User Reviews

The Court Martial 3-6-56 According to the introduction, this is the most-remembered show of this famous television comedy series, the one in which a monkey is official enlisted in the U.S. Army.

Colonel Hall and Fort Baxter want to make history by inducting 309 recruits in less than two hours, an all-time record for "efficiency." However, one of the new recruits bring his pet chimpanzee to the barracks and, because of hectic conditions, Sgt. Bilko is too late to stop the induction process. At each station, things happen so quickly that "Harry Speakup," a name given the monkey, passes inspection. Now, once discovered, the Army has to find a way to get "him" out of the military with nobody the wiser.

They decide to court martial him after the chimp bites the mess sergeant and Bilko is ordered to defend him! I found that last six minutes - the court-martial trial - as the funniest part of the show.

Yes, this story is totally ludicrous and incomprehensible, but it's a classic episode. Watching it 50 years later, I didn't think it was all that fantastic. It was okay but not a lot of laughs to me, but I do remember this story, so it must have had an impact, even on me.

Entertaining, I guess, but perhaps not the most realistic plot (though is that true of any Phil Silvers show episode?) and more "new recruits" rather than the usual platoon.

In order for you to get any real entertainment value out of watching this episode from TV's "The Phil Silvers Show" you've gotta be willing to cut it some serious slack.

Anyway - As the story goes - Fort Baxter is being used by the army to try out a new induction program, a process so efficient that anyone could get inducted - (even a chimpanzee!)

See what happens when Bilko goes into his shtick of deception and conniving.