Ron Silver dead at 62, cancer

[Bombero1956]

Source: NY Post

Actor and longtime political activist Ron Silver died this morning, succumbing to a long battle with cancer, friends of the liberal Democrat-turned-GOP stalwart told The Post.

"Ron Silver died peacefully in his sleep with his family around him this morning," said Robin Bronk, executive director of the Creative Coalition, which Silver helped create.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/seven/03152009/news/regionalnews/ron_silver_dies_159710.htm

---

Is this old news or did I miss this news.

[joeybee12]

1. Sad, too bad he went off the deep end after 9/11...

...RIP.

[grantcart]

3. yeah reminds me of the dive Phil Hendrie took.

[joeybee12]

5. Some, like James Woods, were right-wing nuts to begin with,

but Ron really did a 180 turn...good actor, though.

[Ken Burch]

9. According to the article, he was moving a bit towards the left at the end.

Still, I think he may have been another celebrity who went right wing as his career seemed to stall and when doing so was a way to get more attention.

A lot of the "actors" who backed Reagan(and Nixon before him)were kind of washed-up cases, and getting asked to appear for a candidate may have been a great boost to their egos.

[No Elephants]

48. Reagan was the washed up actor in chief.

[bigworld]

54. Heard his XM radio show several times

and didn't realize he was sick. I knew he was a republican, but he didn't come across as one of the idiot republicans. He was kind, graceful, and listened to his callers. Sounded intelligent and respectful whenever I heard him. RIP Ron.

[Scairp]

8. This is weird

It seems that no other news outlet is reporting this except the Post. Are we sure this is true? I guess they could have just been the one and only news outlet of any kind to be informed, but it seems strange. I guess when I see it somewhere else I'll believe it. I didn't even know he was ill. Of course, no one knew that Michael Crichton was ill either until he passed away.

Edited to add this Wikipedia entry, and that he had esophageal cancer. Still, nobody but the Post has it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Silver

[Ex Lurker]

14. I didn't either, but I've heard his radio show now and then

and he didn't sound well.

[jobycom]

22. Fox has it. Were you here when Marlon Brando died?

There was one local paper somewhere out west, like Nevada or Arizona, that had the story, and we were all trying to verify through some other source. We were all doubting the one paper when it finally hit the nationals. No idea how that one source had it so long before everyone else--maybe they just didn't waste time to confirm like the other sources did.

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

[bigworld]

55. XM's POTUS station is reporting it too.

He had a regular show on there, and it was a good listen.

[msanthrope]

12. 9/11 brought out the inner creep in many---Ron's lesson from 9/11?

That 'regressive taxation' was wrong.

[No Elephants]

49. Sounds as though he may have been more of a tax bracket Republican than a 911 Republican.

[Mike 03]

2. Don't feel alone. Not only did I not know this, but I thought he was a producer, not an actor. NT

[Bossy Monkey]

17. I think you may be thinking of Joel Silver n/t

[No Elephants]

50. He was both. I think he may have directed a bit, too.

[NaturalHigh]

4. May he rest in peace.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

6. I didn't know he was ill.

May he rest in peace.

[NanceGreggs]

7. Godspeed, Ron ...

We may not have agreed politically - but you were a damned fine actor, and enriched all of our lives by being so.

[quiet.american]

10. Sad to hear of this. nt

[liberal N proud]

11. The last thing I remember him on was West Wing

He played that part very well.

RIP.

[Sebastian Doyle]

13. I think the guy went absolutely batshit crazy in recent years

but cancer still sucks, even for crazy neocons.

Rest in peace, Ron. :(

[Bombero1956]

15. I'm not seeing it on any other news outlet

Wiki has it on their pages and this website http://barbara_robertson.tripod.com/silver.html

on edit now on Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/15/actoractivist-ron-silver-_n_175142.html

[Scairp]

20. Nope, me neither yet

His Wikipedia page has been altered to say he died today, but if CNN would report that Sammy Davis, Jr.'s widow died yesterday, or the day before and it's still there, why would they not put up Ron Silver's death, if he really has died? Strange.

[jgraz]

16. I always liked his acting. It's a tragedy how he spent his final years.

I'm going to rent Reversal of Fortune tonight and remember what he was like before he lost his mind.

