Henry Silva Net Worth

Henry Silva's Quotes

• 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.
• [from an interview in 1971] Funny thing over here [America] they see me as a bad guy; in Europe they see me as a hero.
• [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.

Interesting Facts about Henry Silva

1. 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.
2. The 1930 census lists him (as "Harry") living with his divorced mother in Manhattan. This census entry gives both his parents' birthplaces as "Porto Rico".
3. Retired from acting in 2001 after 50 years in the motion picture industry.
4. Has two sons from his marriage to Ruth Earl: Michael Henry Silva (B. September 3, 1969 in Los Angeles) and Scott Stevens Silva (B. July 14, 1976 in Los Angeles).
5. Played the same character (Bane) on three different series: Batman: The Animated Series (1992), Superman (1996), and The New Batman Adventures (1997).
6. Of Sicilian and Spanish ancestry, Silva speaks Italian and Spanish fluently. He reportedly did not learn to speak English until he was eight years old.
7. Along with Angie Dickinson, he is one of only two actors to appear in both Ocean's Eleven (1960) and its remake Ocean's Eleven (2001).
8. 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.