William Bendix ( January 14 , 1906 &ndash; December 14 , 1964 ) was an American film , radio , and television actor , who typically played rough , blue-collar characters . He is best remembered in films for the title role in '' The Babe Ruth Story '' . He also portrayed the clumsily earnest aircraft plant worker Chester A. Riley in both the radio and television versions of '' The Life of Riley '' . He received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for '' Wake Island '' ( 1942 )
Academy Award
15th Academy Awards
William Bendix