In 1957, one of top-rated shows on TV was Sergeant Bilko, starring Phil Silvers. Camel cigarettes capitalized on his popularity by swapping out an illustration of the sergeant for the usual one of an anonymous man. It’s not clear whether the smoke came out of Bilko’s mouth, too.

1959

As the decade ends, and the “Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” winds down, Lucy and Desi do other projects, many to pay back stars who appeared on their own show. 

“Make Room for Daddy: Lucy Upsets the Williams Household” (S6;E14) ~ January 5, 1959

A reciprocal appearance by the Arnazes in return for the cast of “Make Room for Daddy” appearing on “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.”  Lucy and Desi play the Ricardos, but due to the difference in writers, they behave slightly differently.  Rusty Hamer does not appear in this episode. 

“Lucy Goes To Alaska” (LDCH E8) ~ February 9, 1959

Red Skelton guest-stars in an episode written to celebrate Alaska finally becoming a state, although the episode was filmed in Hollywood with second unit footage filmed in Lake Arrowhead, California. Skelton and Ball sing “Poor Everybody Else” in tramp costumes (above). Little Ricky does not appear in this episode.  

“The Phil Silvers Show: Bilko's Ape Man” (S4;E24) ~ March 18, 1959

Lucille Ball does a cameo as an unnamed character that Sergeant Bilko (Phil Silvers) hires to swoon during a body-building contest. Ball speaks just eight words (besides screams) and her screen time lasts just a minute and a half.

“Lucy Wants A Career” (LDCH E9) ~ April 13, 1959

Paul Douglas plays himself, a television host that Lucy Ricardo works for in her attempt to feel gainfully employed. this was the last full episode shot entirely in front of a live studio audience.

“Lucy's Summer Vacation” (LDCH E10) ~ June 8, 1959

This is the first complete episode filmed without a studio audience. It features guest stars (and real-life celebrity couple) Howard Duff and Ida Lupino playing themselves. This was the lowest-rated “Comedy Hour” episode to date.

“Milton Berle Hides Out at The Ricardos” (LDCH E11) ~ September 25, 1959

Milton Berle plays himself, promoting his new novel “Earthquake”.  The episode includes elaborate stuntwork by Lucille as well as a musical performance ending at Little Ricky’s PTA Follies. As the photo shows, Berle does his drag act while hiding out to finish his next book. Desi Arnaz is credited as director. 

“The Ann Sothern Show: The Lucy Story” (S2;E1) ~ October 5, 1959

Lucille’s old friend Ann Sothern had appeared on the first “Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” but by the time Lucille could appear on Sothern’s show, it had been transformed into a new program with the same cast. Lucille plays Lucy Ricardo, and Sothern her old friend Katy, who runs a Manhattan hotel. 

“Sunday Showcase: A Tribute to Eleanor Roosevelt on Her Diamond Jubilee” ~ October 11, 1959

Lucille Ball and dozens of other stars turn out to pay homage to former first lady and humanitarian Eleanor Roosevelt. Arthur Godfrey hosts on NBC.   

“Sunday Showcase: The Lucy-Desi Milton Berle Special” ~ November 1, 1959

“Sunday Showcase” was an NBC anthology series featuring various specials. Lucy and Desi play the Ricardos in a reciprocal appearance for Milton Berle’s appearance on their show.  This adventure takes the Ricardos to Las Vegas.  There is no mention of Little Ricky or the Mertzes.

“The Ricardos Go To Japan” (LDCH E12) ~ November 27, 1959  

The penultimate “Lucy-Desi” adventure was actually filmed in Hollywood guest starring Bob Cummings. Kathryn Card makes her only appearance on the hour-long series as Lucy’s mother. 

“Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse: The Desilu Revue” ~ December 25, 1959

A Christmas special that showcases the new talent Desilu developed through their Desilu Workshop. Lucille, Desi, Vivian and Bill play themselves in a backstory about producing the variety show.  The show also features celebrity guest stars working on the Desilu lot at the time. Hedda Hopper appears in return for Lucy being on her forthcoming special, “Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood.” 

ALSO....

