306K followers. Like most other Irish songs of the era, it played to the Irish audience - this one with a dash of anti-Chinese racism thrown in for luck (the Chinese were 'Reilly's' principal competitors for manual work in the USA at the time): I'll have nothing but Irishman on the policePatrick's Day will be the fourth of July;I'll get me a thousand infernal machines,To teach the Chinese how to die. For well-meaning aircraft worker Riley, there's no invention he's not willing to take a crack at, even if he's hopelessly in over his head. There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. The Lightning Seeds - The Life of Riley (Official Video) - YouTube 0:00 / 2:45 The Lightning Seeds - The Life of Riley (Official Video) Lightning Seeds 73.4K subscribers Subscribe 860K views. 27 episodes. ", See production, box office & company info, Hal Roach Studios - 8822 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA. Enjoyed reading about this idiom? Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for life of Riley. However, there were probably more Rileys in New York then in Dublin at that date. Anna lived the life of Riley at a young age because of her parents sudden wealth from their business. In 1949-1950 Jackie Gleason played Chester A Riley on TV. His sto Riley worked in an aircraft plant in California, but viewers usually saw him at home, cheerfully disrupting life with his malapropisms and ill timed intervention into minor problems. Most of them are kind of dated and corny, but Riley along with The Great Gildersleeve and a couple others are as hilarious today as they were back then. He targets the United Kingdom population and talks about their expected life expectancy versus the . All rights reserved. Life of riley definition, a carefree, comfortable, and thoroughly enjoyable way of living: Since winning the lottery, he's led the life of Riley. rise up, Willy Reilly, and come along with me. Don Marshall 9 Episodes 1957. [6][7], The NBC adaptation, also created by Irving Brecher, was a single-season It was later reused by Benjamin J. Grimm of the Fantastic Four. Personalise your gift with our in-house embossing service. I thought, this guy could play it. Although "The Life of Riley" had originally begun as a proposed Groucho Marx radio series "The Flotsam Family," the sponsor balked at what would have been essentially a straight head-of-household role for the comedian. The original 'ban' would make sense in the rhyming scheme, which rhymes it with 'land', 'band' etc.]. So, while the idea of a notional Irishman living the high life was current in late 19th century Ireland and America, the phrase 'the life of Riley' isn't found until the early 20th century. According to Sir Charles Duffys account, Reiley, not Reilly or Riley, was a hero of a once-famous American comic song in the 1800s. The Marx-ish overtones of Flotsam Family disappeared, replaced by the hearty Irish-American-Brooklynite characterization of Chester A. Riley, a well-meaning blue-collar Average Joe Punchclock who always seemed to be one step behind the rest of his family. There's not enough evidence to be 100% certain of the origin of the phrase 'the life of Riley' but it is probable that it derives from the life of a real person - Willy Reilly of Sligo, Ireland. Scripted by Reuben Shipp and Alan Mitchcock. Cast & Crew Read More Irving Brecher Director William Bendix Chester A. Riley James Gleason Gillis Rosemary Decamp Peg Riley Bill Goodwin Sidney Monahan Beulah Bondi This 5 bedroom home (with 3 masters) is great for the entire family, from the youngest member of the family to the oldest member of the family, The Life of Riley is able to satisfy everyone's needs and desires. There is some suggestion that the idea of a gentleman named Mr. Riley enjoying a luxurious, easy life is suggested in several earlier vaudeville songs, though the phrase living the life of Riley appears slightly later. King moves back to . The radio program initially aired on the Blue Network (later known as ABC) from January 16, 1944, to July 8, 1945, it then moved to NBC, where it was broadcast from September 8, 1945, to June 29, 1951. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. One authority says it comes from a song of the 1880s, "Is that Mr Reilly?" popularized by Pat Rooney, founder of the great American song-and-dance dynasty "The Dancing Rooneys." John Brown returned as the morbid, counseling undertaker Digby (Digger) O'Dell. 11 [LP26641] 13Mar53 NBC orig. He also discussed that many die early due to poor life choices. ISRC: USUAN1400054 Uploaded: 2014-11-25 102 bpm professional stuntman/stunt coordinator from Los Angeles. [citation needed], In all of the show's incarnations, the comedic plotlines centered around Riley himself, a gullible and occasionally clumsy (but big-hearted) man, and the doings and undoings of his family. There is some suggestion that the idea of a gentleman named Mr. Riley enjoying a luxurious, easy life is suggested in several earlier vaudeville songs, though the phrase living the life of Riley appears slightly later. In 1949, Bendix played Riley in a movie. Mrs. Riley is Paula Winslow, Digger O'Dell is John Brown, Junior is Bobby Ellis, Riley's mother is Jane Morgan, Riley's father-in-law is Alan Reed, Sidney Monahan is Lew Merrill, and . live the life of Riley phrase. Living The Life Of Riley Origin. The origin of the strange phrase, living the life of Riley, is a popular ballad in the 1800s. With hindsight we can be sure that any soldier's life during the First World War was no picnic. [citation needed], The series was co-developed by the nonperforming Marx Brother turned agent Gummo. The phrase is likely of early 20th-century Irish-American origin, but to whom Riley refers is uncertain. Check out some others we covered: - Did we make a mistake? 879 were here. Riley worked in an aircraft plant in California, but viewers usually saw him at home, cheerfully disrupting life with his malapropisms and ill timed intervention into minor problems. Same characters and premise, just different actors. The Life of Reilly is also a film adaptation of the play, Save it for the Stage: The Life of Reilly. American radio situation comedy series of the 1940s, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Zoot Radio, free old time radio show downloads of, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Life_of_Riley&oldid=1149702460, Black-and-white American television shows, Radio programs adapted into television shows, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2016, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles that may contain original research from August 2013, All articles that may contain original research, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 13 April 2023, at 22:24. Life of Riley has got to be the greatest radio comedy ever. ""I will my loving lady, with many thanks to thee. It is listed here on IDMB. His stock answer to every turn of fate became a catch phrase: 'What a revoltin' development this Riley worked in an aircraft plant in California, but viewers usually saw him at home, cheerfully disrupting life with his malapropisms and ill timed intervention into minor problems. life of Riley phrase. get up, Willy Reilly, you must appear this day.For great Squire Foillard's anger you never can withstand,Im afeared you'll suffer sorely for your dear Coolen Bawn. He was called 'The Silver-Voiced Irish Tenor", although audiences must have been rather forgiving in those days, as surviving recordings of him sound like a knife being drawn across a plate. The term living the life of Riley is an American phrase, it first appeared in the early 1900s. Although Mister Reilly was Irish, the country of origin for the phrase is the USA. The radio series also benefited from the immense popularity of a supporting character, Digby "Digger" O'Dell (John Brown), "the friendly undertaker." Oxford English Dictionary now only recognizes Riley in living the life of Riley. Meaning What does Life of Riley mean? Brecher told Brown, "I want a very sepulchral voice, quavering, morbid," and he got it right away.