Buy Sgt. Bilko - 50th Anniversary Edition
Saturday, June 26th, 2010
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This should have been the first season of Sgt. Bilko (not the Steve Martin movie) explain starring Phil Silvers. But the folks at Paramount got icy feet about releasing Bilko with season sets. So what we’re left with as an introduction is a sampler of 21 episodes from the four seasons (there were 142 episodes made) . Seeing how you rarely win Phil Silvers on TV anymore, it’s level-headed primary to have in the collection next to the Hogan’s Heroes boxsets. Although you could also do this next to the Beach Party films since it features that man who would go on to become Eric Von Zipper. And don’t forget Phil’s fascinating tribute “Top Cat.”
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the bonus elements do have me aroused.
Ed Sullivan Present (scene from episode on prove a week before premiere of series)
Emmy Awards (some of them, not all - 56/57) acceptance speeches
Dick Cavet Present with Jack Benny
Buy,Download, Or Stream Sgt. Bilko - 50th Anniversary Edition! Click Here
Promos for Sgt Bilko movie on Slice @ Night
Phil Hartman does his intros for Crop @ Night
Friar’s Stag Roast for Humphry Bogart (by Phil Silvers)
Commentary from Allan Melvin (Henshaw)
Episode intros by Allan Melvin
Commentary by Dick Van Dyke
Commentary George Kennedy (army technical advisor)
2 Commentary tracks with Larry Storch (guest star) and Mickey Freeman (Zimmerman) together
Tony Randall and Jack Klugman remember Bilko on TV land promo
Original Network Opening (Camel cigarettes presents), as well as cigarette commercials with cast
Cast on Phil Silvers special “Phil Silvers on Broadway”
Promo for “The Current Phil Silvers Display”
Phil’s final TV interview with Sonny Fox
Bilko Growl - Phil’s last report (single song)
Lost Bilko audition film
From TV’s Golden Age comes this vastly underrated sitcom with the shimmering Phil Silvers in the role of Sergeant Bilko, a conniving motor pool sergeant in peace time Middle America. He has at his his beck and call a platoon of fiercely genuine privates and a duo of devoted corporals played by Harvey Lembeck and Allan Melvin (the latter of whom provides an audio introduction for each episode on the DVD) . Bilko’s vital foil is Colonel Hall who is wonderfully portrayed by the avuncular Paul Ford. But Bilko and his crazy cadre will choose on all comers, be they a visiting Senate investigative committee, twisted gamblers or a recent strictly-by-the-book officer.
Bilko is the classic droll anti-hero. Whether his best laid planes pay off or not (and those of you familiar with sitcoms of the 50’s and 60’s know all about get-rich-quick schemes) the laughs are a definite thing. All this comedy and it comes sans the scatological references and overuse of sex that are mar today’s TV fare.
The hallmark of Silver’s humorous brilliance is that you often now what’s coming but its silly unprejudiced the same. Bilko was the perfect vehicle for him with its incredible writing and deep supporting cast (where did they ever win Maurice Gosfield? )
This DVD presentation is long overdue but worth the wait. In addition to the exquisite prints of these shows comes such special features are vintage commercials, Silvers’ Emmy victories at the 1956 version of that TV award explain and the obligatory talking heads from today.
Whether you remember the shows from their initial airings, or grew up with scattered reruns as I did or are effect modern to Bilko, this DVD status will, like Phil Silvers, not disappoint.
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