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Frank Silvera

Frank Silvera

Actor · Died June 11, 1970, aged 55 · Kingston, British West Indies [now Kingston, Jamaica]

​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.   Frank Silvera (July 24, 1914 – June 11, 1970) was an American actor and theatrical director. Silvera was born in Kingston, Jamaica the son of a mixed race Jamaican mother, Gertrude Bell and Spanish Jewish father, Alfred Silvera. His family emigrated to the United States when he was six-years old, settling in Boston. Silvera became interested in acting and began performing in amateur theatrical groups and at church. He graduated from English High School of Boston and then studied at Boston University, followed by the Northeastern Law School. Silvera left Northeastern Law School in 1934, when he was cast in Paul Green's production of Roll Sweet Chariot. He next joined the New England Repertory Theatre where he appeared in productions of MacBeth, Othello and The Emperor Jones. He also worked at Federal Theatre and with the New Hampshire Repertory Theatre. In 1940, Silvera made his Broadway debut in a small role in Big White Fog. His career was interrupted in 1942, when he enlisted in the United States Navy during World War II. He was assigned to Camp Robert Smalls, where he and Owen Dodson were in charge of entertainment. Silvera directed and acted in radio programs and appeared in USO shows. Honorably discharged at the war's end in 1945, he joined the cast of Anna Lucasta and became a member of the Actors Studio. In 1952, Silvera made his film debut in the western, The Cimarron Kid. Because of his strongly Latin appearance, he was cast in a variety of ethnic roles in films and television. He was cast as General Huerta in Viva Zapata! which starred Marlon Brando. Silvera also portrayed the role in the stage production, which opened at the Regent Theatre in New York City on February 28, 1952. He appeared in two films directed by Stanley Kubrick, Fear and Desire (1953) and Killer's Kiss (1955). Silvera made guest appearances in numerous television series, mainly dramas and westerns, including Studio One in Hollywood, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Bat Masterson, Thriller, Riverboat, The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters, The Untouchables, and Bonanza. In 1962 he portrayed Dr. Koslenko in The Twilight Zone episode "Person or Persons Unknown", opposite Richard Long. That year, he also played Minarii, a Polynesian man in the 1962 film Mutiny on the Bounty, again starring Marlon Brando. In 1963, Silvera was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for playing Monsieur Duval in The Lady of the Camellias. In 1964, Silvera and Vantile Whitfield founded the Theatre of Being, a Los Angeles-based theatre dedicated to providing black actors with non-stereotypical roles. One of their first projects was producing The Amen Corner by African-American writer James Baldwin. Silvera and Whitfield financed the play themselves and with donations from friends. It opened on March 4, 1964 and would gross $200,000 within the year, moving to Broadway in April 1965. Beah Richards won critical acclaim for her performance as the lead. Silvera was killed on June 11, 1970, after accidentally electrocuting himself while repairing a garbage disposal unit in his kitchen sink. Description above from the Wikipedia article Frank Silvera, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 24, 1914
Died
June 11, 1970 (aged 55)
From
Kingston, British West Indies [now Kingston, Jamaica]
Works as
Actor
Titles
30 on MovieCove · 61 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 24% in 30 days

What are Frank Silvera's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Genres

Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile
: browse their Biography movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
37%
Survival
22%
Power
16%
Bonds
16%
Self
5%
Society
4%
Justice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 14 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 0 · Serious 5 · Dark 9

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 6 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 0

Intense: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their intense movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 4 · Intense 10

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 3 · Shifting 10 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 13 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 8 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 4 · Engaged 8 · Full focus 2

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 10 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

9 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 5 of 9 analyzed roles.

