Robert Estil Riley

Rob was a best friend, a very talented singer and exciting performer in our rock band at U of Michigan named "The Drivin´ Wheels" . A real intelligent and creative tour de force ... We will miss Rob greatly!
Terry Schaefer

"Dr I don't feel so hot, tell me what disease I got....Cabin Fever....Cabin Fever!" All I got to say is Google 'Cabin Fever by Rob Riley' & also 'I'm A Snow Plow Baby' ....I just feel lucky to have known Rob, he was my parents' friend and it made me feel like he was an uncle. He showed up for my dad when he was dieing. Not everyone is able to do that. Be funny AND be very real...

The best tour guide Chicago had to offer. The first time I met Rob he drove myself and Riley around Chicago and had a story for every storefront and city block that we passed. It was evident how much he loved the city and how proud he was to be a part of it. A man of true wit, great taste & zeal for his countless hobbies. He took me into his home as a welcomed member of his family in 2018. His love for Turner Classic Movies greatly exceeded any passion that I have yet to witness.

Rob was a great friend that Tim & I met through friends in the early 1970´s and hung around at the his thrift shop around the corner from our apartment. We put on crazy shows there, using the merch as our costumes & props and the store as our set. He & other friends wrote the fantastic(al) shows and we either performed, warmed up the audience or participated in some fun manner in each performance. Our daughters, Asia & Hjørdis, grew up thinking this was how adults behaved!
Needless to say we remained friends (and fans) throughout the years from Chicago to NYC.... Reification Company to SNL to Goodman Theater to LA. No matter where we lived, Rob knew he could always ring the doorbell without notice and get a glass of Welch´s grape juice... or wine. We traveled to see each other´s works. Rob came to see us & performed his "Good for Otto" soliloquy for Tim right before he died. Great memories. Great friend. Love to Nonie. Love to all his family & friends. Miss you Rob. Love, Valborg

Rob Riley, Jim Belushi and John Davies of EGGBOY PRODUCTIONS INC having a high level executive meeting about our media empire.

So happy to have shared many a laugh with Rob. First time we met, I thought, first, geez, he's so tall and good-looking, no wonder he's an actor. Then I loved his politics, the way he spoke about the creative process, how to nurture good people, how cheap wine is perfectly okay, how to keep going. And I loved how much he loved Nonie and how he wasn't embarrassed to say that. He was a good man. He is already missed.

Hey Rob, remember SUGAR OR PLAIN, that comedy short about two crazy ice cream vendors you, me and Jim Belushi made that aired on HBO, SHOWTIME and eventually Saturday Night Live? Well, Kim Morgan, a writer who curates Quentin Tarantino's New Beverly Cinema in LA chose it for Quentin's permanent collection at that theater. It often runs before Quentin's favorite feature length films and friends of mine have seen it and say audiences love it so you're still entertaining people Rob! Below I've added a production still from one of our other productions TAB LLOYD: INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER about a sleazy journalist played incomparably by you. I'm proud of our original work, written and produced by us with most of it airing nationally. I learned a ton from you.
John Davies

Always looked forward to your visits to The Smith Center. Your love for each other is an inspiration to all who had the pleasure of your company....I adored you both and prey your heart soon will be filled with wonderful memories of joyful times together as you celebrate a life well lived.

Wonderful Rob Riley was also a great, innovative director of shows by Chicago comedy ensemble Friends of the Zoo. The funniest, most fun years of my life spent with Rob & the rest of our insane group - Mark Nutter, Russ Flack, Pete Burns, Jeanette Schwaba, Karol Kent (me), and Paul Raci + Dominic Bucci with Lucia & Puff up in the booth. Zoo Plate Special, Zoo Thousand One, Oh! My Nuts! - Rob guided our writing ("cut it" "throw it out & start again" "save it for the next show") pushed us rehearsing ("do the dance 20 more times" "Pete sings!?" "cut 10 more seconds off that blackout" ) and was our proud mentor at every fabulous opening night. He made us special. Laughed harder & longer with this crazy, rebellious, sophisticated, intellectual man than anyone ever. Love you, dear friend Rob - see you at the next Cabaret Rebob upstairs.

RIP Rob. The Reification Company. Friends of the Zoo. Wild Men! A lifetime of memories with you.

We will miss his smile and friendly hello. Bill and Sandy

Rob was a talented, handsome, brilliant, innovative mensch with a big, big heart. I saw him many times onstage in Chicago -- mostly with the Reification Co. Always so sharp, so funny. Rob made the world better & the party more fun. Condolences and love to Nonie and all who loved him.

A legend, renaissance man, and true bloke. Harry Caray was pretty cool too. See you on the other side Old Peculiar xo

Siento mucho la pérdida Robert fue una gran persona lo vamos a extrañar te amos Rob por siempre en nuestros corazones