SGT. BILKO (1996) MOVIE POSTER, AUSTRALIAN ONE SHEET, STEVE MARTIN
Size AU One Sheet (27" x 40")
SGT. BILKO (1996) Australian Double Sided, One Sheet Movie Poster starring Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd, directed by Jonathan Lynn is in Very Fine condition Movie Poster and Condition Condition:...
SGT. BILKO (1996) Australian Double Sided, One Sheet Movie Poster starring Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd, directed by Jonathan Lynn is in Very Fine condition
Movie Poster and Condition
Condition: This Original Double Sided Australian One Sheet Movie Poster is presented as Very Fine condition with flattened out fold lines due to poster being rolled, a small stain on the right hand bottom side, and a small tear around 5mm left hand side top, with some minor handling wear. This poster is currently stored rolled and will be carefully packed and shipped in a cylinder. This is an authentic original 1990s cinema poster, not a reproduction, making it a highly collectible piece of movie memorabilia for fans of Steve Martin, military comedies, and studio-era promotional artwork.
Movie Synopsis
Sgt. Bilko (1996) is a fast-paced military comedy based on the classic 1950s television series The Phil Silvers Show. Directed by Jonathan Lynn, the film stars Steve Martin in one of his most energetic comedic performances as Master Sergeant Ernest G. Bilko, a charming, fast-talking con artist stationed at Fort Baxter, a rundown U.S. Army base in the desert.
Bilko is beloved by his men but despised by his superiors, as he runs an endless series of schemes ranging from illegal betting rings to elaborate money-making scams, all designed to keep morale high and authority at bay. His carefully balanced world is threatened when his long-time nemesis, the rigid and humourless Major Thorn, played by Dan Aykroyd, arrives with the intention of finally exposing Bilko’s misdeeds. Their rivalry becomes the central conflict of the film, blending slapstick humour with clever wordplay and escalating comic set pieces.
The supporting cast includes Glenne Headly as Bilko’s former flame and military psychologist Dr. Wachenstein, Phil Hartman in one of his final film roles as a smarmy Pentagon official, and Max Casella and Eric Edwards as two of Bilko’s loyal but dim-witted soldiers. Together, the ensemble creates a lively atmosphere that echoes the spirit of the original television series while updating it for a 1990s cinema audience.
Written by Andy Breckman and Jonathan Lynn, the film leans heavily into physical comedy, rapid-fire dialogue, and satirical takes on military bureaucracy. Interesting production trivia includes the fact that many exterior scenes were shot in California desert locations, standing in for the fictional Fort Baxter, while the filmmakers worked closely with military advisors to ensure the setting felt authentic despite the outrageous antics.
Although Sgt. Bilko received mixed reviews on release, it has since gained a cult following among fans of Steve Martin and classic comedy adaptations. Today, original posters like this Australian one sheet are increasingly sought after, valued for their bold artwork and nostalgic connection to a uniquely American style of comedy cinema.
To find out more about Sgt. Bilko (1996) click here to go to IMDB.com.
Special Notes
Images may have a small 'MPA' digital watermark and this does not appear on the poster. Posters are being held by magnets in the corners to take photographs, so you may see some magnet and shadows from the magnets in these areas. The magnets are not included in the sale of the item.
Postage, Insurance & Your Country Taxes
Postage costs are quoted for this item, include insurance up to AUD$100, but if you reside outside of Australia, the price does not include any import taxes/fees that you may be required to pay when the item reaches your borders. Please check with your local authorities for any additional taxes or fees. If you would like full insurance coverage for your purchase, please message me and I would be happy to quote the additional cost (estimate is AUD$2.50 p/AUD$100 or 2.5% of the item value, up to a maximum item value of AUD$5,000).
FAQ
At Movie Posters Australia, the love and conservation of movie posters comes first, and we like to share this passion. Our commitment to quality means we will provide high quality memorabilia to our customers. Posters are carefully chosen and authenticated to ensure originality and value. We want our customers to trust MPA, so we always try to be as open and transparent as we can, provide detailed condition information and images, to ensure customers are comfortable and confident in their purchase.
While the industry does have a few condition rating standards, there is no movie poster condition rating system that has become the accepted standard world wide. This unfortunately makes condition terms vary from movie poster dealer to movie poster dealer. Terms like Mint, Near Mint, Very Fine, Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor, seem to be universal to most condition rating standards, but most standards still lack definition about what and how many flaws/defects/damage defines a specific condition level. For more information on how Movie Posters Australia grades the condition of its movie posters, daybills, lobby cards and other ephemera please see out Movie Poster Condition and Grading page.
In the early days of cinema, posters were primarily hand-drawn and printed in various sizes, often tailored to fit the available space in theaters or promotional areas. In the United States, the "One Sheet" size (some times called '1 Sheet' or '1SH' approximately 27" x 41", became the standard during the 1930s. This size was manageable for theater display and suited the needs of a growing film industry.
Different countries developed their own poster sizes and styles, which also changed sometimes over the decades, and were influenced by local preferences and practical considerations, like available paper sheet sizes and how many posters could be printed on one sheet.
In Australia, the most popular size, the Daybill, has evolved over the decades. Australian Daybills sizes in chronological order are:
- Long Daybills (15" x 40"), from 1920's to pre-WW2 or pre-1941, were printed two to a sheet, longer than current Daybill versions. There were size variances in width from 14.5" to 15" and in height from 39.5" to 40".
- War Time Daybill (10" x 30"), during WW2, for a short time to conserve paper during a war time shortage, four Daybills were printed on one sheet. Information from Press Sheets also referred to these War-Time sizes as "New Size Daybills".
- Post-War Daybill (13" x 30"), this 13" x 30" Post-War size carried through until the 1980's, but also varied in size from 13"-14" x 29.75"-30.25".
- Post-80's Daybill (33cm x 66cm, or 13" x 26"), over a few years in the late 80's, the size changed again to a metric 33cm x 66cm, although these have also varied from 32-33cm x 64.5-66cm. New sizes from the late 80's were created, sometimes called a Mini Daybill or Mini Poster, in 9" x 12", 11" x 17" and 13" x 20".
In the UK, the somewhat unique 'Quad' poster, measuring 30" x 40", became popular, offering a larger landscape format that allowed for more elaborate designs.
In Japan, movie poster sizes were smaller, such as the "B2" (20" x 28"), which suited the more compact living environment of larger cities, smaller advertising spaces, and unique aesthetic sensibilities.
The 1970s and 1980s, witnessed the rise of the "six-sheet" (81" x 81") format, reflecting a trend towards larger and more visually impactful advertising.
Overall, the variation in movie poster sizes across different countries and decades highlights the interplay between technological printing advancements, paper resource availability, paper sheet size changes, cultural preferences, and the evolving nature of movie marketing.
At Movie Posters Australia we tag each poster we sell with a 'size' and 'condition' description at the very top of the page for our customers to easily see. There may however be some slight variations to sizes by up one inch due to variations in production and guillotine methods by printers over the decades.