Sgt. Bilko/Phil Silvers on DVD

It's unclear why this is considered the 50th Anniversary of The Phil Silvers Show since it premiered in 1955. But this old show is best known Sgt. Bilko, Silvers' scam artist Army officer remade into a forgettable Steve Martin movie. More than the Phil Silvers related extras, this DVD set is a "greatest hits" of TV history.

Just getting old clips of Ed Sullivan and The Emmys are the real treasure. Who knows where they found them, and the footage has seen better days, but they show Silvers in his industry element, and performing for the media of the time.

Even the Nick at Night bumpers from 1996 promoting the Bilko movie are important. If only they knew... Outtakes of Phil Hartman show a master at work. He's able to mess up and simply go again. He lets the crew have fun but he's not relishing in his own mistakes.

There's plenty of old footage on Silvers and alternate versions of the show. The lost audition show seems pretty well developed at the early stage. Bits of reminiscences throughout the years trace the show's legacy nicely.

For more articles by Fred Topel, please visit Action Films/Comedies page.

For more DVD reviews and information about other archived entertainment, visit the Dvd Reviews page.

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