1 9 9 9 ). ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁career ▁Silva ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Brook lyn , ▁New ▁York , ▁of ▁Sic ilian ▁and ▁Spanish ▁descent . ▁ ▁He ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁Har lem ▁and ▁quit ▁school ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁ 1 3 ▁years ▁old ▁to ▁attend ▁drama ▁classes , ▁supporting ▁himself ▁as ▁a ▁d ish w ash er ▁and ▁wait er ▁at ▁a ▁Manh attan ▁hotel . ▁▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁Silva ▁felt ▁ready ▁to ▁aud ition ▁for ▁the ▁Act ors ▁Studio . ▁He ▁was ▁accepted , ▁one ▁of ▁only ▁five ▁successful ▁applic ants ▁out ▁of ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 , 5 0 0 . ▁When ▁the ▁Studio ▁st aged ▁Michael ▁V . ▁Gaz zo ' s ▁play ▁A ▁Hat ful ▁of ▁Rain ▁as ▁a ▁class room ▁project ▁( which ▁itself ▁grew ▁out ▁of ▁an ▁earlier ▁impro vis ation ▁by ▁Silva , ▁Paul ▁Rich ards ▁and ▁Anthony ▁Fran ci osa , ▁based ▁on ▁a ▁scene ▁written ▁by ▁Gaz zo , ▁entitled ▁" P ot "), ▁it ▁proved ▁so ▁successful ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁presented ▁on ▁Broadway , ▁with ▁students ▁Ben ▁G azz ara , ▁Sh elle y ▁Winter s , ▁Harry ▁Guard ino , ▁along ▁with ▁Fran ci osa , ▁Rich ards ▁and ▁Silva , ▁in ▁key ▁roles . ▁Silva ▁also ▁appeared ▁in ▁the ▁play ' s ▁film ▁version . ▁ ▁Early ▁film ▁roles ▁and ▁type cast ing ▁In ▁Hollywood , ▁he ▁played ▁a ▁succession ▁of ▁villa ins ▁in ▁films ▁including ▁The ▁T all ▁T ▁( 1 9 5