Phil Silvers

Phil Silvers
Silvers as Sgt. Bilko
Birth name	Phillip Silver
Born	(1911-05-11)May 11, 1911 New York City, New York, U.S.
Died	November 1, 1985(1985-11-01) (aged 74) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Years active	1922–1985
Genres	Character comedy
Spouse	Jo-Carroll Dennison ​ ​ (m. 1945; div. 1950)​ Evelyn Patrick ​ ​ (m. 1956; div. 1966)​
Children	5
Notable works and roles	The Phil Silvers Show

Phil Silvers (born Phillip Silver; May 11, 1911^[1] – November 1, 1985) was an American entertainer and comedic actor, known as "The King of Chutzpah". His career as a professional entertainer spanned nearly 60 years. He achieved major popularity when he starred in The Phil Silvers Show, a 1950s sitcom set on a U.S. Army post in which he played Master Sergeant Ernest (Ernie) Bilko. He also starred in the films It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966). He was a winner of two Primetime Emmy Awards for his work on The Phil Silvers Show and two Tony Awards for his performances in Top Banana and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He also wrote the original lyrics to the jazz standard "Nancy (with the Laughing Face)".