“Land Greed” (S1;E13) ~ December 12, 1959

S5;E13 ~ December 12, 1966

Synopsis

An efficiency expert (Phil Silvers) takes over the bank and makes Lucy his gal Friday. On a visit to a toy factory looking for a big loan, Lucy must work the assembly line to prove that one worker can do the job of four.  She fails – spectacularly!

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carmichael), Gale Gordon (Theodore J. Mooney), Mary Jane Croft (Mary Jane Lewis)

Guest Cast

Phil Silvers (Oliver Kasten) was born Philip Silversmith in 1911 (the same year as Lucille Ball).  He started entertaining at age 11.  He made his Broadway debut in 1939.  In 1952 he won a Tony Award in the  Broadway musical Top Banana in which he played a TV star modeled on Milton Berle. His feature film debut came in 1940. Silvers became a household name in 1955 when he starred as Sergeant Ernest G. Bilko in “You'll Never Get Rich,” later re-titled “The Phil Silvers Show.” Lucille Ball did a cameo on his show in March 1959. In 1963, Lucy and Phil performed the classic ‘Slowly I Turned’ sketch for “CBS Opening Night.”  The year after “Lucy and the Efficiency Expert” was first aired, Ball and Silvers both had bit parts in the film A Guide for the Married Man (1967). He died at the age of 74.

Oliver Kasten tells everyone to call him “OK” (his initials).  He calls Lucy “Red.” Lucy then addresses Mr. Mooney as “TM.”  Kasten has been married 12 years and has 12 children.  Now that's efficiency!  

Tol Avery (Mr. Grantland) was a Texas-born character actor making his only series appearance, although he returns for a 1970 episode of “Here's Lucy.”

Grantland is the owner of The Grantland Toy Company and is asking the bank for a million dollar loan.

Hazel Pierce (Bank Customer) was Lucille Ball’s camera and lighting stand-in throughout “I Love Lucy.” She also made frequent appearances on the show. Of her many on-camera appearances on “The Lucy Show.” She was also an uncredited extra in the film Forever Darling (1956).

Roy Rowan (Voice on the Toy Factory Loudspeaker) was the announcer for every episode of “My Favorite Husband,” “I Love Lucy” as well as “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy.” He was also the voice heard when TV or radio programs were featured on the plot of all three shows. His first on-camera appearance was in “Lucy Takes Up Golf” (S2;E17).

Joan Carey (Bank Employee, uncredited) was a frequent background player on “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy Show,” eventually becoming Lucille Ball’s camera and lighting stand-in on the series. 

In the above photo, Carey is in the front line, second from left, wearing a brown pleated dress. 

George DeNormand (Bank Employee, uncredited) appeared in three films with Lucille Ball from 1937 to 1963. This is the just one of his many appearances on “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy.”

In the above photo, DeNormand the tall white-haired man on the extreme left. 

Other background actors play the other bank employees and customers. 

Wendy and Betty are are the names of two assembly line workers at The Grantland Toy factory but they go uncredited.

This is the final episode of the 1966 calendar year.  The next new episode will be seen on Monday, January 2, 1967.  

Mary Jane repeats a joke she says she heard on “The Red Skelton Show” (1951-71). Red Skelton was a celebrity guest star on “Lucy Goes to Alaska,” a 1959 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.”  He also starred with Lucille Ball in the film Du Barry Was a Lady (1943). Skelton's show aired on Tuesday nights on CBS.  

In turn, Lucy repeats a joke she heard on “The Jackie Gleason Show” (1966-70). The show aired on Saturday nights on CBS.  In addition to specials with Lucille Ball, Jackie Gleason made a 1968 cameo appearance on “Here's Lucy” as his most famous character Ralph Kramden. On her way out of the office after mentioning the show, Lucy does Gleason's famous “away we go” exit.  

When Lucy wonders aloud why Mr. Kasten repeats everything, Mr. Mooney says that his mother was frightened by a bunch of radishes. Radishes have been known to “repeat” on some people – a polite way of saying “make them burp.” Mr. Mooney makes no reference to a television show to excuse his bad joke.  

Mr. Mooney (probably joking) says his wife is bald!  Lucy says that Mr. Mooney's wife is taking karate lessons!  Irma sounds like a formidable presence. While it might seem a shame that she is never seen on screen, it is far more fun to imagine her!

