Phil Silvers

A Guide for the Married Man

A man gives his friend a series of lessons on how to cheat on one's wife without being caught.

Cover Girl

A nightclub dancer makes it big in modeling, leaving her dancer boyfriend behind.

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

A group of strangers come across a man dying after a car crash who proceeds to tell them about the $350,000 he buried in California. What follows is the madcap adventures of those strangers as each attempts to claim the prize for himself.

The Strongest Man in the World

Medfield College science major Dexter Riley and his classmates have been working on a new vitamin compound when a lab accident creates a supercharged mix that ends up in Dexter's cereal box, giving him superhuman strength. The powerful formula comes to the attention of the college dean and two rival cereal companies, touching off a hilarious chain of events.

Follow That Camel

Bertram Oliphant 'Bo' West wants to clear his unjustly smeared reputation, so he joins the Foreign Legion—with Simpson his manservant in tow. But the fort they get posted to is full of eccentric legionnaires, and there's trouble brewing with the locals too. Unbeknown to Bo, his lady love has followed him in disguise.

Take Me Up to the Ball Game

In this interplanetary baseball story, a group of friends are playing a sandlot game on Earth that is noticed by Irwin, an outer space promoter of baseball. The haphazard team consists of an eagle, a beaver, a bear, a kangaroo, and a mole. Irwin invites the Earth team to play against the Outer Space All-Stars, an awesome team that has never lost a game, of that matter, been scrored upon. Their secret: they are the biggest cheaters in the universe.

Lucky Me

Three struggling theatrical performers meet a famous songwriter who is trying to convince a wealthy oilman to finance a musical he is scripting, promising them stardom if it comes to fruition.

Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell

After the end of WWII, an Italian woman receives child support payments from three former US soldiers who all believe themselves to be the father of her daughter, Gia.

The Cheap Detective

A spoof of the entire 1940s detective genre. San Francisco private detective, Lou Pekinpaugh is accused of murdering his partner at the instigation of his mistress—his partner's wife.

The Boatniks

Young and awkward, The Coast-Guard's ensign Thomas Garland suffers from the comparison with his late father, a war hero. Which does not prevent him from falling for pretty Kate Fairchild, a young woman who runs a sailing school. Of course the way he expresses his deep sympathy for the lady leaves to be desired. And the situation does not improve when a trio of bumbling jewel thieves interferes.

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

A would-be filmmaker and actress shake up the industry with a trick dog who gets discovered by a studio bus driver in the 1920s.

All Through the Night

Broadway gamblers stumble across a plan by Nazi saboteurs to blow up an American battleship.

Summer Stock

To Jane Falbury's New England farm comes a troup of actors to put up a show, invited by Jane's sister. At first reluctant she has them do farm chores in exchange for food. Her reluctance becomes attraction when she falls in love with the director, Joe, who happens to be her sister's fiance.

Footlight Serenade

Conceited World Champion boxer Tommy Lundy decides to test his popularity in a Broadway show. Tommy always has an eye for the ladies and he starts paying attention to beautiful chorus girl Pat Lambert. Pat's boyfriend Bill Smith isn't impressed with Tommy even though Tommy gets him a boxing part in the show. When Tommy finds out that Pat and Bill were secretly together the night before the show opens, he angrily plans to turn the boxing scene with Bill into a real bout.

Lady Be Good

Married songwriters almost split up while putting on a big show.

A Lady Takes a Chance

A city girl on a bus tour of the West encounters a handsome rodeo cowboy who helps her forget her city suitors.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

A wily slave must unite a virgin courtesan and his young smitten master to earn his freedom.

That's Carry On!

Celebrating twenty years of classic Carry On films, two of the films’ best-loved stars, Kenneth Williams and Barbara Windsor return to Pinewood film studios to unwrap some rib-tickling moments from the series. From the original, military mayhem of Carry On Sergeant, through to the really ancient archaeological gags of Carry On Behind, our saucy hosts get their titters out for this laugh-a-second gallop through the most successful series of British comedy films ever made.

