Ron Silver dies.

[Lost Soul]

Actor Ron Silver, 62, Dies
I am terribly saddened to report that the great actor and political activist, Ron Silver, died this morning at his home in New York. Ron was 62 and had been bravely battling esophageal cancer for the last two years. He leaves two children, Adam and Alexandra, his parents and his two brothers, as well as countless friends and admirers.
About ten days ago I wrote in this space about Ron’s great acting achievements. Of course, he first came to popularity acting with Valerie Harper and Julie Kavner in “Rhoda,” as their menschy neighbor, Gary. But very quickly he took off in movies, with such milestones as his performance in "Enemies: A Love Story", his wonderful portrayal of lawyer Alan Dershowitz in "Reversal of Fortune", and so many other films including "Garbo Talks", "Blue Steel", and "Ali". He was nominated twice for Emmy awards.
Ron was also an accomplished theater actor. His credits included the original Broadway cast of "HurlyBurly" (1984) with William Hurt, Judith Ivey, and Harvey Keitel. In 1986 he co-starred on Broadway with Marlo Thomas in the comedy "Social Security". And in 1988 he, Joe Mantegna and Madonna were the original cast of David Mamet’s “Speed the Plow.” Ron played Charlie Fox, the screenwriter with the idea who comes to Bobby Gould (Mantegna) for help. In all three plays, Ron secured his place as the “it” New York actor of his time, consummate, literate, dangerous and smart.


The smart was a good thing and a bad thing. In 1989, Ron helped found the Creative Coalition with Alec Baldwin, Ron Silver, Christopher Reeve, Susan Sarandon, Blair Brown and Stephen Collins. It only takes a second to realize this was a group of liberal minded actors, and Ron was part of them. But soon his politics turned conservative. In short order Ron started endorsing candidates like New York Republicans Rudolph Giuiliani and Alfonse D’Amato. This caused no end of headaches, discussions, debates, and fights. But it also made for a lively time.


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,509076,00.html

R.I.P

[Mortis]

Rest in peace, Ron

[tinydancer]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,509076,00.html

R.I.P

I've listened to Ron when he was being interviewed a couple of times,and there is a term that is not used much these days,but it applies to Mr. Silver......smart.

Ron was smart. His whit was quick, his timing was bang on, and most of all I was thrilled when he joined "our side".

62 is too young to leave us. Oh my, I just found myself crying. RIP.

[samurai7]

I'm sorry to hear that.

He didn't look 62, and that's awfully young to die.

Very sad. :(

[super cool ski instructor]

That's sad :(
I am praying for his family.

[gb2004]

R.I.P. Ron Silver

This is the transcript from the speech he gave at the 2004 Republican convention.

I want to thank the President and the Republican Party for holding this event in my hometown, my father’s hometown, my grandfather’s and great grandfather’s birthplace.

Just over 1,000 days ago, 2,605 of my neighbors were murdered at the World Trade Center — men, women and children — as they began their day on a brilliantly clear New York autumn morning, less than four miles from where I am now standing.

We will never forgive. Never forget. Never excuse!

At the end of World War II, General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Allied Commander of the South Pacific, said:

“It is my earnest hope - indeed the hope of all mankind - that from this solemn occasion a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past, a world found upon faith and understanding, a world dedicated to the dignity of man and the fulfillment of his most cherished wish for freedom, tolerance and justice.”

The hope he expressed then remains relevant today.

We are again engaged in a war that will define the future of humankind.

Responding to attacks on our soil, America has led a coalition of countries
against extremists who want to destroy our way of life and our values.

This is a war we did not seek.

This is a war waged against us.

This is a war to which we had to respond.

History shows that we are not imperialists . . .but we are fighters for freedom and democracy.

Even though I am a well-recognized liberal on many issues confronting our society today, I find it ironic that many human rights advocates and outspoken members of my own entertainment community are often on the front lines to protest repression, for which I applaud them but they are usually the first ones to oppose any use of force to take care of these horrors that they
catalogue repeatedly.

Under the unwavering leadership of President Bush, the cause of freedom and democracy is being advanced by the courageous men and women serving in our Armed Services.

The President is doing exactly the right thing.

That is why we need this President at this time!

I am grateful for the chance to speak tonight to express my support for our Commander-in-Chief, for our brave troops, and for the vital cause which they have undertaken.

General Dwight Eisenhower’s statement of 60 years ago is true today . . .

“United in this determination and with unshakable faith in the cause for which we fight, we will, with God’s help, go forward to our greatest victory.”

Thank you.

:flag::flag::flag::flag:

[Spiked101]

Rest in Peace Ron. Praying for your family. That had to be an awful battle with cancer :(

[mysticbeauty_nbeast]

I couldn't place the face with the name at first...clicked on the site...and nearly gasped out loud as I realized who this was. My God...far too young to leave us so soon. He was a great actor...I always enjoyed him in his gritty roles..he will be missed.

Godspeed and on angles wings do we pray your arrival at the final place of rest...

~Mysty

[Ballygrl]

Very sad. :pray:

[Pudge]

Aw, horsecrap and a pile of it. Ron Silver was a decent soul, I occasionally listened to his radio show on Sirius.

He also had the best death scene in a sci-fi movie ever- in TimeCop, when Van Damme kicks his future self into his past self and they cancel each other out.

[tinydancer]

I hunted down this thread to make sure I could pass along Annie Coulter's beautiful and so touching tribute to Ron Silver.

Here's part of it:

He'd often come to church with me on Sundays – while insisting he favored the "Original Testament," as if the New Testament were an act of judicial activism. He just liked to hear an intellectual lecture on the Bible – and always perked up when the minister began discussing the "Original Testament."

On Sundays when we had communion, Ron would pop the host in his mouth as soon as the tray passed him, approvingly observing that matzo was served at church.

No ideas frightened him, which is part of the reason why we were always laughing, even when we were arguing.

Ron sometimes told me of the cruelty directed at him by his former friends, but never with bitterness or for publication – although I'm tempted to get it off my chest even if he didn't want to get it off his chest. You know who you are.

As with his impending death, Ron mostly joked about his banishment from the plutocracy.

When I off-handedly mentioned in December 2004 that I had to get a Christmas tree, he told me he'd like to help, but having recently spoken at the Republican National Convention, the last thing he needed was to be seen walking through the streets of New York carrying a Christmas tree.


http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=92155:

[MarkyS]

He was great as Bruno Gianelli on the "West Wing" series. I loved him in "Blue Steel" -- so very dangerous and sexy.

It was his work as Bruno that I was most impressed with him, all the more impressive when you consider that conservative Bush-supporter Ron was playing an uber-Democrat. I believed every minute of that guy. He was no cartoon character, unlike Richard Dreyfuss in "The American President". Bruno was fully-fleshed out.

M

[migbuster]

Rip>>>