I bought Phil Silvers' Emmy Award for $6,000

Call it a Christmas present for myself — and one I really needed. For years I've been in search of a top-notch Emmy to add to my collection of historic showbiz awards, so last weekend I finally nailed it: the first Emmy won by "The Phil Silvers Show" as best comedy series of 1956. I purchased it for $6,000 from the auction held by Bonham's.

Constant readers of Gold Derby know that I possess what's believed to be the largest personal collection of historic showbiz awards outside of Jack Nicholson's house. Actually, just talking showbiz awards acquired by private collectors, I'm sure that my stash is not only the largest, but a collection that contains the most important individual statuettes, historically speaking. I own two Golden Globes: best drama picture of 1959 ("Ben-Hur") and best TV series of 1984 ("Dynasty"). I don't just have any ole Tony Award, but Richard Barr's trophy for producing Broadway's best play of 1963 — "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" I've got "High Noon's" writers guild award, a top-notch Grammy and lots of Oscar items. I own one statuette — "Anna and the King of Siam," best art direction of 1946 (William Darling) — plus lots of Oscar nominations plaques, including Charlie Chaplin ("Limelight," best music score, 1972), John Ford ("How Green Was My Valley," best director, 1941) and two bestowed to Katharine Hepburn ("Suddenly, Last Summer," 1959; "The Rainmaker," 1956). Chaplin and Ford won for those bids, of course. I also own some of Hepburn's academy membership cards.

I own lots of Emmy stuff, including "Maverick's" nomination plaque as best western series, which it won in 1959, the only year the category existed. I also possess one of Bette Midler's Emmys, bestowed for "Ol' Red Hair Is Back" as best variety special of 1978. Sorry, that's just not good enough. I've needed a famous one, an Emmy that reigns high in TV history, which means preferably one bestowed for best series or best acting.

"The Phil Silvers Show" was a massive hit as soon as it debuted on TV on September, 1955. It showcased the shenanigans of a conniving sergeant (Phil Silvers) at a U.S. Army base in Kansas. He was aptly named Sgt. Bilko since he was always cooking up scams to bilk money out of his troops. At the Emmys in 1956, it competed for five prizes, facing off in the top race (best series, half hour or less — also classified officially by the TV academy as best comedy series) against the previous year's winner of best comedy, "Make Room for Daddy," plus "Caesar's Hour," "The Jack Benny Program," "The George Gobel Show" and "The Bob Cummings' Show." "The Phil Silvers Show" won best show plus best actor, direction and writing. It returned to win best series two more years in a row.

My new Emmy acquisition will soon be on public display at the Hollywood Museum where most of my collection can be seen. Check out the museum's website HERE.

Photo of Phil Silvers: CBS