27:46
Simon Is 'Advice to the Lovelorn' Column Editor 29:58
Riley, the Milkman 27:58
Riley the Gentleman - New Chair 26:55
Riley, the Child Beater 30:17
Marriage Can Be Beautiful 29:58
Riley, the Boxer - Junior, the Coward 29:16
Simon, the Waiter, Blackmails Riley 31:06
Launching Babs in Society 29:29
Model Son, the Mother's Day Speech 29:47
The Accident Insurance Policy 29:50
Riley Courts Peg at Summer Camp 29:12
Junior Wins the Soap Box Derby 30:25
Babs Almost Gets a Job in San Francisco 29:50
Riley and Gillis Spend a Week at the Lake 30:48
Riley Thinks Peg Is Leaving Him 30:20
Riley Enrolls at PIP Instead Of UCLA 28:19
Babs Has Two Dates 29:47
Junior Wants to Run Away from Home 29:05
Venus with a Radio in Her Stomach, Art Object for the Piano 31:17
Riley Gets a Promotion - Old Age Sets In 29:12
Riley, the Cop 29:08
The Community Chest Drive 27:29
The Ragamuffin Ball 29:06
The Football Pool Card 27:30
Junior and Babs Put on Anniversary Party 29:05
Riley in School Play 29:10
Win a Buick Contest - Guess the Number of Beans in the Bowl 58:42
Thanksgiving with the Gillises 29:45
The Greatest Man I Know 29:12
Babs Is Blackballed at the Sorority 29:28
First Christmas in Store Window 28:56
Family Christmas Present 26:24
Riley Gets Junior Two Dates for a Dance 26:36
Women's Equal Rights - Wedding Ring 29:08
The Telephone Is Rationed - Walking Man Contest 29:15
Babs Quits School 29:43
Uncle Baxter Returns - Scholarship 29:19
Father and Son Banquet 29:27
Riley Sends Peg a Comic Valentine 28:37
Riley Lies to Peg About Going to a Wrestling Match 29:40
Babs Sweet Sixteen Birthday Party 29:32
The Nuts and Bolts Club - Riley Punches His Foreman 29:21
The Monkey 28:44
The Suggestion Contest 28:46
The Giant Easter Bunny 29:20
Riley, the Crime Buster - Juvenile Delinquency - Curfew 28:42
Peg Studies French 28:36
The Care Drive 26:23
Spring Fever 29:58
Junior's Baseball Uniform - Reform School 28:50
Riley's Mother's Day Gift Is Explained 28:43
Riley, Man of Distinction 29:06
Monahan Spends Weekend with the Rileys 29:19
Cooperation Picnic - Riley And Gillis Buy a Car Together 29:08
Babs' Graduation 28:54
Father's Day - Bathrobes 29:11
A Vacation on the Prison Farm 28:44
Riley's Night Job 29:37
Riley Meets Clem Kadiddlehopper 26:49
The Household Drudge 59:21
How to Pick a Mate 29:08
The Problem Child 28:43
Riley Campaigns 29:02
Riley and the Aardvark 25:39
Comic Books 29:55
Riley's Tonsillectomy 24:27
Father-In-Law Trouble 29:04
Bab's Elderly Boyfriend 29:23
Riley Tries to Get Football Tickets - A Foremanship Is up for Grabs 27:35
Riley's Jilted Sister Visits 29:10
Riley and Mrs Morris; Buys a Car - Not a Wife 29:06
Christmas Bonuses from Mr Stevenson 27:32
Riley Invites Himself to His Boss's New Year's Eve Party 29:39
Riley Coaches Junior's Basketball Team 23:52
Riley Gets a Job in Arabia 23:20
Riley's Old Flame, Bertha 23:27
A Quiet Evening by the Fireside 28:58
Riley Talks in His Sleep About 'Gertrude' 28:59
Babs Elopes, Sells Cards with Simon 29:39
A Valentine Locket from Monahan Is Signed by Riley 28:49
Sneak Preview of The Life of Riley Movie 29:48
The Riley's Are Guests of Universal Film Opening in Cincinnati 28:40
Wedding Photograph 28:38
The Riley's Wedding, Complete with Monahan 29:57
Babs Runs for UCLA President 28:41
Riley Won't Let Peg Help Junior with His Homework 28:44
Riley Is Held Up 51:25
Riley Breaks a Vase with His Bowling Ball 28:51
Riley Goes to War After Reading a 1941 Newspaper 28:49
Babs Leaves Home 28:48
Riley Waits Tables to Meet Peg 28:48
Junior Has His Own Delivery Business 28:44
