The Phil Silvers Show: Difference between revisions

{{work}}

[[File:PhilSilversShow.jpg|frame|Phil Silvers as Sgt. Bilko (center), surrounded by the soldiers of the motor pool]]

 

|'''Colonel Hall''', on many occasions}}

 

 

Most of the episodes revolved around Sgt. Bilko's incessant quest for wealth and influence, which usually took the form of get-rich-quick schemes ranging from (supposedly) simple games of poker to trying to dupe [[Bing Crosby]] into performing a show on the base. Standing in his way was Colonel Hall (Paul Ford), the commanding officer of the base, who was always suspicious of Bilko's motives for anything he did. Luckily for Bilko, the Colonel was also quite gullible and manipulable, something he frequently took advantage of. Bilko frequently showed an ability to manipulate a wide range of other people as well. Nevertheless, like in many sitcoms to follow, the [[Reset Button]] was all-powerful, and by the end of the episode Bilko would inevitably end up back in roughly the same position he started, but occasionally slightly better or worse off.

Despite its relative obscurity compared to other contemporary sitcoms like ''[[I Love Lucy]]'', ''The Phil Silvers Show'' was highly critically acclaimed in its day and still remains popular among critics. It won three consecutive Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Series from 1956 to 1958, and in 2003, the ''Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy'' named it [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3148934.stm the best sitcom ever made], beating ''[[Seinfeld]]'' and ''[[Fawlty Towers]]'' to the top spot.

 

{{tropelist}}

* [[Animated Credits Opening]]: Albeit a very tame one.

* [[Screw the Money, I Have Rules]]: Bilko's good side occasionally shines through. Occasionally.

* [[A Simple Plan]]

* [[Special Guest]]: Bing Crosby (and his brother/manager Everett Crosby), [[Ed Sullivan]], Kay Kendall, and others appeared as themselves, with the three major ones mentioned here receiving top billing in three separate episodes titled "[Sergeant] Bilko Presents [name of celebrity]".

* [[Studio Audience]]: The first 59 episodes were performed similarly to stage plays in front of a live audience; this changed when ''Around the World in Eighty Days'' (1956) producer Mike Todd, who was making a guest appearance, suggested that it would be better to film the show out-of-sequence like a Hollywood movie.

* [[Syndication Title]]: ''Sergeant Bilko'', or simply ''Bilko''.

* [[Title Drop]]: The army chant that serves as the source of the original title of the series is often recited by new recruits to show their eagerness.

** Doubles as a [[Bowdlerized]] version from the [[Precision F-Strike|original Army chant]].

* [[Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist]]: Bilko.

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Comedy Series]]

[[Category:Films of the 1990s]]

[[Category:American Series]]

[[Category:The Fifties]]

[[Category:Live-Action TV of the 1950s]]

[[Category:TV Series]]

[[Category:Film]]