William Bendix (January 14, 1906 - December 14, 1964)

[d***@comcast.net]

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

William Bendix (January 14, 1906 - December 14, 1964) was an
American film actor. As a young boy, he was a batboy for the New York
Yankees.

Bendix was born in New York City, and made his film debut in 1942,
having worked as a grocer until the Great Depression. He played in
supporting roles in dozens of Hollywood films, usually as a soldier,
gangster or detective. He started with appearances in film noir films
including a memorable performance in The Glass Key, which also featured
Brian Donlevy and Veronica Lake. He soon gained more attention after
appearing in Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat as Gus, a wounded and dying
American sailor. Bendix's other well-known movie roles include his
portrayal of legendary baseball-player Babe Ruth in The Babe Ruth Story
and Sir Sagramore opposite Bing Crosby in A Connecticut Yankee in King
Arthur's Court (1949), in which he took part in the famous trio, "Busy
Doing Nothing".

At the time, however, Bendix was probably best known for his radio
work, starring as Chester A. Riley in the radio comedy series "The Life
of Riley," from 1944 through 1951. The series is considered by some to
be the first actual situation comedy. Bendix also played the title role
in the subsequent television version of the series, which ran from 1953
to 1958.

William Bendix died in Los Angeles of pneumonia and was interred there
in the San Fernando Mission Cemetery.

[d***@comcast.net]

Trivia: Jackie Gleason played the role of Chester Riley on TV first, in
1949.

[Rich Clancey]

Post by d***@comcast.net
Trivia: Jackie Gleason played the role of Chester Riley on TV first, in
1949.

Also, let's not forget "The Blue Dahlia", one of the best of
the forgotten old movies.

[J. Eric Durbin]

Post by d***@comcast.net
Trivia: Jackie Gleason played the role of Chester Riley on TV first, in
1949.

However, William Bendix originated the radio character in 1944 but
came to television in 1953 after Gleason's series.

In any event, Bendix will always be Riley to me.

Have any of the nostalgia cable channels, like TVLand, delved back
into these older series or are prints no longer available or is the
audience just not there? I know I saw the Life of Riley in reruns so
they must have been available at one time.

[Brad Ferguson]

Post by J. Eric Durbin

Post by d***@comcast.net
Trivia: Jackie Gleason played the role of Chester Riley on TV first, in
1949.

However, William Bendix originated the radio character in 1944 but
came to television in 1953 after Gleason's series.
In any event, Bendix will always be Riley to me.
Have any of the nostalgia cable channels, like TVLand, delved back
into these older series or are prints no longer available or is the
audience just not there? I know I saw the Life of Riley in reruns so
they must have been available at one time.

I think the prints still exist. "The Life of Riley," with Bendix, was
playing on CBN (later the Family Channel) around 1980, along with other
old series (e.g., "I Married Joan," "Wendy and Me") that probably cost
$1.36 per episode to rent. The 1949 version of "Riley" with Jackie
Gleason was a failure, right in line with other popular radio series
that didn't make the transition to television. One problem back then
was TV's bizarre insistence that TV versions of radio shows be
completely recast, so all the voices were different, and of course that
made everything else different. (The Gleason version showed up on WPIX
Channel 11 for a while in the 1970s, probably because of the continuing
popularity of "The Honeymooners.")

Bendix had been playing Riley on radio since 1943. When "The Life of
Riley" was revived in 1953, Bendix was cast, and the show ran for five
seasons.

[aka Bob]

On Sat, 14 Jan 2006 23:34:27 -0500, Brad Ferguson

Post by Brad Ferguson

Post by J. Eric Durbin

Post by d***@comcast.net
Trivia: Jackie Gleason played the role of Chester Riley on TV first, in
1949.

However, William Bendix originated the radio character in 1944 but
came to television in 1953 after Gleason's series.
In any event, Bendix will always be Riley to me.
Have any of the nostalgia cable channels, like TVLand, delved back
into these older series or are prints no longer available or is the
audience just not there? I know I saw the Life of Riley in reruns so
they must have been available at one time.

I think the prints still exist. "The Life of Riley," with Bendix, was
playing on CBN (later the Family Channel) around 1980, along with other
old series (e.g., "I Married Joan," "Wendy and Me") that probably cost
$1.36 per episode to rent. The 1949 version of "Riley" with Jackie
Gleason was a failure, right in line with other popular radio series
that didn't make the transition to television. One problem back then
was TV's bizarre insistence that TV versions of radio shows be
completely recast, so all the voices were different, and of course that
made everything else different. (The Gleason version showed up on WPIX
Channel 11 for a while in the 1970s, probably because of the continuing
popularity of "The Honeymooners.")
Bendix had been playing Riley on radio since 1943. When "The Life of
Riley" was revived in 1953, Bendix was cast, and the show ran for five
seasons.

