Tom Riley
- Tom redirects here. For other uses see Tom (disambiguation).
Thomas Dale Riley Jr., best known by his nickname, Tom, was a resident of Odyssey who was around from the very first Family Portraits episode, #FP01: “Whit's Visitor” until the end of the second decade. Tom was born in Marion, Indiana (or Odyssey according to Clubhouse Magazine and The Official Guide); he lived on and owned a large apple farm, which he inherited from his father. In #202: “Timmy's Cabin”, Tom learned that at least some of the apple trees on his farm were originally sown by Johnny Appleseed. Tom's roles included being the mayor of Odyssey, a little league coach and a member of various boards in the town of Odyssey. Tom never dreamed how much he would accomplish combining his small-town idealism with big-town effects.
History
Political Life
Tom's political life expanded after his friends urged him to run for mayor (#286 – #287: “Tom for Mayor”). Unfortunately, Tom's time as mayor was plagued with troubles brought on by the Blackgaard saga. After his term expired, Tom returned to farming, but was eventually inspired by the memory of his late son Timmy to create a recreation center at his farm for kids from the inner city. Prior to his term as mayor, Tom served as a City Councilman.
Personal life
Family
- See Riley family
Tom's second wife, Agnes Riley, was mentally ill and was last heard living at Hillingdale Haven. Tom married her after losing his first wife to cancer. He also had a son, Timmy Riley, who drowned in a boating accident before Tom remarried; he started the Timothy Center after his son died and named it in his honor. Tom was the brother of Rebecca Riley and the son of Tom Riley Sr.; he also had a great-niece, Jami Martin.
Friends
Tom was good friends with John Whittaker, Bernard Walton, and many others. Tom Riley got along well with kids and was always willing to give advice to them, if needed. Tom was never keen on technology or fancy words and, especially in the earlier seasons, was frequently at odds with Eugene on such subjects. After the debut of Bernard Walton, however, Tom and Eugene were portrayed as less-adversarial friends.
Death
Tom did not appear in any episodes after #632: “Suspicious Finds”, the last episode featuring the (previously recorded) voice of actor Walker Edmiston. In #811: “Legacy, Part 1”, it is revealed that Tom has been dead "for years", placing the year of his death somewhere between 2008 and (at the latest) 2015.His sister Rebecca Clemmens, Whit, Connie and Eugene were listed as his beneficiaries following his death. An episode remembering Tom's death appeared in Album 68: Out of the Blue.
Farm
- See Tom Riley's farm
Tom had a family farm that has been a key location in several episodes. Besides being the location of the Timothy Center, it has also been the site where Novacom built a communications tower. The farm is located a fair distance outside Odyssey, apparent due to the fact that Whit can pick up and have a conversation with Aubrey Shepard before getting to town in #418: “Opening Day”.
Trivia
- He was 5 feet 11 inches
- He had brown eyes
- He was a farmer for 27 years (#2: “The Life of the Party”)
- He had a dog and a cat named Rosie (#2: “The Life of the Party”, #FP01: “Whit's Visitor”)
- He once accidentally sold apples poisoned by the Edgebiter Chemical Company. (#128: “One Bad Apple”)
- He collected old soda pop cans (#375: “The Pushover”)
- He used to be very tiny when he was younger, then hit a growth spurt in his sophomore year (#442b: “Sticks and Stones”)
- He went to jail for a short period of time after having been accused of wiring an explosive to destroy the Novacom tower on his property (#497: “Expect the Worst”, #498: “Exactly as Planned”)
- The ring-tone of his cell phone was "Old McDonald Had a Farm" (#570: “For Better or For Worse, Part 1”)
- He used to be part of a vaudeville team with his friend Andrew Kiley but declined an invitation to perform at a dinner theater because he felt they weren't ready (#553: “Potential Possibilities”)
- He once got a five-legged dog for Christmas named Cheddar (#581: “A Christmas Conundrum”)
- His favorite food was cheese
- He drove a truck to deliver apples and a brown car for commuting (#125: “All's Well With Boswell”, #368: “The Other Woman”)
- He was poor at mechanical repair work (#198: “Treasure Hunt”, #457: “Opportunity Knocks”)
- His birthday was approximately one month after Memorial day (#884: “Always Home”)
- He has a collection of Soda Pop Cans
Album Appearances
Tom Riley has appeared in the following albums:
- Family Portraits (4 episodes)
- The Lost Episodes (7 episodes)
- Album 01: The Adventure Begins (8 episodes)
- Album 02: The Wildest Summer Ever (4 episodes)
- Album 03: Heroes (5 episodes)
- Album 04: FUN-damentals (1 episode)
- Album 05: Daring Deeds, Sinister Schemes (3 episodes)
- Album 06: Mission: Accomplished (2 episodes)
- Album 07: On Thin Ice (3 episodes)
- Album 08: Beyond Expectations (5 episodes)
- Album 09: Just in Time (5 episodes)
- Album 10: Other Times, Other Places (1 episode)
- Album 11: It’s Another Fine Day...
