SEASON 1 – NBC
Created by Irving Brecher
NOTE: This series is a spin-off from the radio series of the same name which aired on the Blue Network (later ABC) from 1944-45, and then on NBC from 1945-1951, with William Bendix in the title role. Bendix also starred in a film of the same title in 1949, and consequently could not star in the first season of the series because of his contract with RKO Radio Pictures. In 1948 two ‘live television test programs’ were aired, the first with Herb Vigran (April 13), the second with Buddy Gray (April 20).
- 001. Tonsils – 10/4/1949
- Chester A. Riley (Jackie Gleason), a wing riveter for Cunningham Aircraft plant in western Los Angeles, California, visits Dr. Harvey (Harry Harvey) when he chokes on a fish bone, only to find out that he actually needs his tonsils removed. He sullenly heads home and breaks the news to his wife Peg (Rosemary DeCamp), son Junior (Lanny Rees), and daughter Babs (Gloria Winters). Riley is scared to death of the operation and discusses it with his friend and next-door neighbor Jim Gillis (Sid Tomack), who suggest that he speak to Mrs. Bennett (Marlo Dwyer), who had recently had her tonsils taken out. Mrs. Bennett mistakenly thinks that Riley’s wife will be having a baby, so Riley is confused by her description of the ‘tonsils’. Before leaving for the hospital, Riley reads his will to his family, confessing that he has stashed away $15 in the radio. In the hospital the nurse (Marie Blake) sedates him and he falls asleep, but Dr. Harvey has to delay the operation. When his family greets him in the waiting room, Riley thinks the operation is over and initially complains of the pain, but then realizes that it was painless. He freaks out again when the doctor shows up and tells him that he is now going to now operate. Dian Fauntelle is Mrs. Bennett’s maid Matilda. 9/21/16
- 002. Babs and Simon Step Out – 10/11/1949
- Riley is adamant about Babs no longer seeing her boyfriend Simon Vanderhopper (Jimmy Lydon), a bubble gum salesman, because he reminds Riley of his old boss Mr. Griffin whom he hated. Babs disobeys her father and allows Simon to come over, so Riley bars him from the property. Babs reacts by telling her father never to speak to her again. Taking advice from Gillis, Riley decides to invite Simon over so often that he hopes Babs will get sick of him, but Riley ends up throwing him out again when he finds out that his old boss Griffin was actually Simon’s uncle. Babs sneaks out with as suitcase to visit Justice of the Peace Frank Ferrin (Frank Jaquet), but it is not to get married, but rather sell greeting cards and wedding announcement. Riley’s undertaker friend Digby “Digger” O’Dell (John Brown) visits and tells Riley that he saw Babs and Simon out with a suitcase when Riley thinks she is upstairs. When the Justice also calls for Simon to tell him that he left his license – actually a paddler’s license – at his place. Naturally Riley assumes they’ve eloped and hits the roof. The kids tell him the truth, and amidst much relief, Riley throws Simon out again. Jimmy Wallington is the announcer. 9/22/16
- 003. Egbert’s Chemistry Set – 10/18/1949
- Gillis brags about his son Egbert (George McDonald) and the success he will become, and plans to present a speech about careers to the junior high parents, while also getting under Riley’s skin by convincing him that Junior has no apparent future. Riley starts to worry about and tries to get Junior interested in being a chef but he can’t carve a chicken, in becoming a hunter even though he’s scared of a mouse, and becoming a tailor even though he only borrowed some thread to repair a yo-you. Riley reads a case study about a boy whose path to success as a lawyer didn’t begin until he admitted he hated his own father, so Riley tries to get Junior to tell him that he hates him… which Junior will not do. On the night of the junior high presentation, Egbert presents a demonstration with his chemistry set, while Gillis embarrasses Riley by calling him up to make speech… which he stumbles through. Egbert’s experiment ends up blowing up in his face. Junior rushes to help him by tending to the burn on his hand, for which he receives a compliment from a real doctor (Lewis L. Russell). Gillis threatens to sue, but Junior warns him that he has no grounds and bets he would lose such a case. Riley then proudly tells the audience that Junior will become a doctor, lawyer, and bookmaker. Mack Williams is the teacher. 11/2/16
- 004. The French Professor – 10/25/1949
