Bendix played Riley in a film in 1949. The film is not available on DVD or VHS. When AMC was worth watching, they used to show it. He was unable to appear on the television show. IDMB has it listed here. Jackie Gleason portrayed Chester A Riley on television from 1949 to 1950. The characters and plot are the same, but the actors are different. It's as amusing in its own right. Bendix died in 1958 at the age of 50. Here's how he was introduced in the television series: "A lighthearted look at life in a small town with lots of heart". That's what made this show so popular during its run from 1949 to 1950. It told the story of Chester A Riley, a city boy who moves to a small town where his mischievous behavior causes trouble for everyone around him. The show was based on a radio program of the same name that ran from 1945 to 1948. It was created by George Tibbles and produced by Fred Ebb. The original cast album is now considered rare. It was published by Kapp Records in 1949. So, Bendix was the actor who played Chester A Riley on television. He was born John Bendix on January 11th, 1905 in Orland Park, Illinois. Before becoming an actor, he worked as a mechanic and delivered newspapers. His first role was in 1943's Two Tickets to Broadway. This movie is now lost but there is a copy of the script available online. It's been cited as one of the best films noirs of all time.