 He appeared in over 400 films and Produced 2 films, of which 300 were screened at the celebration of fifty years in Sinhala Cinema.Silva was born Haupe Liyanage Athukorala Morris Joseph Ranabahu in Puvakaramba, Moratuwa, and was an only child.Silva's father was an overseer for the Moratuwa Urban Council and his mother was a member of Salvation Army.