The Phil Silvers Show

In the massive and essential "Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy" the editor Mark Lewisohn includes his personal Top 20 Sitcoms of all time on British TV. His Number One is not a British production, but it is a show that has been part of the BBC schedules for nearly 50 years, and is an important element of British television heritage.

"The Phil Silvers Show" - or "Bilko" as it is usually known - has been and remains a sitcom with a unique feature that makes it Number One (or close to that) for lovers of good comedy. That feature is Phil Silvers, who was a comedy performer of undeniable genius. He dominates every moment that he is on that small screen, and even then he is complemented by wonderful performances by a host of other regular characters - Colonel Hall, Doberman, Ritzic, and the rest.

To celebrate 50 years since this historic show began on US TV, a new DVD box-set has been produced. On the three discs there are 21 complete episodes, plus some great extras, including the original pilot show never shown on British TV, revealing commentaries by Dick Van Dyke and other members of the cast, and other Phil Silvers appearances and interviews. A must-have for the DVD collections of all comedy lovers.

On the Collector's Edition DVD, there are 18 episodes from the Bilko television series, a series that won numerous Emmy awards and sure entertained me, my family and friends in the mid-to-late '50s. Silvers starred as the con man of the Army, a sergeant whose love of money and thrill of gambling or pulling some con job seemed to supersede everything else in his life. Yet, as shallow as he often appeared, inside was a compassionate person with a heart (although they wasn't always evident!).

Almost all of Ernie Bilko's schemes worked for awhile but failed in the end, but he was never deterred. He would just look up to the heavens, say "Why me? Why? Why!" and go on to the next scheme the following week.

It wasn't always humorous to see him lying, cheating, conniving, giving false praise to old ladies like Colonel Hall's wife and friends, pulling rank on hapless new recruits, etc., but most of the time it was because we knew it wasn't done maliciously. Almost all of his stunts were designed with one purpose: to gain money, although sometimes he gave it back when his conscience got the best of him.

The cast surrounding Phil Silvers also was outstanding. The names of the characters live on forever in the mind's of Bilko fans like me. I didn't need to watch this DVD to remember names like "Col. John Hall and his wife Nell, Duane Doberman, Rocco Barbella, Rupert Ridzik, Francis Grover, Fielding Zimmerman, Dino Paparelli, Joan Hogan, Henshaw, Fender, Kadowski and others.

To be honest, I didn't find the show 50 years later to be as funny as I had remembered it, but what is? I had such fond memories that I probably elevated it too high on the pedestal. Still, this DVD provided many hours of nostalgia and laughs and when it was over, I was sad to see it end. I just hope they put out another edition on DVD.

A great testament to the talents of Phil Silvers. With its complex plotlines and quickfire dialogue it's still a treat to watch Silvers's monumental character when you can find it somewhere in the BBC schedules. The most said line in the whole series must be "but, Sarge!" as Bilko launches into another diabolical and, ultimately, flawed scheme to make money and dodge work. And Col Hall's stunned looks, "what is he up to?" are a joy.

It must also contain the best adlib in TV history. Bilko has to hide a chimp in camp (don't ask!)and the chimp accidently gets enlisted. To avoid even further embarrassment, the US Army decides to court martial the chimp to get him discharged. Bilko defends him. In the middle of a monologue from Silvers, the chimp, obviously impossible to rehearse, gets off a chair and picks up a nearby phone. After a pause, Silvers says, "he's calling for another lawyer".

Sargent Ernie Bilko is one of the few American comedy TV characters that I can say is a pure joy to watch, and Phil Silvers plays him to the max, never have a I seen such delivery of quick fire lines that are presented in these classic comedy shows, thank god it's on British TV quite a lot, so I have managed to record most of the episodes, watching these wonderful shows has taken me out of many depressions and put a smile back on my face, I hope that Americans appreciate him, i think that it should be compulsary viewing to all people who need a lift of spirits, God bless you Phil.

It is my opinion that THE PHILS SILVERS SHOW (aka YOU'LL NEVER GET RICH) remains the single most underrated sitcom in television history and that Phil Silvers remains the most underrated comedian in that medium. This is really saying something because the series has indeed received great acclaim over the years. Even so, Silvers is just not given his proper due for creating the Bilko character. As for the jewels in the supporting cast--they are simply terrific in this Nat Hiken creation that surely stands shoulder to shoulder with Jackie Gleason's THE HONEYMOONERS as perhaps the greatest sitcom ever on television.

Silvers did not just play Ernie Bilko--he WAS Ernie Bilko! The character of the scheme-driven, gambling-addicted army sergeant forever duping the lovable Col. Hall (Paul Ford) while manipulating his platoon for his personal aggrandizement, is so fast-paced, fresh, and funny that one wonders if BILKO ought not be a stage play.

The supporting cast--can you name a greater one? Buried among Sgt. Bilko's seemingly nondescript platoon lackeys is Herbie Faye. Faye was a friend of Silvers and a walking encyclopedia of burlesque gags and sketches years before BILKO was an idea; he knew every trick of the comedy trade and taught many of them to Silvers. And Doberman (Maurice Gosselton), the baby-faced, childlike man who is a classic as Bilko's all-around simpleton and dupe, is in a category all his own.

Harvey Lembeck and Allan Melvin play Bilko's two platoon confidantes; there is Joey Ross (CAR 54 WHERE ARE YOU?) as Sgt. Ritzik, a fine comedian in his own right who just cannot seem to ever get one over on Bilko; and Elizabeth Frazer pops up now and then as Ernie's girlfriend. As for Paul Ford? Was there ever a better foil for the top banana than Colonel Hall? One has to consider Ralph Cramden's Ed Norton (Art Carney) or Eve Arden's Mr. Conklin (Gale Gordon), to come up with one that works as well. Hall is just perfect as the base commander who unwittingly plays into Sgt. Bilko's hands time and time again. What a riot to watch the colonel melt under Bilko's patronizing devotion for Hall only to see the colonel walk straight into Ernie Bilko's net.

But it is Phil Silvers, his facial expressions, his bugle-call barking of orders, his complete manipulation of everyone on the base, and his wild schemes to make money that never seem to get old no matter how much you watch the episodes on video.

Why isn't THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW on TV LAND or the other nostalgia stations? Even the younger set who never saw the show will undoubtedly like it. And those of us who grew up in the 1950's watching it will love it all over again.

Trivia: Phil Silvers appeared in a number of films, including musicals such as COVER GIRL and SUMMER STOCK starring Gene Kelly...He did a lot of work after BILKO (probably best known for his role in THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES and for his work in IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD), but he never even remotely approached the greatness of BILKO...Silvers was an addictive gambler and found himself in the midst of a Beverly Hills Fryer's Club card scandal in the 1960's...Silvers appeared in the film version of A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON MY WAY TO THE FORUM in the 1960's with Zero Mostel, though severely bothered by cataracts...He was also hydrophobic and his daughter Laurie tells the touching story of her dad fighting his terror of water in the backyard pool at night trying to overcome his fears so he could swim in the pool with his four young girls...

Dennis Caracciolo