I wonder if there has ever been a re-run of "Life With Elizabeth"
staring Betty White and Del Moore. I was fortunate to have grown up
during the Golden Age of Television Comedy: Jack Benny, the
Honeymooners, Life With Elizabeth, Burns & Allen, Steve Allen, Red
Skelton, George Gobel, I Love Lucy, Milton Berle, Edgar Bergan, etc,
etc. Today, television seems to be mostly reality series, copy shows,
medical dramas and CSI tours of major cities. Grumble grumble ...





"It's not that I'm afraid to die. I just don't want to be there when it happens." - Woody Allen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wax-up and drop-in of Surfing's Golden Years: <http://www.surfwriter.net>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[James Neibaur]

aka Bob 1/15/06 3:43 PM

Post by aka Bob
I wonder if there has ever been a re-run of "Life With Elizabeth"
staring Betty White and Del Moore. I was fortunate to have grown up
during the Golden Age of Television Comedy: Jack Benny, the
Honeymooners, Life With Elizabeth, Burns & Allen, Steve Allen, Red
Skelton, George Gobel, I Love Lucy, Milton Berle, Edgar Bergan, etc,
etc.

I found some episodes of Life With Elizabeth on DVD (with some Love That Bob
shows) recently.

JN

[King Daevid MacKenzie]

Post by James Neibaur

Post by aka Bob
I wonder if there has ever been a re-run of "Life With Elizabeth"
staring Betty White and Del Moore. I was fortunate to have grown up
during the Golden Age of Television Comedy: Jack Benny, the
Honeymooners, Life With Elizabeth, Burns & Allen, Steve Allen, Red
Skelton, George Gobel, I Love Lucy, Milton Berle, Edgar Bergan, etc,
etc.

I found some episodes of Life With Elizabeth on DVD (with some Love That Bob
shows) recently.

..."Life with Elizabeth" has also popped up in occasional filler slots on
FamilyNet, the Southern Baptist cable network...

[TJ-BF]

x-no-archive: yes

Post by aka Bob
On Sat, 14 Jan 2006 23:34:27 -0500, Brad Ferguson

Post by Brad Ferguson

Post by J. Eric Durbin

Post by d***@comcast.net
Trivia: Jackie Gleason played the role of Chester Riley on TV first, in
1949.

However, William Bendix originated the radio character in 1944 but
came to television in 1953 after Gleason's series.
In any event, Bendix will always be Riley to me.
Have any of the nostalgia cable channels, like TVLand, delved back
into these older series or are prints no longer available or is the
audience just not there? I know I saw the Life of Riley in reruns so
they must have been available at one time.

I think the prints still exist. "The Life of Riley," with Bendix, was
playing on CBN (later the Family Channel) around 1980, along with other
old series (e.g., "I Married Joan," "Wendy and Me") that probably cost
$1.36 per episode to rent. The 1949 version of "Riley" with Jackie
Gleason was a failure, right in line with other popular radio series
that didn't make the transition to television. One problem back then
was TV's bizarre insistence that TV versions of radio shows be
completely recast, so all the voices were different, and of course that
made everything else different. (The Gleason version showed up on WPIX
Channel 11 for a while in the 1970s, probably because of the continuing
popularity of "The Honeymooners.")
Bendix had been playing Riley on radio since 1943. When "The Life of
Riley" was revived in 1953, Bendix was cast, and the show ran for five
seasons.

I wonder if there has ever been a re-run of "Life With Elizabeth"
staring Betty White and Del Moore. I was fortunate to have grown up
during the Golden Age of Television Comedy: Jack Benny, the
Honeymooners, Life With Elizabeth, Burns & Allen, Steve Allen, Red
Skelton, George Gobel, I Love Lucy, Milton Berle, Edgar Bergan, etc,
etc. Today, television seems to be mostly reality series, copy shows,
medical dramas and CSI tours of major cities. Grumble grumble ...

Did you hit the proverbial nail on the head with that observation!

[Peter Cottonmouth]

Post by TJ-BF
Did you hit the proverbial nail on the head with that observation!

Man, you are a fucking idiot, still trying to get people to respond to
your BS long after they've kill-filed you. What a sad motherfucker you
are. You really think these people are going to not notice you changed
your moniker, eh, PETRIE!?

TJ-BF = ToeJam-ButtFuck

alt.pathetic, that-a-way =>=>=>=>

[TJ-BF]

x-no-archive: yes

Post by J. Eric Durbin

Post by d***@comcast.net
Trivia: Jackie Gleason played the role of Chester Riley on TV first, in
1949.

