Babs' Graduation: The Life of Riley (June 12, 1948)

The Life of Riley, old-time radio on Stupid Potato

“Babs' Graduation” is an episode of The Life of Riley, the old-time radio show, first broadcast June 12, 1948. Listen free on Stupid Potato: no sign-up, no app.

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What happens

Riley is a nervous wreck as his daughter Babs awaits word of whether she has passed high school and can graduate. When her final grades finally arrive and she has passed, Riley borrows a formal outfit and starts planning how he will take part in the ceremony. His meddling over her speech and her plans leads to friction between them. The episode is part of The Life of Riley, first broadcast on June 12, 1948, and stars William Bendix as Riley and Paula Winslowe as Mrs. Riley.

The Riley household and the high school where Babs is graduating

Characters: Riley, Mrs. Riley, Babs, Jimmy, Digby Odell, Junior

Listen for: Riley's attempts to take part in Babs' graduation and the arguments that follow

Written from the episode itself; it never gives away the ending. Every recording is remastered for the stream: cleaned of rumble, hiss and mains hum (and the old TV whine where we found it), then levelled in two passes to steady broadcast loudness, so one show is never quieter than the next.