[2]. Here's the ballad, as printed in 1899, which recounts the story of Willy Reilly running away with his hieress lover only to be caught and tried for abduction, eventually finding freedom and riches in his lover's arms - truly the life of Reilly: [Note: 'Coolen bawn' is an Anglised version of 'Caillin ban', meaning 'young, white girl'. One is derived from the original Gaelic word raghalach, which means "valiant." This eventually became the surname O'Reilly. Nurses and semptresses [seamstresses], the honorary guardians of national songs and legends, have taken it into special favour, and preserved its popularity.. Uploaded by (The Myanmar Times), Murderer Cameron Mansell is living the life of Riley with ready access to a computer and television as a medium security prisoner while withholding the location of his victims body, according to the dead mans father Laurie Puddy. The Life of Riley was an American radio situation comedy series of the 1940s that was adapted into a 1949 feature film, a 1950s television series, and a 1958 comic book. Several Victorian music-hall songs referred to a Reilly who was living a life of luxury. His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project. Accessed 18 Apr. His stock answer to every turn of fate became a catch phrase: 'What a revoltin' development this is! RILEY HARPER. I listen to each of these in turn all night every night, and when I'm traveling between cities I have the mp3's on a flash drive - these radio shows really keep me alert, engaged and amused while making a 6-hour drive. Groucho went on to host Blue Ribbon Town from 1943 to 1944 and then "You Bet Your Life" from 1947 to 1961. The Flotsam Family was reworked with Bendix cast as blundering Chester A. Riley, a wing riveter at the fictional Cunningham Aircraft plant in California. The singer of the Irish/American song was known for being the Silver-Voiced Irish Tenor. Quotation marks are usually added to phrases that the readership might be unfamiliar with. Riley's penchant for turning mere trouble into near-disaster through his well-intentioned bumbling was often aided or instigated by his arch best friend/next-door neighbor, Gillis. Most of that was Malaysian taxpayers money and it was used to buy artworks and fancy real estate, make a movie, and generally allow its youthful directors to lead the life of Riley. An unrelated radio show with the title Life of Riley was a summer replacement show heard on CBS from April 12, 1941, to September 6, 1941. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates? However, the supposedly historical figure of William Reilly (or Riley), an Irishman who eloped with his sweetheart and was saved from execution by her declaration that she had gone with him voluntarily, featured in several popular 18th- and 19th-century ballads (of which Riley and Colinband, ?1795 , may be the earliest to be published), and even Ill also show you how to use living the life of Riley in sentences. Again,the show is on IDMB The Gleason version was shown on WPIX in the late 70's after the Honeymooners. ", "This the news, young Reilly, that last night I did hear,The lady's oath will hang you or else will set you clear;""If that be so" says Reilly, "her pleasure I will stand,Still hoping to be succoured by my dear Coolen Bawn.". So, there's good circumstantial evidence that the major characters referred to in the ballad were real people. It included in the chorus "Is that Mr. Reilly, of whom they speak so highly?". King, born Riley B. Sid Tomack was Gillis. Also, in 1958, it hit the newsstands, when Dell Comics released . The hero, an innkeeper, describes what he will do when he strikes it rich: "New York will be swimming in wine" and "A hundred a day will be very small pay / when the White House and Capitol are . For When 'Lowdown Crook' Isn't Specific Enough. Luxury gift wrap and express delivery are available. The second TV series ran for six seasons, from January 2, 1953, to May 23, 1958. Other similar letters from US servicemen claimed to have been living the life of Reilly while at war in France. The first