However, William Bendix originated the radio character in 1944 but
came to television in 1953 after Gleason's series.
In any event, Bendix will always be Riley to me.
Have any of the nostalgia cable channels, like TVLand, delved back
into these older series

If anything, TVLand has gone with newer and newer series from the
1980s-1990s, such as "Roseanne."
I don't expect them to 'go back' to the 1950s shows now, as they used to
carry such as "The Adventures of Superman" (season #2, 1952-53, will be
released Tue. Jan. 17)!

Post by J. Eric Durbin
or are prints no longer available or is the
audience just not there? I know I saw the Life of Riley in reruns so
they must have been available at one time.

[James Neibaur]

J. Eric Durbin 1/14/06 7:05 PM

Post by J. Eric Durbin

Post by d***@comcast.net
Trivia: Jackie Gleason played the role of Chester Riley on TV first, in
1949.

However, William Bendix originated the radio character in 1944 but
came to television in 1953 after Gleason's series.
In any event, Bendix will always be Riley to me.

Bendix was outstanding. He could play everything from O'Neill's "The Hairy
Ape," to menacing roles in film noir like The Glass Key, to comic
supporting roles such as in Abbott and Costello's "Who Done It," to comic
starring roles such as Riley and the outrageously funny "Kill The Umpire."

Post by J. Eric Durbin
Have any of the nostalgia cable channels, like TVLand, delved back
into these older series or are prints no longer available or is the
audience just not there? I know I saw the Life of Riley in reruns so
they must have been available at one time.

Sure they are available. But TVLand is seeking the demographic that would
rather watch George Lopez talk to David Steinberg for a half hour. The age
group that would most likely embrace MacGuyver as classic television will
not likely have heard of The Life of Riley.

JN

[TJ-BF]

x-no-archive: yes

Post by James Neibaur
J. Eric Durbin 1/14/06 7:05 PM

Post by J. Eric Durbin

Post by d***@comcast.net
Trivia: Jackie Gleason played the role of Chester Riley on TV first, in
1949.

However, William Bendix originated the radio character in 1944 but
came to television in 1953 after Gleason's series.
In any event, Bendix will always be Riley to me.

Bendix was outstanding. He could play everything from O'Neill's "The Hairy
Ape," to menacing roles in film noir like The Glass Key, to comic
supporting roles such as in Abbott and Costello's "Who Done It," to comic
starring roles such as Riley and the outrageously funny "Kill The Umpire."

Don't forget him in the title role in the classic, "The Babe Ruth
Story" (1948)!

Post by James Neibaur

Post by J. Eric Durbin
Have any of the nostalgia cable channels, like TVLand, delved back
into these older series or are prints no longer available or is the
audience just not there? I know I saw the Life of Riley in reruns so
they must have been available at one time.

Sure they are available. But TVLand is seeking the demographic that would
rather watch George Lopez talk to David Steinberg for a half hour. The age
group that would most likely embrace MacGuyver as classic television will
not likely have heard of The Life of Riley.

[Bill Schenley]

Post by TJ-BF
Don't forget him in the title role in the classic, "The Babe
Ruth Story" (1948)!

Classic?

It was an embarrassment to Bendix ... To Babe Ruth ... To baseball ...
To the motion picture industry ... To the entire human race.

It was an embarrassment to, not only the planet earth ... but to all
known galaxies ...

[James Neibaur]

Bill Schenley 1/15/06 3:57 PM

Post by Bill Schenley
It was an embarrassment to Bendix ... To Babe Ruth ... To baseball ...
To the motion picture industry ... To the entire human race.
It was an embarrassment to, not only the planet earth ... but to all
known galaxies ...

Whenever I discuss that fine actor William Bendix, I carefully avoid
mentioning this abomination. And judging by the source of its mention in
this thread, I contend it is good to carefully avoid certain abominations.

JN

[King Daevid MacKenzie]

Post by James Neibaur

[THE BABE RUTH STORY] was an embarrassment to Bendix ... To Babe Ruth
... To baseball ...
To the motion picture industry ... To the entire human race.
It was an embarrassment to, not only the planet earth ... but to all
known galaxies ...

Whenever I discuss that fine actor William Bendix, I carefully avoid
mentioning this abomination. And judging by the source of its mention in
this thread, I contend it is good to carefully avoid certain
abominations.

...said source also being a Cardinals fan ;-) ...

[TJ-BF]

x-no-archive: yes

Post by King Daevid MacKenzie

Post by James Neibaur

[THE BABE RUTH STORY] was an embarrassment to Bendix ... To Babe Ruth
... To baseball ...
To the motion picture industry ... To the entire human race.
It was an embarrassment to, not only the planet earth ... but to all
known galaxies ...

Whenever I discuss that fine actor William Bendix, I carefully avoid
mentioning this abomination. And judging by the source of its mention in
this thread, I contend it is good to carefully avoid certain
abominations.

...said source also being a Cardinals fan ;-) ...