Mary Jane says an efficiency expert was hired by her studio to help save money on a picture called Gunfight at Gower Gulch. Desilu (formerly RKO, now Paramount) was located on Gower Street in Hollywood.  It was informally known as “The Gower Studios.”

About Kasten, Mr. Mooney says, "He reminds me of a sergeant I once knew." This is an allusion to Sergeant Bilko, a character played by Phil Silvers on "The Phil Silvers Show” (1953-59). The series ran concurrently with “I Love Lucy” on CBS. Curiously, the studio audience does not react to the reference, nor does the production add in any “canned” audience reaction. Lucille Ball did a cameo on the series in 1959. 

As usual, Mr. Mooney gets all wet when Lucy lifts the jug off the water cooler while they are moving it.  Lucy previously had trouble with an office water cooler in “Lucy is a Kangaroo for a Day” (S1;E7).  

When Lucy efficiently combines two proverbs into one, Kasten remarks “By George, I think she's got it!” This was the triumphant cry of Professor Henry Higgins in the stage musical and 1964 feature film My Fair Lady. Lucy did a parody of the show titled “My Fair Lucy” (S3;E20).  

We learn (for the fist time) that Mary Jane and Lucy are bowlers!

As the hobby horses come down the conveyor belt, it is Lucy's job to put on the saddle, insert the saddle horn, attach the horse's head, and add its tail.  In between, she is also supposed to immediately respond to any orders heard on the factory loudspeaker.

On the shelves of the factory is a real-life product called Nutty Mad Indian. It was a mechanical tin toy depicting a Native American warrior with a silly expression on its face beating a tom-tom.  The battery operated toy was manufactured in the 1960s by Marx but would definitely not be “PC” today. 

The toys described as “six yellow hound dogs” certainly resemble Disney's dog Pluto.  This is not the first time a Disney character toy has been seen on a “Lucy” show.  Cleo the Goldfish (from Pinocchio) was a prop in “The Ricardo's Change Apartments” (ILL S2;E26). Like Pluto, Cleo went unnamed in the episode.  

This is the final mention of Bank President Mr. Cheever before he finally appears on screen in the next episode, “Lucy’s Substitute Secretary” (S5;E14), the first new show of 1967.  

Callbacks!

Conveyor belts always mean trouble in the Lucyverse!  The most famous conveyor belt in television history was found at Kramer's Candy Kitchen in “Job Switching” (ILL S2;E1). Lucy Ricardo also got “carried away” via conveyor belt searching a laundry sorting room for “Bonus Bucks” (ILL S3;E21).  Lucy Carmichael was swept away on a post office conveyor belt (and subsequently bagged and tagged) in “Lucy and the Missing Stamp” (S3;E14). When we see the conveyor belt at Grantland Toys, we know exactly what to expect!  

Blooper Alerts!

Say What? When Kasten and Lucy are reciting common sayings, Phil Silvers says one backwards: "A penny earned is a penny saved." Out of context it might seem that Silvers is being funny by reversing the adage, but when viewed in the episode, it is clear that he was supposed to be setting up Lucy for the punchline and simply forgot the correct line.

Reputation Tarnisher! When Lucy is placed in charge by Mr. Kasten, Mr. Mooney says that he's never been able to get her to do extra work in the past. In the previous episode, “Lucy and the Monkey” (S5;E12), Lucy was said to be overworked to the point of having hallucinations, even asked to sell tickets to the Bank Benefit. She has also been known to work from home. So what exactly is Mr. Mooney talking about?

Snake-in-a-Box! When the voice on the loudspeaker orders a jack-in-the-box, Kasten and Lucy both open snake cans.

Efficient? Any assembly line that suddenly adapts to fill “on demand” orders would be highly inefficient, although Kasten seems more upset about the employees taking a coffee break, something that has proven to improve worker productivity.

Floor Plan! The lobby of the bank has once again been reconfigured to accommodate the action of the episode.

“Bilko's Ape Man” (S4;E24 ~ March 18, 1959)

Created by Nat Hiken (creator of “Car 54 Where Are You?”)

