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Poster for The Phil Silvers Show

The Phil Silvers Show

7.1/10 24 votes
Comedy

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.

Created by:
Nat Hiken
Cast:
Phil Silvers, Harvey Lembeck, Paul Ford, Allan Melvin
Language:
English
Country:
United States of America
Network:
CBS

Episode guide

Seasons

5 available

Season 3

Episodes

Episode 1 selected
Still from Bilko's Merry Widow E01

Episode 1

Bilko's Merry Widow

1957-09-17 · 30m

Episode overview is not available yet.

Current episode
Still from Bilko's Boy's Town E02

Episode 2

Bilko's Boy's Town

1957-09-24 · 30m

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.

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Still from Hillbilly Whiz E03

Episode 3

Hillbilly Whiz

1957-10-01 · 30m

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

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Still from Bilko's Valentine E04

Episode 4

Bilko's Valentine

1957-10-08 · 30m

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

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Still from The Big Man Hunt E05

Episode 5

The Big Man Hunt

1957-10-15 · 30m

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.

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Still from Bilko's Double Life E06

Episode 6

Bilko's Double Life

1957-10-22 · 30m

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.

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Still from Sergeant Bilko Presents E07

Episode 7

Sergeant Bilko Presents

1957-10-29 · 30m

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.

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Still from Bilko Talks in His Sleep E08

Episode 8

Bilko Talks in His Sleep

1957-12-19 · 30m

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.

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Still from Cherokee Ernie E09

Episode 9

Cherokee Ernie

1957-11-26 · 30m

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.

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Still from Bilko Buys A Club E10

Episode 10

Bilko Buys A Club

1957-12-03 · 30m

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.

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Still from Lieutenant Bilko E11

Episode 11

Lieutenant Bilko

1957-12-10 · 30m

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.

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Still from Bilko At Bay E12

Episode 12

Bilko At Bay

1957-12-17 · 30m

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.

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Still from Bilko F.O.B. Detroit E13

Episode 13

Bilko F.O.B. Detroit

1957-12-24 · 30m

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.

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Still from Bilko and the Flying saucers E14

Episode 14

Bilko and the Flying saucers

1957-12-31 · 30m

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.

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Still from Bilko and the Colonel's Secretary E15

Episode 15

Bilko and the Colonel's Secretary

1958-01-01 · 30m

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.

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Still from Doberman the Crooner E16

Episode 16

Doberman the Crooner

1958-01-10 · 30m

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.

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Still from Bilko Presents Kay Kendall E17

Episode 17

Bilko Presents Kay Kendall

1958-01-17 · 30m

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.

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Still from Bilko's Cousin E18

Episode 18

Bilko's Cousin

1958-01-24 · 30m

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.

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Still from Bilko's Pigeons E19

Episode 19

Bilko's Pigeons

1958-01-31 · 30m

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

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Still from Cyrano De Bilko E20

Episode 20

Cyrano De Bilko

1958-02-11 · 30m

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.

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Still from The Colonel's Reunion E21

Episode 21

The Colonel's Reunion

1958-02-17 · 30m

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.

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Still from Bilko Saves Ritzik's Marriage E22

Episode 22

Bilko Saves Ritzik's Marriage

1958-02-22 · 30m

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.

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Still from Bilko The Art Lover E23

Episode 23

Bilko The Art Lover

1958-03-05 · 30m

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.

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Still from Bilko The Genius E24

Episode 24

Bilko The Genius

2001-03-14 · 30m

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.

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Still from Bilko the Male Model E25

Episode 25

Bilko the Male Model

1958-03-19 · 30m

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.

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Still from The Colonel's Inheritance E26

Episode 26

The Colonel's Inheritance

1958-04-04 · 30m

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

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Still from Bilko's Honeymoon E27

Episode 27

Bilko's Honeymoon

1958-04-09 · 30m

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.

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Still from Bilko's Chinese Restaurant E28

Episode 28

Bilko's Chinese Restaurant

1958-04-25 · 30m

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.

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Still from Operation Love E29

Episode 29

Operation Love

1958-04-30 · 30m

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

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Still from Bilko's TV Pilot E30

Episode 30

Bilko's TV Pilot

1958-05-06 · 30m

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

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Still from Bilko Retires From Gambling E31

Episode 31

Bilko Retires From Gambling

1958-05-13 · 30m

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

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Still from Bilko's Vacation E32

Episode 32

Bilko's Vacation

1958-05-23 · 30m

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.

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Still from Bilko's Insurance Company E33

Episode 33

Bilko's Insurance Company

1958-05-30 · 30m

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

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Still from Bilko's Prize Poodle E34

Episode 34

Bilko's Prize Poodle

1958-06-03 · 30m

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

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Still from Bilko's School Days E35

Episode 35

Bilko's School Days

1958-06-10 · 30m

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.

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Still from Joan's Big Romance E36

Episode 36

Joan's Big Romance

1958-06-24 · 30m

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.

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Still from Papa Bilko E37

Episode 37

Papa Bilko

1958-07-18 · 30m

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.

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Cast

Phil Silvers

Phil Silvers

Ernest Bilko

Harvey Lembeck

Harvey Lembeck

Rocco Barbella

Paul Ford

Paul Ford

John Hall

Allan Melvin

Allan Melvin

Steve Henshaw

Billy Sands

Billy Sands

Dino Paparelli

Maurice Gosfield

Maurice Gosfield

Duane Doberman

Herbie Faye

Herbie Faye

Sam Fender

Terry Carter

Terry Carter

Private 'Sugie' Sugarman

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