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The Phil Silvers Show

  • TV-PG
  • 1955–2001
  • 4 seasons
  • Comedy
  • 7.1

The Phil Silvers Show, originally titled You'll Never Get Rich, was a sitcom which ran on CBS from 1955 to 1959 for 142 episodes, plus a 1959 special. The series starred Phil Silvers as Master Sergeant Ernest G. Bilko of the United States Army. The series was created and largely written by Nat Hiken, and won three consecutive Emmy Awards for Best Comedy Series. The show is sometimes titled Sergeant Bilko or simply Bilko in reruns, and is very often referred to by these names, both on-screen and by viewers. The show's success transformed Silvers from a journeyman comedian into a star, and writer-producer Hiken from a highly-regarded behind-the-scenes comedy writer into a publicly recognized creator.

Episodes

37 episodes
  1. 1Bilko's Merry Widow

    30 minSep 17, 1957

  2. 2Bilko's Boy's Town

    30 minSep 24, 1957

    When the army go on maneuvers the Colonel orders Bilko to stay in camp, so with Fort Baxter empty he uses the time to form a boy's camp.

  3. 3Hillbilly Whiz

    30 minOct 1, 1957

    When the platoon lose again in a baseball game Bilko is desperate to find new players. Then a recruit from the south Hank Lumpkin turns up and Bilko can hardly believe his luck, as Lumpkin is a baseball star in the making. Bilko then contrives to have a New York Yankee's scout to 'accidentally' find Lumpkin so he can traded, but as a Southerner Lumpkin doesn't want to play for the Yankee's

  4. 4Bilko's Valentine

    30 minOct 8, 1957

    When Bilko forgets valentines day, Joan Hogan leaves the army, When Bilko realises what he has done, he follows her and tries to get her to reenlist

  5. 5The Big Man Hunt

    30 minOct 15, 1957

    When two men (who have been employed by a soldier who is looking for the man who saved his life during the war ) come looking for Bilko, he comes to the wrong conclusion, why they want him, until he recognises the name of the soldier, but when the two of them finally meet, Bilko has changed so much, that the soldier fails to recognise him.

  6. 6Bilko's Double Life

    30 minOct 22, 1957

    When his money problems start to close in on him, Bilko departs for New York, but while there he is mistaken for a millionaire. Meanwhile the real millionaire is in Roseville sorting out Bilko's problems.

  7. 7Sergeant Bilko Presents

    30 minOct 29, 1957

    Unable to raise the necessary funds to back Pt Hugo Lockman's play 'Sharecropper's Summer', Bilko persuades the army to run a playwriting competition.

  8. 8Bilko Talks in His Sleep

    30 minDec 19, 1957

    Sgt's Grover,and Ritzik overhear Bilko talking in his sleep and he gives away all his betting secrets. Bilko soon realises what is happening and gets his own back.

  9. 9Cherokee Ernie

    30 minNov 26, 1957

    Bilko goes on leave with Cpl Charlie Whiteagle, a Cherokee Indian, to Tulsa for a poker game, but he gets caught up in a legal fight when a document is found stating that the Indians still own most of Oklahoma.

  10. 10Bilko Buys A Club

    30 minDec 3, 1957

    When Bilko learns that a new member of the platoon is a merchant banker, he tries to get him to invest in a club that Bilko wants to set up.but he asks the wrong man of advice.

  11. 11Lieutenant Bilko

    30 minDec 10, 1957

    Bilko decides to leave the army until he learns that during the war he was promoted to Lt . and due to a foul up he is still a Lt, and he is owed over $14,000 in back pay.

  12. 12Bilko At Bay

    30 minDec 17, 1957

    Trying to get to New York, and to save money Bilko and the corporals arrange to stop off at the homes of members of the platoon for free meals.

  13. 13Bilko F.O.B. Detroit

    30 minDec 24, 1957

    Bilko and the platoon go to Detroit to get the new trucks, the Colonel orders him back in two days, but he has other plans to stay on.

  14. 14Bilko and the Flying saucers

    30 minDec 31, 1957

    In order to go Washington for a date with a young singer, Bilko has to report to the Colonel that he has seen a U.F.O. and has to go to Washington to be debriefed.

  15. 15Bilko and the Colonel's Secretary

    30 minJan 1, 1958

    When the Colonel's secretary gets posted, Bilko make sure that the right WAC is posted in, but this posting takes her away from her fiance, When she learns that Bilko was responsible she makes his and the platoon's life hell, until Bilko gets rid of her and brings in another secretary only to find that he is her boyfriend and the same thing happens all over again.

  16. 16Doberman the Crooner

    30 minJan 10, 1958

    Bilko discovers that Doberman has a beautiful singing voice but only when he has a cold. So Bilko gets him to make a record, but by then the doctors have cured his cold and his real voice returns.

  17. 17Bilko Presents Kay Kendall

    30 minJan 17, 1958

    Movie star Kay Kendall visits Roseville to promote her film & Bilko gets her to appear in a show he's producing. Bilko's hoping to make a bundle of dough but Miss Kendall soon proves to be more than a match for the wily Sgt.

