The Life of Riley started on radio created by non-acting Marx Brother Gummo Marx as a TV vehicle for his brother Groucho.
Producers balked at Groucho playing a stright laced working class man and the show went through a number of revisions until William Bendix settled into the starring role with Jackie Gleason filling in on occasion for the radio broadcast. During the move to television Gleason took over the role full time for the first year until Bendix contracted allowed him to return. The following episode is from the 1949 first season of the program starring the great one himself - Jackie Gleason.
Producers balked at Groucho playing a stright laced working class man and the show went through a number of revisions until William Bendix settled into the starring role with Jackie Gleason filling in on occasion for the radio broadcast. During the move to television Gleason took over the role full time for the first year until Bendix contracted allowed him to return. The following episode is from the 1949 first season of the program starring the great one himself - Jackie Gleason.
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