Produced by Edward J. Montagne

Directed by Al De Caprio, Aaron Ruben

Written by Arnie Rosen, Coleman Jacoby

Synopsis ~ A fitness instructor is placed in Bilko's platoon. To get rid of him and to make some money, Bilko tries to get him cast in a Tarzan movie. To do this, Bilko tries to fix it so his man wins the Mr. Universe contest. First step: he hires a woman (Lucille Ball) to scream when his man goes on stage. When this fails, he dresses Doberman up in a gorilla suit to fight his 'Tarzan'. Colonel Hall sees the 'gorilla' and soon has the whole camp hunting for him.

CAST

Phil Silvers (Master Sergeant Ernie Bilko) was born Philip Silversmith in 1911 (the same year as Lucille Ball). He started entertaining at age 11. He made his Broadway debut in 1939. In 1952 he won a Tony Award in the Broadway musical Top Banana in which he played a TV star modeled on Milton Berle. His feature film debut came in 1940. Silvers became a household name in 1955 when he starred as Sergeant Ernest G. Bilko. In 1963, Ball and Silvers performed the classic ‘Slowly I Turn’ sketch for “CBS Opening Night.” In December 1966, Silvers guest-starred in “Lucy and the Efficiency Expert” (TLS S5;E13). A year later Ball and Silvers both had bit parts in the film A Guide for the Married Man (1967). He died at the age of 74.

Lucille Ball (Fainting Fan, uncredited) filmed this un-named, uncredited cameo in early 1959, just a few months before she left both her husband and Lucy Ricardo behind for good. Two months earlier, Ball had played Lucy Ricardo on “Make Room for Daddy” in return for their cast appearing on “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour,” but this appearance on “The Phil Silvers Show” is the first time Lucille Ball has ever appeared on another situation comedy as non-Lucy character.

Harvey Lembeck (Corporal Rocco Barbella) is probably best remembered as Edward Von Zipper in the beach party films. He was also seen in the movie musicals Kiss Me Kate (1958) and The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964).

Paul Ford (Colonel John T. Hall) was nominated for three Emmy Awards for playing Colonel Hall in 1957, 1958, and 1959. Both Ford and Silvers appeared in the 1963 film It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.

Hope Sansberry (Mrs. Nell Hall) appeared uncredited in the Lucy Ball / Bob Hope film Fancy Pants (1950), which was her screen debut. She played Mrs. Hall for 38 episodes.

Maurice Gosfield (Private Duane Doberman) was nominated for an Emmy Award for playing Colonel Hall, in 1959. Both Gosfield and Silvers appeared in the 1960 TV movie Summer in New York.

Allan Melville (Corporal Steve Henshaw) is probably best remembered as Sam the Butcher on “The Brady Bunch” (1969-74) and Barney Hefner on “All in the Family” (1971-79) and “Archie Bunker's Place” (1979-83).

Bernie Fein (Private Gomez) was also the creator of “Hogan's Heroes” (1965-71). 

Maurice Brenner (Private Irving Fleischman) played Officer Julie and several other character roles on “Car 54 Where Are You?” Terry Carter (Private Sugie Sugarman) made his screen debut with this role. Herbie Faye (Corporal Sam Fender) made four appearances on “Here's Lucy,” and one on “The Lucy Show.” He was also seen with Silvers in the 1951 Broadway musical Top Banana.

Mickey Freeman (Private Fielding Zimmerman) later wrote a book about “The Phil Silvers Show” titled Bilko: Behind the Lines with Phil Silvers. The book includes anecdotes and an episode guide. When he died in 2010 he was the last surviving principal cast member from the show.

Jack Healey (Private Mullen) went on to appear as Officer Rodriguez on “Car 54 Where Are You?” from 1961 to 1963.

Bilko calls Mullen “The Fidel Castro of the Slobs.” 

Billy Sands (Private Dino Papparelli) made three appearances on “Here's Lucy” and did a television commercial with Lucille Ball in the 1970s. He went on to play 'Tinker' Bell on “McHale's Navy” for 138 episodes from 1962 to 1968. That's one less than his number of appearances on “The Phil Silvers Show.”

Kenneth Vaughn (Private Forbes) is the platoon's “new recruit” - the physical fitness instructor that Bilko needs to get rid of.

