A Tribute to Ron Silver
With the passing of activist and actor Ron Silver, the intersection of art and politics has lost one of the truly good guys. I did not know Ron well, but we'd run into each other at various political events. As he moved from left to right he maintained a sense of decency, a sense of humor, and a sense of mutual respect far too often lacking in political combatants -- your humble author included.
I was as passionately opposed to the war in Iraq as Ron was supportive of it; I was as appalled by the Bush presidency as he was enthralled by it, and yet he never questioned my patriotism, my support for the troops or my commitment to confronting terrorism. Just because someone had a different opinion, that did not make him a bad person in Ron's eyes.
As a fan of his movies and television roles, I will miss his acting. But as a political hyperbolist who sometimes goes too far, I will miss his civility even more.
Requiem in pace, Ron.
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
Silver had many notable moments in his acting career, but the one that hooked me was when he played Alan Dershowitz in the film based on Dershowitz's book about the Sunny von Bulow case, "Reversal of Fortune".
Fine actor, and as I understand it, a fine human being.
And a fine tribute. Thanks, Paul Begala.
A very nice tribute. I have always been a big fan of Mr. Silver's acting and much of his politics (for most of his life). He will be greatly missed.
Strictly from the acting perspective, he had an edginess, which I would lump in with Rutger Hauer and Christopher Walken. OK maybe not that edgy.
RIP, Mr. Silver. You're in a better place now, with no ideology, no politics, no need to be activist about anything. All are one in the presence of God.
I will miss Silver, whose contribution to the theatre was incalculable. However I do find it somewhat amiss that almost all of the people who were acquainted with his politics, dissociate themselves from his views. You'd never think that half the entire country voted to re-elect Bush. Joe Klein did write an article in Newsweek about the Jewish neocons not representing all Jews, and he was right.
Today that division still exists, and possibly even more in favor of the neocons because of the assault on Gaza and impending one on Iran.
Note to all: There are decent Republicans out there just as there are decent Democrats. We can disagree but we all care about the country.
In the end, Ron Silver was more of an Independent than anything, but the point is that he didn't lose his brains or his character. His talent and example will be sorely missed.
I just remember seeing him come out as a Bush supporter in 2004, and I was horrified. I did NOT want W. in 2000 and even more hoped he failed at being re-elected in 2004. With Ron Silver coming out in support of Bush, I was mortified.
I have read that he was changing his mind towards the last 2 years, like many who supported Bush, they saw the error of their ways. Unfortunately, the damage has been done.
What?!! You hoped the president would fail? But.... I thought that was only those knuckle dragging conservatives who hoped presidents would fail......
No, we hope that YOU Fail.
Not much for reading comprehension, are you? Clearly not.
Nah, we just want(ed) him to stand trial in The Hague for multiple counts of breaking international law and "fighting an aggressive war" (cf. Nuremberg), along with Rummy and The Dick.
My sentiments exactly.
Ron Silver will truly be missed. I became a fan of his in the late 80's when he starred as Jerry Lewis's son in late '88, and early '89 on the CBS tv series: Wiseguy. I've enjoyed his work ever since. I wasn't on the same side that he was on politically in during that era but always enjoyed him whenever he debated.
His switch from liberal to conservative happened after 9/11. Dennis Miller experienced a similar conversion during that timeline. Whether or not you agreed with his positions there was always the sense that he was a genuinely nice guy. We will miss him as an actor, as a debater, and our prayers go out to him and his family. http://theclosetconservative.com
Ron Silver grew up in my neighborhood on the Lower East Side of NYC-
I loved his acting and was proud of his success.
My condolences to his family and RIP Ron.
Thank you Mr. Begala - it is indeed a tribute to Mr. Silver's memory that you touch on the example that he set for all us during these harsh times. It is indeed hard to stay on the high ground often, but we can do our best to remember Mr. Silver as a class act.
An actors actor.
R.I.P. Mr. Silver
I love to hate his character on "The West Wing" and in the movie "Blue Steel" (?) w/ Jamie Lee Curtis.
I am a fan of Paul Begala.
RIP Mr Silver.
I never knew Mr. Silver as an activist, only as an actor. I saw him perform in 1988 on Broadway with Joe Mantegna in a preview of David Mamet's Speed-the-Plow when I was in high school. It is a memory I still cherish to this day. Mamet's dialogue often confounds actors; it can be extremely difficult for most to wrangle the rat-a-tat nature of it into something that sounds natural. His (and Mantegna's) performance remains, to me, the quintessential Mamet. He captured the machismo perfectly to my ears and it was a joy to witness.
Seeing live theatre performed so well by such great actors gave me inspiration in my own acting career. I felt a thrill and a bond to him such that whenever I saw his name listed in any movie's cast list from then on, I immediately thought "I got to see him perform live!" and I felt a personal stake in his career as a result. Such is the impact of good theatre.
The acting world has lost a great, great talent. My sympathies go out to his family and friends.
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