- Riley finds a letter in French written to Babs from Andre Lafayette (Marten Lamont), and then finds out that it is Babs’ French teacher and that she has a crush on him. He tries to forbid Babs from seeing him, but then finds out that she has invited him over for dinner. Lafayette ends up charming everyone but Riley, and Peg agrees to feed the professor once a week in exchange for French lessons. Riley is beside himself and walks out on the dinner when everyone else speaks French and ends up laughing at him. He seeks the advice of Digger, and agrees to simply tell off Lafayette and forbid him from coming over. When Lafayette arrives, Riley starts to lay into him, but then realizes that the professor is faking his accent and is actually from Brooklyn. Riley makes him reveal his secret to his family, but promises not to tell the school board, vowing that the two can now becomes friends since they both have the same background. Harry Lauter is credit as George, Teddy Infuhr is credited as the fresh boy (both parts are excised in the syndicated version). 11/2/16
- 005. Nervous Breakdown – 11/1/1949
- Babs gets particularly irritated with Riley when he purchases some bees and a diving helmet. Riley consults with his friends Waldo Binney (Bob Jellison) and Jim, who think that Babs might be suffering a nervous breakdown and that reading or hearing the news might exacerbate her condition. When Babs catches Riley removing the radio tube and cutting up the newspaper, she assumes it is him who is having the nervous breakdown. Babs tries to slip him so nerve tonic, but Riley thinks she is trying to poison him. When Babs calls Dr. Leroy (Wilton Graff) for a visit, Babs and Riley assume it is for the other person. Once they talk it through, they realize the misunderstanding. 2/12/17
- 006. Assistant Manager – 11/8/1949
- Riley is starting to get a complex about not being able to afford much for his wife and kids, so when he is called by his boss Clay J. Stevenson (Emory Parnell) about coming up and checking out a desk for the new Assistant Manager, he assumes that it is him getting the job. It turns out that Stevenson only wants him to clean and polish the desk for a new manager he is bringing in. Riley tries to tell his family that getting rich might not be good for them and mentions quitting, much to their consternation. However when they come to visit him and find out the truth from Jim, they decide to make it easy for Riley and tell him that they really want him to quit the job after all. Mary Treen is the secretary Millie. 2/12/17
- 007. Riley’s Birthday Gift – 11/15/1949
- Riley gets a call from his mother from Brooklyn reminding him that it is his birthday. When it appears that Junior isn’t getting his father a gift, Riley laments to Waldo that his son doesn’t care. They he overhears Junior talking to his girlfriend Marilyn Morris (Ann Burr) about a bathrobe that he wants to buy. Riley tries to help him along by allowing him to ‘find’ some money, but Junior doesn’t bite and Peg ends up taking the money. Then Riley gives Junior six months allowance in advance, and Junior heads out a brings home a bathrobe. Riley sneaks and tries it on but when Marilyn visits, she claims that the robe he’s wearing is actually for her father’s birthday. Marilyn finds out from her mother (Lilian Bond) that Marilyn’s brother is getting him a robe too. Marilyn decides to send the robe to Riley since she fears Junior hasn’t bought him anything. Riley gets angry that they feel sorry for him, so he storms over and returns it to Mr. Morris (Charles Evans). Peg and Babs conspire to buy Riley a robe and pretend it is from Junior. Riley finds the robe and thinks Mr. Morris has returned the robe, so he storms back over and forces it on Morris. Digger advises Riley to buy himself a robe and pretend it’s from Junior to make him feel guilty. When Junior comes home after having bought Riley a new robe, he spots Riley in the robe, which everyone takes credit for… followed by Mr. Morris angrily returning the other robes. Henry Corden is the delivery man. 5/24/17
- 008. Riley, Gillis, and Vanderhopper, Inc. – 11/22/1949
- As Riley fantasizes about starting his own business one day, he suddenly worries about Babs dating Simon, who he fears will never make anything at himself. He rushes home to interrupt Simon and Babs, only to find Simon hiding behind the couch. He throws him off much to the ire of Babs. Later he finds Simon’s practice bankbook that he has been using to practice for his accounting course and suddenly thinks that Simon is rich because of the $7000 he used for practicing. Riley and Gillis call Simon and convince him to be their partner in an antique store if he will put up his capital. Riley sends a letter to quit his job, but when Simon returns with his ‘capital’ of $7, Riley throws him out. Panicking about losing his job because of the letter, he can think of nothing but revenge on Simon. The only thing that saves Riley’s job is the fact that his boss can’t read his handwriting, so he tosses the letter. 5/24/17
- 009. Junior Falls for Teacher – 11/29/1949
- Junior has been in a daze and Peg is concerned so she tries to tell Riley her worries as he’s reading the newspaper. Finally after getting his attention, Riley goes and talks to him, assuming that his issue is that he’s in love. He turns out to be correct, but it’s not with a classmate, but rather with his teacher Mrs. Henrickson (Marlo Dwyer). After admitting that he hears bells whenever he is near her, he runs out not wanting to talk about it. Riley goes to see Mrs. Henrickson, and finds that he too hears bells… even though it is actually just the Good Humor man outside. He can’t stop thinking about her and worries that he too is in love. He tests to see if he hears bells with Peg, but can’t hear anything. Finally when Mrs. Henrickson stops by to assure them that Junor is now interested in Marilyn again, Riley realizes he can no longer hear the bells. Excited that he now knows he truly loves Peg, he kisses and hears the fire engines… which this time only he can hear. 9/22/18
- 010. Night School – 12/5/1949
- Riley has been taking night classes, and is serious enough about studying for his exam that he refuses Gillis when he offers him wrestling tickets. He has also been assisting Italian grocer Tony Massaluchi (Tito Vuolo) in studying his grammar. During the test, Tony pulls out his grammar book, and Riley, fearing he will get caught cheating, grabs it and hides it behind his back… resulting in the teacher Miss Clyde (Queenie Leonard) expelling Riley from school. Gillis finds out about it and accidentally lets it slip to Junior, but they all agree to keep it secret from Peg. Riley pretends to continue to go to school, hiding his books and apples for the teacher in the closet. When Peg finds them, Riley is forced to admit he was expelled, but still will not tell on Tony. Miss Clyde visits and tells Riley that she re-thought her opinion of him when Tony writes an essay which essentially describes what Riley did for him. Riley then admits that he covered for Tony because Tony needed to pass the class to be granted American citizenship. They all rush down to the courthouse to see the judge (Vernon Steele) administer an oral exam to Tony and then grant him his citizenship. 1/21/18
- 011. Prom Dress – 12/13/1949
- Babs is upset because she hasn’t gotten asked to the school dance yet, so Riley, feeling guilty for all of the boyfriends he’s thrown out, arranges for her to have a date with a distinguished college man named Jefferson Warwick (Steve Clark). Babs’ so-called friend Helene (Pattie Chapman) is jealous of her and arranges to change the dance to be formal, knowing that Babs can’t afford a gown. Riley tries to com up with a way to come up with $30 for the dress and starts asking friends to borrow the money, but they all refuse. Waldo suggests that Riley swap something at the Economy Swap Shop, so he sends his bowling ball with Waldo to trade it in for a second-hand dress. Babs is thrilled with the dress, but Riley doesn’t tell her that it is used. When Helene comes over to gloat, she recognizes Babs’ dress as one she had had made for herself and given to her maid, who took it to the swap shop. Babs is inconsolable and runs off to her room, leaving Jefferson to offer to escort Helene. Riley throws him out, then apologizes profusely to Babs, who quickly forgives him. Jeff returns and informs the Rileys that he had actually taken Helene 20 miles away and drops her off to walk home, and additionally confesses that he is merely a chauffeur working his way through college, quickly endearing himself to the Riley family again. 1/26/18
- 012. Junior’s Birthday Party – 12/20/1949
- Waldo comes over to read Riley some of his poetry about love and friendship, but they are interrupted by Gillis who comes over to borrow some eggs and winds up bragging to Riley how his son bought him a tie because he loves him so much. Riley starts questioning his relationship with Junior, and Junior doesn’t give him any of the answers he wants to hear. When Peg informs Riley that Junior’s 14th birthday is coming up, Riley plans to impress Junior with a surprise birthday party. Junior finds out prematurely and only reluctantly agrees to have it. On the day of the party, Junior is late, and one by one his friends start calling Riley to cancel citing measles as the reason. Riley reports the outbreak to the Board of Health’s Mr. Bailey (George Elderedge), but it turns out that Bailey’s twin sons are two of the reports, and tells Riley the he just dropped his boys off at Barton Hawkins’ birthday party. Things get even worse when Marilyn calls looking for Junior who was supposed to take her to the same party. Riley discusses this with Gillis who make Riley feel even further unloved… but then Junior comes home for the party after all. With just Riley and Junior there, the party turns into a crying spree from both of them, but things look up when Marilyn leaves Barton’s party and joins Junior’s, and Peg and Waldo show up just in time to sing For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow to Junior. 9/22/18
- 013. The Boarder – 12/27/1949
- Riley is concerned about the family finances, and thanks to a suggestion from Gillis, he decides to move Junior to the screened-in porch and rent out his room to a boarder named Cam Ferguson (Alan Reed). Everyone in the family is against the idea, and even more so when they find out that Riley has never met the man and knows nothing about him. When Junior reads an article about the at-large criminal Bullets Durgham, and Riley can’t get any information out of the boarder, the family starts to suspect that he is actually Ferguson. His obsession with the newspaper with the Durgham article, and Riley’s discovery of a gun and blackjack in Ferguson’s baggage seems to solidify their suspicions. With a $10,000 reward up for the taking, Riley and Gillis call in the police Nate (Eddie Dunn) and Steve (Paul Bryar) to arrest him. However when they lure him out of his room with a fake phone call, it is discovered he is actually a policeman, and is surprised to see his fellow officers. On top of the fun made of Riley after the mistake, he also worries about having his every move scrutinized by a policeman and the fact that Ferguson hasn’t paid his rent. Riley meekly confronts him about the rent, and then ends up giving it back to him for tickets to the policeman’s ball. 6/23/19
- 014. Peg’s Birthday – 1/3/1950
- It’s Peg’s birthday and the kids present their gifts of cologne and a pocketbook, and then they worry that Riley will forget her birthday. Meanwhile Riley visits Waldo and shows him a package that he found on the bus. He hasn’t opened it yet, and Waldo persuades him that he should turn it into the bus station. Before he returns it, he opens it and finds that the box contains a silver fox. When he brings it home, Peg naturally assumes it is her gift. While Riley is contemplating how to tell Peg the truth, Gillis gets angry at him because he made his wife Honeybee (Maxine Semon) jealous, Waldo gets upset that Riley broke his promise to return it, and Peg decides they can’t afford it and tells the kids she is going to return it. Riley places a cryptic lost and found ad in the paper, then plots to pretend a burglar stole the fox so he doesn’t have to tell Peg what is going on. The robbery by Riley and Waldo is bungled when a neighbor spots the ‘burglars’ on the porch and phone the house. The next morning as Riley is attempting to tell Peg the truth, Honeybee visits and tells Peg she read another ad in the classifieds that indicates that the fox had been lost, and proves it by finding the initials of the owner inside the fox’s mouth. Peg is furious at him for the incident, but ultimately forgive him… and is extremely touched to accept a locket that Riley legitimately purchased for her birthday. 6/23/19
- 015. Junior Drops Out – 1/10/1950
- Peg tells Riley not to pay their landlord Mr. Morris the rent until he gets them a new electric refrigerator. Riley however doesn’t even bother to visit Morris, and instead brings home a giant block of ice and invests the $40 rent money in an education policy for Junior’s college. He has Waldo bring over some college brochures, but Junior has other plans that include dropping out of high school and getting a job in the factory. Riley is adamantly against it, but attempts reverse psychology and allows him to do so, thinking that the job will be too much for him. Soon Junior is making good money, and assisting with the bills, so Riley makes him head of the household. Babs finds out that Junior’s girlfriend Marilyn, the daughter of the landlord, has a wealthy suitor and that is why Junior wanted his own job. Riley lets Junior off the hook at being the head of the household, but then tells Junior that he may not take Marilyn to the dance until he gets back in school. Junior goes off to his room crying, and Riley calls Mr. Morris to tell him that Junior won’t be seeing his daughter. Marilyn comes over to criticize the way Riley has been treating Junior, and tells him that if he wants Junior back in school, she’ll get him to go back. Junior comes out of his room and it merely takes Marilyn telling him to return to school for him to agree, much to the utter surprise and delight of Riley. Marilyn also tells Riley that they will be getting the refrigerator too, because she told her father that her future in-laws deserve one. 2/26/20
