# Ron Silver
**Ron Silver** (born Ronald Arthur Silver, 1946) was an American stage, film, and television actor who won the 1988 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for David Mamet's *Speed-the-Plow*, and a political activist who co-founded the Creative Coalition, led the [Actors' Equity Association](https://www.edgepedia.org/actors-equity-association), and later became a public supporter of President George W. Bush after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born / died | Born 1946 in New York City; died March 15, 2009, in New York City of esophageal cancer, aged 62[1](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-ron-silver16-2009mar16-story.html) |
| Signature stage role | Charlie Fox, a Hollywood producer, in the original Broadway run of Mamet's *Speed-the-Plow* (1988); Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for Best Actor[2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ron-silver-60081) |
| Notable film roles | Alan Dershowitz in *Reversal of Fortune* (1990), Herman Broder in *Enemies: A Love Story* (1989), Angelo Dundee in *Ali* (2001), a corrupt senator in *Timecop* (1994)[3](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2009/03/16/awardwinning-actor-fought-for-causes/a3bdc8c9-d334-4673-b706-fab72243f9f7/) |
| Television | Emmy-nominated for *Billionaire Boys Club* (1987) and for recurring role as Bruno Gianelli on *The West Wing* (2002)[1](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-ron-silver16-2009mar16-story.html) |
| Union leadership | President of Actors' Equity Association, 1991–2000[4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/silver-ron-1946-ronald-silver) |
| Activism | Co-founded the Creative Coalition in 1989 and One Jerusalem in 2000; featured speaker at the 2004 Republican National Convention[5](https://www.jta.org/2009/03/16/united-states/actor-political-activist-ron-silver-dies) |
## Early life and education
Silver was born in New York City in 1946 to Jewish immigrant parents and grew up on Manhattan's Lower East Side; his father worked in the clothing business and his mother was a teacher[1](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-ron-silver16-2009mar16-story.html) • [6](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/mar/28/ron-silver-obituary). He graduated from the [State University of New York](https://www.edgepedia.org/state-university-of-new-york) at Buffalo, where he studied Spanish and Chinese, and received a master's degree in Chinese history from St. John's University in New York and the College of Chinese Culture in Taiwan[1](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-ron-silver16-2009mar16-story.html). The Guardian obituary reports that he intended to become a China expert for the CIA[6](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/mar/28/ron-silver-obituary), and IBDB adds that he attended Columbia University's Graduate School of International Affairs[2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ron-silver-60081).
Exempt from the draft as a student, he traveled to Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Japan, and the Soviet Union in the late 1960s. He then worked briefly as a high school teacher and a social worker before studying acting, first with Herbert Berghof and then with [Lee Strasberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/lee-strasberg) at the [Actors Studio](https://www.edgepedia.org/actors-studio)[1](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-ron-silver16-2009mar16-story.html).
## Stage career
Silver made his New York stage debut in 1971, and in 1975 moved to Los Angeles with the hit off-Broadway revue *El Grande de Coca-Cola*, which opened doors in television and film[1](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-ron-silver16-2009mar16-story.html). On Broadway he appeared in two [Mike Nichols](https://www.edgepedia.org/mike-nichols)-directed productions in the 1980s, [David Rabe](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-rabe)'s *Hurlyburly* (1984) and Andrew Bergman's comedy *Social Security* (1986), co-starring with [Marlo Thomas](https://www.edgepedia.org/marlo-thomas)[1](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-ron-silver16-2009mar16-story.html).
**The Tony.** In 1988 Silver originated the role of Charlie Fox, a scheming Hollywood producer, in the Lincoln Center Theater production of [David Mamet](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-mamet)'s *Speed-the-Plow* at the Royale Theatre, opposite Madonna and [Joe Mantegna](https://www.edgepedia.org/joe-mantegna)[2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ron-silver-60081) • [3](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2009/03/16/awardwinning-actor-fought-for-causes/a3bdc8c9-d334-4673-b706-fab72243f9f7/). He won both the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play; New York Times critic Frank Rich called it "the performance of his career"[2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ron-silver-60081) • [1](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-ron-silver16-2009mar16-story.html). In 2000 he played rock impresario Bill Graham in the one-man play *Bill Graham Presents* at the Canon Theater in Beverly Hills[1](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-ron-silver16-2009mar16-story.html).
## Film and television
Silver built a reputation for intense roles and for playing real-life figures. He played the lawyer [Alan Dershowitz](https://www.edgepedia.org/alan-dershowitz) in *Reversal of Fortune* (1990), defending [Claus von Bülow](https://www.edgepedia.org/claus-von-bulow); a Holocaust survivor juggling three wives in [Paul Mazursky](https://www.edgepedia.org/paul-mazursky)'s *Enemies: A Love Story* (1989); a psychopathic stock trader in Kathryn Bigelow's *Blue Steel* (1990); boxing trainer Angelo Dundee in *Ali* (2001); and tennis player Bobby Riggs in *When Billie Beat Bobby* (2001)[3](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2009/03/16/awardwinning-actor-fought-for-causes/a3bdc8c9-d334-4673-b706-fab72243f9f7/) • [7](https://www.the-independent.com/news/obituaries/ron-silver-actor-who-played-a-presidential-advisor-in-the-west-wing-1646482.html). Other film credits include *Silkwood* (1983), *Garbo Talks* (1984), *Timecop* (1994), and *Find Me Guilty* (2006)[2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ron-silver-60081).
On television he received Emmy Award nominations for a supporting role in the 1987 miniseries *Billionaire Boys Club* and, in 2002, for his recurring role as presidential campaign advisor Bruno Gianelli on *The West Wing*, a character who moved from the Democrats to the Republicans[1](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-ron-silver16-2009mar16-story.html) • [6](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/mar/28/ron-silver-obituary). He had continuing roles in the series *Rhoda*, *Wiseguy*, *Veronica's Closet*, and *Chicago Hope*, and starred in the short-lived 1982 CBS sitcom *Baker's Dozen*[1](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-ron-silver16-2009mar16-story.html).
## Political activism
Silver described himself as "an actor by calling, but an activist by inclination"[6](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/mar/28/ron-silver-obituary). In 1989 he helped found the Creative Coalition, an arts-oriented political advocacy group, and became its acting president; the group's members testified before Congress on First Amendment rights, arts funding, and public education[5](https://www.jta.org/2009/03/16/united-states/actor-political-activist-ron-silver-dies) • [3](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2009/03/16/awardwinning-actor-fought-for-causes/a3bdc8c9-d334-4673-b706-fab72243f9f7/). As a liberal activist he campaigned for [Bill Clinton](https://www.edgepedia.org/bill-clinton) and other Democratic presidential contenders, attended the Democratic conventions of 1992 and 2000, and spoke publicly for abortion rights, gay rights, and stem cell research[1](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-ron-silver16-2009mar16-story.html) • [3](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2009/03/16/awardwinning-actor-fought-for-causes/a3bdc8c9-d334-4673-b706-fab72243f9f7/). In 2000 he co-founded One Jerusalem, an organization calling for a united Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, in opposition to the Oslo Peace Accords[5](https://www.jta.org/2009/03/16/united-states/actor-political-activist-ron-silver-dies).
**The turn after 9/11.** After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Silver switched his party affiliation from Democrat to independent and became an outspoken supporter of President George W. Bush's military response, calling himself a "9/11 Republican" and speaking at the 2004 [Republican National Convention](https://www.edgepedia.org/republican-national-convention) in New York[5](https://www.jta.org/2009/03/16/united-states/actor-political-activist-ron-silver-dies) • [8](https://www.the-independent.com/news/people/news/west-wing-s-ron-silver-dies-age-62-1646099.html). He said the switch cost him acting jobs and alienated colleagues; his brother Mitchell reported that Silver nevertheless voted for [Barack Obama](https://www.edgepedia.org/barack-obama) in the end[7](https://www.the-independent.com/news/obituaries/ron-silver-actor-who-played-a-presidential-advisor-in-the-west-wing-1646482.html).
## Union leadership and later years
Silver served as president of Actors' Equity Association from 1991 to 2000, succeeding Colleen Dewhurst; while preparing for the post he spent 1991 as a scholar-in-residence at Yale Law School studying the First Amendment[4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/silver-ron-1946-ronald-silver) • [3](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2009/03/16/awardwinning-actor-fought-for-causes/a3bdc8c9-d334-4673-b706-fab72243f9f7/). In February 2008 he began hosting *The Ron Silver Show*, a weekly politics and public affairs program on Sirius Satellite Radio[5](https://www.jta.org/2009/03/16/united-states/actor-political-activist-ron-silver-dies). President Bush appointed him to the honorary delegation accompanying him to Jerusalem for the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel in May 2008[2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ron-silver-60081).
He married editor Lynne Miller in 1975; the marriage ended in divorce in 1997, and they had a son, Adam, and a daughter, Alexandra[4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/silver-ron-1946-ronald-silver) • [2](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ron-silver-60081). Silver died on March 15, 2009, in New York City, two years after being diagnosed with esophageal cancer[5](https://www.jta.org/2009/03/16/united-states/actor-political-activist-ron-silver-dies). The marquees of Broadway theaters were dimmed in his honor on March 18, 2009[9](https://www.broadwayleague.com/press/press-releases/broadway-to-dim-its-lights-on-wednesday-march-18th-at-8-pm-in/).
## References
1. [Ron Silver dies at 62; Tony-winning actor and political activist, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-ron-silver16-2009mar16-story.html)
2. [Ron Silver – Broadway Cast & Staff, IBDB](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ron-silver-60081)
3. [Award-Winning Actor Fought for Causes, The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2009/03/16/awardwinning-actor-fought-for-causes/a3bdc8c9-d334-4673-b706-fab72243f9f7/)
4. [Silver, Ron 1946- (Ronald Silver), Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/silver-ron-1946-ronald-silver)
5. [Actor, political activist Ron Silver dies, Jewish Telegraphic Agency](https://www.jta.org/2009/03/16/united-states/actor-political-activist-ron-silver-dies)
6. [Ron Silver (obituary), The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/mar/28/ron-silver-obituary)
7. [Ron Silver: Actor who played a presidential advisor in 'The West Wing', The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/news/obituaries/ron-silver-actor-who-played-a-presidential-advisor-in-the-west-wing-1646482.html)
8. [West Wing's Ron Silver dies age 62, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/news/people/news/west-wing-s-ron-silver-dies-age-62-1646099.html)
9. [Broadway Dims Lights in Honor of Tony Award-Winning Actor Ron Silver, The Broadway League](https://www.broadwayleague.com/press/press-releases/broadway-to-dim-its-lights-on-wednesday-march-18th-at-8-pm-in/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Sc to Sl*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license