Hey, the Cardinals are one of the few teams that has the edge over the
Yankees in World Series results! [2-1; 1942 W, 1943 L, 1964 W]

[TJ-BF]

x-no-archive: yes

Post by James Neibaur
Bill Schenley 1/15/06 3:57 PM

Post by Bill Schenley
It was an embarrassment to Bendix ... To Babe Ruth ... To baseball ...
To the motion picture industry ... To the entire human race.
It was an embarrassment to, not only the planet earth ... but to all
known galaxies ...

Whenever I discuss that fine actor William Bendix, I carefully avoid
mentioning this abomination. And judging by the source of its mention in
this thread, I contend it is good to carefully avoid certain abominations.

Bob Costas said about 'The Babe Ruth Story', "it was so bad it was
good."
IOW, it was unintentionally funny because it was so exaggerated in
many (ok, almost all of it) places in the story.
I rarely find Bob Costas to be wildly mistaken in his views.

[Peter Cottonmouth]

Post by TJ-BF
x-no-archive: yes

Post by James Neibaur
Bill Schenley 1/15/06 3:57 PM

Post by Bill Schenley
It was an embarrassment to Bendix ... To Babe Ruth ... To baseball ...
To the motion picture industry ... To the entire human race.
It was an embarrassment to, not only the planet earth ... but to all
known galaxies ...

Whenever I discuss that fine actor William Bendix, I carefully avoid
mentioning this abomination. And judging by the source of its mention in
this thread, I contend it is good to carefully avoid certain abominations.

Bob Costas said about 'The Babe Ruth Story', "it was so bad it was
good."
IOW, it was unintentionally funny because it was so exaggerated in
many (ok, almost all of it) places in the story.
I rarely find Bob Costas to be wildly mistaken in his views.

Nobody likes you.

[TJ-BF]

x-no-archive: yes

Post by Bill Schenley

Post by TJ-BF
Don't forget him in the title role in the classic, "The Babe
Ruth Story" (1948)!

Classic?
It was an embarrassment to Bendix ... To Babe Ruth ... To baseball ...
To the motion picture industry ... To the entire human race.
It was an embarrassment to, not only the planet earth ... but to all
known galaxies ...

I gather you aren't too good at discriminating obvious sarcasm.
It was a sarcastic 'classic' usage.

[Bill Schenley]

Post by TJ-BF

Post by Bill Schenley

Post by TJ-BF
Don't forget him in the title role in the classic, "The
Babe Ruth Story" (1948)!

Classic?
It was an embarrassment to Bendix ... To Babe Ruth ...
To baseball ... To the motion picture industry ... To the
entire human race.
It was an embarrassment to, not only the planet earth ...
but to all known galaxies ...

I gather you aren't too good at discriminating obvious
sarcasm. It was a sarcastic 'classic' usage.

Stop lyin', ya' little weasel. If you were being sarcastic ... you
would have included your usual quotation marks ... or one of your
dumbass smiley faces ... or that silly freakin' "<grin>" of yours ...

[TJ-BF]

x-no-archive: yes

Post by Bill Schenley

Post by TJ-BF

Post by Bill Schenley

Post by TJ-BF
Don't forget him in the title role in the classic, "The
Babe Ruth Story" (1948)!

Classic?
It was an embarrassment to Bendix ... To Babe Ruth ...
To baseball ... To the motion picture industry ... To the
entire human race.
It was an embarrassment to, not only the planet earth ...
but to all known galaxies ...

I gather you aren't too good at discriminating obvious
sarcasm. It was a sarcastic 'classic' usage.

Stop lyin', ya' little weasel. If you were being sarcastic ... you
would have included your usual quotation marks ... or one of your
dumbass smiley faces ... or that silly freakin' "<grin>" of yours ...

I'm not lyin' ya big clown.
Sometimes I feel like being sarcastic *without* any " " or smiley faces,
and I never thought "TBRS" was a true classic film, ya moron!

[Corby Gilmore]

Post by TJ-BF
x-no-archive: yes

Post by James Neibaur
J. Eric Durbin 1/14/06 7:05 PM

Post by J. Eric Durbin

Post by d***@comcast.net
Trivia: Jackie Gleason played the role of Chester Riley on TV first, in
1949.

However, William Bendix originated the radio character in 1944 but
came to television in 1953 after Gleason's series.
In any event, Bendix will always be Riley to me.

Bendix was outstanding. He could play everything from O'Neill's "The Hairy
Ape," to menacing roles in film noir like The Glass Key, to comic
supporting roles such as in Abbott and Costello's "Who Done It," to comic
starring roles such as Riley and the outrageously funny "Kill The Umpire."

Don't forget him in the title role in the classic, "The Babe Ruth
Story" (1948)!

There is absolutely nothing classic about this turkey. Leonard Maltin
rated it as "BOMB". It is generally considered the worst baseball film of
all time; Bendix was completely miscast as Ruth.