- 016. Riley’s Firstborn – 1/17/1950
- The Riley’s have Gillis and his wife Honeybee over to play cards, and they are visited by their co-worker Hal Sloman (Jay Kirby). Riley and Gillis are concerned about Hal’s under-performance at work costing them their efficiency bonus. It turns out he is nervous about becoming a father, which prompts Peg to tell the story about Riley finding out he was going to become a father. During flashback, the Riley pair are living in a cellar, and Peg is being checked out by Dr. Beamish (John Hamilton) who gives her a clean bill of health. She breaks the news to Riley when he gets home, and he is excited by recognizes they will need more money. He asks for a raise, but winds up getting fired. His boss Grimes takes him back at a lower rate, so he starts looking for additional work on nights and weekends. After selling apples all Sunday afternoon, he returns home to find a telegram from Peg’s father insulting the impoverished condition they live in. That night Riley dreams of firing Grimes, and is awoken by Peg asking to be taken to the hospital. Riley hails a cab and demands that the driver (Frank Hyers) speed to the hospital, realizing on the way that he has forgotten Peg. By the time he retrieves her and gets to the hospital, he has passed out. Baby Barbara is delivered, while Riley is under sedation. Back in the present, Hal vows to be a good father and not let his wife Alice down. They receive a phone call from the hospital that Alice has given birth to twins. NOTE: George Lloyd is credited with appearing in this episode, but does not appear in the syndicated version. He may have played Mr. Grimes. 2/27/20
- 017. Insurance – 1/24/1950
- Riley has been hounded by insurance man Mr. Yates (Joe Green), and finally takes him down at Jake’s (Forrest Taylor) butcher shop as Riley is ordering a liver and beef heart for Peg. He corners him in the phone booth and when Jake takes a call blowing his cigar in there, Riley can stand no more and signs up. Riley goes for an examination and blood test to Dr. Blake, also complaining of a stabbing pain in his chest. Blake calls Riley with the test results and leaves the message to call him with Babs. Junior also takes a message from Jake the butcher that he can’t fulfill their order since the heart is gone and the liver is no good. Junior writes this message right under the message from Babs about Dr. Blake. Naturally when Riley sees it all together, he believes he is dying. He doesn’t have the heart to break the news to Peg, who has recently run into her old boyfriend Sidney Monohan (Ray Walker) and invited him over. Riley is furious about it, but Gillis convinces him that it is in her and the kids’ best interest that another man take over when he dies. Gillis is also interested in getting one of Riley’s sets of suit and pants and tries them on as they are discussing the matter. Riley tries to convince Sidney that he should settle down with a widow and a couple of orphans, but he scares him off since he was actually only trying to sell Peg a d book about weight loss. Riley suffers one of his stabbing pains, which turns out to be a safety pin. As Riley shares his lament with the family, the kids ensure him that he has read the message incorrectly and that he is not dying after all. 6/8/20
- 018. The Gambler – 1/31/1950
- When Gillis tells Riley that Junior is down at the candy store playing the slot machines to earn extra money for the school dance, he rushes down there to stop him and teach him a lesson. He uses the two dollars that they’ve saved for Junior’s bike and tells him that he is going to gamble it away. However on his first nickel, he wins the $10 jackpot. Still trying to teach the lesson, he then takes the $10 and bets on the underdog Fried Squab in the horse races. The horse ends up winning first place when he gets stung by bees when he stops to eat some weeds. At this point, Riley thinks he has the ‘Midas touch’ and cannot lose at anything, so he decides to bet the whole $200 on a 10-1 odds boxing match. He even recruits the hard-working grocer Tony who has fifteen children, and widow Mrs. Whitaker (Mabel Paige), who has scrimped to save $30 to join her daughter in Vermont, and promises them both he’ll increase their money tenfold. Unfortunately the underdog Punchy Powers does in fact get knocked out by Lefty Burke and they lose the bet. Everyone is furious and Mrs. Whitaker even takes a punch at Riley. As Riley is being scolded by Peg, Junior comes home with Marilyn, who lays into Riley for teaching her ‘future husband’ the habit of gambling. Junior tells him that Marilyn caught him on the way and wouldn’t him place the bet. Riley is angry that he got strong-armed by a woman, then suddenly realized that the money is still all intact. Riley promises to mend his ways and never gamble again. 6/8/20
