Portuguese actor. An unavoidable figure of Portuguese cinema and theatre of the 20th century, he is mainly remembered for the films in which he starred during the Golden Age of Portuguese Cinema. With a career spanning over 50 years, he played roles in over 30 film productions and hundreds of plays. Having lost his father at the age of 12, he started working very early, as a haberdasher and later as an employee at a drugstore. He completed the General Course of Commerce, at the former Calipolense College and, in December 1905, began his activity as a volunteer firefighter, where he accumulated 24 accolades and reached the rank of Commander of the active body of the Volunteer Firefighters of Ajuda. In addition to his professional occupations, he attended amateur scenic groups, where he obtained his theatrical training and, at the Salão Ideal (today Cinema Ideal), he was one of the voices of the "spoken tapes" that were shown there. He made his professional debut on November 26, 1910, with the play "O Cristo Moderno" ("The Modern Christ") by Tolstoy, at the Rua dos Condes Theatre. From then on, he participated in plays such as "O Rei Maldito" ("The Accursed King") and "O Conde de Monte Cristo" ("The Count of Monte Cristo"). That same year, he made his debut in silent films, in the short "Rainha Depois de Morta" ("Queen After Dead"). Progressing in his career, he went to Brazil in 1913, where he remained until 1921, on tour with the theater company of António de Sousa. In Brazil he meets Josefina Barco, whom he secretly marries in August 1920. Their controversial romance would cause scandal with her family and repercussions in the press. During this period he participated in three Brazilian silent films. Upon his return to Portugal, he was registered with the Satanella-Amarante Company, owned by Luísa Satanela and Estêvão Amarante, where he remained for several years and where he soon became evident as a comedian. He starred in comedy, revista, operetta, comic opera, vaudeville and zarzuela. Passing through numerous theatre companies and theatres across the country and especially in the capital, he became one of the most famous and acclaimed comic actors in Portugal. After some participation in silent films in the 1910s and 1920s, he made his major cinematographic debut in the film "A Canção de Lisboa" ("The Song of Lisbon", 1933), where he played the character "Tailor Caetano Costa", which gave him a great national projection, consolidating his popularity. His participation in successful feature films and the interpretation he made of comic characters in more than 30 films, consecrated him as one of the best and most famous Portuguese actors of the 20th century and one of the main figures of the Golden Age of Portuguese Cinema. Some of his biggest hits were "As Pupilas do Senhor Reitor" ("The Dean's Pupils", 1935), where he played "João da Esquina", "O Pátio das Cantigas" ("The Courtyard of Songs", 1942), where he played "Evaristo", "O Costa do Castelo" ("Costa of the Castle", 1943), where he played "Simplício Costa", "Amor de Perdição" ("Love of Perdition", 1943), where he played "João da Cruz", "A Menina da Rádio" ("The Radio Girl", 1944), where he played "Cipriano Lopes", "A Vizinha do Lado" ("The Girl Next-Door", 1945), where he played "Saraiva", "Camões" (1946), where he played "Cabo dos Meirinhos", "O Leão da Estrela" (1947), where he played "Anastácio", "Fado, História d'Uma Cantadeira" ("Fado, Story of a Singer", 1947), where he played "Chico Fadista", "O Grande Elias" ("The Great Elias", 1950), where he played "Elias", among others. Silva also did radio theatre at the Rádio Clube Português, alongside his wife and other figures such as Rogério Paulo, Paulo Renato, Isabel Wolmar, Carmen Dolores, Laura Alves and Álvaro Benamor. On television, he participated in some series, television films and televised theatre in the 1960s. He was awarded the rank of Officer of the Order of Benemerence on October 5, 1936 and of Officer of the Military Order of Saint James of the Sword on November 4, 1966. In 1944, he received the award for best actor awarded by the National Secretariat of Information, for his performance as "Cipriano Lopes" in the film "A Menina da Rádio". He also received the Silver Medal from the D. Maria II National Theater and the Municipal Merit Medal in 1967. His last play was "Mulheres à vista" ("Women in sight") at the ABC Theatre, in 1967. He died of cerebral thrombosis at age 84, on March 3, 1971, and was interred in a municipal vault at Prazeres Cemetery. His name was given to 52 streets in the country and to a theatre in 2003.