- Born
- Died
- Height6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
- Henry Silva was born on September 23, 1926 in Brooklyn, New York. He quit public school to attend drama classes at age 13, supporting himself as a dishwasher in a Manhattan hotel. By 1955, Silva had moved up from dishwasher to waiter, and felt ready to audition for the Actors Studio. He was one of five students chosen out of more than 2500 applicants. When the Actors Studio staged Michael V. Gazzo's play "A Hatful of Rain" as a classroom project, it proved so successful it came to Broadway--with students Ben Gazzara, Shelley Winters, Harry Guardino, Anthony Franciosa and, of course, Silva in key roles. Called to Hollywood, he played a succession of heavies in films, including The Bravados (1958), Green Mansions (1959), Ocean's Eleven (1960), The Manchurian Candidate (1962) and Johnny Cool (1963).
An Italian producer made Henry an offer he could not refuse--to star as a hero for a change--and he moved his family overseas. Silva's turning-point picture was a Spaghetti Western, The Hills Run Red (1966), which made him a hot box office commodity in Spain, Italy, Germany and France. His popularity was enhanced by a gift for languages. He spoke Italian and Spanish fluently and had a flair for the kind of gritty, realistic roles that also catapulted Charles Bronson to European stardom. Returning to the United States, he co-starred with Frank Sinatra in the film Contract on Cherry Street (1977), then signed on as Buck Rogers' evil adversary Killer Kane in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979) and the television series of the same name.
Henry Silva called the San Fernando Valley home, but made continual film forays back to Europe's production centers. A dedicated jogger, he contributed five miles a day "to keep in shape and relieve tension". Retired from acting since 2001, he passed away at the Motion Picture & Television Fund home in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles on September 14, 2022, only nine days away from his 96th birthday.
- IMDb mini biography by: Anonymous
- SpousesRuth Earl(September 4, 1966 - November 1987) (divorced, 2 children)Cindy Conroy(March 16, 1959 - ?)Mary Ramus(February 1949 - 1955) (divorced)
- ChildrenMichael Henry SilvaScott Stevens Silva
- Frequently played villains, for example Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979), Sharky's Machine (1981), Code of Silence (1985), Above the Law (1988), Dick Tracy (1990).
- Provides an audio commentary for the DVD version of The Return of Mr. Moto (1965) (part of the special features in Peter Lorre's Mr. Moto DVD collection). While making minimal comments about that movie itself, he does address the issue of his heritage. Wryly noting he had been assumed to be everything, including Russian, he specifically denied being of Puerto Rican heritage, which is the most commonly reported. He states that his mother was from northern Spain and that his father was Italian. He was born in Brooklyn but left there when he was only five months old. His father left his mother when Silva was only three months old. Silva says that he was only eight years old when he decided to become an actor, although he didn't do anything about it until his teens. His inspiration was primarily his mother. Apparently, she was a storyteller and, upon returning from shopping, would fill their apartment with vivid characterizations of the grocer, baker etc. Silva concludes by noting that he thinks of his mother every day.
- Of Sicilian and Spanish ancestry, Silva spoke Italian and Spanish fluently. He reportedly did not learn to speak English until he was eight years old.
- Had played the same character (Bane) on three dissimilar series: Batman: The Animated Series (1992), Superman: The Animated Series (1996) and The New Batman Adventures (1997).
- Silva excelled at playing bad guys. He did play the titular hero in The Return of Mr. Moto (1965) but later reportedly regarded this role as his worst work ever.
- After appearing in the remake Ocean's Eleven (2001), he retired from acting after 50 years in the film industry. He passed away on September 14, 2022, only nine days away from what would have been his 96th birthday on September 23, 2022.
- I got typecast as a heavy. There's no reason in the world for me to be a heavy, none. People love to put handles on you. They're not thinking about you, they're thinking about themselves. You have to be creative or else; if you're creative, then they'll go with you, but they want the easy way out.
- I'm a very lucky guy in certain aspects. I've enjoyed my life. It's not the end of it -- I'm still enjoying it.
- [comment from an interview in 1985] I think the reason that I haven't disappeared as a popular "heavy" is that the heavies I play are all leaders. I never play a wishy-washy anything. They're interesting roles because when you leave the theater you remember these kinds of guys.
- If you come from the ghetto, you're automatically stamped stupid. Living in a ghetto? Stupid, no education. Which is unfortunate, because the guys were articulate, they were bright, they had their own gyms, and they had their own businesses. They were really striving to overcome their environment. Which was really exciting for me, because like I say I come from the ghetto.
- [from an interview in 1971] Funny thing over here [United States] they see me as a bad guy; in Europe they see me as a hero.
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