Ron Silver
A fiercely intelligent actor and political chameleon who commanded Broadway stages and cable news panels with equal, provocative force.
1946–2009 (age 63)·American actor and activist·Birthday: July 2·Baby Boomers
Biography
Ron Silver, born in 1946, was a figure of electric intellect who refused to be confined to the stage or screen. The son of teachers, he earned advanced degrees in history and Chinese before turning to acting, bringing a scholar's depth to his work. He broke out on Broadway, winning a Tony Award in 1988 for David Mamet's Hollywood satire 'Speed-the-Plow,' where he held his own against co-stars Joe Mantegna and Madonna. On screen, he was a master of portraying powerful, often morally ambiguous men, from slick lawyer Alan Dershowitz in 'Reversal of Fortune' to the relentless political fixer Bruno Gianelli on 'The West Wing,' a role that earned him an Emmy nomination. Silver's life was defined by a passionate engagement with politics; a lifelong Democrat turned vocal supporter of the Bush administration post-9/11, he co-founded the non-partisan activist group The Creative Coalition and became a regular, combative presence on talk shows, arguing his convictions with the same intensity he brought to his roles until his death in 2009.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Ron was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ron Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
Ron's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
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
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 60
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2009Died at 63
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
Key Achievements
- Won the 1988 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performance in David Mamet's 'Speed-the-Plow.'
- Received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his recurring role as strategist Bruno Gianelli on the television series 'The West Wing.'
- Co-founded and served as president of The Creative Coalition, a nonprofit advocacy group for arts and entertainment professionals.
Did You Know?
He held a Master's degree in Chinese history from St. John's University and studied at the prestigious Actors Studio.
He served as the national president of the Actors' Equity Association from 1991 to 2000.
He was a trained pilot and owned his own airplane.
“I'm an actor. I play roles. In my private life, I have strong opinions, but I don't confuse the two.”