[James Neibaur]

Corby Gilmore 1/15/06 5:49 PM

Post by Corby Gilmore
There is absolutely nothing classic about this turkey. Leonard Maltin
rated it as "BOMB". It is generally considered the worst baseball film of
all time; Bendix was completely miscast as Ruth.

My favorite line from that terrible movie:

"Sue baseball? That'd be like suing the choich!"

JN

[Brad Ferguson]

Post by James Neibaur
Corby Gilmore 1/15/06 5:49 PM

Post by Corby Gilmore
There is absolutely nothing classic about this turkey. Leonard Maltin
rated it as "BOMB". It is generally considered the worst baseball film of
all time; Bendix was completely miscast as Ruth.

"Sue baseball? That'd be like suing the choich!"

"George is one of the bigger boys."

"Chee, Bruddah Matt'ias!"

I used to think that at least the Babe himself didn't live to see thsi
miserable mess of a film, but I was wrong. The Babe was at an early
premiere and died a few weeks later. (They debuted the movie early,
and briefly, because they knew the Babe was dying and they wanted pics
of him going into the theater to see it. The film wasn't actually
released until three weeks or so after the Babe died.)

Bob Considine was a mid-century Hearst columnist who'd ghosted the
Babe's best-selling autobiography, also called "The Babe Ruth Story,"
and Considine turned the book into a screenplay. Considine wrote a
touching column about Bendix right after the actor died. Considine had
gotten to know Bendix during the making of TBRS, and revealed in his
column that Bendix had died of malnutrition (I presume related to
alcoholism) and that he had been very lonely. I presume that Considine
knew that Bendix was deeply closeted, and that this was a kindly meant
reference to that.

[James Neibaur]

Brad Ferguson 1/15/06 10:55 PM

Post by Brad Ferguson
Considine had
gotten to know Bendix during the making of TBRS, and revealed in his
column that Bendix had died of malnutrition (I presume related to
alcoholism) and that he had been very lonely. I presume that Considine
knew that Bendix was deeply closeted, and that this was a kindly meant
reference to that.

I always read William Bendix went into surgery for gall stones and died due
to a reaction to the anesthesia. I never read about loneliness. He was
happily married from 1927 until his death 37 years later. He had two
daughters, one of which appeared in the last season of Life of Riley as his
niece (she was quite funny, actually). He was active in film and on
television right up until his death.


JN

[TJ-BF]

x-no-archive: yes

Post by James Neibaur
Brad Ferguson 1/15/06 10:55 PM

Post by Brad Ferguson
Considine had
gotten to know Bendix during the making of TBRS, and revealed in his
column that Bendix had died of malnutrition (I presume related to
alcoholism) and that he had been very lonely. I presume that Considine
knew that Bendix was deeply closeted, and that this was a kindly meant
reference to that.

I always read William Bendix went into surgery for gall stones and died due
to a reaction to the anesthesia. I never read about loneliness. He was
happily married from 1927 until his death 37 years later. He had two
daughters, one of which appeared in the last season of Life of Riley as his
niece (she was quite funny, actually). He was active in film and on
television right up until his death.

I had thought all these years it was cancer.
IMDb.com says it was 'pneumonia' and Jim Beaver also says that was a
main cause of death (plus malnutrition) in his bio on IMDb.
He was a batboy for the Yankees at 15 and knew the Babe in real life
(and did errands for him), before he made the movie on him.
I'd like to know what errands W.B. did for the Babe!

[Bill Schenley]

Post by TJ-BF
He was a batboy for the Yankees at 15 and knew the
Babe in real life (and did errands for him), before he
made the movie on him.

As far as I know ... there has never been any confirmation on Bendix's
batboy story.

Here is a photograph of the 1921 Yankees (when Bendix was 15) ... with
their batboy:
Loading Image...

The batboy in the photo is Eddie Bennett. Bennett had been a batboy
for the White Sox (1917-19), the Brooklyn Dodgers (1920) and from 1921
through the 1928 season he was the Yankees batboy.

Post by TJ-BF
I'd like to know what errands W.B. did for the Babe!

If any batboy was running errands for Ruth ... it was Eddie Bennett
... as he was also Ruth's "good-luck charm."

Also, Bennett was a hunchback and a dwarf.

[TJ-BF]

x-no-archive: yes

Post by Bill Schenley

Post by TJ-BF
He was a batboy for the Yankees at 15 and knew the
Babe in real life (and did errands for him), before he
made the movie on him.

As far as I know ... there has never been any confirmation on Bendix's
batboy story.
Here is a photograph of the 1921 Yankees (when Bendix was 15) ... with
http://www.thedeadballera.com/TeamPhotos/1921Yankees.jpg

IMDb says Bendix was a batboy in 1922, not 1921; and Bendix was 16 so
maybe IMDb was off by a year. :-)

Post by Bill Schenley
The batboy in the photo is Eddie Bennett. Bennett had been a batboy
for the White Sox (1917-19), the Brooklyn Dodgers (1920) and from 1921
through the 1928 season he was the Yankees batboy.

