Abstract: A reclining chair is provided with a shiftable chair chassis which travels from a rearward, upright sitting position along a supporting base to a forward position from which the chair may be reclined without striking the wall behind the chair. The chair chassis is normally locked against recline from its rearward, upright sitting position but may be released by the extension of the footrest, which also unlocks the chair chassis for forward travel. Preferably, the chair chassis is mounted upon a downwardly and forwardly inclined track on the chair base so that the weight of the seated occupant is sufficient to shift the chair chassis forwardly on the base upon release of the lock, while counterbalancing means actuated by the forward movement of the chair chassis returns the chair to its rearward position when the occupant rises from the chair.