Ron Silver, Remembered

Ron Silver got me drunk when I was 12 years old. My 16 year old sister and I were hanging at his West Hollywood pad with our parents, Jerry and Anne, and Ron's wife at the time, Lynn. Ron and my mom were both semi-regulars on the sitcom Rhoda. Ron played Gary Levy, Rhoda's swinging single neighbor, and my mom was Sally Gallagher, her swinging stewardess friend.

Ron knew we were bored and asked if I wanted a little vodka in my Coke. Amy had some too. She also had a huge crush on Ron... because he was cool. We had a great time. Nothing too crazy. I didn't end up an alky, and things worked out ok... and I always loved Ron for that. He treated us like people, even though we weren't yet.

Through the years I looked up to him as an actor, his cool Jewish intensity and humor were able to take him from sitcoms to action movie heavies.... and his intelligence and charisma from David Rabe to Aaron Sorkin dialog...and he was so good at all of it.

10 years ago two writers from Milwaukee named Rob Schrab and Dan Harmon wrote a TV pilot called Heat Vision and Jack. It was a Six Million Dollar Man/Knight Rider inspired series about an astronaut played by Jack Black who flew too close to the sun on a mission, so when it was daylight he was the smartest man in the world, and when the sun set he was normal again. Owen Wilson was the voice of his talking motorcycle. And the villain of the piece was Ron Silver as himself -- Ron Silver the actor, bad guy from Time Cop, but that was just his cover -- in actuality he was the head of NASA, which in this reality was an evil organization trying to take over the world. Weirdly, it didn't get picked up. But Ron was genius in it, playing it as straight as could be. I hope some people YouTube it, because it showed what a great sense of humor he had. I never got caught up in his politics. I just always loved him as a person and a talent. I know he struggled over the last couple of years, and I can only believe he is in a better place now. He will truly be missed.

Comments

[tcouto87]

I loved reading this story. Thanks for sharing.

[freedomitchy]

He got a way too short ticket.

[PPatt]

Nice thought...that there can be something to like about a person aisde from their political affinity. I know nothing about Jewish intensity though I am no stranger to intensity. What shone through in your post was more about what you found to like about this man.

Now that I can identify with...

[Cookie100]

Jewish intensity? Raised in a Jewish community, when I was growing up, THERE WERE NO JEWISH RIGHTIES, EVER!
Everyone I knew was a Dem, forever and always. My mom was Jewish so we were raised in an extremely democratic household. My dad was a Nixon fan and a Christian, it's why they divorced, or one of the reasons.
What has happened to Jews in America? It's always about Israel, yha'll I know, Israel is real. Whatever.
Israeli's always vote for neo CONS too, they're just like Americans. That's why they'll never be peace in Israel, and we will all suffer for it!
Let Israel go, we'll all be much better off. The whole world will be better off.

[Lombard1006]

Was there ever a role more perfect for him than playing Alan Dershowitz defending Claus Von Bulow? He was a terrific actor who could take the wonderful lines he was given and add the Silver twist. Well done, Ron.

[jollyelle]

What's "cool Jewish intensity" ? Are non jews allowed to say that?

just had to ask......

[vesaversa1]

Great story man .

[scarecrow11]

How could an emotional intelligence like Mr. Silver's be "turned around the right way" so quickly?

http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2009/01/15/new-yorks-bravest/

[StillMadMatt]

yes

[StillMadMatt]

Supplying booze to you at the age of 12 does not make him a good role model in my opinion. But he was a great actor. RIP

[wadenelson1]

Consider the alternative. Kids getting introduced to alcohol by OTHER kids, usually while recklessly "cruising" around in one of their parents' cars.

Sometimes not-so "wreck-less" ly.

Kids SHOULD be introduced to alcohol by adults, probably someone other than their parents. At what age? Who's to say.

The whole "forbidden fruit" aspect to alcohol is, I suspect, a part of the problem. Maybe we need a ceremony, a ritual kids go through, introducing them to alcohol in a safe, controlled environment.

[poster1122]

You had me up until the "probably someone other than their parents." If I'm not mistaken, this is one of those tactics adults often use to prey on kids. Offering a minor something illicit without his parents' consent makes the whole relationship with the adult something the kid thinks he can't talk to his parents about.

I'm all for parents teaching their kids to drink responsibly, but as a rule of thumb, I think what you propose would be a really bad idea. The potential for abuse of any adult being allowed to give alcohol to minors is just staggering. For every Ron Silver who might be well-intentioned, there's probably a creepy guy out there who does not mean the minor well.

[staticnoise]

It's not when an adult first serves a kid alcohol that's important. What's important is how the kid sees the adult use alcohol. In the event the adult abuses alcohol, does it really matter at what age the kid starts consuming it?

[MsLiz]

Hey Ben, how come your mother isn't in your films? I loved her from the old days of Stiller and Meara.

[mergina]

I kinda liked him until he jumped on the bush cheney bandwagon. There is nothing more pathetic than an independent thinking mind joining the mindless frey as he did. As far as his acting abilities? Like so many actors, if you've seen his performance in this film, then you've seen the same performance in that film, just like Ben Stiller. RIP.

[LMPE]

I'm sure that he was a good guy at heart.

[Derek Spiewak]

I always really liked Ron Silver as an actor, and when he changed his political leanings so dramatically it didn't really faze me. I knew a lot of other Jewish guys who reacted that way to 9/11 and I could understand it, even when I didn't agree. I'm impressed with how he kept up his energy levels right up to the end of his life. He was a terrific, intense actor, and that (plus his awesome hair and general cool attitude) was something to look up to as a kid. Finding out that he was politically aware and pro-Israel was something even my parents could get behind.

This remembrance by Ben Stiller - young people in the public eye, get out your pencils and take notes. This is precisely how it should always be done: really classy and graceful.

[MaybeMilo]

I remember seeing him in Blue Steel when I was in my early 20s - scared the hell out of me.

RIP, sir.