Maybe Bendix was an alternate batboy when Bennett got sick or had to go
to school. <g>


http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0000904/bio
'Trivia'

"In 1922, when he was 15, Bendix was a batboy for the New York Yankees,
and became a favorite of Babe Ruth, who entrusted Bendix with various
personal errands. Years later, in 1948, Bendix played Ruth in The Babe Ruth
Story (1948)"

Post by Bill Schenley

Post by TJ-BF
I'd like to know what errands W.B. did for the Babe!

If any batboy was running errands for Ruth ... it was Eddie Bennett
... as he was also Ruth's "good-luck charm."
Also, Bennett was a hunchback and a dwarf.

So what, picklepuss?

[Bill Schenley]

Post by TJ-BF
IMDb says Bendix was a batboy in 1922, not 1921; and
Bendix was 16 so maybe IMDb was off by a year. :-)

The IMDb ... Git' a life!

Off by a year. Kind'a like you ... Except you're off by several
dimensions ..

Post by TJ-BF
"In 1922, when he was 15, Bendix was a batboy for the New
York Yankees, and became a favorite of Babe Ruth, who
entrusted Bendix with various personal errands. Years later,
in 1948, Bendix played Ruth in The Babe Ruth Story (1948)"

A myth perpetuated by the Internet.

Post by TJ-BF

Post by Bill Schenley
Also, Bennett was a hunchback and a dwarf.

So what, picklepuss?

I just thought you could relate.

[TJ-BF]

x-no-archive: yes

Post by Bill Schenley

Post by TJ-BF
IMDb says Bendix was a batboy in 1922, not 1921; and
Bendix was 16 so maybe IMDb was off by a year. :-)

The IMDb ... Git' a life!
Off by a year. Kind'a like you ... Except you're off by several
dimensions ..

I'll bet your dimensions are of a fat beer-belly.

Post by Bill Schenley

Post by TJ-BF
"In 1922, when he was 15, Bendix was a batboy for the New
York Yankees, and became a favorite of Babe Ruth, who
entrusted Bendix with various personal errands. Years later,
in 1948, Bendix played Ruth in The Babe Ruth Story (1948)"

A myth perpetuated by the Internet.

Post by TJ-BF

Post by Bill Schenley
Also, Bennett was a hunchback and a dwarf.

So what, picklepuss?

I just thought you could relate.

You thought wrong--again, as usual.

[James Neibaur]

Bill Schenley 1/16/06 4:51 PM

Post by Bill Schenley
As far as I know ... there has never been any confirmation on Bendix's
batboy story.

I think it was apocryphal, Bill, I seem to recall that it was Hollywood spin
to publicize the bio pic.

Lots of stars have BS in their bios. Like Milton Berle claiming to be the
newsboy with Charlie Chaplin in Tillie's Punctured Romance (it was child
actor Gordon Bennett).

JN

[James Neibaur]

James Neibaur 1/16/06 5:34 PM

Post by James Neibaur
Lots of stars have BS in their bios. Like Milton Berle claiming to be the
newsboy with Charlie Chaplin in Tillie's Punctured Romance (it was child
actor Gordon Bennett).

oops

I mean to write Gordon Griffith, not Bennett.

JN

[TJ-BF]

x-no-archive: yes

Post by Corby Gilmore

Post by TJ-BF
x-no-archive: yes

Post by James Neibaur
J. Eric Durbin 1/14/06 7:05 PM

Post by J. Eric Durbin

Post by d***@comcast.net
Trivia: Jackie Gleason played the role of Chester Riley on TV first, in
1949.

However, William Bendix originated the radio character in 1944 but
came to television in 1953 after Gleason's series.
In any event, Bendix will always be Riley to me.

Bendix was outstanding. He could play everything from O'Neill's "The Hairy
Ape," to menacing roles in film noir like The Glass Key, to comic
supporting roles such as in Abbott and Costello's "Who Done It," to comic
starring roles such as Riley and the outrageously funny "Kill The Umpire."

Don't forget him in the title role in the classic, "The Babe Ruth
Story" (1948)!

There is absolutely nothing classic about this turkey. Leonard Maltin
rated it as "BOMB". It is generally considered the worst baseball film of
all time; Bendix was completely miscast as Ruth.

Agreed.
My term 'classic' was obviously not characterized as sarcasm, which it
clearly was. I guess I should have put that word 'classic' in quotes as:
"in the title role in the 'classic'..."

[TJ-BF]

x-no-archive: yes

Post by d***@comcast.net
Trivia: Jackie Gleason played the role of Chester Riley on TV first, in
1949.

I knew that!
Interesting that Shelley Winters-Donna Reed died on Jan. 14, and William
Bendix was born on a different Jan. 14--now 100 years ago.
Happy 100th Birthday, Mr. Bendix (even though you have been gone over 41
years)!

[n***@yahoo.com]

Post by d***@comcast.net

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

William Bendix (January 14, 1906 - December 14, 1964) was an
American film actor. As a young boy, he was a batboy for the New York
Yankees.
Bendix was born in New York City, and made his film debut in 1942,
having worked as a grocer until the Great Depression. He played in
supporting roles in dozens of Hollywood films, usually as a soldier,
gangster or detective. He started with appearances in film noir films
including a memorable performance in The Glass Key, which also featured
Brian Donlevy and Veronica Lake. He soon gained more attention after
appearing in Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat as Gus, a wounded and dying
American sailor. Bendix's other well-known movie roles include his
portrayal of legendary baseball-player Babe Ruth in The Babe Ruth Story
and Sir Sagramore opposite Bing Crosby in A Connecticut Yankee in King
Arthur's Court (1949), in which he took part in the famous trio, "Busy
Doing Nothing".
At the time, however, Bendix was probably best known for his radio
work, starring as Chester A. Riley in the radio comedy series "The Life
of Riley," from 1944 through 1951. The series is considered by some to
be the first actual situation comedy. Bendix also played the title role
in the subsequent television version of the series, which ran from 1953
to 1958.
William Bendix died in Los Angeles of pneumonia and was interred there
in the San Fernando Mission Cemetery.

This is wild! I don't even remember how I first stumbled onto this
obituaries newsgroup, and I've only glanced at it a few times since I
first did, but I'm sure glad I saw this Bendix mention. I remember
watching Life of Riley back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and one
of my favorite sayings from the era was Riley saying (yet again), "What
a revoltin' development this is!"

[m***@hotmail.com]

Post by n***@yahoo.com

Post by d***@comcast.net

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

William Bendix (January 14, 1906 - December 14, 1964) was an
American film actor. As a young boy, he was a batboy for the New York
Yankees.
Bendix was born in New York City, and made his film debut in 1942,
having worked as a grocer until the Great Depression. He played in
supporting roles in dozens of Hollywood films, usually as a soldier,
gangster or detective. He started with appearances in film noir films
including a memorable performance in The Glass Key, which also featured
Brian Donlevy and Veronica Lake. He soon gained more attention after
appearing in Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat as Gus, a wounded and dying
American sailor. Bendix's other well-known movie roles include his
portrayal of legendary baseball-player Babe Ruth in The Babe Ruth Story
and Sir Sagramore opposite Bing Crosby in A Connecticut Yankee in King
Arthur's Court (1949), in which he took part in the famous trio, "Busy
Doing Nothing".
At the time, however, Bendix was probably best known for his radio
work, starring as Chester A. Riley in the radio comedy series "The Life
of Riley," from 1944 through 1951. The series is considered by some to
be the first actual situation comedy. Bendix also played the title role
in the subsequent television version of the series, which ran from 1953
to 1958.
William Bendix died in Los Angeles of pneumonia and was interred there
in the San Fernando Mission Cemetery.

This is wild! I don't even remember how I first stumbled onto this
obituaries newsgroup, and I've only glanced at it a few times since I
first did, but I'm sure glad I saw this Bendix mention. I remember
watching Life of Riley back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and one
of my favorite sayings from the era was Riley saying (yet again), "What
a revoltin' development this is!"

One wonders if he coined that phrase after seeing the rushes from "The
Babe Ruth Story".

[TJ-BF]

x-no-archive: yes

Post by n***@yahoo.com

Post by d***@comcast.net

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

William Bendix (January 14, 1906 - December 14, 1964) was an
American film actor. As a young boy, he was a batboy for the New York
Yankees.
Bendix was born in New York City, and made his film debut in 1942,
having worked as a grocer until the Great Depression. He played in
supporting roles in dozens of Hollywood films, usually as a soldier,
gangster or detective. He started with appearances in film noir films
including a memorable performance in The Glass Key, which also featured
Brian Donlevy and Veronica Lake. He soon gained more attention after
appearing in Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat as Gus, a wounded and dying
American sailor. Bendix's other well-known movie roles include his
portrayal of legendary baseball-player Babe Ruth in The Babe Ruth Story
and Sir Sagramore opposite Bing Crosby in A Connecticut Yankee in King
Arthur's Court (1949), in which he took part in the famous trio, "Busy
Doing Nothing".
At the time, however, Bendix was probably best known for his radio
work, starring as Chester A. Riley in the radio comedy series "The Life
of Riley," from 1944 through 1951. The series is considered by some to
be the first actual situation comedy. Bendix also played the title role
in the subsequent television version of the series, which ran from 1953
to 1958.
William Bendix died in Los Angeles of pneumonia and was interred there
in the San Fernando Mission Cemetery.

