I was searching for something to watch on TV, just as I heard the news that Ron Silver had died. I had turned on “Kings” and it was so eerie to see Mr. Silver sitting at the royal counsel table. I don’t know if the series will be any good, but I will watch Ron Silver intensely. He will unfortunately be eliminated early in the first episode.

There are few activist actors in Hollywood whom I can separate from their politics. He was one of those few. I thought him a great actor when he was a liberal Democrat, and after September 11, I still thought so when he became a true patriot. May the God of his fathers give him rest.