1953 comedy William Bendix
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THE LIFE OF RILEY (1949) has an interesting history for that it is remembered, if at all, solely as the role created by William Bendix. This in part is true, for that Bendix did originate the role of Chester A. Riley on radio in 1944. Although it's been said that he was unavailable to star in the proposed TV series in 1949, he did get to star as Riley in the 1949 Universal-International movie version of that same name with Rosemary DeCamp as his wife, Peg (which at one time aired on American Movie Classics in the late 1980s).
As for the TV series, the Dumont network substituted the unavailable Bendix for the not-so-well-known Jackie Gleason as Riley; with Rosemary DeCamp as Peg; Lanny Rees as son, Junior; and Gloria Winters as daughter, Babs; along with Sid Tomack as Riley's friend, Gillis. After 26 episodes, the series was cancelled in early 1950.
Then in 1953, THE LIFE OF RILEY was brought back to television (NBC), this time with William Bendix playing Riley and Marjorie Reynolds as Peg. The new series lasted five successful years. By the time THE LIFE OF RILEY ended its run in 1958, Jackie Gleason had won immortality with his role as Ralph Kramden in THE HONEYMOONERS series from 1955-56
Jackie Gleason does what he can in stepping into William Bendix's shoes, even though Gleason is as miscast in playing Riley as Bendix would be all wrong in playing Ralph Kramden. For those accustomed in seeing Gleason as Ralph Kramden, the blabber-mouth bus driver from Brooklyn, NY, it would also seem awkward watching Gleason playing a father of two teenagers, since his future Kramden role was fatherless. But one thing remains the same as both Riley and Ralph, his screen wife has more common sense than he does.
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