The Ron Silver Page

September 1, 2004 New York Times article about Ron Silver's appearance at the Republican National Convention.

Ron Silver was born on July 2, 1946. He grew up on Manhattan's Lower East Side, and attended Stuyvesant High School. After graduating from the University of Buffalo with a degree in Spanish and Chinese, he received his master's degree in Chinese History from St. John's University and the College of Chinese Culture in Taiwan. Before turning to acting, he flirted with doing intelligence work. He took acting lessons while working on his masters degree.

      

       

    
As Herman Broder in "Enemies: A Love Story" (1989) (at left, with Lena Olin, and at right)

Silver trained for the stage at the Herbert Berghof Studio. He also studied with Uta Hagen and at the Actors Studio with Lee Strasberg. His first big break came as a cast member of the hit satirical stage show "El Grande De Coca-Cola" in 1973; after that he moved to California and got a part on the TV sitcom "Rhoda" (see photo from "Rhoda" (52K)). From then on Silver remained steadily employed in TV and theater; his screen career was renewed in the early '80s, and by the late '80s he was landing lead roles in major productions.

           
As Doug Kaines in "Blind Side" (1993, left, with Rutger Hauer and Rebecca DeMornay), as Gilbert Rolfe in "Garbo Talks" (1984, middle, with Catherine Hicks), and as Alan Dershowitz in "Reversal of Fortune" (right, 1990)

Silver is known as an intense, electrifying stage and film actor; for his performance in David Mamet's Broadway play Speed-The-Plow he won the Tony and Drama Desk awards. He has also appeared on Broadway in "Hurlyburly" and "Social Security." In addition, he has starred in two one-man shows, "And..." and "Bill Graham Presents." A dedicated political activist, Silver is a vocal supporter of environmental and anti-nuclear organizations. In 1988, he founded The Creative Coalition, a political action group calling for the involvement of artists in pressing social issues, and currently serves on their Advisory Board [see photo of Creative Coalition members at a rally in Washington DC (77.5K).

         
In "Speed-the-Plow," with Madonna and Joe Mantegna (left, 1988), and in "Social Security," with Marlo Thomas (right, 1986)

      
As Aaron McCombs and Aaron McCombs (from 2004, left, and 1994, right) in Timecop (1994, left), and as Phil Gordian, in "The Arrival" (1996, right, with Richard Schiff and Charlie Sheen)

He's played a lot of easy-to-hate villains during his career, but I think he was great as the son trying to grant his mother her dying wish in "Garbo Talks," and as a man caught between the needs of his daughter and new wife in "Married to It." I thought he was hilarious as Larry Weisman in "Best Friends." I'd enjoy seeing him in more comedic roles or in dramatic roles in which he does not play a one-dimensional character.

   
As Tom in "Love is Strange" (left, 1999), as Eugene Hunt in "Blue Steel," with Jamie Lee Curtis (middle, 1990), and as Tommy Wilmette in "Chicago Hope" (right, 1996)

       
As Valentine in The Shadow Zone (left, 1996), and as David Sternberg (with Jerry Lewis) in Wiseguy (middle, 1988).

Ron Silver has had continuing roles on several television series over the years, including "Rhoda," "Hill Street Blues," "Chicago Hope," "Veronica's Closet," "The West Wing," and most recently, "Skin." He has had other projects since then and more in the works - check out his film and other appearances.

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Here is a set of articles about and editorials written or co-written by Ron Silver, and a transcript from CNN's Talkback Live February 20, 1998 broadcast, which he hosted. These are listed (and linked) below. I will try to add more current ones to them as I am able.

• 1990 People magazine profile of him,
• 1991 Cosmopolitan article about him,
• Excerpt from a 1991 Back Stage interview of several actors regarding formal acting training,
• 1992 Los Angeles Times article about him and the play "and",
• 1993 New York Times article about his activism,
• 1994 New York Times op-ed urging newly-inaugurated Mayor Giuliani to draw on Silver's expertise to revitalize Broadway,
• 1995 Atlanta Journal & Constitution article about his life and his role as Henry Kissinger in "Kissinger and Nixon,"
• 1991 Los Angeles Times editorial co-written by Silver and Mark Adams Taylor defending activism by celebrities,
• 1997 Newsday Editorial co-written by Silver and a New York state assemblyman regarding a New York ballot measure,
• 1998 Wall Street Journal Editorial Ron Silver wrote in support of Israel's right to defend itself if attacked (in this case, by Iraq in relaliation for U.S. bombings),
• 1998 USA Today short piece about the upcoming film "The Agency," in which Ron Silver plays CIA chief Tom Lenahan,
• 1999 Journal News (Westchester County, NY) article about him (and a nice mention of me!)
• Transcript from CNN's Talkback Live

Angie's Chicago Hope Page

I developed this web page because:

1. I appreciate Ron Silver's acting and his political involvement, and no one else had put together a web site celebrating his work,

2. My other web pages are all Very Serious, and I wanted to have just one that was Fun.

I developed and maintain this website as an individual admirer of Ron Silver's work - it is not an official fan site. Although I collected the information in this site from the internet and other sources, I bear responsibility for any inaccuracies in this page. If you find any or know of any information that is more current, please inform me and I will correct it.

Stop by my home page if you want to see resources for social & political psychology, disability activism, links about my hometown of Portland OR, or just to find out more about who I am.

Thanks!
Barbara