There are so many things to discuss about Ron Silver.
He was an extreme lefty who later went extreme right.
He have great performances that paved the road for higher profile performances in Schroeder's Reversal of Fortune (Oscar for Jeremy Irons) and Mazursky's Enemies: A Love Story (Oscar noms for both of the film's actresses). He seemed like the only guy who could keep up with the screen stealing Jerry Lewis, who played his father on a 7th Ave arc. For a while, he seemed like one of those guys who was in every movie.
He was a serious stage actor, with awards and nominations, and a commitment to that work... a man who knew how to use the tool of his voice, his energy, like few others who ever work the boards.
I have the pleasure of doing a long phone bit with him to talk movies on his radio show a year or two ago. I was all worked up, ready to battle his right wing ideas about media. But that wasn't who interviewed me. It was a guy who loved the art... appreciated good work... wanted things to be good. He sounded a mess... and if you saw him in recent years, you know he looked like someone else utterly.
He really did spend his last 7 years in the showbiz desert after he swung to the right.
He will be missed.
Read the complete post at http://www.mcnblogs.com/thehotblog/archives/2009/03/ron_silver_pass.html