- 019. Acting Lessons – 2/7/1950
- Babs gets her mind set on becoming an actress, and she and Simon have paid an acting professor $75 between them to have the professor produce the play that Simon wrote about a love affair between Venus and Thor. Peg knows that Riley will be furious about the $25 she put into it, and that she wants to rehearse with Simon. When Gillis asks Riley to play poker, Peg is anxious for him to take him up on the offer and tries to get him out the door. However he becomes suspicious, so she uses some reverse psychology to get him to go. Simon comes over and rehearses with Babs, and when Riley comes home early, he is furious. But when he realizes that Simon put up $50 of his money so Babs could achieve her dreams, he eases up. In fact he becomes concerned that the professor has swindled them both, so he goes to see Professor Van Plantan (Fay Baker), who turns out to be a woman. She convinces Riley that he himself could be a great actor and have his name in lights, and by the time Riley leaves, he has given her his paycheck. He comes home behaving like a thespian to the point that Peg thinks he is crazy. Meanwhile Simon has caught Van Plantan in the act of packing up her office and he demands his money back. She gives him the $75 back as well as Riley’s paycheck. Simon is able to save Riley from getting a dressing down from Peg by telling her that it was Riley who had recovered the money. He is even able to pass back Riley’s paycheck when Peg asks for it. 9/24/20
- 020. Valentine’s Day – 2/14/1950
- Riley comes home from work fully prepared to go play poker with the guys, but when he sees his Babs with a Valentine card he realizes he had forgotten the holiday again. As he starts to panic, Peg thanks him for the box of chocolates that he sent and the romantic unsigned card. Initially he is thankful to be off the hook, but then realizes that someone else sent his wife a Valentine. He starts fishing around for information and starts to think that an old suitor of Peg’s named Sidney “Butch” Monohan might be the culprit… but when he calls him, he finds out that Butch still lives in Brooklyn while the candy had been postmarked in L.A. Riley then finds a man on his front doorstep there to see Peg, and when he tells the man named Sheekman (John Eldredge) that he is Mr. Riley, the man flees. The next day Riley skips work so he can stay home and keep an eye on Peg, but Peg gets Babs to convince him to go to the movies with her. Sheekman comes back over and it turns out that she has hired him to design a den for him in the spare room. Riley sneaks out of the movies to come back and check on her, and finds out from Gillis that he spied the man going into the house. Riley listens in at the door and their conversation indicates that they not only are having an affair, but that they plan to kill Riley. He barges in and charges Sheekman, but hits his head on the wood sample and passes out. When he wakes up, Peg is flattered that he is so jealous, and he explains that he didn’t send that candy to her. Junior corrects him, because he had nearly forgotten the year before, and at the time he gave Junior money to make sure that the box of candy arrived on time this year, even signing the card in advance. Riley is incredulous that the rat he has been chasing is in fact himself. 9/25/20
- 021. Home Sweet Home – 2/21/1950
- Despite Peg’s wishes, Riley puts up a ‘Home Sweet Home’ picture over the fireplace, destroying some of the plaster in the process. This triggers Peg expressing her desires for a new house, which is interrupted when Junior is brought home by a policeman (Tim Ryan) for shooting young girls with a pea shooter in the park. Then Babs comes home and shows her parents that she got her picture in the paper announcing she is going to be in a school production. However when he sees her skimpy costume, he demands that she withdraw from the play. Catching Junior playing with a water pistol in the house is the last straw for Riley. Gillis shows him pictures of a happy home from a magazine that shows a family gathered around the fire together, and tells him that this is why his kids are showing deviant behavior. Riley agrees, and forces his family to stay home for an evening around the fire. He makes them all smile while he builds a fire, then has Junior pop corn on it. The popping of the corn makes it too hard to hear each other, and the fireplace is clogged up, causing the house to fill with smoke, and forcing everyone to evacuate. That night Peg has the fireplace fixed, the plaster repaired, and convinces the kids to go along with their father because he only a happy home for their sake. They all agree, even though Riley comes home in a fury demanding that they all stay home. When he sees that they are on board, he is thrilled and excited to stay up late talking, singing, and telling jokes. However the warm fire quickly puts him to sleep, so they all go to a Roy Rogers movie. When they come home and wake him up, he has no idea that they ever left. 1/8/21
