Joe Silver was an American stage, television, film and radio actor. His distinctive deep voice was once described as "the lowest voice in show business; so low that when he speaks, he unties your shoelaces."

Silver made his Broadway debut in 1942 in a revival of Tobacco Road

Tobacco Road

Tobacco Road refers to the tobacco-producing area of North Carolina and is often used when referring to sports played among rival North Carolina universities...

. He was in the original production of Gypsy: A Musical Fable

Gypsy: A Musical Fable

Gypsy is a musical with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Gypsy is loosely based on the 1957 memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, the famous striptease artist, and focuses on her mother, Rose, whose name has become synonymous with "the ultimate show business...

(1959) and was nominated for a supporting actor Tony Award

Tony Award

The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...

 for playing nine different roles in Lenny (1971).

In 1947, he made the first of more than 1000 appearances on television, as a panelist on What's It Worth? Two years later, he became a member of the cast of the CBS educational children's television show Mr. I Magination. He was featured on The Red Buttons Show in the 1950s, and was the second "Captain Jet", host of the children's show Space Funnies in the late 1950s. He played the husband of star Lee Grant

Lee Grant

Lee Grant is an American stage, film and television actress, and film director. She was blacklisted for 12 years from film work beginning in the mid-1950s, but worked in the theatre, and would eventually win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Felicia Carp in the...

's character on Fay in the 1975-1976 season.

His film credits include Rhinoceros

Rhinoceros (film)

Rhinoceros is a 1974 comedy film based on the play by Eugène Ionesco. The film was produced and released as part of the American Film Theatre, which adapted theatrical works for a subscription-driven cinema series.-Plot:...

(1974), The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974), Shivers

Shivers (film)

Shivers is a 1975 Canadian body horror film written and directed by David Cronenberg. Cronenberg won "Best Director" at the 1975 Sitges Film Festival.-Plot:Dr...

(1975), Rabid

Rabid

Rabid is a 1977 horror film written and directed by David Cronenberg. It features Marilyn Chambers in the lead role, supported by Frank Moore, Howard Ryshpan, Joe Silver and Robert A...

(1977), and second billing in You Light Up My Life (1977).

Silver died in Manhattan

Manhattan

Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...

 of liver cancer

Liver cancer

Liver tumors or hepatic tumors are tumors or growths on or in the liver . Several distinct types of tumors can develop in the liver because the liver is made up of various cell types. These growths can be benign or malignant...

 at the age of 66. He was survived by his actress wife Chevi Colton

Chevi Colton

Chevi Colton was an American stage, film and television actress.In November 1968 she appeared onstage in Cabaret on Broadway in New York City. In December 1978 she appeared in The Grand Tour at the Palace Theatre on Broadway. She appeared as one-half of a lesbian couple on a "very special" episode...

, their son Christopher, their daughter Jennifer, and three grandchildren.

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