Phil Silvers was an American actor and comedian.
Biography[]
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Silvers began his entertainment career as a vaudeville and burlesque comic and singer, before appearing in short films for Vitaphone and making his Broadway debut as Yokel Boy. He made his first feature film appearance in Hit Parade of 1941 and would go on to appear in such films as All Through the Night and Lady Be Good. He also gained success after writing the song "Nancy (With the Laughing Face)" for Frank Sinatra.
However, Silvers' greatest success would come playing Sergeant Ernest Bilko in The Phil Silvers Show, later appearing in The New Phil Silvers Show as Harry Grafton. Onscreen he continued to work as a character actor in such ensemble comedies as It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and Follow That Camel.
Despite suffering a stroke in 1972, Silvers continued to work until his death in 1985.
Singing[]
Silvers often found the opportunity to sing in both comuc shows and stage musicals, beginning with brief singing parts in such films as You're in the Army Now and Cover Girl and the movie musical Something for the Boys before originating roles in such stage musicals High Button Shoes (as Harrison Floy) and Top Banana (as Jerry Biffle), in which he also reprised the role for the film adaptation.
Silvers also sang a number of times in his iconic role as Sergeant Bilko, which included writing the song "Girl of Tomorrow." After turning down the role of Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, he later appeared as Marcus Lycus in the film adaptation and won a Tony Award for playing the lead in the Broadway revival.
Film[]
You're in the Army Now (1941)[]
- I'm Glad My Number Was Called (contains solo lines)
- Happy Birthday (duet)
My Gal Sal (1942)[]
- Mr. Volunteer (solo)
- My Gal Sal
Coney Island (1943)[]
- Who Threw the Overalls in Mistress Murphys Chowder
- Get the Money (solo)
Cover Girl (1944)[]
- Who's Complaining (solo)
- Make Way for Tomorrow (contains solo lines)
- Put Me to the Test (reprise)(duet)
Something for the Boys (1944)[]
- Wouldn't It Be Nice (contains solo lines)
- Southland (solo)
- Climbing up 'Dem Golden Stairs (contains solo lines)
If I'm Lucky (1946)[]
- Follow the Band
Summer Stock (1950)[]
- (Howdy Neighbour) Happy Harvest
Top Banana (1954)[]
- O.K. for TV (contains solo lines)
- Meet Miss Blendo
- A Dog Is a Man's Best Friend (contains solo lines)
- A Word a Day (duet)
Lucky Me (1954)[]
- High Hopes
- Men (duet)
- Blue Bells of Broadway (contains solo lines)
The Ballad of Louie the Louse (1959)[]
- Don't Come to Me (solo)
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)[]
- Everybody Ought to Have a Maid (contains solo lines)
- Comedy Tonight (reprise)(contains solo lines)
Damn Yankees (1967)[]
- Those Were the Good Old Days (solo)
Television[]
The Phil Silvers Show (1955)[]
- For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
- Alabama Jubilee (Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here)
- Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Here (solo)
- There's Still a Spark Left in the Old Plug (solo)
- Swanee River (solo)
- Girl of Tomorrow (solo)
- Sweet Molly Malone (solo)
- Granada
- Brown Suede Combat Boots
- Rock of Ages
- Graziano, Graziano (solo)
- Moon Over Fort Baxter (contains solo lines)
- In the Sweet By-and-By (duet)
Stage[]
High Button Shoes (1947)(originated the role)[]
- There's Nothing Like a Model T (contains solo lines)
- You're My Boy (duet)
- Nobody Ever Died for Dear Old Rutgers (contains solo lines)
- He Tried to Make a Dollar (Reprise)
Top Banana (1951)(originated the role)[]
- Top Banana (contains solo lines)
- O.K. for TV (contains solo lines)
- Slogan Song (contains solo lines)
- Meet Miss Blendo
- A Dog Is a Man's Best Friend (contains solo lines)
- A Word is Day (duet)
- Finale
Do Re Mi (1960)(originated the role)[]
- Take a Job (duet)
- It's Legitimate (contains solo lines)
- Ambition (duet)
- Success (contains solo lines)
- The Late, Late Show (solo)
- Adventure (duet)
- Don't Be Afraid of a Teardrop (contains solo lines)
- V.I.P. (contains solo lines)
- All of My Life (solo)
- Finale (contains solo lines)
Les Poupées De Paris (1962)[]
- The Circus (Grand Finale)(duet)
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1971)[]
- Comedy Tonight (contains solo lines)
- Everybody Ought to Have a Maid (contains solo lines)
- Bring Me My Bride (contains solo lines)
- Lovely (reprise)(duet)
- The Dirge (contains solo lines)
- Comedy Tonight (reprise)(contains solo lines)
Gallery[]
