Bespectacled vaudevillian who made his feature debut in the early 1940s and established himself as an engaging comic character player in films such as "You're in the Army Now" (1942), "Cover Girl" (1944) and "It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World" (1963). Best known as the wily "Sergeant Bilko" in the popular 1950s TV series, "The Phil Silvers Show."
Family
BROTHER: Harry Silversmith. Manager. Older.
DAUGHTER: Tracey Edythe Silvers.
DAUGHTER: Cathy Silvers. Actor.
DAUGHTER: Nancy Silvers.
DAUGHTER: Candace Silvers.
Companion
WIFE: Jo Carroll Dennison. Was 1942 Miss America; married in 1945; divorced in 1950.
WIFE: Evelyn Patrick. Actor. Married in 1956; divorced; mother of Silvers' daughters.
Milestone
Began appearing in vaudeville shows at age 12
1934: Joined Minsky's burlesque toupe
1939: Broadway debut, "Yokel Boy"
1939: Signed to seven-year contract at MGM
1940: Film debut as a priest in "Pride and Prejudice"
1940: First major film, "Hit Parade of 1941"
1944: Acted in "Cover Girl"
1947: Starred in the musical "High Button Shoes"
1950: Played featured role in "Summer Stock"
1951: Had lead in the Broadway musical "Top Banana"; received Tony Award
1953: Reprised role in film version of "Top Banana"
1954: Last film for nearly a decade, "Lucky Me"
1955 - 1959: Became a TV star with "You'll Never Get Rich/The Phil Silvers Show/Sgt Bilko" (CBS)
1960: Returned to Broadway in the musical "Do Re Mi"
1963: Resumed film career with "40 Pounds of Trouble" and "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World"
1968: Co-starred in "Buona Sera, Mrs Campbell"
1971: Had lead in the comedy "How the Other Half Loves"
1972: Earned second Tony Award starring in the revival of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum"
1975: Appeared in the Disney film "The Strongest Man in the World"
1978: Acted in "The Cheap Detective", scripted by Neil Simon
1980: Final features "There Goes the Bride" and "The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood"
2000: Posthumously honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (November)
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