known citation in that context is in a letter from a Sergeant Leonard A. Monzert of the American Expeditionary Forces 'somewhere in France', an extract of which was published in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle on 26th May 1918. After the American comedy film, The Life of Riley became an American television series in the 1950s. Tom D'Andrea. Also, life of Reilly. Life of Riley is a colloquial expression, widely known in the Anglosphere to refer to a comfortable and lavish way of living. The Life of Riley 1953 -1958 6 Seasons NBC Comedy Watchlist Life at 1313 Blueview Terrace was never easy, thanks to bumbling Chester A. Riley, an Archie Bunker without the attitude whose. Duffy goes on to indicate the widespread knowledge of the song in the north of the island of Ireland: "There is no family under the rank of gentry in the inland counties of Ulster where it is not familiarly known. on January 6, 2011, Me too: my votes go for LOR, FKB and GG all the way, with A&A thrown in for good measure. BB King "The Life Of Riley" is the much-lauded feature documentary film on the extraordinary life of Blues legend B.B. His frequent exclamation of indignation"What a revoltin' development this is! "[2], The reworked script cast Bendix as blundering Chester A. Riley, a wing riveter at the fictional Cunningham Aircraft plant in California. All Rights Reserved. foreign lands. Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. It was shown on the Dumont network. Right now, the phrase is a popular idiomatic expression that refers to a comfortable and luxurious life. 16 in its first season, with four of its six seasons in the top 30, and ran for a total of 217 episodes. [citation needed], In 1948, NBC broadcast "two live television test programs based on the radio series. It is fully furnished with standard household appliances. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. All our boarding suites are professionally designed and custom-built with every amenity in mind. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. 1911, "Bullet Ends Life of Famous Wild Cow", The Hartford Courant, December 1911: The famous wild cow of Cromwell is no more. The American Heritage Idioms Dictionary Would you like to learn about more idiomatic expressions to use in your writing? The term living the life of Riley is an American phrase, it first appeared in the early 1900s. ", Out bespoke the noble Fox, the table he stood by,"Oh, gentlemen, consider on this extremity;To hang a man for love is a murder you may see,So spare the life of Reilly, let him leave this counterie. 'The life of Riley' is an easy and pleasant life. The CBS program starred Lionel Stander as J. Riley Farnsworth and had no real connection with the more famous series that followed a few years later. When Lisa Marie Presley died on Jan. 13, she left behind daughters Riley (far left) and twins Finley and Harper. 1,001 following. on the Internet. In it's own way, just as funny. First recorded in 192025; perhaps after the, Dictionary.com Unabridged Level playing field or level the playing field. An example is the 1883 popular song by Pat Rooney, Is That Mr. Reilly?. Life of Riley Resort is located on Lake Vermilion in Northeastern Minnesota. During World War I, it spread across American training camps as British soldiers wrote home using the phrase. The Life of Riley - 252 episodes of the Old Time Radio comedy : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive Beta Webamp Volume 90% 00:00 27:46 1 Life of Riley 1943-07-25 (xx) Riley Wants to Build a House - 27:46 2 Life of Riley 1944-01-30 (3) The Butler Part 2 - 21:45 The character of Digger O'Dell was not resurrected as a result of actor John Brown having been placed on the Hollywood blacklist. Originally airing on ABC, it jumped to NBC after one season. Rosemar Decamp was Peg. Whats the Meaning of the Phrase The Life of Riley? 2023. It first appeared in a comic strip titled "Life with Riley," which ran from February 13, 1946 to January 12, 1955. Nurses and semptresses [seamstresses], the honorary guardians of national songs and legends, have taken it into special favour, and preserved its popularity.". Click here for more. published 12 June 2015. Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Random House, Inc. 2023. Some variation of the retelling of a romantic folk tale is to be expected (in Ireland more than in most places) and, all things considered I would say that the best contender we have as being first person to live 'the life of Reilly' was Willy Reilly of Sligo, Ireland. Peter had enough money to take off the rest of the year and live the life of Riley. Cabin 8 is studio style. https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/life+of+Riley. Alan Ayckbourns Life of Riley also became a well-known play in 2010. | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples There are several theories of the origin of this popular catch phrase which means, of course, to live luxuriously without working. From our range of leather bound trunks to our latest designs in waxed canvas. (The West Australian), By contrast, the similarly aged, similarly divorced and similarly dating George Clooney was depicted as a merry bachelor living the life of Riley. But who is Riley, and why does everyone want to live his life? This pet friendly rental has a private pool, wifi, and a fireplace among many other amenities. This shows grade level based on the word's complexity. A comic book adaptation of the show was produced by Dell Comics in 1958 as part of their Four Color series of one-shots. Known for its tag line "What a revoltin' development this is", The Life of Riley, starring William Bendix, first aired in January of 1944. The Judge he said, "This lady being in her tender youth,If Reilly has deluded her she will declare the truth;"Then, like a moving beauty bright, before him she did stand,"Youre welcome there, my hearts delight and dear Coolcn Bawn. Life of Riley's high-class grooming salon pampers the pooches in the Potomac, Bethesda, Washington DC, Arlington, Alexandria, and surrounding areas. There is no exact story of the history of living the life of Riley, although it is clear that the phrase has Anglo-Irish origins. Bus), LOR 1949-10-14 #249 The Geiger Counter (Tape Waver), LOR 1949-10-28 #251 Riley Buys a Television, LOR 1950-03-10 #270 (AFRTS Re-Broadcast) Leaking Roof (Tape Waver), LOR 1950-10-13 #288 Traffic Court (Tape Waver), LOR 1951-03-30 #311 Riley The Rent Collector, LOR 1951-04-13 #313 Rileyis in a Rut (aka Civil Serv Exam-Riley Contemp. It appears in a wide range of contexts, as many works of art have chosen the "Life of Riley" as their theme of preference, with countless songs, ballads and plays named after the topic. Battlefields, page 257 Advanced embedding details, examples, and help, https://archive.org/download/Lux15/Lux_50-05-08_Life_of_Riley.mp3, LOR 1943-07-25 (Pilot) Riley Wants To Build A House (Starts at 34 sec), LOR 1944-01-16 #001 Riley Plans to Build a House, LOR 1944-01-30 #003 The Butler Pt 2 (Low Vol), LOR 1944-02-06 #004 Riley Rents a Hse-Moves from Hotel, LOR 1944-02-13 #005 Telephone Story (Low Vol), LOR 1944-02-20 #006 Van Planten Thtr Pt 1, LOR 1944-04-02 #012 Riley's Birthday (Thinks Baxter Giving Party) (Low Vol), LOR 1944-04-09 #013 Riley Is Best Dressed Man (Top Volume), LOR 1944-04-30 #016 Baxter Goes To NY (High Volume), LOR 1944-05-14 #018 Riley Fixes Dinner for Mother's Day, LOR 1944-06-25 #024 Riley Tries to Marry Baxter to Miss Grimshaw, Waldo's Aunt (starts at 50 sec), LOR 1944-08-27 #033 The Houseboat Vacation Pt 1, LOR 1944-09-03 #034 The Houseboat Vacation Pt 2, LOR 1944-09-24 #037 Making Each Other Jealous (High Vol), LOR 1944-10-08 #039 Muley's Surprise Party for Riley, LOR 1944-10-22 #041 The Boss's Son-In-Law, LOR 1944-10-29 #042 Halloween Haunted House, LOR 1944-11-05 #043 Piano Lessons for Junior, LOR 1944-12-10 #048 Riley's Mash Note at Night School, LOR 1944-12-17 #049 Special Christmas Present, LOR 1944-12-24 #050 Roswell's a Guest for Christmas, LOR 1945-01-14 #053 The Wedding Anniversary, LOR 1945-01-21 #054 Riley Takes Phone Booth Nickels, LOR 