[Lint Head]

18. I think the cancer must have influenced his politics.

[Scairp]

33. But he didn't have cancer then

Or at least he didn't know, according to that Pajama-whatever website he wrote for. They also say it was stomach cancer, diagnosed just two years ago. And I actually had no idea he had turned like that. I always thought he was a liberal, and am shocked that he went over to the crazy side due to 9/11. Very odd. Frankly, those events made my liberal devotion even more solid than before, especially when so many pre-9/11 failings by the administration-who-shall-not-be-named began to come out. Clearly they could have done more and didn't simply because it was the suggestion of the Clinton administration that they pay more attention to Bin Laden and his associates. They threw out the baby with the bathwater and Silver felt they deserved his conversion to right-wingedness? Sorry, I liked him as an actor, but this is ass-backward thinking at it's worst. And I really don't understand how any New Yorker could have supported Guiliani for president. When he announced his candidacy, all the New Yorkers kept saying "wait til you get to know him, you'll understand why we hate his guts". They were on point in that regard. Can't ask Mr. Silver anymore why the radical change, but I think I'm glad I didn't find out about this until today. Too late to get pissed off at him now. I am sorry he's gone. In the right role, he was an amazing actor.

[No Elephants]

51. Maybe it was the other way around.

[KT2000]

19. This is sad

he usually kept his sense of humor - no matter what his politics were at the time.
Rest in Peace Mr. Silver.

[Hulk]

21. Hmmmm...just another death as far as I'm concerned.

Didn't know him....don't really care much about what he had to say, what he stood for, or who he was.

As far as I'm concerned, there are lots more folks that die each day that are more note worthy this this confused man.

[jobycom]

23. And what better time to be critical of him than on the day his family and fans are grieving,eh?

This place gets like Freeperland every time someone not perfectly liberal dies.

[stray cat]

26. why mourn the death of anyone huh?

[Tangerine LaBamba]

31. Good - it's good you got that out of your system......

Feel better?

And why on earth would you post such a thing in this thread - which is about the death of Ron Silver?

Why?

[AndrewP]

36. **Insert empy gesture comment of sympothy here**

[RFKHumphreyObama]

24. My deepest and sincerest thoughts, prayers, condolences and sympathies to his family

I saw him in the West Wing and he was brilliant in his role.

May Ron Silver rest in peace

[Catch22Dem]

25. His politics went off the deep end years ago, but he was GREAT as Bruno on The West Wing

Pretty embarrassed by some of the responses around here. I wish Silver's family the best.

[Beacool]

27. Not everything has to be about politics.

I didn't know his political views and couldn't care less. Ron Silver was a good actor, very NY: gritty and always kept it real. I enjoyed his fine work and will miss it. It's a shame he died so young.

My condolences to his family and friends.

Rest in peace, Ron......

:(

[AngryOldDem]

58. Exactly.

I enjoyed his work on The West Wing immensely, and I think he gave a glimpse into what it's like to be a political operative. I had only been passingly aware of his work prior to TWW, but I did know he was a fine and accomplished actor.

RIP, Mr. Silver.

[yellerpup]

28. He was a talented man with a lot of compassion.

He's not the only New Yorker who went around the bend after 9/11. I disagreed with his recent politics but I feel for the ones who loved him. I'm sure he will be missed.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

29. A real renaissance man....

Degrees in Spanish and Chinese. Fluent in both languages. Graduate degrees.

He was brilliant as Alan Dershowitz in "Reversal Of Fortune." Just brilliant.

And his Bruno Gianelli character on "West Wing" was perfect.

That's a rotten way to die. Cancer sucks, but esophageal cancer is especially ugly. Poor guy.

I don't care about his politics right now. I just feel like we lost someone very gifted, and that's always sad.

I just found this photo of Silver and some dimwitted dweeb, taken at a Huffington Post luncheon in September of 2008. Silver was pretty sick then, looks like:

[Hassin Bin Sober]

34. Poor guy. I didn't realize he was sick.

I liked him even though he was a douche-bag republican.

[nyy1998]

42. RIP Ron Silver

In that picture, he looked dramatically different then he was in his West Wing days, much skinnier and frail. Very sad to see him go through a long and prolonged death.

[tpsbmam]

57. Wow, I wouldn't have recognized him if you hadn't said it was RS.....

I was saddened by his politics in recent years but I agree, he was a very talented actor. Good for him for continuing to get out there -- I know from personal experience how difficult it is when illness has drastically affected your appearance. RIP, Ron.

[Skittles]

30. I liked him until he turned into a GOP dickwad

my condolences to his family

[Loudmxr]

32. When they go then its time to forgive. Truth will set you free, death even more so.

[Robbins]

35. Ron Silver

Sorry for his family.I don't wish death on anyone.

I have to question wheither he was really a Liberal.To claim to be a liberal and support Bush In 2004 like he did.

The West Wing did a good job of having a fictoral turn of his side.Going from key stragest to President Bartlett's reelection to
working for the Mccain like Arnie Vinck(although he was actully more of a moderate than Mccain ever was)

On the commetary on the season 6 Episode when he started with Vinck the writer said he used Dick Morris as the model although I have
to wonder If they took his real life 2004 support for Bush as Inspiration.

