Ron Silver
by Andrew BreitbartMeeting Ron Silver humbled me. Never have I been more wrong in assessing a person before knowing him.
Until I met him, he was just another Hollywood liberal loud mouth.
Yes, he was an award-winning actor and prolific film star. And, yes, he had strong political opinions. (The net sum of his positions added up to no partisan’s delight.)
But Ron Silver was also astoundingly intelligent. Ask anyone who knew him. He spoke fluent Mandarin Chinese and Spanish to go with having a Master’s Degree in Chinese History.
These facets combined to make Silver a most compelling public person, a natural leader and the type of man who automatically commanded respect and admiration no matter the social or vocational circumstance.
I understand why the left is so angry that he changed teams in the last years of his life.
How would you feel if someone you loved — he created the hip and powerful Creative Coalition, for crying out loud — left you in a very public way?
And even though Ron fell into the arms of so-called neo-cons and assorted right wingers, a conversation with him always conveyed that his principles were steadfast and that he was not in lock-step with his current suitors. He even proudly stood by the term “liberal” until the very end.
Ron Silver was always an individualist and a patriot.
By going against the Hollywood left in the thralls of its opposition to the Iraq War, and by supporting the always unpopular Republican Party and its demonized standard bearer, George W. Bush, Silver understood perfectly well that lifelong friends and job opportunities would be lost. Peers even walked away from him on the red carpet at film premieres.
Before New York Times columnist Frank Rich wrote Silver off as another D-List celebrity supporting Bush, the former art critic praised his 1988 best actor Tony Award for David Mamet’s “Speed-the-Plow” as “the performance of his career.”
“Mr. Silver’s frightening eruptions of snarling anger and crumpled demeanor in the face of defeat make what could be another Beverly Hills caricature into a figure of pathos,” Mr. Rich wrote.
Frank Rich later lobbied to get the life-long New Yorker to oversee a campaign to help revitalize Broadway.
Maybe the D in D-list stood for defector.
Last year in New York I had the privilege to hear Ron give an informal, impromptu speech to a group of his peers. Many knew he was fighting an unwinnable battle against cancer, so his words were packed and delivered like an Oscar winning performance. Ron stated eloquently that he had no regrets and had no choice but to stand for what he believed.
In an industry full of many flakes and followers, Hollywood benefitted greatly from having an actor as principled and committed as Ron Silver.
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43 Comments
Andrew, it took me awhile to warm up to him, but seeing him speak passionately about America and our exceptionalism, all his Hollywood baggage fell away.
He was a powerful voice and a wonderful man who will be missed.
I always enjoyed watching him act because of the way he could draw me into his character. And I also always enjoyed hearing speak on world or political issues. Especially when I disagreed with what he was saying. But I knew if my POV of an issue could stand up against an argument by Ron Silver, than it must have merit. He was the anti-Baldwin/Garafalo/Olbermann type liberal. The kind who makes you glad there are some liberals.
I always thought he was a good actor. I wish I had got to meet him.
Just a question about his illness. We all know that Michael Landon and Patrick Swayze were heavy smokers (still are in Swayze's case), hence, pancreatic cancer. Was Ron Silver a smoker (to get esophageal cancer) or was he, like non-smoker Dana Reeve (lung cancer), just dealt an unfortunate hand.
RIP Ron Silver – a real man.
A great tribute. It is touching to have read so many other tributes here and other sites as well.
Andrew, a short, but most eloquent tribute to a fine man. I am not a critic, I will not judge his merits as an actor, although I always enjoyed him, but his integrity and intellect were never in question. A man of quality, intellectually and morally. May he rest in peace, he has earned it. And may we live up to his standards.
It's a shame to lose such a passionate voice. Contrary to what those on the left said about Mr. Silver, he served his nation well when he campaigned on behalf of George W. Bush. It was the re-election of President Bush that gave the troops and military commanders the time they needed to turn things around in Iraq. That reality is something that no amount of negative media coverage can change. I hope that Mr. Silver's service to his nation will be remembered and celebrated.
When he was an arch-liberal, and I was an arch-conservative (still am), Silver made the movie "Reversal of Fortune." As a criminal defense attorney, it was a guilty pleasure for me to watch Silver playing the snarling, brilliant and nasty Alan Dershowitz. He always had a smoldering presence. When he reconsidered his political position after September 11, I was thrilled to see him come into the fold.
I didn't have to feel guilty about loving his acting anymore. He was always a patriot, but now he was also a moderate/conservative who was, more importantly, a realist on national security. No more "come now and let us reason together" with our terrorist enemies. The double irony (the good kind) is that Alan Dershowitz is today's foremost constitutional scholar advocating not only extreme interrogation measures for terrorists, but even torture in the most extreme "ticking time bomb" scenarios.
Frank Rich is not worthy of mention in an obituary of Ron Silver.
It's always a shame to lose such great talent.
What difference does it make?
Frank Rich will not be worthy of mention in an obituary of Anson Williams.
I always enjoyed listening to Ron Silver's comments. How refreshing to see someone stick up for what they believe in when it could cost them dearly, especially in his leftwing industry. He was a class act!
Nice tribute to him!
Ron Silver was living proof that liberalism is a curable disease. His defense of the Iraq war was quite passionate and very convincing. It was clear that he wasn't faking it. Rest in peace, Mr. Silver.
What a quandary. I went to IMDB to reacquaint myself with Mr. Silvers' body of work. On his message board there is a faction posting the most vile comments about his passing. In order to report any of these posters as abusive, I'm forced to take a chance that IMDB will agree with me that the comments are abusive. If they don't, I lose my account and all posting privileges. What do you think my odds are?
Ron Silver was humble, liberal in a most intelligent way. He was an intense, electrifying stage and film actor. He will be greatly missed.
learn a little about humility yourself, It is the highest thing. A gift from God.
http://godssecret.wordpress.com/2008/07/28/dont-w...
do what you can while you still have the time
Ron will be greatly missed.
This makes me sad. Just so sad. The liberals out there needed to hear his logic and feel that spirit he had. God got lucky when he called Ron Silver home.
.
don't read imdb comments sections, ever, for any reason
youtube comments are of a higher standard (as amazing as that sounds it's true)
What a terrible loss of such a good man. Liberal or conservative, his stands were backed by logic, reason and facts. Logic and reason and facts showed him that conservatism was in the right, so he did the logical thing. No muddy touchy-feely thinking for him.
I always enjoyed his work and hearing him talk on the various news shows I've seen him on. He is SO missed!
Eternal rest grant unto him oh Lord
and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May Ron Silver and all the faithful departed
through the mercy of God
rest in peace.
Amen
God bless you Ron. You will indeed be missed.
Ugh, I haven't thought to check IMDB. Sometimes I read the comments and always kick myself afterwards. I don't know what kind of people they are that post those things, but so many times I'd check out comments to articles (digg especially) and am stunned by the rank sewer I see flowing into the ether from some of these people.
Jso is right – don't read imdb comments ever for any reason.
I loved Ron in the 1982 movie "Best Friends", with Burt Reynolds and Goldie Hawn. Ron played a Hollywood producer and he would bark out "woof, woof", whenever he approved of something in the movie…
Ron was indeed, a very courageous man.
RIP.
Very nice article, Mr Breibart. I agree 100% with your philosphy of engaging the arts and pop culture with conservative dialogue. And championing the efforts of folks like Mr. Silver is exactly what needs to happen.
I also refuse to cede the term “liberal” to the Left. Conservatives are more liberal in the classic sense than the Left is. So I am trying to choose my language carefully and call the Left by it’s proper name “The Left” because there is nothing liberal about it. It is the most close-minded, naked power-grabbing group of ninnies imaginable.
Isn't Mandarin what Frum, Douthat, Parker and company speak, Andrew?
Silver was not only an amazing actor, but an intellect of the first rank. He was literally heroic by risking his career and friendships to stand up for what he believed in, and how much courage does it take to change your previous long held beliefs? We lost a patriot and leader- hashem rest his soul..
He was a very engaging speaker, and I only wish I could have seen him speak in person. It would be great to meet a Hollywood thinker in the flesh someday.
I can only imagine what the BDS- and liberal-whacko forums are saying about Mr. Silver now. I won't go over there because it'll get my BP up.
I enjoyed his work on West Wing as Bruno Gianelli…He played the amoral political hack to a tee…He will be missed.
A big difference. All smokers should just drop dead, IMO. They are fools just begging to die. What a ridiculous and stupid habit. It's like being addicted to playing Russian Roulette.
Caught him a few times on O 'Reilly. He seemed like an intense, intelligent man. What a shame to lose him so young.
He brought that same intensity as a part-time character in one of my favorite TV shows 'Wiseguy.' Rest in peace, Ron.
If he was a foreign language major and fluent, that in itself tells you alot about him. You have to be pretty individualistic to go that route in America, especially non-Western. I know because I was one 20 years ago and know some even now who don't have it easy. It's the attitude of "so what will you do with basket weaving 101 when you've graduated" kind of contempt that goes with that major.
So the difference it makes is that if you learn that Ron Silver was a smoker, you have no sympathy for him because in your view he killed himself? Dude, we're all dying of something. A little tolerance, please, for those who are not living exactly to your specifications.
Ave atque vale, Ron. A man with courage to walk his talk.
Sad Day, the first thing I always look up is were they a heavy smoker, you can add Paul Newman to your list though he still lived 10 years longer than average. It makes a difference to me because it makes me feel less vulnerable when you know that they were taking this huge risk.
Joe Klein in 'Time' said that Silver voted for Obama. Yeah right. We're supposed to believe that a man who voted for Bush and loves Israel is the same person who voted for Obama? But then why am I surprised Klein said this? I mean, isn't that just like a liberal? Wait until someone's dead and unable to defend themself – and then stick the knife in? I can't believe Klein did that. No, wait, I can believe it. I just don't want to.
RIP Ron — I'll miss his acting, intellect and insight.
Ron had to have the strong character of an oak to publicly tell of his conversion in that viper's den
Silver is the only Hollywood personality I never had disdain for when I saw them on a "news" show, because unlike virtually all the others, I knew that he had taken the time and effort to actually learn about what he was asked to comment on. I forget what the issue was but he was on CNN discussing something about China, and they had introduced him by noting his background on that nation. I thought, "Finally!! You bring on a celebrity to give an opinion about something they have actually studied in depth!!!"
For me, the respect I had for Silver – as an entertainment figure giving socio-political opinions – didn't stem from whether I agreed with him or not — but from the fact he was actually an "expert" on the topics I heard him talk about – China.
What I hate most about Hollywood mouth pieces isn't so much their politics but the fact that they (and apparently the media) believe the fact they are talented in acting or directing or singing and the like — make their views on totally unrelated socio-political issues relevant.
Ron Silver said "I didn't leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left me", no truer words were ever spoken for a large percentage of Democrats. Too bad it took BO being elected to for so many to see that .
Lovely, lovely sentiment, a**hole. Ron Silver was a very enjoyable actor, and from all accounts, a fine man. If he smoked 4 packs a day, that still doesn't mean he was "begging to die." What an absolute jerk you must be in real life, to be this bad on a blog post regarding someone's death. Yikes.
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