This is wild!

You ain't seen nothin' yet!

Post by n***@yahoo.com
I don't even remember how I first stumbled onto this
obituaries newsgroup, and I've only glanced at it a few times since I
first did, but I'm sure glad I saw this Bendix mention. I remember
watching Life of Riley back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and one
of my favorite sayings from the era was Riley saying (yet again), "What
a revoltin' development this is!"

Yeah, one of the all time great sayings by any actor, anytime,
anywhere!

[n***@yahoo.com]

Post by TJ-BF
x-no-archive: yes

Post by n***@yahoo.com

Post by d***@comcast.net

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

William Bendix (January 14, 1906 - December 14, 1964) was an
American film actor. As a young boy, he was a batboy for the New York
Yankees.
Bendix was born in New York City, and made his film debut in 1942,
having worked as a grocer until the Great Depression. He played in
supporting roles in dozens of Hollywood films, usually as a soldier,
gangster or detective. He started with appearances in film noir films
including a memorable performance in The Glass Key, which also featured
Brian Donlevy and Veronica Lake. He soon gained more attention after
appearing in Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat as Gus, a wounded and dying
American sailor. Bendix's other well-known movie roles include his
portrayal of legendary baseball-player Babe Ruth in The Babe Ruth Story
and Sir Sagramore opposite Bing Crosby in A Connecticut Yankee in King
Arthur's Court (1949), in which he took part in the famous trio, "Busy
Doing Nothing".
At the time, however, Bendix was probably best known for his radio
work, starring as Chester A. Riley in the radio comedy series "The Life
of Riley," from 1944 through 1951. The series is considered by some to
be the first actual situation comedy. Bendix also played the title role
in the subsequent television version of the series, which ran from 1953
to 1958.
William Bendix died in Los Angeles of pneumonia and was interred there
in the San Fernando Mission Cemetery.

This is wild!

You ain't seen nothin' yet!

Post by n***@yahoo.com
I don't even remember how I first stumbled onto this
obituaries newsgroup, and I've only glanced at it a few times since I
first did, but I'm sure glad I saw this Bendix mention. I remember
watching Life of Riley back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and one
of my favorite sayings from the era was Riley saying (yet again), "What
a revoltin' development this is!"

Yeah, one of the all time great sayings by any actor, anytime,
anywhere!

I think so. For TV, I'd have to put some of Don Adams's/Maxwell
Smart's catch phrases up there with Riley's.

[TJ-BF]

x-no-archive: yes

Post by n***@yahoo.com

Post by TJ-BF
x-no-archive: yes

Post by n***@yahoo.com

Post by d***@comcast.net

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

William Bendix (January 14, 1906 - December 14, 1964) was an
American film actor. As a young boy, he was a batboy for the New York
Yankees.
Bendix was born in New York City, and made his film debut in 1942,
having worked as a grocer until the Great Depression. He played in
supporting roles in dozens of Hollywood films, usually as a soldier,
gangster or detective. He started with appearances in film noir films
including a memorable performance in The Glass Key, which also featured
Brian Donlevy and Veronica Lake. He soon gained more attention after
appearing in Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat as Gus, a wounded and dying
American sailor. Bendix's other well-known movie roles include his
portrayal of legendary baseball-player Babe Ruth in The Babe Ruth Story
and Sir Sagramore opposite Bing Crosby in A Connecticut Yankee in King
Arthur's Court (1949), in which he took part in the famous trio, "Busy
Doing Nothing".
At the time, however, Bendix was probably best known for his radio
work, starring as Chester A. Riley in the radio comedy series "The Life
of Riley," from 1944 through 1951. The series is considered by some to
be the first actual situation comedy. Bendix also played the title role
in the subsequent television version of the series, which ran from 1953
to 1958.
William Bendix died in Los Angeles of pneumonia and was interred there
in the San Fernando Mission Cemetery.

This is wild!

You ain't seen nothin' yet!

Post by n***@yahoo.com
I don't even remember how I first stumbled onto this
obituaries newsgroup, and I've only glanced at it a few times since I
first did, but I'm sure glad I saw this Bendix mention. I remember
watching Life of Riley back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and one
of my favorite sayings from the era was Riley saying (yet again), "What
a revoltin' development this is!"

Yeah, one of the all time great sayings by any actor, anytime,
anywhere!

I think so. For TV, I'd have to put some of Don Adams's/Maxwell
Smart's catch phrases up there with Riley's.

Agreed!
"Would you believe?" and "Sorry about that [Chief]!" are two that are
right there with Riley's catch phrase in the history of television's best
lines.
"And away we go!" by Jackie Gleason is another.