Did turning GOP land Silver on Hollywood’s blacklist?

For years, Ron Silver was a partisan Democrat – a one-time president of the Actors’ Equity union and co-founder of the Creative Coalition, which encourages left-leaning political activism among celebrities.

He even played Bruno Gianelli, the Machiavellian political consigliere to Democratic President Jed Bartlet on TV’s “The West Wing.”

But everything changed for Silver after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Now he calls himself a “9/12 Republican.”

A strong supporter of Israel and the war in Iraq, Silver spoke at the Republican National Convention and is featured prominently in a new documentary, “Fahrenhype 9/11,” a searing indictment of Michael Moore‘s “Fahrenheit 9/11.”

Silver teams with former Clinton adviser Dick Morris and others to deconstruct Moore’s movie. They score strong points when some of the subjects – an Oregon state trooper, a maimed soldier, the aunt of a young man killed in Iraq – say Moore had no business involving them in his film.

Silver’s film has sold more than 200,000 copies on the Internet since its release Oct. 5.

“Michael Moore and that faction of the party was one of the factors that did not let me support the Democratic nominee this year,” Silver said.

“He is a charlatan in a clown suit. I compare him to Leni Riefenstahl and Goebbels,” he added, referring to Adolf Hitler‘s infamous propagandists.

Silver says his political change of heart and outspoken support of President Bush has exacted a high professional cost in Hollywood, where Republicans are a decidedly rare breed.

“It’s affected me very badly. I can’t point to a person or a job I’ve lost, but this community is not very pluralistic,” Silver said. “I haven’t worked for 10 months.”

Margery Tabankin, who advises Barbra Streisand and other Hollywood heavyweights on their political giving, said Silver’s behavior and claims about his career are in keeping with his persona.

“Ron loves controversy, he loves to say the contrarian thing. That’s who he is,” Tabankin said.

She dismissed Silver’s claim about losing jobs, pointing to Republican actors Bruce Willis and Tom Selleck, whose careers have sizzled over the years.

Also, Silver is 58, and Hollywood’s love affair with youth and the “next big thing” may have affected his career more than any shift in his political sensibilities.

Whatever the case, Silver remains committed to campaigning and speaking out for Bush no matter the consequences, real or imagined.

“I know John Kerry, I like John Kerry and I respect him, but he is the candidate of the party,” Silver said. “And if it’s the party of Howard Dean, Dennis Kucinich and Michael Moore, then it’s not my party.”

The birthday bunch

Actress Barbara Bel Geddes (“Dallas”) is 82. CBS anchorman Dan Rather is 73. Actor Ron Rifkin (“Alias”) is 65. Actor David Ogden Stiers (“M.A.S.H.”) is 62. Actress Sally Kirkland is 60. Singer Kinky Friedman is 60. NBC newswoman Jane Pauley is 54. Director Peter Jackson (“The Lord of the Rings”) is 43. Actor Dermot Mulroney is 41. Country singer Darryl Worley is 40. Actor Rob Schneider is 40. Guitarist Adrock (Beastie Boys) is 38. Musician Rob Van Winkle (aka Vanilla Ice) is 36.