LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The death of veteran film, television and stage actor Geno Silva was announced by his family today.
Silva died peacefully at his Los Angeles home May 9 from complications of frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), a form of dementia. He was 72.
Silva's career spanned more than four decades and included more than 100 film, television and theatre credits, his family said.
He is remembered for his iconic role as “The Skull” in Scarface, a hitman who never spoke a word while killing Al Pacino's Tony Montana in the movie's climactic ending, relatives said. The role earned Silva the seventh- place slot on a Top 20 Best Henchmen in Cinema History list.
Other film credits include “Mulholland Drive,” “Amistad,” “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” “A Man Apart,” “Tequila Sunrise” and “Zoot Suit.” Silva appeared on many television shows, including “Star Trek Enterprise,” “Miami Vice,” “Hill Street Blues,” and as a series regular (Hector Allegria) on FOX's “Key West.”
He appeared on Broadway with Edward James Olmos in “Zoot Suit.”
Silva is survived by his wife, Pamela Phillips Silva; daughter, Lucia Silva; grandchildren Eva and Levon Redman; and sister, Elizabeth Gallegos.
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