Classic TV The Phil Silvers Show ( Sgt. Bilko) 1955-1959
The Phil Silvers Show which was originally entitled You'll Never Get Rich was on prime time TV for four seasons from 1955 until 1959.
The series ran for 142 episodes.
The show was centered around the con man of the Army Fort Baxter Sgt.. Ernest T. Bilko who was always looking for ways to make money around the camp ( especially with gambling) as well as ways to get away from the camp on furlough.
The camp commander Colonel Hall was always suspect of the actions of the wily and devious sergeant and his crew which in turn kept him on guard and in a state of constant worry and upset all of the time.
The cast members were:
Phil Silvers as Sgt. Ernest T. Bilko
Harvey Lembeck as Cpl. Rocco Barbella
Allan Melvin as Cpl. Steve Henshaw
Paul Ford as Col. John Hall
Maurice Gosfield as Private Doberman
Herbie Faye as Private Sam Fender
Billy Sands as Private Dino Paparelli
Mickey Freeman as Private Fielding Zimmerman
Joe E. Ross as Camp Cook Sgt. Rupert Ritzig
Jimmy Little as Sgt. Francis Grover
For a point of information, Silvers did not like Maurice Gosfield who played Pvt. Doberman. He found this actor very sloppy overall as well as constantly finding many buttons on his uniform not being buttoned at any said time. He also complained that Gosfield was always running late giving such excuses like that he had tripped over a piece of paper. But even though with this dissention in the ranks, there was just a certain magic between the interaction of the two actors.
The series lasted for four seasons and did well in the ratings . However it featured so many secondary cast members and so many speaking parts that the show became ultimately too expensive to produce. It was this fact, not the ratings, that eventually caused the cancellation of production in 1959.
Needless to say Silvers and the rest of the cast were always in top notch form.
This has become a classic TV series ever since it's beginning.
The series has been in reruns for years and at this time the entire series is available on DVD.
This is a classic comedy TV series and one of earlier television's great ones along with The Honeymooners, I Married Joan and My Little Margie.
A definite for a classic TV comedy.
Louie The Movie Buff