Henry Silva, the American actor known for playing the bad guy in over 130 Hollywood films, including hits like Ocean’s 11 (1960) and The Manchurian Candidate (1962), died on Wednesday, September 14.

Silva was 95 years old and died due to natural causes at the Motion Picture Picture and Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. His death was confirmed by his son Scott Silva. 

Also read: Keanu Reeves’ Constantine sequel confirmed by Warner Bros after HBO cancellation

Who was Henry Silva?

Silva was born on September 15, 1926, in Brooklyn, New York. He was of Puerto-Rican descent, according to The Washington Post, and grew up in Harlem. He reportedly left school at the age of 13 and started taking acting classes, while supporting himself as a dishwasher and a waiter at a Manhattan hotel. 

His first break in the world of acting came through the theatre in 1955. After auditioning at the Actors Studio in Manhattan, Silva was cast in Michael V. Gazzo’s play A Hatful of Rain. Even though it was a student project, it proved to be a big hit and was staged at Boadway.

Since then, Silva has appeared in over 130 films in a career that spanned over five decades. He was typecast as the quintessential bad guy in Hollywood and frequently appeared as a gangster, criminal, or robber. The actor was known for his versatility and the ease with which he could play different characters. 

Also read: Drake hits back at music critic Anthony Fantano for fake DM leaks

Some of his roles, such as the one in Green Mansions (1959) where he plays the role of a Venezuelan forest-dweller trying to murder a young woman played by Audrey Hepburn, exemplify his versatility best.

Speaking about his characters, the actor had once told Variety magazine, “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.”

He is survived by his children Scott and Michele Silva. His brother Geno Silva – the Scarface assassin who kills Tony Montana, died in 2020 aged 72.