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"The Phil Silvers Show" Bilko the Art Lover (1958)

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A Very Young Alan Alda Guest Stars, 22 March 2007

Author: ccthemovieman-1 from Lockport, NY, United States

Alan Alda, of "Mash" TV fame, makes his television debut in this episode.

Bilko is very tense, and doesn't know why. He's acting like a real sergeant! He sees the doctor, who recommends a vacation. Bilko's ideas of Hawaii, Malibu or Las Vegas don't fly. He still holds out for New York, with a two-week furlough, but he has no cash. He tries to con his men into giving him money, but nothing works.

When Ernie goes through his books to see who still owes him money, he comes across the name of Carlyle Thompson III. He was millionaire he used to have in his barracks who now lives in New York. Back then, Bilko had tried to fleece big money out of the kid by treating him special but was thwarted when it was discovered the young guy couldn't get his money until his 25th birthday. Ernie remembers that the kid has to be 25 now, and it's time to collect debts and play the guilt show on the kid for how well he had treated him. He calls the "kid," gets a private plane which comes to whisk him away to New York...and off he goes.

The young millionaire is played by Alda. I almost didn't recognize him. He was only 21 or 22 years old. He didn't get fame as "Hawkeye" on the TV hit "MASH" for about 15 more years. This is Alda's first or second appear ever on camera.

Anyway, Ernie winds up as obnoxious and pushy as ever, trying to get money off the kid, who has problems of his own being thrown out of his house by his dad. In the end, Bilko gets Carylyle and his dad back together, helps the man become a successful artist and all live happily ever after.

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