  18. 18Bilko's Cousin

    30 minJan 24, 1958

    When the Colonel hears that another Bilko is about to arrive he hopes that he is no relation to Ernie because with two Bilko's at the camp life is going to be worse that ever but he turns out to be Ernie's cousin Swifty, but there is a surprise in store for everybody.

  19. 19Bilko's Pigeons

    30 minJan 31, 1958

    When an order banning the use of pigeons comes through from Washington, Bilko's source of income dries up.

  20. 20Cyrano De Bilko

    30 minFeb 11, 1958

    Bilko helps out one the platoon when he is to shy to ask for a date with a local girl called Natalie. But complications arise when it turns out that there are two girls called Natalie.

  21. 21The Colonel's Reunion

    30 minFeb 17, 1958

    The Colonel goes all out in his fight against the gambling, so Bilko gets the Colonel to leave the camp to go to a class reunion, but just when he thinks he has a free hand to carry on the Colonel decides it would crazy to leave him at the camp, so Bilko has to drive the Colonel to the reunion.

  22. 22Bilko Saves Ritzik's Marriage

    30 minFeb 22, 1958

    When Sgt Ritzik plays one too many poker games with Bilko, his wife leaves him, so Ernie has to find a way of bringing them back together.

  23. 23Bilko The Art Lover

    30 minMar 5, 1958

    In New York, Bilko stays with an old buddy who is a prospective artist, but he falls out with his father, until the father realises how good his son is.

  24. 24Bilko The Genius

    30 minMar 14, 2001

    In a mix up over test results, Bilko is told that he has a genius rating and he goes on a course with other test winners. They try and come up with a foolproof method of predicting the result of any horse race.

  25. 25Bilko the Male Model

    30 minMar 19, 1958

    When Bilko is caught in a photograph taken in a night club when he should be elsewhere, an advertising agency spots his potential and tries to sign him as a male model.

  26. 26The Colonel's Inheritance

    30 minApr 4, 1958

    When the Colonel is left $5000 Bilko gets hold of it and invests it on the stock market. When he gets wiped out, he is desperate to replace the money before the Colonel hears about it

  27. 27Bilko's Honeymoon

    30 minApr 9, 1958

    When Paparelli wins a competition for a holiday to Florida, he is overjoyed, until he learns that it is for newlyweds, then Bilko has an idea.

  28. 28Bilko's Chinese Restaurant

    30 minApr 25, 1958

    When they learn that one of the new recruit's father started a chain of Chinese restaurants with very little money he decides to get in on the food business.

  29. 29Operation Love

    30 minApr 30, 1958

    Fort Baxter's WAC's are fed up with their boyfriends gambling with Bilko, instead of taking them out, so they get themselves transferred.

  30. 30Bilko's TV Pilot

    30 minMay 6, 1958

    A cowboy joins the platoon, and Bilko gets the idea of building a TV show around him

  31. 31Bilko Retires From Gambling

    30 minMay 13, 1958

    Colonel hall hires a professional card player, to beat Bilko at cards. He is so upset at losing that he gives up gambling

  32. 32Bilko's Vacation

    30 minMay 23, 1958

    When he wants a free holiday at Dimmeldorf lodge, Bilko convinces the platoon, and the Colonel to go as well. But after they realise what has happened, the Colonel gets his own back.

  33. 33Bilko's Insurance Company

    30 minMay 30, 1958

    A car accident near the camp gives Bilko the idea of starting an insurance company.

  34. 34Bilko's Prize Poodle

    30 minJun 3, 1958

    Doberman gets attached to a poodle, and Bilko sees a chance of winning $10,000 in a dog show.

  35. 35Bilko's School Days

    30 minJun 10, 1958

    Bilko learns that a new training camp is to be opened at Fort Baxter, Just when it looks like a new source of cash has presented itself, he finds that it is for M.P.'s not trainees.

  36. 36Joan's Big Romance

    30 minJun 24, 1958

    Joan Hogan is fed up waiting for Bilko, so she takes off for Chicago, and meets up with a wealthy playboy on the train. When her picture appears in the paper, she sees a way of making Bilko jealous.

  37. 37Papa Bilko

    30 minJul 18, 1958

    During the war Bilko befriends a French family. Years later, the daughter of the family calls to see ‘ Papa Bilko ‘ as she calls him. Meanwhile the platoon's lady killer Pearly trying to find dates for the platoon falls for her.

Where to watch The Phil Silvers Show

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Series cast

Phil SilversErnest Bilko144 episodes
Harvey LembeckRocco Barbella144 episodes
Paul FordJohn Hall144 episodes
Allan MelvinSteve Henshaw144 episodes
Billy SandsDino Paparelli144 episodes
Maurice GosfieldDuane Doberman144 episodes
Herbie FayeCpl. Sam Fender (uncredited)144 episodes
Terry CarterPrivate 'Sugie' Sugarman74 episodes
Joe E. RossRupert Ritzik6 episodes
Larry StorchThe Crying Sailor2 episodes
Al Lewis2 episodes
George KennedyKennedy (uncredited)2 episodes
Eric FlemingPrivate Mike McLusty2 episodes
Clifton JamesNatiional Guard Sergeant2 episodes
Kay Kendall1 episode
Fred Gwynne1 episode
Ed Sullivan1 episode
Yogi Berra1 episode

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