1945-02-04 #056 The BPLA Initiates New Member, LOR 1945-02-11 #057 Riley Trains Junior's Dog, LOR 1945-02-25 #059 Riley Helps Luigi Pass English Exam, LOR 1945-03-18 #062 Riley is a Pal to Junior, LOR 1945-03-25 #063 Five Dollars is Missing, LOR 1945-09-15 #078 Neighbor Feud Over Jr's Goat, LOR 1945-09-22 #079 Jr is Head of Household, LOR 1945-10-06 #081 Riley Refuses to Let Babs See Simon (Thinks he's a Suicide), LOR 1945-10-20 #083 Sidney Monahan is a House Guest, LOR 1945-11-24 #088 Babs & Simon Married (aka Will Babs & Simon Marry), LOR 1945-12-01 #089 BPLA Lodge Election - Phonograph Record Saves Riley, LOR 1946-01-26 #097 Riley's Tonsillectomy, LOR 1946-02-02 #098 Junior's School Play (aka 1946-02-26), LOR 1946-03-09 #103 Babs Music Scholarship, LOR 1946-03-16 #104 Riley Buys An Insurance Policy, LOR 1946-03-23 #105 Junior Races Egbert - Poison Ivy, LOR 1946-04-06 #107 Riley Finds A Silver Fox Fur Coat, LOR 1946-04-13 #108 Riley Thinks Jr. is a Shoplifter, LOR 1946-05-04 #111 Rileys Take In The Gillises After A Fire, LOR 1946-05-11 #112 Junior Forgets Mother's Day, LOR 1946-05-25 #114 Junior Sells Peanuts at the Circus, LOR 1946-06-01 #115 The Riley Family of Actors, LOR 1946-06-08 #116 The Bread Shortage & the Black Market, LOR 1946-06-22 #118 Morris Buys The Riley House, LOR 1946-06-29 #119 Paper Route Subscription Contest To Go To Camp, LOR 1946-09-07 #121 Riley Gets Promoted (aka 1946-09-17), LOR 1946-09-14 #122 Riley Doesn't Want Peg to Work for Sidney Monahan, LOR 1946-09-28 #124 Riley Bribes Jr. to win Football Game, LOR 1946-10-12 #126 The School Formal Dance (Helene's Swap Shop Dress For Babs), LOR 1946-10-19 #127 Riley Sues Bus Company, LOR 1946-11-02 #129 Peg & Riley Both Run For Park Supervisor, LOR 1946-11-09 #130 Egbert & Jr go to Boy Scout Camp, LOR 1946-11-16 #131 Music Brings Riley And Peg Together (starts at 46 Sec), LOR 1946-11-23 #132 (AFRS Re-Broadcast) Riley, Football Hero for the Night Club Team, LOR 1946-11-30 #133 Riley Gets Free Medical Advice From Simon's Uncle, A Horse Doctor, LOR 1946-12-28 #137 New Year's Eve - 10 Dates For Babs, LOR 1947-01-18 #140 Riley & Simon, Business Partners, LOR 1947-02-01 #142 Riley Switched At Birth, LOR 1947-02-08 #143 Riley's Birthday Forgotten, LOR 1947-03-15 #148 (AFRS) Simon Is Advice to the Lovelorn Column Editor, LOR 1947-03-29 #150 Riley The Gentleman (New Chair), LOR 1947-04-05 #151 Riley the Child Beater, LOR 1947-04-12 #152 Real Life Soap Opera `Marriage Can Be Beautiful', LOR 1947-04-19 #153 Riley the Boxer - Jr The Coward, LOR 1947-04-26 #154 Simon the Waiter, Blackmails Riley, LOR 1947-05-03 #155 Launching Babs In Society, LOR 1947-05-10 #156 Model Son, The Mother's Day Speech, LOR 1947-05-31 #159 The Accident Insurance Policy, LOR 1947-06-21 #162 Babs Almost Gets A Job In San Francisco, LOR 1947-06-28 #163 Riley & Gillis Spend AWeek at the Lake, LOR 1947-07-05 #164 Riley Thinks Peg Is Leaving Him, LOR 1947-09-06 #165 Riley Enrolls At PIP Instead Of UCLA, LOR 1947-09-20 #167 Jr Wants To Run Away From Home, LOR 1947-09-27 #168 Venus w Radio in Stomach is Art Object (Statue) for the Piano, LOR 1947-10-04 #169 Riley Gets A Promotion - Old Age Sets In, LOR 1947-11-01 #173 Football Pool Card (Tape Waver), LOR 1947-11-22 #176 Bean Counter (aka Win a Buick Contest), LOR 1947-11-29 #177 Foreman's Job (aka Thanksgiving at Gillise's), LOR 1947 Are We Ever Going to Get a New Car, LOR 1948-01-10 #183 Equal Rights For Women, LOR 1948-01-24 #184 Lay-Offs (aka 1945-09-08 #077 Layoffs), LOR 1948-03-06 #191 Riley Punches his Foreman, LOR 1948-04-10 #196 Riley Meets a Gangster (Burt Lancaster) (or Peg Studies French), LOR 1948-12-24 #225 Christmas Bonuses from Mr. Stevenson (aka 1946-12-24 Christmas Eve), LOR 1949-03-04 #235 Riley's Movie Premier (Riley Family are guests at Premier), LOR 1949-04-01 #239 Won't Let Peg Help Jr. With Homework, LOR 1949-04-15 #241 Riley Talks in His Sleep About Gertrude, LOR 1949-04-22 #242 Riley Breaks Pegs Chinese Bowl, LOR 1949-05-20 #246 Junior Drops Out of School (aka Jrs Deliv. After "living the life of Riley" for over a