JOHNNY SILVER

April 16, 1918

Johnny Silver was born John Silverman 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 as well as radio work. He also worked as a burlesque comic.

He made his big screen debut in the screen adaptation of Guys and Dolls (1955) playing Benny Southstreet (above center). A clip from the Damon Runyon musical was included in the original airing of “I Love Lucy” episode “Lucy and the Dummy” (ILL S5;E3) on October 17, 1955 as part of the MGM show. The clip was removed after the first airing and has never since been part of the episode. Ruskin did not appear in the clip. 

Prior to that, he made his small screen debut on “NBC Television Opera Theatre” doing three episodes in 1950. 

It should be no surprise that he made his Desilu debut on “The Untouchables,” doing two episodes in 1959, and 1960.  Both times he played uncredited ‘gangsters’. 

From 1956 to 1961, Silver appeared as various characters on seven episodes of “The Danny Thomas Show” aka “Make Room for Daddy”, shot at Desilu, twice playing Mr. Shermahorn. The series did cross-over episodes with “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” in 1958, although Silver was not part of it. 

From 1961 to 1965, Silver appeared as various characters on five episodes of “The Joey Bishop Show”, shot a Desilu Studios. 

From 1963 to 1965, Silver appeared as various character on fifteen episodes of “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” also shot at Desilu. 

Back on the Desilu lot in October 1966, Silver played an alien (actually an actor playing an alien) on an episode of “Gomer Pyle USMC” (above right), cast because of his height, 4′11″.  “The Lucy Show” did a cross-over episode with “Gomer Pyle” a month later, although Silver was not part of it. 

From 1962 to 1972, Silver did four episodes of “My Three Sons” shot at Desilu, the first two opposite William Frawley. 

In February 1971, he finally joined Lucille Ball on the “Here’s Lucy” episode “The Hollywood Unemployment Follies” starring Carol Burnett.  He plays the shortest of four Canadian Mounties singing “Stout-hearted Men,” a song by Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein II.

He returned to the series in November 1972 to play Benny in “Dirty Gertie” (HL S5;E10) in a nod to his character Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls. 

His final screen appearance was a small role on “Seinfeld” on May 18, 1955. 

He died on February 1, 2003 at age 84.

He was married to Gloria Manos and was survived by their two daughters: Stephanie Silver and Jennie Silver, who work together as a singing duet called The Silver Belles.

“If you can’t laugh at life, you might as well blow your brains out.” ~ Johnny Silver 

For the record, he died of heart and kidney failure.