Ron Silver Was a Mensch

I directed Ron Silver twice. I used to tease him I was the only director who would work with him more then once. First time was a film about Amnesty International where he played the Amnesty representative to Turkey. He was incredibly funny, and we spent a couple of months in Budapest filming (Turkey would not let us in).

No matter how tense the scene, or how hard the schedule, or how painful the work (showing torture, even when it is a reenactment is painful), he could always break the tension with perfectly timed wit and wisdom.

And then he was in a mini series I directed starring Sally Field, Woman of Independent Means. And again, in the heat of Houston, with a brutal schedule, he helped maintain a sense of pleasure and perspective on the set.

And as the years progressed and our politics differed he was always engaging and good-natured about our differences. No matter how intense the political disagreement he was never a name caller or shouter.

He was a gentleman, and he will be missed.

Comments

[scotus1]

Sensitive and touching as these hagiographies of Ron Silver may be, they quite ignore the effect of his liberal apostacy; that would be, he allowed his talent and charisma to be used to provide a cloak of legitimacy to the policies of George W. Bush, a figure who a large percentage of world observers consider to be a war criminal and malefactor who did more to corrupt and destroy the democratic principles of our "shining city on the hill" than any president before him. Just as history was slow to forgive and recognize Leni Riefenstahl for her not dissimilar allegance, so should Ron Silver be judged.

[hapkidokid]

Funniest thing this guy ever said was right after the 2004 prez election. He was on one of the cable news networks during election coverage and he was ecstatic about Bush winning, but he said that it was important that Bush NOT see this as a mandate and that Bush should work at bi-partisionship during his second term. I had to laugh. He had no idea who he voted for and backed. The most corrupt and authoritarian American regime in modern history. If the strength of your convictions and principled reasoning is based on fear politics, how is that courageous? Just like Dennis Miller his entire "political awakening" is based on fear of another 9/11 attack. If you can change your entire definition of what you think or want America to stand for, based on one violent attack, again, how is that courageous?

Having said that, condolences to his family.

[cmhmd]

Well said.

I have always pitied those who reacted with such fear after 9/11. Compare it to the British who, after their 7/11, basically said, "F---You" to the terrorists and went about their business of law enforcement.

[Mr Blair's complicity in Iraq being a separate issue in my mind.]

Cheers,

[helpusa]

My sympathies to his family. Now I know why I was so confused about him. I knew him only as a Bush supporter and didn't know that he was in the Dennis Miller camp, once a Democrat turned Republican after 9/11. May he R.I.P. Politically he was a little wiggly. I changed parties in my 20's after Nixon, where I understood what it meant to be a Republican and wanted no part of it. Silver changed parties in his late 50's to a party that came close to ruining everything the USA stands for. It sounds like he was a nice enough guy and I can respect independence.

[RedStateCenterLeft]

Many vilified Silver after his political switch, but his switch was based on principled reasoning rather than personal gain. That has to be admired, even if the switch was incorrect. There went a good guy.

[protagonia]

What was that movie he did about Greta Garbo years ago. He was great in that.

[Greytdog]

An actor's actor; an audience's joy. But most of all, a man of conviction - a rarity indeed. Wind to thy wings, Mr. Silver, wind to thy wings. . . you did good.

[takingbkourcountry]

Very talented, IMO underused. RIP