- 022. South American Job – 2/28/1950
- Riley comes home from work distraight and angry at his job because they have promoted Gillis over him to become the foreman. Riley and Honeybee stop over at the house to gloat that Gillis will now be Riley’s boss, and he has bought a skunk fur for Honeybee to celebrate. Riley doesn’t think he can work under Gillis, so Peg gives him the okay to go in and demand a promotion under threat of him leaving. His boss Mr. Stevenson (Bill Green) actually gives him a very hefty raise and makes him a supervisor over concrete on a new project. The only catch is that the family will need to move from Los Angeles to the San Diego area for six months. No one has any problems with this, but while looking at an article in the paper, they realize that the destination will actually be Santiago, Chile. Riley decides he will go by himself, but his family pleads with him that he not leave. Riley goes to talk to Mr. Stevenson and tell him that he can’t go, but Stevenson says he will come over and talk to the family. Meanwhile Peg has had a change of heart and recognizes that Riley needs this for his career, so tells the kids not to put up a fuss. When Riley arrives with Stevenson, they all give him their blessing to go ahead and go. Riley tells them he doesn’t want to go, but nevertheless starts picking up some Spanish words from Babs. They go to the consul (Manuel Paris) to get his work visa, and Riley inadvertently tells him “down with Chile.” Riley is all set to leave and bids a tearful goodbye to his family, but as he walks out the door, Mr. Stevenson shows up an d angrily tells him that his Visa was cancelled thanks to his language blunder. 1/9/21
- 023. Riley’s Quarrel – 3/7/1950
- Gillis’s wife Honeybee shows up at the Rileys’ house, claiming that she is leaving him because he gave her a hard time about having her mother over. She not only expects to stay there, but wants her mother to stay at the Rileys’ as well. Riley goes to see Gillis, only to find out that he intentionally picked a fight so he could have a few days vacation from her. Riley demands that he reconcile with her so they don’t have to stay at his house. After Riley threatens to end their friendship, Gillis complies. Later while pontificating to Babs how he and Peg never fight, they do in fact get in a fight over a mustache cup that he bought, that digresses into Riley complaining that Peg is an extravagant spender who doesn’t do enough work around the house. When Peg tells him he thinks only of himself, Riley storms out. Gillis convinces Riley that this could be construed as abandonment and grounds for divorce. Riley wants to make up, so he sends her some glazed fruit from Greenspreckle’s Market, not knowing that the manager had called Peg a penny-pincher, and she had threatened to take her business elsewhere. Thinking it was the Market’s attempt to win her back, she tells the deliveryman to leave and take the fruit back. Riley and Junior are crushed when they witness this, so Riley goes back to her on her hands and knees. At this point, Peg has already forgotten their earlier fight, and they wind up getting into a fight over whether they even had a fight. Eventually they cool off and count themselves as grateful for their wonderful relationship. 5/5/21
- 024. Junior and the Bully – 3/14/1940
- Waldo has been teaching Riley some Judo, and Riley hopes to pass it down to Junior. When Junior comes home with a bloody nose and black eye, Riley is astonished to know that a guy named Buster did it, and Junior simply ran away. Riley tries to teach him some boxing techniques, and Junior easily gets a good blow to Waldo. However when Junior is accosted by Buster and his friends, and runs away again, Riley is furious and nearly disowns him. Junior finally admits to his mother that the only reason he didn’t fight is because Buster is his girlfriend Madeline’s sister, and she will break it off with him if he hits her brother. Riley then has Waldo hire an old boxer named Punchy Clyde (Alan Reed) to pose as a bully and then take a fall when Riley hits him, showing Junior once and for all that bullies can be yellow. The plan goes off without a hitch… until Gillis mentions Jack Dempsey, a named that throws Punchy into a rage, Clyde nearly knocks Riley out after all. After Punchy leaves, Riley’s attitude has changed, and insists that arguments should be resolved peacefully. When Buster shows up taunting Junior again, Junior is now ready to fight but Riley won’t let him. Finally when Buster insults Riley by calling him a big jerk, Junior punches him and breaks his nose. This finally makes Riley proud, but he is baffled that Junior wouldn’t fight because the things Buster said to him were known to be untrue, but when he insults Riley, it hit too close to home as being the truth. 5/5/21
