Tom Riley (character)
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Tom Riley is a major character on the Christian-themed radio drama/comedy series Adventures in Odyssey. He is voiced, along with Odyssey schemer Bart Rathbone, by Walker Edmiston (sometimes credited as "Ed Walker", his pseudonym).
Tom, as he is known to most friends and fans, is one of only two characters in AIO that originated in the Family Portraits test series (the other character was John Avery Whittaker). Originally, Tom appeared a somewhat slow-minded person, but this farmer stereotype disappeared rather quickly as Tom was introduced as a leading city councilman.
Another change in Tom's character was his initial quarreling with Eugene Meltsner. Over the first few season of the program, Tom played foil to Eugene; after the debut of Bernard Walton (character), Tom and Eugene were portrayed as less-adversarial friends.
Tom's key passion is apple farming; he owns and resides on a large apple farm, which he inherited from his father. In episode #202: "Timmy's Cabin", Tom learns that at least some of the apple trees on his farm were originally sown by Johnny Appleseed.
Tom's political life expanded, however, after his friends urged him to run for mayor in episodes #286 & #287, "Tom for Mayor, Parts 1 & 2". Tom's mayorship 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. The "Timothy Center" has occupied much of his time in the past eight seasons.
Born Thomas Dale Riley in Marion, Indiana, Tom never dreamed he would accomplish combining his small town idealism with big town effects.
Walker Edmiston died of cancer on February 15th 2007.
