The greatest military con man is ready to report to duty in a season set when Sgt. Bilko: The Phil Silvers Show: The First Season gets released on July 27. Four years ago fans were teased with Sgt. Bilko: The Phil Silvers Show: 50th Anniversary Edition. Fans wanted more than a sampler of 18 of the 143 episodes. Now it is coming. Sgt. Bilko (Phil Silvers) runs his unit like a rigged card game. He’s a hustler in uniform with more schemes than the Pentagon. The four seasons of Sgt Bilko are considered the cream of military comedy. Here’s the press release from CBS DVD:
SERGEANT BILKO: THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW THE FIRST SEASON
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (May 20, 2010) – Television’s most beloved conman and celebrated comedic character, Sergeant Bilko, returns to finagle his way into fans’ hearts when the Emmy® award-winning series SERGEANT BILKO: THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW, The First Season makes its debut on DVD July 27 from CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment.
Created by Nat Hiken (Car 54, Where Are You?), SERGEANT BILKO: THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW won three consecutive Emmy® awards for Best Comedy Series and launched the character of Army Sergeant Ernie Bilko, portrayed by Emmy®-award-winning star Phil Silvers (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum), into television history. Fort Baxter sets the scene for the hilarious antics of Sergeant Bilko as he attempts to swindle, bluff and flatter his platoon and fellow comrades in his hilarious attempts to get rich quick. Commanding big laughs, SERGEANT BILKO: THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW co-stars Allan Melvin (All In The Family), Harvey Lembeck (Beach Party), Paul Ford (The Music Man) and Herbie Faye (The Dick Van Dyke Show).
SERGEANT BILKO: THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW, The First Season is a five-disc set featuring all 34 episodes from the premiere season beautifully remastered for optimal picture quality. Available for the suggested retail price of $42.99 US and $47.99 CAN, the set also includes audio commentaries, the original lost audition show, an episode of The Lucy Show featuring Phil Silvers as a guest star and cast commercials.
SERGEANT BILKO: THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW, The First Season five-disc set is presented in full screen with English Mono. The DVD is not rated. The total running time is approximately 14 hours and 42 minutes. The DVD disc breakdown is as follows:
Disc One:
* New Recruits (Commentary by Allan Melvin)
* The Empty Store
* The WAC
* The Horse
* A.W.O.L.
* The Boxer
* Special Feature:
o The Lost Audition Show – Rarely seen, live audition show that was never broadcast
Disc Two:
* The Hoodlum
* Mardi Gras
* The Eating Contest
* The Centennial
* Bivouac
* The Singing Contest
* The Twitch
* Special Features:
o Original Network Opening
o Original Cast Commercials
Disc Three:
* The Reunion
* The Rich Kid
* Hollywood
* The Investigation
* Kids In The Trailer
* The Revolutionary War
* The Transfer
Disc Four:
* The Rest Cure
* Dinner At Sowici’s
* Army Memoirs
* Miss America
* The Court Martial (Commentary by George Kennedy)
* Furlough In New York
* The Big Uranium Strike
Disc Five:
* Bilko and the Beast
* The Physical Check-Up
* The Recruiting Sergeant
* Hair
* The Con Men
* Bilko on Wall Street
* Special Feature:
o Lucy and the Efficiency Expert – Classic Episode from the fifth season of The Lucy Show where Phil Silvers hilariously guest stars as an efficiency expert who takes over Lucy’s office