- Album 12: At Home and Abroad (1 episode)
- Album 13: It All Started When... (1 episode)
- Album 14: Meanwhile, in Another Part of Town (2 episodes)
- Album 15: A Place of Wonder (2 episodes)
- Album 16: Flights of Imagination (3 episodes)
- Album 17: On Earth as It Is in Heaven (2 episodes)
- Album 18: A Time of Discovery (1 episode)
- Album 19: Passport to Adventure (1 episode)
- Album 20: A Journey of Choices (1 episode)
- Album 21: Wish You Were Here! (3 episodes)
- Album 22: The Changing Times (3 episodes)
- Album 23: Twists and Turns
- Album 24: Risks and Rewards
- Album 25: Darkness Before Dawn (9 episodes)
- Album 26: Back on the Air (1 episode)
- Album 27: The Search for Whit (1 episode)
- Album 28: Welcome Home! (2 episodes)
- Album 29: Signed, Sealed and Committed (4 episodes)
- Album 30: Through Thick and Thin
- Album 31: Days to Remember (3 episodes)
- Album 32: Hidden Treasures (3 episodes)
- Album 33: Virtual Realities (3 episodes)
- Album 34: In Your Wildest Dreams (4 episodes)
- Album 35: The Big Picture (4 episodes)
- Album 36: Danger Signals (4 episodes)
- Album 37: Countermoves (3 episodes)
- Album 38: Battle Lines (5 episodes)
- Album 39: Friends, Family, and Countrymen (3 episodes)
- Album 40: Out of Control
- Album 41: In Hot Pursuit
- Album 42: No Way Out (1 episode)
- Album 43: Along for the Ride (3 episodes)
- Album 44: Eugene Returns! (5 episodes)
- Album 45: Lost and Found (3 episodes)
- Album 46: A Date with Dad (and Other Calamities) (1 episode)
- Album 47: Into the Light
- Album 48: Moment of Truth
- Album 49: The Sky’s the Limit
- Album 50: The Best Small Town (2 episodes)
- The Truth Chronicles
- Passages: Darien’s Rise
- Album 51: Take it From the Top
- Album 52: Cause and Effect
- Album 53: The Green Ring Conspiracy
- Album 54: Clanging Cymbals...and the Meaning of God's Love
- Album 55: The Deep End
- Album 56: The Grand Design
- Album 57: A Call to Something More
- Album 58: The Ties That Bind
- Album 59: Taking the Plunge
- Album 60: Head Over Heels
- Album 61: Without a Hitch
- Album 62: Let’s Put on a Show!
- Album 63: Up in the Air
- Album 64: Under the Surface
- Album 65: Expect the Unexpected
- Album 66: Trial by Fire
- Album 67: More Than Meets the Eye
- Album 68: Out of the Blue
- Album 69: Best Kept Secrets
- Album 70: Finding a Way
- Album 71: A Slippery Slope
- Album 72: The Long Road Home
- Album 73: 28 Hours
- Album 74: Buckle Up!
- Album 75: The Best Is Yet to Come
- Album 76: Keep it Together
- Album 77: A New Perspective
- Album 78: At Face Value
Tom Riley has appeared in the following club seasons:
- Odyssey Adventure Club: Season 1
- Odyssey Adventure Club: Season 2
- Odyssey Adventure Club: Season 3
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 4
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 5
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 6
- 30th Birthday Live Show (album)
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 10
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 11
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 12
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 7
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 8
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 9
- Aventuras en Odisea: Volumen 1 (7 episodes)
- Aventuras en Odisea: Volumen 2 (5 episodes)
- Aventuras en Odisea: Volumen 3 (3 episodes)
- B-TV: The Collection
- Daily Bible Readings (album)
- Hope in Trying Times (1 episode)
- Odyssey Adventure Club: Season 1 Soundtrack
- Odyssey Adventure Club: Season 2 Soundtrack
- Odyssey Adventure Club: Season 3 Soundtrack
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 4 Soundtrack
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 5 Soundtrack
- Adventures in Odyssey Club: Season 6 Soundtrack
- The Leonard Meltsner Saga
- The Officer Harley Collection (4 episodes)
Tom Riley has appeared on the front cover of the following albums:
Tom Riley has appeared on the back cover of the following albums:
Quotes
See Riley quotes
Episodes
All (140) · Chad Reisser (1989) · Bob Luttrell (1992) · Walker Edmiston (1987-2008) |
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Gallery
Tom in Ice Fishing.
Tom on the cover of Album 32.
Tom on the cover of Album 38.
Tom with others on the cover of Album 44.
Tom running for Mayor.
Tom as a child in A Matter of Obedience.
Resources
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