Coney Island

Set at the turn of the century, smooth talking con man Eddie Johnson weasels his way into a job at friend and rival Joe Rocco's Coney Island night spot. Eddie meets the club's star attraction (and Joe's love interest), Kate Farley, a brash singer with a penchant for flashy clothes. Eddie and Kate argue as he tries to soften her image. Eventually, Kate becomes the toast of Coney Island and the two fall in love. Joe then tries to sabotage their marriage plans.

Showbiz Goes to War

While a few Hollywood celebrities such as James Stewart and Clark Gable saw combat during World War II, the majority used their talents to rally the American public through bond sales, morale-boosting USO tours, patriotic war dramas and escapist film fare. Comedian David Steinberg plays host for this star-studded, 90-minute documentary, which looks at the way Tinseltown helped the United States' war effort.

A Thousand and One Nights

On the run after being found sweet-talking the Sultan's daughter, Aladdin comes upon a lamp which, when rubbed, summons up Babs the genie. He uses it to return as a visiting prince asking for the princess's hand. Unfortunately for him, the sultan's wicked twin brother has secretly usurped the throne, someone else is after the lamp for his own ends, and Babs has taken a shine to Aladdin herself and is bent on wrecking his endeavours.

Top Banana

Jerry Biffle is the star of the Blendo Soap Program. He has been invited to participate in an autograph-signing party for his new book at an important department store. Jerry meets Sally Peters, one of the department store models, and makes her part of his TV troupe. As part of his campaign to court Sally, Jerry gets Cliff Lane, the tenor of his TV company, to sing to her over the phone. When Sally and Cliff meet, they fall in love, with Biffle ignorant of the complications.

Roxie Hart

A café in Chicago, 1942. On a rainy night, veteran reporter Homer Howard tells an increasing audience the story of Roxie Hart and the crime she was judged for in 1927.

The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood

Xaviera Hollander has to navigate some sleazy studio politics to see the production of the film version of her memoirs.

Tom, Dick and Harry

Janie is a telephone operator who is caught up in the lines of love of three men: car salesman Tom, Chicago millionaire Dick and auto mechanic Harry. But Janie just can't seem to make up her mind between them. While fantasizing about her futures with each of the men, Janie spends her time desperately trying to juggle between them until she can make a decision.

Just Off Broadway

Private detective Michael Shayne is on the case again, but this time he's stuck on a jury for a murder trial. So, what does he do? Why, he skips out on sequestration in order to solve the case himself!

Diamond Horseshoe

Joe Davis Sr., headliner at a big nightclub, is visited by medical student son Joe Jr., who to Dad's chagrin wants to be a crooner, and soon comes between Dad and his girlfriend Claire. So glamorous dancer Bonnie is enlisted to distract Junior. Which does Bonnie want more, the fur coat or true love? Plot is a framework for numerous Ziegfeld style stage productions.

My Gal Sal

Biopic chronicling the early life of gay nineties-era songwriter Paul Dresser as he outgrows his job as carnival entertainer and moves up into New York society, writing one hit song after another. Despite his egotistical behavior, he manages to woo and win Sally Elliott, one of the more popular songstresses of the day

Keep in Step

An hour of music and comedy sketches hosted by Phil Silvers. Sponsored by Pontiac automobiles.

The New Love Boat

Guest stars include Georgia Engel as a stowaway, Gary Frank and Melanie Mayron as a pair of tremulous honeymooners, Stella Stevens and Pat Harrington as an eternally bickering married couple, and Audra Lindley and Phil Silvers as, respectively, an outspoken middle-aged lady and a woebegone widower.

If I'm Lucky

Out of work swing band maneuvers a gig working for a political campaign, by drawing in and entertaining prospective voters at rallies. The candidate is really a stooge for a corrupt political machine, which discovers the band's handsome and appealing singer would make a better stooge. Meanwhile, romance blossoms between the band's singers. When election day approaches, the band's singer wants out of the campaign, but the machine threatens to smear him and his pals in the band if he quits.

The Chicken Chronicles

A late-1960s teen (Steve Guttenberg) working in a chicken-takeout stand cannot get his mind off his dream-girl (Lisa Reeves).

The Wild Man of Borneo

A medicine show man tries to con people into believing he's a legitimate stage actor.

Something for the Boys

The oddly-assorted Hart cousins: revue singer Blossom, con man Harry, and machinist Chiquita (who gets radio through her teeth!), inherit southern plantation Magnolia Manor, which alas proves to be a "termite trap" and tax liability. Fortunately, Sgt. Rocky Fulton from a nearby army camp appears with a plan to convert the place to a hotel for army wives; but to pay bills until then, they decide to put on a show. Of course, romantic and military complications intervene...

Don Juan Quilligan

When a an overly romantic barge captain marries two women, each reminding him of his mother, he finds himself resorting to prison to escape them.

Ups and Downs

An elevator operator and an engaged girl in love dodge the girl's fiancee and attempt to win over her father.

The Slowest Gun in the West

The town of Primrose, Arizona is beset by outlaws, so the towns people hire Fletcher Bissell III (A.K.A. The Silver Dollar Kid) as their new sheriff. Fletcher is so cowardly the townsfolk are sure that the local outlaws will be too proud to gun him down. This proves to be the case, and the outlaws hire their own cowardly gunfighter, Chicken Finsterwald, to go up against The Silver Dollar Kid.

40 Pounds of Trouble

Hilarity ensues when a casino manager spends a day at Disneyland with a cute but troublesome little girl.

The Girl Can't Help It

A down-and-out gangster hires a down-on-his-luck agent to make his girlfriend a recording star within six weeks.

The Candid Kid

Short comedy/musical film featuring Josephine Huston and Phil Silvers.

Racquet

Centred around a former tennis champ who swings with the girls and volleying straight sets with the rich and famous while set on owning his own tennis court.

The Penalty

In this crime drama, a ruthless gangster's son is soon following in his father's footsteps. When his daddy kills an FBI agent and a cabby, the boy sees it all. Fortunately the courts intervene and send the lad off to live with a family of farmers.

Four Jills in a Jeep

Reenactments of actual USO experiences of its female stars entertaining troops overseas.

Hit Parade of 1941

In this musical, the second entry in a five-film series, a thrift shop owner sells his business and buys a small time radio station. He begins looking for sponsors. He finds one with a department store owner who will only lend him the money if he will allow his daughter, an aspiring tap-dancer and singer, to perform on the air. This is unfortunate as she is tone-deaf. To compensate, the owner hires a real singer to dub the daughter's voice. The singer and the owner's nephew fall in love and mayhem ensues. Songs include: the Oscar nominated "Who Am I?," "Swing Low Sweet Rhythm," "In The Cool of the Evening," "Make Yourself at Home," "The Swap Shop Song," "The Trading Post," "Sally," "Ramona," "Sweet Sue," "Dinah," "Margie," and "Mary Lou."

Goldie and the Boxer

Lighthearted tale of a 10-year-old girl who, when her boxer father dies, strikes up a relationship with a struggling fighter who was his sparring partner and takes on the job of managing him from obscurity to the championship.

There Goes The Bride

A nervous ad executive creates havoc on his daughter's wedding day and becomes obsessed with a dream girl he keeps seeing everywhere but whom he can't catch.

Judy Garland, Robert Goulet & Phil Silvers Special

This very special television event that aired February 1963 helped launch the famed Judy Garland Show which captivated TV audiences throughout 1963 and 1964. Along with co-stars Robert Goulet (who was at the time reeling from the Broadway success of Camelot) and Phil Silvers (enjoying similar success due to popular performances in TV's Sgt. Bilko) join Judy at her entertaining best for song dance and brilliant comedy.

