The Phil Silvers Show

Paul Ford often forgot his exact lines, which allowed Phil Silvers to improvise during many of the scenes between Sergeant Bilko and Colonel Hall. Both men always stayed in character however, it was usually the other actors in the scene who laughed, ruining the scene.

Sgt. Bilko routinely wore his decorations incorrectly, and differently from one show to the next. He nearly always wore his Combat Infantryman Badge with the lower wreath overlapping the top row of ribbons; the lower edge of the CIB should always be about 1/4" above the top edge of the top row of ribbons. Also, he nearly always wore a unit commendation ribbon centered below his other ribbons, just below the top edge of his left breast pocket flap; unit commendation ribbons on Army uniforms were worn just above the top edge of the right breast pocket flap (although that style of "Class A" uniform is now long obsolete). Also, Bilko sometimes wore a unit commendation ribbon above the pocket flap of his right breast pocket, and sometimes wore the same ribbon below that same pocket flap; all unit commendation ribbons on Army uniforms were worn together, just above the right breast pocket flap.

Featured in Salute to Stan Laurel (1965)