# 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.

## 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 as well as radio work. He also worked as a burlesque comic.
During World War II, Silver was tasked with finding entertainment for the troops, and as a result, he met singer Mario Lanza. Silver helped Lanza secure a part in a play written by Peter Lind Hayes and Frank Loesser, On the Beam, and together they performed a number of variety acts for the troops.
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. He reprised the role for the film adaptation five years later.
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.

## 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.

## Partial filmography

Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1955 | Guys and Dolls | Benny Southstreet | |
| 1957 | Public Pigeon No. One | Marvin | Uncredited |
| 1963 | Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? | Charlie | |
| 1965 | The Great Race | Baker | Uncredited |
| 1968 | The Thomas Crown Affair | Bert | Uncredited |
| 1968 | How Sweet It Is! | Zipper Man | |
| 1970 | Pufnstuf | Dr Blinky/Ludicrous Lion | |
| 1972 | Hammer | Tiny | |
| 1975 | Lepke | Schwartz | |
| 1981 | History of the World, Part I | Small Liar – The Roman Empire | |
| 1987 | Spaceballs | Caddy | |
| 1991 | Shakes the Clown | Clown Tailor | |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1950 | NBC Television Opera Theatre | Various | 3 episodes |
| 1954 | The Lone Wolf | Johnny Fr'Instance | Episode: Skid Row |
| 1956 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Fenton Shanks | Season 1 Episode 19: "The Derelicts" |
| 1957 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Jerry the Bartender | Season 2 Episode 24: "The Cream of the Jest" |
| 1957 | The Millionaire | Frankie | Episode: The Chris Daniels Story |
| 1957 | Leave it to Beaver | Man on Bridge | Episode: The Clubhouse |
| 1955–57 | The Jack Benny Program | Various | 3 episodes |
| 1957 | Date with the Angels | Mr Carter | Episode: A Day at the Track |
| 1958 | Bat Masterson | Drummer | Episode: Double Trouble in Trinidad |
| 1959 | Bachelor Father | Charlie | Episode: Bentley's Economy Wave |
| 1959 | World of Giants | Chick Crescent | Episode: Off Beat |
| 1959–60 | The Untouchables | Various | 2 episodes |
| 1960 | M Squad | J.C. Grevy | Episode: Needle in a Haystack |
| 1956–61 | Make Room for Daddy | Various | 7 episodes |
| 1963 | The Andy Griffith Show | Prothro Hanson | Episode: The Great Filling Station Robbery |
| 1964 | Burke's Law | Various | 2 episodes |
| 1964 | The Rogues | Boots Rafferty | Episode: The Personal Touch |
| 1964 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Ben | Season 3 Episode 10: "Memo from Purgatory" |
| 1961–65 | The Joey Bishop Show | Various | 5 episodes |
| 1963–65 | The Dick Van Dyke Show | Various | 15 episodes |
| 1964–66 | The Munsters | Various | 2 episodes |
| 1966 | Bonanza | Snowden | Episode: Horse of a Different Hue |
| 1966 | The F.B.I. | Various | 2 episodes |
| 1966–67 | Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | Various | 2 episodes |
| 1968 | Good Morning World | John | Episode: Pot Luckless |
| 1966–68 | That Girl | Various | 3 episodes |
| 1968 | Get Smart | Jojo | Episode: The Secret of Sam Vittorio |
| 1969–70 | H.R. Pufnstuf | Dr Blinky/Ludicrous Lion | 17 episodes |
| 1970 | The Name of the Game | Various | 2 episodes |
| 1971 | Sarge | Freddy | Episode: The Silent Target |
| 1971 | What's a Nice Girl Like You...? | Louis | TV movie |
| 1962–72 | My Three Sons | Various | 4 episodes |
| 1971–72 | Here's Lucy | Various | 2 episodes |
| 1967–72 | Ironside | Various | 4 episodes |
| 1970–72 | McCloud | Various | 2 episodes |
| 1973 | Maude | Various | 2 episodes (one of which was uncredited) |
| 1969–74 | Mannix | Various | 6 episodes |
| 1970–75 | The Odd Couple | Various | 5 episodes (one of which was uncredited) |
| 1973–75 | Adam-12 | Various | 2 episodes |
| 1973–75 | The Streets of San Francisco | Various | 2 episodes |
| 1978 | Columbo | Tow Truck Driver | Episode: The Conspirators |
| 1979 | Delta House | Pizza Man | Episode: The Blotto Who Came to Dinner |
| 1980 | Barney Miller | Kingman | Episode: Homicide Part 1 |
| 1981 | Evita Peron | Stage Manager | TV movie |
| 1984 | ABC Weekend Special | Leon | Episode: Henry Hamilton Graduate Ghost |
| 1984 | Alice | Shorty | Episode: Undercover Mel |
| 1985 | 1st & Ten | Tinoretto | Episode: Super Bull Sunday |
| 1986 | Matlock | Eddie Alonzo | Episode: The Don Part 1 |
| 1986–88 | Cagney & Lacey | Various | 2 episodes |
| 1995 | Seinfeld | Vendor #1 | Episode: The Understudy |