Johnny Silver

Johnny Silver (born John Silverman; April 16, 1918 – February 1, 2003) was an American actor and singer, best known for playing Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls.

Johnny Silver
Born
John Silverman

April 16, 1918
East Chicago, Indiana
DiedFebruary 1, 2003
Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California
OccupationActor and Singer
Years active1932–1995
Spouse(s)
Gloria Manos
​
(
m. 1954; died 1993)
Children2

Career

Born in East Chicago, Indiana, Silver’s performing arts career started early, singing as a youth, and then expanded to acting. His early career involved performing with actor John Raitt at L.A. City College[1] as well as radio work.[2] He also worked as a burlesque comic.[3]

During World War II, Silver was tasked with finding entertainment for the troops,[4] and as a result, he met singer Mario Lanza.[2][3] Silver helped Lanza secure a part in a play written by Peter Lind Hayes and Frank Loesser, On the Beam,[4] and together they performed a number of variety acts for the troops.[2][1][3]

Following the war, Silver moved to New York, and his big break came when he was cast as Benny Southstreet in Loesser’s Broadway musical, Guys and Dolls, in 1950.[1] He reprised the role for the film adaptation five years later.[5]

Over the next 40 years, Silver worked prolifically as a character actor in film and on television. His film credits include Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? (1963), The Great Race (1965), Lepke (1975), History of the World, Part I (1981) and Spaceballs (1987). Among his dozens of television credits, he appeared in seven episodes of Make Room for Daddy, 15 episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show, six episodes of Mannix and five episodes of The Odd Couple. He also played the parts of Dr Blinky and Ludicrous Lion in H.R. Pufnstuf (Walker Edmiston provided the voices). His final television role was in 1995 in an episode of Seinfeld.

He was nominated for an Emmy Award for his performance in the 1967 episode of Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, Free of Charge.[1]

Personal Life and Death

Silver was married to actress Gloria Manos from 1954 until her death in 1993. The couple had two daughters, Stephanie and Jennie.

Silver died of heart and kidney failure on February 1, 2003, at the age of 84.[1]

Partial filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1955Guys and DollsBenny Southstreet
1957Public Pigeon No. OneMarvinUncredited
1963Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?Charlie
1965The Great RaceBakerUncredited
1968The Thomas Crown AffairBertUncredited
1968How Sweet It Is!Zipper Man
1970PufnstufDr Blinky/Ludicrous Lion
1972HammerTiny
1975LepkeSchwartz
1981History of the World, Part ISmall Liar – The Roman Empire
1987SpaceballsCaddy
1991Shakes the ClownClown Tailor

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1950NBC Television Opera TheatreVarious3 episodes
1954The Lone WolfJohnny Fr'InstanceEpisode: Skid Row
1956–57Alfred Hitchcock PresentsVarious2 episodes
1957The MillionaireFrankieEpisode: The Chris Daniels Story
1957Leave it to BeaverMan on BridgeEpisode: The Clubhouse
1955–57The Jack Benny ProgramVarious3 episodes
1957Date with the AngelsMr CarterEpisode: A Day at the Track
1959Bachelor FatherCharlieEpisode: Bentley's Economy Wave
1959World of GiantsChick CrescentEpisode: Off Beat
1959–60The UntouchablesVarious2 episodes
1960M SquadJ.C. GrevyEpisode: Needle in a Haystack
1956–61Make Room for DaddyVarious7 episodes
1963The Andy Griffith ShowProthro HansonEpisode: The Great Filling Station Robbery
1964Burke's LawVarious2 episodes
1964The RoguesBoots RaffertyEpisode: The Personal Touch
1964The Alfred Hitchcock HourBenEpisode: Memo from Purgatory
1961–65The Joey Bishop ShowVarious5 episodes
1963–65The Dick Van Dyke ShowVarious15 episodes
1964–66The MunstersVarious2 episodes
1966BonanzaSnowdenEpisode: Horse of a Different Hue
1966The F.B.I.Various2 episodes
1966–67Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler TheatreVarious2 episodes
1968Good Morning WorldJohnEpisode: Pot Luckless
1966–68That GirlVarious3 episodes
1968Get SmartJojoEpisode: The Secret of Sam Vittorio
1969–70H.R. PufnstufDr Blinky/Ludicrous Lion17 episodes
1970The Name of the GameVarious2 episodes
1971SargeFreddyEpisode: The Silent Target
1971What's a Nice Girl Like You...?LouisTV movie
1962–72My Three SonsVarious4 episodes
1971–72Here's LucyVarious2 episodes
1967–72IronsideVarious4 episodes
1970–72McCloudVarious2 episodes
1973MaudeVarious2 episodes (one of which was uncredited)
1969–74MannixVarious6 episodes
1970–75The Odd CoupleVarious5 episodes (one of which was uncredited)
1973–75Adam-12Various2 episodes
1973–75The Streets of San FranciscoVarious2 episodes
1978ColumboTow Truck DriverEpisode: The Conspirators
1979Delta HousePizza ManEpisode: The Blotto Who Came to Dinner
1980Barney MillerKingmanEpisode: Homicide Part 1
1981Evita PeronStage ManagerTV movie
1984ABC Weekend SpecialLeonEpisode: Henry Hamilton Graduate Ghost
1984AliceShortyEpisode: Undercover Mel
19851st & TenTinorettoEpisode: Super Bull Sunday
1986MatlockEddie AlonzoEpisode: The Don Part 1
1986–88Cagney & LaceyVarious2 episodes
1995SeinfeldVendor #1Episode: The Understudy
gollark: I'm kind of more lamenting about the fact that they cheated a bunch of turtles then used them ridiculously insecurely.
gollark: Look, you're welcome to come on and look, I drove a few out of the claim.
gollark: Don't know.
gollark: Oh, and is cheated, they seem to have the same ID as each other.
gollark: AwesomeMSC's turtle swarm receives commands, plaintext, over rednet.

References
  1. "Johnny Silver". Variety. 18 February 2003. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  2. David Bret (2009). "Mario Lanza: Sublime Serenade". Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  3. Derek Mannering (1991). "Mario Lanza: Singing to the Gods". Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  4. Armando Cesari (2004). "Mario Lanza: An American Tragedy". Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  5. "Guys and Dolls". Variety. 2 November 1955. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
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