Howard Da Silva

Biography

Howard Da Silva built a long career as an actor, singer, and theater director, working on the New York stage, in films, and in television and radio. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he studied acting with Eva Le Gallienne at the Civic Repertory Theatre beginning in 1928. He originated Jud Fry in the 1943 Broadway production of Oklahoma! and later played Ben Marino in Fiorello!, earning a 1960 Tony nomination. In film he often played villains in noir, among them The Blue Dahlia (1946), and he appeared in The Lost Weekend (1945), The Sea Wolf (1941), and They Live by Night (1949). His historical roles included Jack Armstrong in Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940), Benjamin Franklin in 1776 (1972), and Louis B. Mayer in Mommie Dearest (1981). He was nominated for a BAFTA for David and Lisa (1962), won an Emmy for Verna: USO Girl (1978), and made his final screen appearance in Garbo Talks (1984).

76years old at death

Born May 4, 1909Cleveland
Died February 16, 1986Ossining
Star sign: TaurusThe sign runs April 20 to May 20
Howard Silverblatt (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 23
Career span: 44 years1940 to 1984

Genres

Drama91%, 21 films
Crime35%, 8 films
Film-Noir17%, 4 films
History17%, 4 films
Romance17%, 4 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

About the name
Da Silva adopted the Portuguese form of his surname for acting purposes. His name is sometimes misspelled as Howard De Silva.
Early training
Da Silva performed summer stock with the Group Theatre at the Pine Brook Country Club in Nichols, Connecticut. Harold Clurman, Cheryl Crawford and Lee Strasberg formed the New York company.

Howard Da Silva movies on Netflix

Garbo Talks1984IMDb rating 6.4as Angelo Dakakis
Mommie Dearest1981IMDb rating 6.7as Louis B. Mayer
The Great Gatsby1974IMDb rating 6.4as Meyer Wolfsheim
17761972IMDb rating 7.6as Dr. Benjamin Franklin (PA)
Nevada Smith1966IMDb rating 6.9as Warden
The Outrage1964IMDb rating 6.2as Prospector
David and Lisa1962IMDb rating 7.2as Dr. Alan Swinford
Fourteen Hours1951IMDb rating 7.1as Deputy Police Chief Moskar
M1951IMDb rating 6.8as Inspector Carney
The Underworld Story1950IMDb rating 6.9as Carl Durham
Border Incident1949IMDb rating 7.0as Owen Parkson
The Great Gatsby1949IMDb rating 6.5as Wilson
They Live by Night1949IMDb rating 7.4as Chicamaw One-Eye Mobley
Unconquered1947IMDb rating 6.9as Garth
The Blue Dahlia1946IMDb rating 7.1as Eddie Harwood
The Lost Weekend1945IMDb rating 7.8as Nat
Keeper of the Flame1943IMDb rating 6.7as Jason Rickards
Reunion in France1942IMDb rating 6.3as Anton Stregel
The Big Shot1942IMDb rating 6.7as Sandor
Blues in the Night1941IMDb rating 6.7as Sam Paryas
Sergeant York1941IMDb rating 7.7as Lem
The Sea Wolf1941IMDb rating 7.5as Harrison
Abe Lincoln in Illinois1940IMDb rating 7.3as Jack Armstrong

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

The Lost Weekend1945 Drama, Film-Noiras Nat
IMDb rating 7.844K votes
Mommie Dearest1981 Biography, Dramaas Louis B. Mayer
IMDb rating 6.720K votes
17761972as Dr. Benjamin Franklin (PA)
IMDb rating 7.610K votes
They Live by Night1949as Chicamaw One-Eye Mobley
IMDb rating 7.411K votes
The Blue Dahlia1946as Eddie Harwood
IMDb rating 7.111K votes
The Great Gatsby1974as Meyer Wolfsheim
IMDb rating 6.429K votes
David and Lisa1962as Dr. Alan Swinford
IMDb rating 7.23.7K votes
M1951as Inspector Carney
IMDb rating 6.82.7K votes

Most often with

Frank Perry directed two of these films, Henry Hathaway two. Two actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Frank Faylen

