Legendary Hollywood tough guy Henry Silva dead at 95
nypost.comtold Variety Friday.The prolific actor often shared the screen with Frank Sinatra, playing a Communist agent who fought with the singer in ‘Candidate’ and one of the 11 crooks in the classic 1960 casino heist film.The Spanish Harlem native’s death was reportedly first announced by the daughter of Dean Martin, who appeared alongside him in the iconic Rat Pack caper.“Our hearts are broken at the loss of our dear friend Henry Silva, one of the nicest, kindest and most talented men I’ve had the pleasure of calling my friend,” Deana Martin tweeted Friday afternoon.“He was the last surviving star of the original Ocean’s 11 Movie.
We love you Henry, you will be missed.”Silva got his start as a heavy in Westerns like “The Tall T” and “The Law and Jake Wade” before starring as the titular characters in 1963’s “Johnny Cool” and 1965’s “The Return of Mr.
Moto.”Later in his career, Silva appeared in pictures like “Sharky’s Machine,” “Above the Law,” “Dick Tracy” and “Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai.” He made a final brief screen appearance in the 2001 “Ocean’s Eleven” remake.Silva was of Italian and Puerto Rican descent but was often tapped to portray other ethnicities, playing Korean, Venezuelan, Native American and Japanese men in some of his best known roles.Silva reportedly dropped out of school at the age of 13 and took drama classes while earning money as a dishwasher and waiter.
He was one of five students selected to the Actors Studio in 1955 out of 2,500 applicants, Variety reported, citing the 2000 book “Hispanics in Hollywood.”In 1985, Silva reportedly told Knight-Ridder journalist Diane Haithman that his Manhattan upbringing informed his trademark tough guy persona.“I saw a lot of things in Harlem.
Read more on nypost.com