Still he gave many good performances and should also be remembered for that too.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

37. He campaigned for Bill Bradley

Also he supported and donated to Democrats throughout much of his life. You can check it out here
http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Ron_Silver.php

He was one of those liberals who went over to the dark side after 9/11 -you can find them everywhere ranging from Dennis Miller to David Zucker to Stephen Baldwin. At least Silver actually seemed to realize that the GOP and * had gone too far toward the end of his life

I mourn Ron Silver as a human being who leaves grieving family behind, who made a difference in this world, was a reasonably good actor in what I saw him in and who was a good progressive for most of his life

[evilkumquat]

61. Notice It's Always C or D-List Celebrities Doing That?

There is a certain logic that unless one had a close friend or relative involved in 9/11 (Silver didn't), such a radical shift in ideology probably means one must not have been much of a believer in the first place.

Like another post intimated, my guess is Silver had embraced Left-leaning causes to bolster his career in Hollywood. His jobs were drying up, so seeing where the wind was turning post-9/11, he "changed sides" in order to capitalize on what he must have felt at the time was going to be the new "big thing": Neo-conservatism.

His career, like Miller, Zucker, etc., was nothing like it was and this may have been a cynical attempt at job security.

Whores, all of them.

Condolences to the family, though.

[Orangeone]

39. I'm sorry he died

I guess he was a "liberal" like Dershowitz! The cowardice and racism came out after 9/11. I appreciated his acting but some people go overboard by saying, "he was a nice guy."

[snowbear]

38. Here's a photo of him with Lawrence O'Donnell in April of last year..

.
.



White House Correspondence Dinner 2008: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/30/whcd-the-brunches-where-e_n_98938.html

I didn't care for his politics either, but I agree with everyone else.. hugs & prayers to his friends and family.. :(

[murielm99]

40. I've always told my family that if I turn very right-wing

as I age, they need to have my mental and physical health evaluated.

My kids said they weren't worried about it. They see me getting more leftist as I age.

I have seen a few good liberal members of my family turn into right wing idiots with age. Maybe they fear change and loss of control as they face some of the tougher aspects of the aging process and impending death.

I know that 9-11 changed Silver. But an about-face like his does not strike me as normal. Maybe there were other mental and physical aspects that figured into his abrupt change.

RIP Ron, despite our differences.

[No Elephants]

47. For the good members of your family who turn RW as they age, I have only 2 words. Social Security.

[Raine]

41. Sad he went over to the dark-side

hopefully now he'll find some peace.

[Justice]

43. esophageal cancer is horrible. I would not wish that on anyone

The treatment is horrible, the chances are horrible.

[davidpdx]

44. I saw this story on Yahoo today and almost posted it

I knew instantly knew who it was since I was a big West Wing fan, however I had no idea he was sick. I do think it is unfortunate that he chose to back Bush in 2004 and maybe ironic his character on the West Wing did an about face and ended up working for a Republican at the end of the show. Maybe it's one of those art imitating life things. I do know I enjoyed his work on that show (I haven't seen him in anything else that I can think of).

[Mad_Dem_X]

45. Condolences to the family. n/t

[RebelOne]

46. I always liked Ron Silver despite his political leaning. RIP Ron. n/t

[Doctor_J]

52. He sadly let 9/11 scare him into spending his last years as a fearful winger

He was a good actor and by most accounts a decent man. Best wishes to his family.

[SlingBlade]

53. Rest in Peace Mr. Silver

Hated your politics but you were a a good actor and a fellow human being

May his family and loved ones find peace as well, God Bless

[high density]

56. I wondered where he was during the 2008 election

He was on MSNBC all the time during the 2004 campaign.

[tomg]

59. According to his brother in his obituary in

the New York Times today “Ron’s politics, as far as I know, were not shared by anyone he knew, except for the people he knew because of his politics,” Mitchell Silver said. He paused and added: “He told me that he did vote for Barack Obama in the end.” That is pretty nice. I always liked him as an actor and his shift to the right surprised me.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/16/movies/16silver.html?_r=1&ref=obituaries

[TK421]

60. A terrible loss....he was a terrific actor and from what I understand

a pretty decent guy, too. My condolences to his family

[BeyondGeography]

62. All is forgiven, Ron...RIP

Mr. Silver’s only marriage, to Lynne Miller, ended in divorce. In addition to his brother Mitchell, who lives in Newton, Mass., he is survived by his parents, who live in Manhattan; another brother, Keith, of Stamford, Conn.; a son, Adam, of Los Angeles; and a daughter, Alexandra, of Manhattan.

His acting awed them, his conservative streak confounded them, Mitchell Silver said.

“Ron’s politics, as far as I know, were not shared by anyone he knew, except for the people he knew because of his politics,” Mitchell Silver said. He paused and added, “He told me that he did vote for Barack Obama in the end.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/16/movies/16silver.html

:patriot: