Ben Silverman
A television savant who bet on bold formats, bringing global hits like 'The Office' and 'Ugly Betty' to American audiences.
Born 1970 (age 56)·American media executive·Birthday: August 15·Generation X
Biography
Ben Silverman operates at the high-velocity intersection of television, culture, and deal-making. He cut his teeth as a young agent at William Morris before founding Reveille, a production company that revolutionized the TV landscape by adapting international formats for the U.S. market. His keen eye for what could travel led to two era-defining hits: the American version of 'The Office', which he shepherded onto NBC, and 'Ugly Betty', adapted from a Colombian telenovela. These successes made him a sought-after executive, leading to a tumultuous stint as co-chairman of NBC Entertainment. A relentless entrepreneur, he later co-founded Propagate, a content company built for the streaming age. Silverman's career is a testament to understanding that a great story can come from anywhere, and that packaging it right is its own art form.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Ben was born in 1970, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ben Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Ben's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1970Born
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1975Started school
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1983Became a teenager
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Could drive
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1988Could vote
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Turned 21
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Turned 30
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 40
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 50
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 56 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Spearheaded the American adaptation of the British series 'The Office', serving as an executive producer for its entire nine-season run.
- Developed and executive produced 'Ugly Betty', the hit ABC series adapted from a Colombian telenovela, which won a Golden Globe for Best Comedy.
- Founded Reveille LLC, a pioneering production company that specialized in adapting international television formats for the U.S. market.
Did You Know?
He began his career in the mailroom of the William Morris Agency.
He was an early investor in the dating app Bumble.
He served as the U.S. Ambassador to the International Emmy Awards for several years.
He produced the reality show 'The Biggest Loser'.
“The right show at the right time can change the entire conversation.”
