Actor, activist Ron Silver dies at 62 - CNN.com

Actor, activist Ron Silver dies at 62

• Story Highlights
• Silver's many roles included playing consultant Bruno Gianelli in "The West Wing"
  
• Silver was 62 and had been battling esophageal cancer for two years
  
• Silver was also known for his political activism, first for Democrats, then for GOP
  
• Colleague says Silver died in his sleep with his family around him
  
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NEW YORK (CNN) -- Actor and political activist Ron Silver, who played a recurring role in TV's presidential drama "The West Wing," and who also let his political views play out in real life, died Sunday after a two-year battle with esophageal cancer, according to a colleague.

Ron Silver is seen in this 2006 photograph. He had a recurring role in TV's "The West Wing."

Robin L. Bronk, executive director of The Creative Coalition, said Silver, a New York native, died in his sleep with his family around him.

"Nothing could hold Ron back, not even a debilitating illness. His contributions as an artist and activist will never be forgotten," said Bronk, who runs an organization founded in 1989 by Silver, actor Christopher Reeve and other prominent figures in the arts as a political advocacy organization for the entertainment industry.

Silver's politics moved from working for the Democratic Party and its candidates for most of his life to becoming a supporter of many Republican candidates and causes, with the shift occurring after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He was quoted as saying the terrorist attacks and the Democratic Party's policies regarding terrorism had persuaded him to become a political independent.Actor, activist Ron Silver dies at 62 - CNN.com