Phil Silvers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Phil Silvers
Silvers as Sgt. Bilko
Birth name	Phillip Silver
Born	(1911-05-11)May 11, 1911 Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Died	November 1, 1985(1985-11-01) (aged 74) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Character comedy
Spouse	Jo-Carroll Dennison ​ ​ (m. 1945; div. 1950)​ Evelyn Patrick ​ ​ (m. 1956; div. 1966)​
Children	5

Phil Silvers (born Phillip Silver; May 11, 1911 – November 1, 1985) was a famous American actor and comedian. He was known for his quick wit and funny characters. His career in entertainment lasted for almost 60 years.

Phil Silvers became very popular when he starred in The Phil Silvers Show. This TV show from the 1950s was about a U.S. Army post. In the show, he played Master Sergeant Ernest "Ernie" Bilko. He also acted in well-known movies like It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966). Phil Silvers won two Primetime Emmy Awards for his work on The Phil Silvers Show. He also won two Tony Awards for his performances in the musicals Top Banana and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

Early Life and Beginnings

Phil Silvers was born Phillip Silver on May 11, 1911. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York, in a neighborhood called Brownsville. He was the youngest of eight children. His parents were immigrants from Russia. His father worked with metal and helped build some of the first tall buildings in New York City.

Phil started performing at age 11. He would sing in theaters when the movie projector broke down. This happened often back then! Because he was so good, the theater let him watch movies for free. By age 13, he was singing in a show called the Gus Edwards Revue. Later, he performed in vaudeville shows and as a comic.

Rise to Fame

Phil Silvers began acting in short films in 1937. He also started performing on Broadway, which is New York's famous theater district. His first Broadway show was Yokel Boy in 1939. Critics loved his performance, saying he was the best part of the play.

He made his first full-length movie appearance in Hit Parade of 1941 in 1940. For the next 20 years, he worked as a character actor in many films. These included All Through the Night (1942) with Humphrey Bogart. He also appeared in Cover Girl (1944) with Gene Kelly and Rita Hayworth. When the big movie studios started to change, Phil Silvers went back to performing on stage.

Writing Music

Even though he wasn't a songwriter, Phil Silvers helped write the lyrics for a famous song. It was called "Nancy (with the Laughing Face)". He wrote the words while visiting his friend, composer Jimmy Van Heusen. They wrote the song for another friend's wife, Bessie, for her birthday. When Frank Sinatra's daughter Nancy had a birthday party, they changed the song to be about her. Sinatra then recorded it, and it became a big hit in 1945.

During World War II, Phil Silvers traveled overseas with Frank Sinatra. They performed for the troops through the USO.

The Phil Silvers Show

Phil Silvers became a household name in 1955. He starred as Sergeant Ernest G. Bilko in a show first called You'll Never Get Rich. It was later renamed The Phil Silvers Show. This military comedy was a huge hit on television. Sergeant Bilko was a clever character who always found ways to get what he wanted.

In 1963, Phil Silvers starred in a new show called The New Phil Silvers Show. He played Harry Grafton, a factory foreman who also loved get-rich-quick plans. This character was very similar to his famous Bilko role.

Film Roles

Silvers in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)

Throughout the 1960s, Phil Silvers appeared in several movies. These included It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) and 40 Pounds of Trouble (1963). People said he was a comic actor, not a traditional comedian. He didn't do stand-up comedy. He was known for being funny when he was playing a character.

He was also in Marilyn Monroe's last film, Something's Got to Give (1962), which was never finished. In 1967, he starred in a British film called Follow That Camel. He played Sergeant Nocker, a character much like Sergeant Bilko.

Broadway Success

Publicity photo of Silvers from the musical Top Banana

Phil Silvers was praised for his role as Harrison Floy in the 1947 Broadway show High Button Shoes. Critics called him a "hilarious comic."

He had a major success in the 1952 Broadway musical Top Banana. Phil Silvers played Jerry Biffle, a busy and self-centered TV star. He was so good in the show that he won a Tony Award for his performance. He played the same role in the 1954 movie version.

In 1972, Phil Silvers starred in a Broadway revival of the musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He played the main character, Pseudolus. The show was a big hit. Phil Silvers became the first lead actor to win a Tony Award for a revival of a musical.

Later Career and Personal Life

Silvers in The Beverly Hillbillies (circa 1969–1970)

Later in his career, Phil Silvers appeared as a guest on many TV shows. These included The Beverly Hillbillies, The Carol Burnett Show, and Happy Days. He played a Hollywood producer in a famous episode of Gilligan's Island in 1966. His own production company, Gladasya, helped fund the show. He continued to make guest appearances on TV shows like The Love Boat and Fantasy Island. His last screen role was in an episode of CHiPs in 1983.

Phil Silvers was married twice, but both marriages ended in divorce. He had five daughters: Candace, Cathy, Laury, Nancey, and Tracey. They were all from his second marriage.

Phil Silvers faced some personal challenges throughout his life. He wrote a book about his life called This Laugh Is On Me.

Illness and Passing

In August 1972, Phil Silvers had a stroke while performing in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. This affected his speech. Even with his health problems, he kept working. He appeared in an episode of Kolchak: The Night Stalker in 1974. He also co-starred in the movie The Chicken Chronicles (1977). He played a cab driver in the movie The Cheap Detective (1978). His final appearance was in an episode of CHiPs in 1983.

Phil Silvers passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 1, 1985. He was buried in Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Legacy and Influence

Phil Silvers left a lasting mark on entertainment. In 1996, TV Guide ranked him among the 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time. In 2003, The Phil Silvers Show was named the Best Sitcom by the Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy. Other comedians have praised his incredible sense of timing.

His acting style influenced many cartoon characters. For example, the voice of Hokey Wolf from Hanna-Barbera was based on Phil Silvers. The cartoon series Top Cat was also inspired by The Phil Silvers Show.

There is a special museum dedicated to Phil Silvers. It is called Sgt Bilko's Vintage Emporium and The Phil Silvers Archival Museum. It opened in 2015 in Coventry, United Kingdom. It holds many items from his personal life and career.

Work

Theatre Performances

Film Appearances

Television Roles

Awards and Honors

• In 2000, Phil Silvers received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

See also

In Spanish: Phil Silvers para niños