Stanley Ridges

Ward Bond

Paul Fix

Gary Cooper

Edward G. Robinson

Frank PerryDirector, 2 films Henry HathawayDirector, 2 films

Films together

Frank Faylen3 films together, 1945 to 1951
Frank Faylen's page
- Fourteen Hours1951IMDb rating 7.1Silva as Deputy Police Chief MoskarFaylen as Walter, room service waiter
- The Blue Dahlia1946IMDb rating 7.1Silva as Eddie HarwoodFaylen as Man Recommending a Motel
- The Lost Weekend1945IMDb rating 7.8Silva as NatFaylen as 'Bim' Nolan
Stanley Ridges3 films together, 1941 to 1942
Stanley Ridges's page
- The Big Shot1942IMDb rating 6.7Silva as SandorRidges as Martin T. Fleming, Attorney
- Sergeant York1941IMDb rating 7.7Silva as LemRidges as Major Buxton
- The Sea Wolf1941IMDb rating 7.5Silva as HarrisonRidges as Johnson
Ward Bond2 films together, 1941 to 1947
Ward Bond's page
- Unconquered1947IMDb rating 6.9Silva as GarthBond as John Fraser
- Sergeant York1941IMDb rating 7.7Silva as LemBond as Ike Botkin
Paul Fix2 films together, 1964 to 1966
Paul Fix's page
- Nevada Smith1966IMDb rating 6.9Silva as WardenFix as Sheriff Bonnell
- The Outrage1964IMDb rating 6.2Silva as ProspectorFix as Indian
Gary Cooper2 films together, 1941 to 1947
Gary Cooper's page
- Unconquered1947IMDb rating 6.9Silva as GarthCooper as Captain Christopher Holden
- Sergeant York1941IMDb rating 7.7Silva as LemCooper as Alvin C. York
Edward G. Robinson2 films together, 1941 to 1964
Edward G. Robinson's page
- The Outrage1964IMDb rating 6.2Silva as ProspectorRobinson as Con Man
- The Sea Wolf1941IMDb rating 7.5Silva as HarrisonRobinson as 'Wolf' Larsen
Frank PerryDirector, 2 films, 1962 to 1981
All films by Frank Perry
- Mommie Dearest1981IMDb rating 6.7Silva as Louis B. Mayer
- David and Lisa1962IMDb rating 7.2Silva as Dr. Alan Swinford
Henry HathawayDirector, 2 films, 1951 to 1966
All films by Henry Hathaway
- Nevada Smith1966IMDb rating 6.9Silva as Warden
- Fourteen Hours1951IMDb rating 7.1Silva as Deputy Police Chief Moskar
Also two films together18 more actors
- Gene LockhartThe Sea Wolf (1941) and Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940)
- Will WrightThey Live by Night (1949) and The Blue Dahlia (1946)
- John RidgelyBorder Incident (1949) and The Big Shot (1942)
- Minor WatsonThe Big Shot (1942) and Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940)
- Alan LaddThe Great Gatsby (1949) and The Blue Dahlia (1946)
- Clem BevansSergeant York (1941) and Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940)
- Jack LambertBorder Incident (1949) and The Great Gatsby (1949)
- Betty FieldThe Great Gatsby (1949) and Blues in the Night (1941)
- Peter WhitneyReunion in France (1942) and Blues in the Night (1941)
- Harvey StephensSergeant York (1941) and Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940)
- David BruceSergeant York (1941) and The Sea Wolf (1941)
- Margaret WycherlyKeeper of the Flame (1943) and Sergeant York (1941)
- Martin GabelFourteen Hours (1951) and M (1951)
- Janet MargolinNevada Smith (1966) and David and Lisa (1962)
- Richard WhorfKeeper of the Flame (1943) and Blues in the Night (1941)
- Harry BarrisThe Blue Dahlia (1946) and The Lost Weekend (1945)
- Doris DowlingThe Blue Dahlia (1946) and The Lost Weekend (1945)
- Lewis L. RussellThe Underworld Story (1950) and The Lost Weekend (1945)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.