Going from Broadway to television in the 1950s could have been career suicide for some actors and comedians, but Phil Silvers made the trip.
If you lived in New York City, then Silvers’ name wasn’t one that you didn’t know. He scored a big hit appearing in Top Banana, then starred in the show’s film version. Phil Silvers was a sharp comedic actor who knew how to make the most of his timing.
Now, in 1955, Silvers got a break. He was being paged to play a role on television that, by golly, would ensure his success. When he started playing Master Sergeant Ernie Bilko, stardom came his way in this new medium. People loved to see You’ll Never Get Rich, which later turned into The Phil Silvers Show.
CBS provided the show with a network home. When Silvers started playing Bilko, he had the good fortune of having a guy like Nat Hiken leading the way. Hiken created the show and it proved to be successful. He stayed on board as lead writer for the first two seasons before leaving. But he’d pop up later on as the creator and writer of Car 54, Where Are You?
Silvers loved playing Bilko. It’s obvious from his rapid-fire delivery of lines to connecting with a cast of other talented actors and comedians. The Bilko character became one that still stands out when looking back at television’s Golden Age.
Ernie Bilko Is A Memorable Character
Well, Phil Silvers knew how to cement himself in television history. That Bilko character had a beloved following in viewers. Yet The Phil Silvers Show wasn’t among the top-rated shows during its run. What the situation comedy had going for it was a depth of cast members.
Allan Melvin, who became known for playing Sam the Butcher on The Brady Bunch in the 1970s, pops up here. Actor Paul Ford played Bilko’s commanding officer. He always was trying to catch Bilko and his crew in trouble. Burlesque star Herbie Faye, Billy Sands, Tige Andrews (later known for his role on The Mod Squad), and Terry Carter added their talents to the show.
Bilko was always getting into schemes or finding himself in trouble. The guys loved playing cards, something which was near and dear to Silvers’ own heart. Phil was bad at gambling, though…really bad. Anyway, watching Bilko and his boys wiggle out of trouble was key to the show’s success.
The Phil Silvers Show ran for five seasons between 1955-59. Silvers saw the show pretty much stay in the middle of TV ratings. It never established itself as a Top 10 show. But Bilko’s stature among TV characters of the day (for instance, Lucy Ricardo and Ralph Kramden) is secure.
Phil Silvers Turned TV Success Into Other Roles
So, what does a star like Phil Silvers do after his show ends? He picks up more work. Phil wasn’t going to keep himself out of the entertainment world. A lot of people, though, were unaware that he suffered from severe depression. It’s almost sending Silvers against the grain of being such a funny, upbeat guy.
He did pick up two Emmy Awards for his work on the sitcom. But those days were gone. Now, Silvers had to find his way around movies and other television shows. He did pretty good. In 1963, Silvers joined an all-star cast for It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. His character here (as did others he’d play throughout the rest of his career) had similarities to Bilko.
The quick, staccato-type of speech pattern. The rapid clapping of hands. His ability to look dumbfounded when talking with another character. All were pieces of Silvers’ on-screen antics. Cartoon fans could tune into Top Cat in 1961, a parody of The Phil Silvers Show. Arnold Stang provided Top Cat’s voice, closely mimicking Silvers’ voice.
In 1966, he had a supporting role in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Silvers appeared in the film version but snagged the lead role in a 1972 Broadway revival. It led to Silvers winning one of his two Tony Awards.
Phil Silvers became a regular on numerous sitcoms and variety shows in the 1960s and 1970s. Among the shows he appeared on included The Beverly Hillbillies, The Hollywood Palace, The Jackie Gleason Show, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Gilligan’s Island, and Happy Days. When he appeared on Happy Days, it gave him a chance to work with his daughter Cathy Silvers. At the time, Cathy played Jenny Piccalo on there.
He died in 1985 at 74 years old. Silvers had suffered a stroke a few years earlier, which affected his speech a little bit. But it didn’t keep him down from working. Phil Silvers also wrote one of Frank Sinatra’s most popular songs, “Nancy (with the Laughing Face).” Fans in Coventry, England, can go visit Sgt. Bilko’s Vintage Emporium. It keeps the memory of Phil Silvers and his work alive and well for new legions of fans.
Yes, to this day, Silvers can be seen as a TV darling.
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Joe Rutland is an author, writer, and editor whose work has appeared on numerous large-scale digital platforms. Among them are Entrepreneur, The Good Men Project, The Huffington Post, Thrive Global, and Elite Daily. Rutland is on X @JosephRutland5.
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