Joe E. Ross (Master Sergeant Rupert Ritzik) went on to create the role of Gunther Tooty on “Car 54 Where Are You? (1961-63). He also played the role of Ritzik with Maurice Gosfield as Doberman on “The Ed Sullivan Show” (December 28, 1958).  

Beatrice Pons (Mrs. Emma Ritzik) played Joe E. Ross's wife Emma for 13 episodes and then went on to play his wife again on “Car 54 Where Are You?” She made 32 appearances as Lucille Toody from 1961 to 1963.  

Edith King (Ursula Thorndike) played five different characters on the series, including Martha Washington. This is her final role.

Thorndike is the editor of Body Health Magazine and also a judge in the Mr. Universe contest. 

John Alexander (General Alexander) is probably best remembered as 'Teddy Roosevelt' Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace (1944). This is one of three Generals he played on the series, all with different surnames. He also played three different characters on “Car 54 Where Are You?” Fred Herrick (The Hunter) plays the last of his four character roles on the series.

Nick Saunders (Captain Barker) played the role for 28 episodes between 1956 and 1959. In 1962, he made two appearances on “Car 54 Where Are You?”

Barbara Barry (WAC Corporal Edna, uncredited) made 36 appearances as Edna, her only screen role.

Uncredited performers play the bodybuilders and the magazine photographer.

“The Phil Silvers Show,” originally titled “You'll Never Get Rich,” and variously called “Sergeant Bilko” (or merely “Bilko”), is a sitcom which ran on CBS from 1955 to 1959.  A pilot called "Audition Show" was made in 1955, but never broadcast. 143 other episodes were broadcast - all 30 minutes long except for a 1959 one-hour live special. The series starred Phil Silvers as Master Sergeant Ernest G. Bilko of the United States Army. It ran concurrently with “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour,” airing its final episode just two months after the Ricardos and Mertzes left the air for good.  

Character actors who appeared on the series included: Ned Glass, Dody Goodman, **Jane Kean, ***Al Lewis, Charlotte Rae, Fred Gwynn, +Dick Van Dyke, Morey Amsterdam, Margaret Hamilton, +Paul Lynde, Larry Storch, Peggy Cass, +Dina Merrill, Irwin Corey, *Natalie Schafer, Tina Louise, Alan Alda, Orson Bean, Lee Meriwether, Julie Newmar, +Bea Arthur, Barnard Hughes, and Sammy Cahn.

Celebrities who appeared as themselves include: Bing Crosby, +Gary Crosby, Dale Evans, +Ed Sullivan, **Mickey Rooney, Diana Dors, Kay Kendall, Jule Styne, Sam Snead, Dorothy McGuire, Mike Todd, and Yogi Berra.

Like Lucille Ball, other uncredited celebrities included: George Kennedy, *Jack Albertson, Pat Hingle, *Janet Waldo, Mason Adams, Vincent Gardenia, Graham Jarvis, Robert Morse, Christopher Lloyd, **Dean Martin, and +Dick Cavett.

* appeared on “I Love Lucy” ** appeared on “The Lucy Show” *** appeared on “Here’s Lucy” + appeared with Lucille Ball on other TV projects

Lucille Ball speaks just eight words (besides screams) and her screen appearance lasts just a minute and a half. It is unknown if this appearance was reciprocal or a favor for Silvers. He didn't appear on “The Lucy Show” for another seven years!  

The movie magazine in which Papperelli (Billy Sands, left) reads about a movie studio looking for a new Tarzan has the name ELVIS in large letters on the facing page. At the time of filming, Elvis Presley was also in the Army. On the air date (March 18, 1959), Elvis was thrown to the side of the road and injured his knee while taking a tight curve in a Jeep. The injury, however, was kept secret from the press.

Bilko is determined to get perfect specimen Private Forbes out of his unit and cast as the new Tarzan.

Henshaw: “Yeah, but Ernie, how do you know he can act? Bilko: “What act? You don't have to act. All you have to learn how to do is stab animals and say two lines: 'Me Tarzan. You Jane.'” Henshaw: “What's in it for you?” Bilko: “Me rich!”

The auditions are being held at the Santa Monica Auditorium, which, in reality had just opened in 1958.

