Actor. He will be best remembered for his role of gang member and later paralegal 'Jesus Martinez' in the crime drama television series, "Hill Street Blues" from 1981 to 1987, and as 'Frog' in the action-crime thriller "Colors" (1988), which was directed by Dennis Hopper and starred Sean Penn and Robert Duvall as police officers who are trying to keep the streets of Los Angeles clean of gang violence. Born Trinidad Silva Jr. in Mission, Texas, he moved to California in the 1970s to pursue an acting career. He first appeared in some small bit parts and then made his television debut playing 'Harold' in Robert Blake's series "Baretta", and then made his film debut in "Alambrista" both in 1977. After a few more years of playing small roles, he was cast in a bit part as a gang member named 'Jesus Martinez' on the popular crime series, "Hill Street Blues" in 1981. His performance was so well-liked by the cast and the crew of the show that he was signed to appear in a total of twenty-eight episodes as 'Jesus Martinez' over the next few years. This role is the one that he was most identifiable and remembered for. Besides, "Beretta", and "Hill Street Blues", his many other television appearances include, "Police Story", "Visions", "The White Shadow", "Lou Grant", "Barney Miller", "T.J. Hooker", "Maximum Security", "Stir Crazy", and the Fred Dryer and Stefanie Kramer police crime series, "Hunter" in which he played the role of 'Fagan' who headed a street gang of delinquent youths who were involved in robberies, assaults, and other vicious crimes. Besides, "Alambrista!" (1970), and "Colors" (1988), his other film credits include "Walk Proud" (1979), "The Jerk" (1979), "Movie Madness" (1982), "Second Thoughts" (1983), "El Norte" (1983), "Crackers" (184), "Jocks" (1986), "Stones For Ibarra" (1988), "The Milagro Beanfield War" (1988), "The Night Before" (1988), and "Home Free" (1988). His last film role was as the animal deliveryman'Raul Hernandez', in the Weird Al Yankovic comedy, "UHF" in 1989. In the film, his character can be heard spoofing the classic Humphrey Bogart film, "The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre" (1948), with the line, "Badgers?... Badgers?... I don't need no stinking Badgers!". His promising career was cut short when he was killed in a car accident involving a drunk driver in Whittier, California. At the time of his death, he was only thirty-eight years old. The driver pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter, drunken driving and hit-and-run charges. He was sentenced to ten years in prison. The film "UHF" (1989), was dedicated to Silva's memory.