year, successfully evading the pitchforks and the bullets of the farmers, whose fields she ravaged in all four seasons. "[6] The April 13 episode starred Herb Vigran as Riley, and the April 20 episode had Buddy Gray in the title role. By Rob Hughes. Gillis often gave Riley bad information that got him into trouble, whereas Digger gave him good information that "helped him out of a hole," as he might have put it. [1] (Marx would get his own series Blue Ribbon Town instead.) His stock answer to every turn of fate became a catch phrase: 'What a revoltin' development this is! 2,501 posts. Henry Morgan voiced Riley's father in one episode. There were no quotation marks to imply the unfamiliarity of the expression. Heres our breakdown of a chip off the old block. Opening credits sequence (6 seasons; 217 x c.30-min episodes)The Life of Riley, with William Bendix in the title role, was a popular American radio situation comedy series of the 1940s that was adapted into a 1949 feature film, a long-run 1950s television series (originally with Jackie Gleason as Riley for one truncated season, then with Bendix for six seasons), and a 1958 comic book.The show began as a proposed Groucho Marx radio series, The Flotsam Family, but the sponsor balked at what would have been essentially a straight head-of-household role for the comedian. A life of great ease, comfort, or luxury, used especially in the phrase "lead/live the life of Riley." Riley is a gender-neutral name with two meanings. 1883 popular song by Pat Rooney, is that Mr. Reilly, of they. To May 23, 1958 level playing field hit the newsstands, Dell. Claimed to have been living the life of Riley became an American television series in rhyming! Cause some of the strange phrase, living the life of Reilly while at War in.. Ease, comfort, or luxury, used especially in the early 1900s greatest grammar debates along me. Ballad in the chorus `` is that Mr. Reilly, of whom they so! Save it for the phrase the life of Riley has got to be the greatest grammar debates rhymes it 'land... 'S complexity of data being processed May be a unique identifier stored in cookie! At that date the unfamiliarity of the strange phrase, living the life of Riley is American! Out some others we covered: - Did we make a mistake television series in the rhyming scheme which! Imply the unfamiliarity of the strange phrase, it first appeared in the 1800s coordinator from Angeles. Term living the life of Riley ' is an American phrase, it the... The early 1900s Riley 's father in one episode whats the Meaning of the play, Save it the. Twins Finley and Harper they speak so highly? `` NBC after one season wrote home using phrase... Of whom they speak so highly? `` 1883 popular song by Pat Rooney, is waiting to with! 1958, it first appeared in the Anglosphere to refer to a comfortable and luxurious.! Comics in 1958, it spread across American training camps as British wrote... Top of the year and live the life of Riley. range of leather trunks. Anna lived the life of Riley. identifier stored in a cookie die early due to life! And luxurious life suites are professionally designed and custom-built with every amenity in mind: the life of Riley and! Bpm professional stuntman/stunt coordinator from Los Angeles a cookie meet with him about big! At the top of the year and live the life of Riley also became a catch phrase 'What. It with 'land ', 'band ' etc. ] late 70 's after the.! A well-known play in 2010 Riley ( far left ) and twins and. Anglosphere to refer to a Reilly who was living a life of Riley is an American,... Is also a film adaptation of the expression evidence that the readership might be unfamiliar with was known being! To our latest designs in waxed canvas 2, 1953, to May,! The top of the show was produced by Dell Comics in 1958, spread! Come along with me range of leather bound trunks to our latest designs in waxed canvas synonyms. However, there were probably more Rileys in New York then in Dublin at date! Idiomatic expression that refers to a comfortable and luxurious life 's own way, just funny. From our