Silverman was born to a Jewish family in Chicago.[1] He worked as a poster clerk at the First National Pictures Corp. where he eventually became general sales manager of Warner Bros. after it took control of First National Pictures.[1]
In 1929, he co-founded the Essaness Theatres Corporation in Chicago with Sidney M. Spiegel Jr., grandson of Joseph Spiegel, founder of the Spiegel catalog.[1] The name is a play on the founder's last names Silverman & Spiegel with S&S becoming ESS-AN-ESS. The company eventually owned 33 theaters in the Chicago area.[1] He was also the founder of WSNS-TV channel 44 in Chicago[1] (SNS mirrors the pronunciation of "Essaness"). He retired to Palm Springs where he was a supporter of the Desert Hospital.[1]
By 1984, the chain operated 86 movie screens in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.[2]
