The Phil Silvers Show

MSgt. Ernest G. Bilko

Col. John T. Hall

Cpl. Rocco Barbella

Cpl. Steve Henshaw

Pvt. Dino Papparelli

Pvt. Duane Doberman

Cpl. Sam Fender

Pvt. Gomez

Pvt. Fielding Zimmerman

Pvt. Mullen

Pvt. Irving Fleischman

Pvt. Stash Kadowski

Pvt. Sugie Sugarman

MSgt. Francis Grover

Mickey Freeman (Pvt. Fielding Zimmerman), who died on September 21, 2010, was the last surviving star of the series.

Although the ratings were still good in the show's final season, it was canceled by CBS because they wanted to sell the reruns in syndication. At the time, it was believed that a series could not still be in production in order to do well in reruns. The reruns were sold to NBC and aired continuously for 40 years.

On 11 August 2009 the US Postal Service issued a pane of twenty 44¢ commemorative postage stamps honoring early USA television programs. A booklet with 20 picture postal cards was also issued. On the stamp honoring "The Phil Silvers Show", star Phil Silvers appears in character as Master Sergeant Ernest G. (Ernie) Bilko. Other shows honored in the Early TV Memories issue were: The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet (1952), Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955), The Dinah Shore Show (1951), Dragnet (1951), "The Ed Sullivan Show" (originally titled The Ed Sullivan Show (1948)), The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950), Hopalong Cassidy (1952), The Honeymooners (1955), "The Howdy Doody Show" (original title: The Howdy Doody Show (1947)), I Love Lucy (1951), Kukla, Fran and Ollie (1947), Lassie (1954), The Lone Ranger (1949), Perry Mason (1957), The Red Skelton Hour (1951), "Texaco Star Theater" (titled Texaco Star Theatre (1948), 1954-1956), The Tonight Show (which began as Tonight! (1953)), Twilight Zone (1959), and You Bet Your Life (1950).

MSgt. Ernest G. Bilko: You said "but". I've put the finger on the whole problem. You're a "but" man. Don't say "but". That little word "but" is the difference between success and failure.