Forbes can't attend the screen test because he is enrolled in the Mr. Universe Contest at Santa Monica Beach. The Mr. Universe Championships are annual worldwide bodybuilding events organized by the National Amateur Body-Builders' Association (NABBA). In 1959 the winners were Len Sell (amateur) and Bruce Randall (professional). 

Santa Monica's 'Muscle Beach' derived its name from the growing reputation of gymnastics and strength athletes who congregated there due to the 1940 opening of the first nationwide chain of gyms by Vic Tanny. By the 1950s, Muscle Beach established worldwide fame and helped to popularize the health and fitness movement.

To make Forbes a loin cloth, he cons Mrs. Ritzik out of her old leopard print coat. Forbes objects to Bilko styling his hair and doing his make-up.

Bilko: “Look, I happen to know Perc Westmore worked two hours a day on Buster Crabbe, so let me help you with these things.”

Olympic swimmer Buster Crabbe played Tarzan in 1933's 12-chapter serial Tarzan the Fearless. Perc Westmore was one the famous Westmore family of make-up artists, although there is no record of him working with Crabbe. This is probably a Bilko embellishment. Perc Westmore did Lucille Ball's make-up for The Big Street in 1943. Lucy and four of the Westmores appeared in “Hedda Hopper's Hollywood” in January 1960.

To help convince the contest judges that Forbes should be the winner, Bilko has arranged to pay a woman $5 to scream and faint when he steps onto the runway. This un-named woman is played by television's number one star, Lucille Ball. Ball, wearing a fur-lined jacket and pearls, walks into the shot with her back to the camera. When she turns, the studio audience (or laugh track) “oohs and ahhs” at the sight of her. Lucy's first attempt is more of a shriek, than a swoon.

Bilko: “I said Forbes, not Frankenstein!”

Her second attempt sounds like an ambulance siren.

Bilko: “You're going to be on television. You ever been on television before?”

Lucy's eyes grow wide and she shakes her head no!  When Bilko describes how well-built Forbes is, Lucy faints – for real - and is carried off by Henshaw.  

Bilko: “This is a real nut. Get her out of here!”

Corporal Barbella suggests that Forbes pick a fight with Gordon Scott, the current Tarzan, just for the publicity. Scott played Tarzan in six films, more than anyone except for Johnny Weissmuller, who played the role twelve times. Bilko likes the idea, but wants to add in an ape for Forbes to fight. The ape is played by Private Doberman in a gorilla suit. 

When he is spotted by the General on a field reconnaissance, an all-points bulletin is issued to kill him on sight!  

The episode ends with Mrs. Ritzco chewing out Bilko for conning her out of her leopard print coat! To shut her up, Bilko signs a requisition for the Army to buy her a brand new coat.

THE SILVERS BALL MUSEUM

In 1956, Lucille Ball and Phil Silvers teamed for the very first time on the small screen to celebrate the 8th Anniversary of “The Ed Sullivan Show”, although Ball is not mentioned in the above TV Guide ad. The pair returned for the show’s 14th Anniversary in 1962.

1956 “Who’s Who in Television and Radio”.  Silvers and Ball are joined on the cover by Perry Como, Ed Sullivan, Elvis Presley, and Janet Blair.

“The Television Pictorial History” was published by Chilton Company in 1959, the same year as “Bilko and the Ape Man” aired. This copy was autographed by Phil Silvers. The photograph is a publicity image.

In early 1961, TV icons Phil Silvers and Lucille Ball were major stars on Broadway, both in new musicals.

In 1963, Lucille Ball and Phil Silvers joined stars like Danny Thomas, Arthur Godfrey, and Ed Sullivan to introduce the new season of programs on CBS.  

Lucy and Phil teamed to recreate the famous “Slowly I Turned” vaudeville routine she first did on “I Love Lucy.”

In 1965, Lucille Ball and Phil Silvers appeared in the special “A Salute To Stan Laurel”.

In 1966′s "Lucy and the Efficiency Expert” (TLS S5;E13), Silvers plays Oliver Kasten, an efficiency expert Mr. Mooney hires to organize the bank. Seven years after Lucille Ball appearing on his show, Silvers finally appears on hers!