You're in the Army Now

Incompetent door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesmen become enlisted without their knowledge.

Success

Elmer proposes to Molly, but she says he needs her fathers permission. He wants Elmer to become a ballplayer, but his eyesight keeps getting him into trouble. Elmer also needs a new pair of glasses.

Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer

American Masters Series. Documentary on Gene Kelly that gives insight into his dancing, how he formed a style (first "blue collar dancer") and developed different cinematique techniques, such as brilliantly shot dancing sequences.

Tales of Manhattan

Ten screenwriters collaborated on this series of tales concerning the effect a tailcoat cursed by its tailor has on those who wear it. The video release features a W.C. Fields segment not included in the original theatrical release.

Joys

Over fifty of the greatest living comedians are called to a party at Bob Hope's house, where each of them is systematically killed (and their bodies thrown in Hope's pool!). Hope and the rapidly shrinking cast try to discover who is the mysterious killer known only as "Joys."

General Foods Opening Night

Fearing they'll all be fired after hearing Phil Silvers is getting his own show on the General Foods line up, the actors and actress band together to ruin Silvers' show.

Something a Little Less Serious: A Tribute to 'It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World'

A star-studded documentary and tribute to the classic comedy, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World.

Take It or Leave It

A young husband becomes a game-show participant in the hopes of winning the cash to pay his pregnant wife's doctor.

Ice-Capades

Bob Clemens is a cameraman for newsreels. Assigned to shoot the Swiss ice skater Karen Vadja, he arrives too late, so decides to film a woman skating on a different New York rink and pass her off as Karen. The scheme backfires when promoter Larry Herman takes a look at Bob's film and decides to make the skater a star. Unfortunately, it's actually amateur (and illegal immigrant) Marie Bergin in the newsreel footage, not the great figure skater from Switzerland. Chaos ensues as Bob tries to straighten everybody out.

Salute to Stan Laurel

A program featuring original comedy skits written as a tribute to Stan Laurel.

That's Dancing!

A documentary film about dancing on the screen, from its origins after the invention of the movie camera, over the movie musical from the late 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s, up to the break dance and music videos from the 80s.

The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender

A film scrapbook, images, phrases from our past, hiding their meanings behind veils. Let's lift those veils, one by one, to find how images, at one time seeming innocent, have revealed, after decades, to have homosexual overtones.

Damn Yankees

Joe Boyd, an aging Washington Senators fan, would sell his soul for the Senators to beat the New York Yankees and win the pennant. Enter Mr. Applegate, who offers to turn Boyd into Joe Hardy, a powerful young baseball player, in exchange for his soul. When Boyd agrees, he becomes Hardy and leads the Senators on a winning streak. When he starts to miss his wife, though, and questions the deal, Applegate sends temptress Lola into the mix.

The Night They Took Miss Beautiful

Criminals hijack an airplane carrying five beauty contest finalists, but unknowingly they've also kidnapped a government agent carrying a dangerous virus that is to be used in bacterial warfare.

Something's Got to Give

Something's Got to Give (1962) was an unfinished film starring Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin, and Cyd Charisse, intended as a remake of My Favorite Wife. Production was plagued by Monroe's frequent absences due to illness, leading to her firing and rehiring, and the project was abandoned after her sudden death in August 1962, making it her final work.

What's a Carry On?

Documentary commemorating the 40th anniversary of the 'Carry On' comedy film series. Archive clips and out-takes are mixed with interviews with the cast.

Summer Stock: Get Happy!

Discussion of the making of the film Summer Stock (1950).

Hey Abbott

Take a golden trip down memory lane with Bud Abbott and Lou Costello and their classic zany, rapid-fire routines that keep generations laughing!

On Location: The Carry Ons

June Whitfield takes a look at some of the locations used during the making of the legendary 'Carry On' films.

Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films

A documentary about the rise and fall of the Cannon Film Group, the legendary independent film company helmed by Israeli cousins Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus.