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The Best Episodes of The Life Of Riley

Every episode of The Life Of Riley ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of The Life Of Riley!

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...
Genre:Comedy
Network:NBC

Top Episode Ratings Summary

"Riley's Raffle" is the best rated episode of "The Life Of Riley". It scored 8.8/10 based on 8 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 1/27/1956. This episode scored 0.4 points higher than the second highest rated, "A Wire for Gillis".

  • Riley's Raffle
    8.8/108 votes
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    #1 - Riley's Raffle

    Season 4 Episode 20 - Aired 1/27/1956

    Riley thinks it's time the family had a second auto and he will sacrifice his motorcycle to make it happen. Chester holds a raffle for his bike but he befuddles the idea and his plan starts to unravel.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • A Wire for Gillis
    8.4/108 votes
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    #2 - A Wire for Gillis

    Season 5 Episode 1 - Aired 9/14/1956

    Gillis gets a telegram from out of the blue and is secretive about its contents. Riley speculates wildly that his friend came into money and gets mad at Jim for being so mysterious.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Babs's Wedding
    8.3/1013 votes
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    #3 - Babs's Wedding

    Season 4 Episode 19 - Aired 1/20/1956

    It's Babs' wedding day and its hard to tell who's more nervous - Chester A. Riley or his daughter, the bride.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Destination Brooklyn
    8.2/108 votes
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    #4 - Destination Brooklyn

    Season 3 Episode 4 - Aired 10/8/1954

    The Riley's travel to Brooklyn to visit Chester's parents.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Chicken Ranch
    8.2/108 votes
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    #5 - Chicken Ranch

    Season 3 Episode 26 - Aired 3/11/1955

    Riley's parents are visiting but are anxious to get back home to Brooklyn. But, Chester likes them being nearby so he buys his folks a chicken ranch to operate despite the city background.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Love Comes to Waldo Binney
    8.2/108 votes
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    #6 - Love Comes to Waldo Binney

    Season 4 Episode 4 - Aired 10/7/1955

    Waldo Binny's sister, Mrs. Lindsey, knocks on Riley door looking for her brother. She wants Waldo to babysit her son, Drake, for the weekend but Waldo is hiding because he knows his little nephew is a monster. Besides, Waldo has a big date tonight with his new love, Millicent. Mrs. Lindsey leaves Drake in Riley's care but now no one wants responsibility to babysit the difficult child.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Do It Yourself
    8.2/1011 votes
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    #7 - Do It Yourself

    Season 4 Episode 6 - Aired 10/21/1955

    Having promised a fishing trip to Hawkins, and then forgetting to rent a boat, Riley and Otto borrow Muley's rowboat, but wreck it. They then turn to attempting to assemble a prefab boat, but stupidly put it together in Riley's parlor.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Babs and the Latin
    8.0/109 votes
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    #8 - Babs and the Latin

    Season 6 Episode 8 - Aired 11/1/1957

    No description available

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Junior's Secret
    7.9/1010 votes
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    #9 - Junior's Secret

    Season 3 Episode 1 - Aired 9/17/1954

    Junior and Egbert are interested in buying a sailboat but keep their dads out of the loop. After overhearing talk, Riley and Gillis thinks the boys are getting serious with girls. Pops plans on stopping the non-existent relationship.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Riley and the Boss' Niece
    7.8/109 votes
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    #10 - Riley and the Boss' Niece

    Season 2 Episode 22 - Aired 2/19/1954

    Riley is a bundle of nerves, after he promises his boss, Mr. Cunningham, that he'll get a football player to escort his big homely niece to the school dance.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Come Back, Little Junior
    7.8/109 votes
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    #11 - Come Back, Little Junior

    Season 3 Episode 18 - Aired 1/14/1955

    Riley is worried about money so he and Gillis ask their sons to contribute. Junior and Egbert runaway but an encounter with a hobo sends the boys back home. Promises are made by the worried dads, not knowing the kids are back.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Juvenile Delinquent
    7.8/1012 votes
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    #12 - Juvenile Delinquent

    Season 5 Episode 8 - Aired 11/2/1956

    Chester worries when Junior trades his car for a hot rod. Junior and friends just wanted a safe place to race but Chester ruins their plans to use an unused Cunningham runway. Chester assumes he's fired after he fixes his mess.

    Director: Abby Berlin

    Writer: Albert E. Lewin, Burt Styler

  • A Young Man's Fancy
    7.8/109 votes
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    #13 - A Young Man's Fancy

    Season 5 Episode 26 - Aired 3/8/1957

    Riley steps in when he suspects Junior is dating an older woman.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • The Dog Watch
    7.7/1010 votes
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    #14 - The Dog Watch

    Season 3 Episode 5 - Aired 10/15/1954

    Riley's boss Hawkins asks Chester to watch his dog. While under his care, the pooch runs away and Riley panics.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Foreign Intrigue
    7.7/1011 votes
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    #15 - Foreign Intrigue

    Season 5 Episode 23 - Aired 2/15/1957

    Zsa Zsa Gabor plays a voluptuous maid who disrupts the Riley and Gillis homes.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Riley's Burning Ambition
    7.4/109 votes
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    #16 - Riley's Burning Ambition

    Season 2 Episode 10 - Aired 11/20/1953

    Riley is temporarily named foreman at the aircraft plant. Is he up to the job?

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Vacation Plans
    7.3/109 votes
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    #17 - Vacation Plans

    Season 5 Episode 37 - Aired 5/24/1957

    Riley and Gillis are gathering items for their annual camping vacation together. Except this year, at the last minute, Riley gets an invitation to use a luxury beach house and Gillis is invited to an all-expense paid stay at a Texas Dude Ranch. Now, each have to figure how to get out of their vacation commitment with the other.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Friends Are Where You Find Them
    7.2/108 votes
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    #18 - Friends Are Where You Find Them

    Season 5 Episode 7 - Aired 10/26/1956

    Furious with one another after arguing, best friends Riley and Gillis compete to meet other people and make new friends.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Riley's Business Venture
    7.1/1014 votes
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    #19 - Riley's Business Venture

    Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 4/3/1953

    Riley tries supplementing his wages by buying a hamburger stand.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Riley's Operation
    7.1/1023 votes
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    #20 - Riley's Operation

    Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 4/24/1953

    Riley's sore throat is traced to his tonsils and he's ordered to have them removed. It's all his family and friends can do to get him to the hospital for his operation.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Riley, the Animal Lover
    7.0/109 votes
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    #21 - Riley, the Animal Lover

    Season 2 Episode 2 - Aired 9/25/1953

    Riley learns that a cart horse he's fond of is to be "retired" so he purchases it. After he brings it home Peg insists Chester find a different place to keep it but he is at a loss as to what to do with the animal.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Riley Camps Out
    6.6/109 votes
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    #22 - Riley Camps Out

    Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 4/10/1953

    Feeling that their families don't sufficiently appreciate them, Riley and Gillis decide to spend their vacation camping at a remote mountain cabin - and come to appreciate their lives back in the suburbs.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Riley's Gift from the Boss
    6.4/1017 votes
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    #23 - Riley's Gift from the Boss

    Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 1/9/1953

    Riley receives a letter from the president of the airplane plant in which he works, Cyrus P. Cunningham, announcing that the company will honor Riley's ten years of service with a luncheon in the boardroom the following day.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Babs' School Election
    6.3/1037 votes
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    #24 - Babs' School Election

    Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 1/2/1953

    Babs is running for President of her college's freshman class. Riley attempts to provide unwanted assistance to her election campaign meet with predictable disaster.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Riley's New Suit
    NaN/100 votes
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    #25 - Riley's New Suit

    Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 1/16/1953

    Riley needs a new suit. When his kids decide to surprise him with one, he begins thinking he's crazy because the only suit he has to use keeps disappearing.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A