NEW YORK (AP) – Actor Ron Silver has died in New York City after a two-year battle with esophageal cancer.

The Creative Coalition Executive Director Robin Bronk says the 62-year-old, who co-founded the nonprofit, died peacefully in his sleep with his family around him early Sunday morning.

Silver won a Tony Award as a take-no-prisoners Hollywood producer in David Mamet’s “Speed-the-Plow” and did a political about-face from loyal Democrat to Republican activist after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Silver earned an Emmy nomination for a recurring role as a slick strategist for liberal President Jed Bartlet on “The West Wing.”

And Silver himself had a long history of balancing acting with left-leaning social and political causes.