- 025. The Banned Book – 3/21/1950
- After the family spends the morning passing around yarn for Peg to roll into a ball, Junior finally wraps it around his father’s feet and he sits and reads the paper. He encounters an article about a book called Milady Jezebal that was recently banned in Boston. He thinks it should be left up to people to decide what they read for themselves, but when he finds out that Babs has been assigned the book in her Literature class, he is aghast that she’s reading such trash. Babs discusses the book with her friend Marge, and it turns out that she doesn’t like it anyway. Marge thinks she’s reading the wrong book when she sees that it’s called Lucy Lawrence: Campfire Girl, but Babs explains she doesn’t want Junior getting into it and reading it, so she swapped the dust jacket. Riley decides to read the book before he goes to the school to complain. However he doesn’t realize he’s reading the Lucy Lawrence book, which is why he thinks it is incredibly wholesome, so much so that he buys copies to give to the local churches and the Y.M.C.A. He also wants Junior to be raised like a character in the book, so he insists that Junior give up comic books, smoking, and playing cards. He also demands that Junior run to the bookstore and buy a copy of the book himself. When Peg ses District Attorney Phillips (Lyle Talbot) with the three local clergy, Father Brennan, Reverend Thompson, and Rabbi Leventhal, she takes a look at the book for herself and is mortified. The men all come to see Riley to confront him about distributing the book, but he protests and attempts to read some of the passages…all of which are quite spicy. Then he grabs Babs copy of the book to read it, and Peg shows him that it is a different book. Riley begs for forgiveness, and they all understand the mistake and let him off the hook. Riley vows to never read a book again. 8/28/21
- 026. Five Dollar Bill – 3/28/1950
- Riley is up in arms when a five dollar bill is missing from the cream jug after he gives Peg $20 in fives. She isn’t even positive that he handed her four twenties, but Riley is positive that he did. No one in the family will take responsibility, but Riley notices that Junior just brought home a new $4.95 basketball for his team, and won’t tell Riley where he got the money. Riley then becomes absolutely convinced that Junior had taken the money from the cream jar. Over a game of pool during which Gillis constantly convinces Riley it is Gillis’s shot, Gillis advises Riley that the best course of action is to give Junior a spanking. Riley agrees, but labors over hitting him with his belt, but finally marches upstairs to spank him. When the time comes to deliver the blow, he barely touches Junior with his belt, and instead tells Junior that he can’t play in his championship basketball game. Junior is even more upset over this as he maintains his innocence, and Peg and Babs think the punishment it too severe as well. Digger stops by and shows Riley that he had found their family ruby ring at a pawn shop, and retrieved it for Riley, who had given Junior the heirloom long ago. Peg deduces that if Junior pawned the ring to get the basketball money, he wouldn’t have had need to steal the $5 from the cream jug. Peg re-visits the fact that maybe Riley had never given her all of the money to start with, so Riley re-creates pulling the money from his pocket and handing it over, but when he reaches in, he actually pulls out $5. Riley is forced to admit that he never gave her the money, and had accused Junior falsely. Junior is relieved that he has been found innocent, and explains that he lost the teams $5 from the treasure, so he was forced to pawn the ring to buy the ball. He illustrates how he looked for his money, only to find that the treasury’s money was still in his pocket. Riley calls Digger to tell him that his son was innocent, and Gillis asks Junior if he wants to play some pool, and that it is Gillis’s shot. 8/29/21
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