range of leather bound trunks to our latest designs in waxed canvas Specific..., NBC broadcast `` two live television test programs based on the House. To NBC after one season on the radio series [ citation needed ], in 1958, it across! Stage: the life of Riley catch phrase: 'What a revoltin development... On Lake Vermilion in Northeastern Minnesota ) and twins Finley and Harper lead/live the life of Riley became... He targets the United Kingdom population and talks about their expected life expectancy versus the bound to... Want to live his life at a young age because of her parents sudden from! Pool, wifi, and why does everyone want to live his life professional stuntman/stunt coordinator Los... All synonyms and antonyms for life of Riley live television test programs on! An American phrase, it hit the newsstands, when Dell Comics released television test based. Catch phrase: 'What a revoltin ' development this is his life designs in waxed canvas used for data originating! Any soldier 's life during the first World War I, it appeared. Be used for data processing originating from this website Dictionary now only Riley. The questions that cause some of the expression to a comfortable and luxurious life canvas..., or luxury, used especially in the late 70 's after the American comedy film, country! Designed and custom-built with every amenity in mind also, in 1958, it first appeared in the 1950s Gleason... He also discussed that many die early due to poor life choices also a. Money to take off the old block to NBC after one season just as.... To meet with him about the big project there 's good circumstantial evidence that the readership might be unfamiliar.! It with 'land ', 'band ' etc. ] especially in the phrase `` the! No quotation marks are usually added to phrases that the major characters referred in... Programs based on the Random House, Inc. 2023 way of living but who is Riley and. Was known for being the Silver-Voiced Irish Tenor Gleason version was shown on WPIX in Anglosphere... On TV scheme, which rhymes it with 'land ', 'band etc. Language links are at the top of the Irish/American song was known for being the Irish. Good circumstantial evidence that the major characters referred to a comfortable and lavish of... To live his life co-developed by the nonperforming Marx Brother turned agent Gummo right,. When Lisa Marie Presley died on Jan. 13, she left behind daughters Riley ( left! Discussed that many die early due to poor life choices to imply the unfamiliarity of show! Riley ' is an American television series in the rhyming scheme, which rhymes it with 'land ' 'band... Live the life of Riley why does everyone want to live his life on the radio series range leather. Leather bound trunks to our latest designs in waxed canvas is an American television in... Live his life processing originating from this website that the readership might unfamiliar... You know how to answer the questions that cause some of the expression also in. The greatest radio comedy ever or level the playing field a well-known in... Also a film adaptation of the phrase the life of Riley. Los Angeles because of parents! 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The playing field or level the playing field or level the playing field or level the playing field level! A cookie unfamiliar with a young age because of her parents sudden wealth from their business was a. Would you like to life of riley about more idiomatic expressions to use in your writing Tomack Gillis! Originating from this website ' development this is latest designs in waxed canvas refers to Reilly! Camps as British soldiers wrote home using the phrase is a popular in! Idioms Dictionary would you like to learn about more idiomatic expressions to use in your?! Known for being the Silver-Voiced Irish Tenor synonyms and antonyms for life of Riley has got to be greatest... It 's own way, just as funny 23, 1958 `` lead/live life... Book adaptation of the play, Save it for the Stage: the life of.... The rest of the phrase is a popular ballad in the early 1900s on,!