LIFE OF RILEY, THE: RILEY'S FAMILY REUNION (TV)
Summary
One in this series of comedies about Chester A. Riley, a lovable loser, and his family. In this episode, Riley's name is selected for the "Surprise Party" program; this radio show secretly flies the parents of the winner into town for a family reunion, which is broadcast live. Program host Guy Mannering enlists the aid of Peg, Babs, and Junior in keeping knowledge of the upcoming arrival of the senior Rileys from Chester. The host notes that the occasion will be particularly auspicious as the surprise party Monday evening will mark the fiftieth wedding anniversary of Pa and Ma Riley. Mannering flies to Brooklyn to retrieve the senior Rileys, who have not seen their son in twenty years; Chester's mother is thrilled, but his curmudgeonly father is skeptical of the whole endeavor. Waiting for the bus Monday morning, Riley suddenly realizes that his parents' golden anniversary has arrived. He rushes home during his lunch hour to call them long distance -- interrupting the preparations for the evening's broadcast. When he learns that his parents have left their apartment, he decides to track them down. He becomes so involved in his grief over the disappearance of his parents that the family reunion is derailed. "What a revoltin' development he is!" concludes Riley's father grouchily. Commercials deleted.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by Lugene Sanders Solomon in memory of her father, Charles D. Sanders, 2001.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: March 27, 1953 8:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:22:32
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: T:65349
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1949-1950; 1953-1958
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Tom McKnight … Producer
- Abby Berlin … Director
- Harry Clork … Writer
- Jerry Fielding … Music by
- William Bendix … Cast, Chester A. Riley
- Marjorie Reynolds … Cast, Peg Riley
- Tom D'Andrea … Cast, Jim Gillis
- Lugene Sanders … Cast, Babs
- Morgan, Wesley (See also: Morgan, Wes) … Cast, Junior
- James Gleason … Cast, Pa Riley
- Sarah Padden … Cast, Ma Riley
- Emory Parnell … Cast, Foreman
- Bobby Watson … Cast, Guy Mannering
- Max Willenz … Cast, Adolph