Junior and Egbert Leave for Camp 28:46
Babs' Wedding - Baby Sitting 29:28
The Geiger Counter 28:49
The Policeman Boarder 28:38
A Television Set on a 10 Day Free Trial 28:38
The Expectant Father 28:33
The Community Chest Drive 30:05
The Escort Bureau 50:09
Thanksgiving Dinner with the Boss 29:53
Riley, the Bookie 26:45
Babs and the Stevenson's Nephew 27:18
Riley, the Fireman 26:10
The Christmas Club 29:30
Riley Drives a Cab for Babs Boyfriend 29:28
The Care Drive 29:47
Riley's Southern Female Neighbor 25:46
Junior Is in Love 24:52
Peg, the Waitress 26:03
Riley's Step Out 25:30
Riley Becomes an Actor on TV 24:06
Riley Has a Rent Controversy with His Landlord 27:35
Babs Is Allergic to Riley 26:45
Cissie's Marriage 24:03
Chivalry Is Dead aka Politeness Story 25:29
Miracle of the Bells 23:41
The Riley's Anniversary 26:05
Riley Goes to a Drive-In Theater 24:11
Riley, the Hamburger King 26:34
Riley Decides to Move 29:44
The Electric Company and Simon and Babs 29:22
Peg in a Beauty Contest 29:17
South Pacific 29:10
A Spicy Book 29:58
Two TVs for Father's Day 29:05
A Love Letter from Boopsie 29:41
Surprise Party Show 29:54
Riley's First Car - Traffic Court 28:43
Collection Agency 28:58
Riley Wants a New Stove for a Cake Baking Contest 29:18
Babs Elopement 29:14
Riley Wins a Hudson Guessing the Number of Beans in a Jar 30:10
The Rileys First Date 28:59
Riley Locks up Babs After Student Riot 29:02
Riley's Troubles with New Foreman 29:16
Junior's Lawn Mowing Company Venture 28:48
Riley the Coward - Peg Goes to Work 29:19
Be Kind to Simon 29:05
Peg's Father Comes to Visit 29:14
Anniversary Tiff - Riley Pays the Light Bill 28:39
Scoutmaster Riley - Housekeeping System 29:13
Tillie Boomer - Riley Becomes Engaged to Two Women 28:55
Babs Blackballed at the Sorority 29:37
Charleston Dance Lessons with Louella 28:51
Riley's Case of Nerves 29:13
Riley Has Tonsillitis 29:50
Louella Stays with the Rileys 29:26
Riley Installs a Time Clock 28:37
Basketball Game - Bribe 29:06
Riley, the Rent Collector 28:45
Old Man Riley 28:35
Civil Service Exam - Riley Contemplates Changing Jobs 28:50
Riley and Louella, a Kiss in the Dark 28:47
Babs Wants Privacy - Moves Out 28:30
Riley and the Marriage Certificate 29:04
Riley and the Black Chiffon Nightgown 24:38
Junior Wins the Soap Box Derby 25:08
Riley and the Ballet 29:26
Riley, the Forger 22:57
The Rileys Leave for a Vacation in Brooklyn 27:06
Riley's New Dog 30:28

Reviews

Riley Is Too Overbearing


(1 star)

Started Out Liking The Show But The more I listen, The more I dislike The character Of RIley. So overbearing and unfair to his children. Punishing Junior and making him take the blame for things he himself has done. Lying and bragging and ruining everything for Babs. All he has to do is pretend to cry and Peg and the kids forgive him, He is a despicable character. I realize that is how its written for that era. So maybe ppl liked it more. Not me.

Torrent is only 56 episode


for some reason the torrent versions only has 56 episodes so download it direct instead

Great Show


(5 stars)

LOR is a great, hilarious, well written and brilliantly acted show. Obviously some people just don't get the humor. This is my favorite OTR show along with My Favorite Husband. I can't recommend this awesome show highly enough. It always makes me laugh and is a comfort show. If you've got good taste you'll love it.

I loved this show and I was born in 60s


(5 stars)

Some public radio show would play this on the weekends and when I was in the doghouse with my parents, I would listen to this show. It was gold