Ron Silverman, producer of films including “Brubaker” and former dean at the American Film Institute, died in July in Medford, Ore. He was 92.
After working as a reporter on the Arizona Republic, Silverman joined Daily Variety, reviewing films with the tagline “Ron” starting in 1957. Silverman began his career in production with Red Lion Films, a 20th Century Fox independent company led by Mark Robson, working his way up into television at Leslie Steven’s Daystar Productions and Warner Bros. TV.
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Silverman had several credits as a TV writer, working on two episodes of the “Wild Wild West” series. For 18 years, Silverman collaborated with Ted Mann, the Minneapolis exhibitor who purchased the National General chain. During his years working alongside Mann, Silverman worked as a producer on projects such as “Brubaker,” “Buster and Billie,” “Lifeguard,” and “Krull.”
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Silverman joined the faculty of the American Film Institute in 1981, working as a guide for the first-year fellows in their classes and on film production sets throughout Los Angeles. After serving as the Dean of Studies for three years, Silverman and his wife moved to Ashland, Ore. and then to nearby Medford, where he resided before his death.
In addition to his work in film and television, Silverman led on a number of non-profit boards including Southern Oregon Public Broadcasting, the Rogue Valley Symphony, and Medford’s performing arts center, the Craterian Theater.
Silverman is survived by his two children, Kathy Leininger and Mark Silverman, three stepchildren, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Donations may be made to the Myra & Ron Silverman Teen Musical Theater Fund at the Craterian Theater.