Shadow
5 of 9
Ally
2 of 9
Hero
1 of 9
Mentor
1 of 9
Show the 9 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
14
Melancholic
8
Dread
5
Thrilling
3
Contemplative
3
Other
6

How their films linger

Haunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet5
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Frank Silvera's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 20 of their 30 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (13).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Frank Silvera's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

61 credits, 30 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Perilous Voyage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Gen. Salazar

  • Valdez Is Coming(1971)

    as Diego

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Boy from Dead Man's Bayou (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Uncle Maxim

  • Marcus Welby, M.D.(1969)

    Show 1 episode · as Nick Eugenides

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Guns of the Magnificent Seven(1969)

    as Lobero

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Che!(1969)

    as Goatherd

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Hawaii Five-O(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Frank Kuakua

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Uptight(1968)

    as Kyle

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • The Stalking Moon(1968)

    as Major

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Young Loner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Carlos

  • The High Chaparral (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Don Sebastian Montoya

  • The St. Valentine's Day Massacre(1967)

    as Nick Sorello

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Hombre(1967)

    as Mexican Bandit

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Appaloosa(1966)

    as Ramos

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Rat Patrol (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · as Arab Leader

  • The Wild Wild West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as El Sordo

  • I Spy(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Munoz

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Run for Your Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Esteban

  • The Greatest Story Ever Told(1965)

    as Caspar

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Profiles in Courage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Lemus

  • Daniel Boone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Marcel Bouvier

  • Kraft Suspense Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Captain Santos · as Sgt. Terrell

  • The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Speaks to the Wind

  • The Great Adventure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Gambi

  • Mr. Novak (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Andy Towner

  • Toys in the Attic(1963)

    as Henry Simpson

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Mutiny on the Bounty(1962)

    as Minarii

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • The Alfred Hitchcock Hour(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Alejandro

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Beachcomber (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Anton Varda · as Juan Dominguez

  • The New Breed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as John Hernandez

  • The Defenders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Ballin

  • Key Witness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Det. Rafael Torno

  • Thriller (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Cesare Romano aka Charlie Roman

  • The Mountain Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Colonel Kwan

  • Heller in Pink Tights(1960)

    as Santis

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Crime and Punishment, U.S.A.(1959)

    as Lt. Porter

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • The Rebel(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Cota

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Johnny Ringo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Bevinetto

  • The Twilight Zone(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Koslenko

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Riverboat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Colonel Ashley

  • Bonanza(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Mateo Ybarra

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Rawhide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Pajarito

  • Bat Masterson(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Grasia

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Sol

  • Wanted: Dead or Alive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Sheriff Will Eckert

  • Decoy(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Andrew Garcia

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Perry Mason(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Jonathan Hyett

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as Ysidro

  • Crowded Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Papa Diaz

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Roderiguez

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Killer's Kiss(1955)

    as Vincent Rapallo

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Gunsmoke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as John Drago

  • Death Tide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Eric

  • The Lonely Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as The Narrator

  • Fear and Desire(1952)

    as Mac

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima(1952)

    as Council Administrator Arturo dos Santos

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Fighter(1952)

    as Paulino

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Viva Zapata!(1952)

    as Huerta

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Cimarron Kid(1952)

    as Stacey Marshall

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • A Visit to Picasso (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Commentator

  • Studio One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 1 episode · as Miguel Ramando

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 61 titles from 1948 to 1976; peak year 1968.

Biggest box office

The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima (1952)

$2.1K worldwide

Highest rated

Uptight (1968)

Midcredits 87th

Most popular right now

Guns of the Magnificent Seven (1969)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19481976

Peak 1968 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 3 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting61 of 61: 61 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score67th

By decade

1940s1 · acting1950s25 · acting1960s32 · acting1970s3 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 14% of 14 roles
5262

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Frank Silvera's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 64th percentile, the median of all 19; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 60th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Approval · how many liked their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Reach · how many have seen their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Midcredits score across 30 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th15
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

20 of their 30 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser20
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · actor

Che! (1969)

83rd percentile spread · 40% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Hombre (1967)

Midcredits 90th · 81% liked

Reviewers score the acting 62/100 in their films, across 14 reviewed titles; fans 72, detractors 37. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Frank Silvera's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Sex & Nudity5 titles14–39 · median 16 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Frank Silvera work with?

People who share at least 2 of Frank Silvera's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Stanley Kubrick shares the most, 2.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers