Ron Glass obit

Ron Glass, Emmy-Nominated Actor Known for ‘Barney Miller’ and ‘Firefly,’ Dies at 71

He was not on the list.

Ron Glass, a prolific TV actor known for playing Ron Harris in the sitcom “Barney Miller” and Shepherd Derrial Book in “Firefly,” has died. He was 71.

The actor’s rep confirmed the death to Variety, but had no further details regarding the cause or location.

Glass was born in Evansville, Ind. and went on to study drama and literature at the University of Evansville. He began his career in Hollywood in episodes of “Sanford and Son,” “Hawaii Five-O” and “All in the Family” in the early ’70s.

In 1975 Glass found his breakout role in “Barney Miller,” set in an NYPD station. His character was a dapper and ambitious intellectual, obsessed with launching his career as a writer. The role earned Glass a Primetime Emmy nomination in 1982 in the supporting actor category.

After “Barney Miller,” Glass would go on to star in 18 episodes of the 1982 “The Odd Couple” remake “The New Odd Couple” as well as making guest appearances on “The Twilight Zone,” “Family Matters” and “Murder, She Wrote,” among other shows. In the late 1999 he appeared on two episodes of “Friends” Ross Geller’s divorce lawyer, Russell.

In 2002 Glass joined Joss Whedon’s cult favorite “Firefly,” playing a spiritual figure with a mysterious past. Glass would also reprise the role in the 2005 movie “Serenity.”

Glass was still a regular face on American television as recently as 2014 when he appeared in an episode of “CSI.” That same year he appeared in “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” as Dr. Streiten.

Filmography

Film

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1974      The Crazy World of Julius Vrooder            Quintus               

1983      Sound of Sunshine – Sound of Rain           Narrator               Short film

1988      Deep Space         Jerry Merris       

1995      Houseguest        Dr. Derek Bond

1996      It's My Party       Dr. David Wahl

1997      Back in Business               Allen Smith        

1999      Deal of a Lifetime             Mr. Creighton   

1999      Unbowed            President Duquesne      

2001      Recess: School's Out       Dr. Lazenby / Tech #2 (voice)     

2005      Serenity               Shepherd Derrial Book  

2008      Lakeview Terrace             Harold Perreau

2010      Death at a Funeral           Duncan                

2012      Strange Frame   Philo D Grenman             

Television

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1972–1974          Sanford and Son               Hucklebuck / Herman Edwards   Episodes: "The Card Sharps", "Once a Thief"

1973      All in the Family                Jack        Episode: "Everybody Tells the Truth"

1973      Beg, Borrow, or Steal      Ray Buren            TV film

1973      Shirts/Skins         Mr. Brown           TV film

1973      Maude Whitnauer Fulton             Episode: "Florida's Affair"

1973      Hawaii Five-O    J. Paul   Episode: "Tricks Are Not Treats"

1973      The Bob Newhart Show Elevator Repairman         Episode: "Fit, Fat and Forty One"

1973      Griff       Dietrich                Episode: "Elephant in a Cage"

1973      Insight   Courtney Rickell                Episode: "Reunion"

1974      The New Adventures of Perry Mason      Mark Borden      Episode: "The Case of the Tortured Titan"

1974      Change at 125th Street                  TV film

1974      Good Times        Mr. Pearson / Henry Anderson   Episodes: "Crosstown Buses Run All Day, Doodah, Doodah"

"The Encyclopedia Hustle"

1974      The Streets of San Francisco        Earl        Episode: "Rampage"

1975      Let's Switch!       LaRue Williams TV film

1975      Insight   Courtney Rickell                Episode: "Class Reunion"

1975      Foster and Laurie             Doctor #2            TV film

1975      When Things Were Rotten           Black Knight        Episode: "This Lance for Hire"

1975–1982          Barney Miller     Det. Ron Harris Regular role (164 episodes)

1976      The Streets of San Francisco        Arlen Washington            Episodes: "The Thrill Killers: Part 1 & 2"

1978      Crash     Jerry Grant          TV film

1981      Hart to Hart        Conductor Slattery          Episode: "Hartland Express"

1982–1983          The New Odd Couple      Felix Unger         Regular role (18 episodes)

1985      Gus Brown and Midnight Brewster           Midnight Brewster          TV film

1985      The Twilight Zone             Demon Episode: "I of Newton"

1986      Perry Mason: The Case of the Shooting Star          Eric Brenner       TV film

1987      227        Robert Stone      Episodes: "The Audit", "There Goes the Building"

1988      Sonny Spoon                      Episode: "Deuces Wild"

1989      Family Matters Buddy Goodrich                Episode: "False Arrest"

1989–1991          Amen    Jason Lockwood                Episodes: "Witness for the Defense",

"Miracle on 134th Street: Parts 1 & 2",

"Deak-Scam"

1991      The New Adam-12           Logan Mills         Episode: "D.A.R.E."

1992      Murder, She Wrote         Lt. Hanrahan      Episode: "Incident in Lot #7"

1992      The Royal Family              Deacon Hudson                 Episode: "The Sneakin' Deacon"

1992–1993          Rhythm & Blues                Don Phillips        Main role (13 episodes)

1993      Designing Women           Punch    Episode: "It's Not So Easy Being Green"

1993      Rugrats                 Randy Carmichael (voice)              TV series

1994      Aladdin                 Kwanseer (voice)             Episode: "Bad Mood Rising"

1996–1997          Mr. Rhodes         Ronald Felcher Regular role (17 episodes)

1997      Superman: The Animated Series                News Anchorman (voice)              Episode: "Blasts from the Past: Part II"

1997      The Practice       Judge Kent          Episode: "Reasonable Doubts"

1997–1998          Teen Angel          Rod        Regular role (17 episodes)

1999      Incognito             Marcus Courtland            TV film

1999      Twice in a Lifetime           Charlie Summers / Charlie Winters           Episode: "The Blame Game"

1999      Friends Russell Episodes: "The One Where Ross Hugs Rachel",

"The One Where Joey Loses His Insurance"

2000      Jack & Jill             Mr. Small             Episode: "Animal Planet: Part 1"

2000      Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane          Prof. Bradford    Episode: "Too Much Pressure"

2000      Star Trek: Voyager           Loken    Episode: "Nightingale"

2001      Rude Awakening              Joseph Episode: "Ode to Billie and Joe"

2001      Yes, Dear             Dr. Bradley          Episode: "The Big Snip"

2001      The Education of Max Bickford   Graham Redmond           Episode: "Pilot"

2001      The Proud Family             The Talking Baby (voice)                Episodes: "Spelling Bee", "Makeover", "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thingy, Baby", "Surf and Turf"

2002      Firefly    Shepherd Derrial Book   Main role (14 episodes)

2004      The Division        Barry     Episode: "Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here"

2004–2008          All Grown Up!    Randy Carmichael (voice)              Recurring role (12 episodes)

2006      Secret History of Religion: Doomsday – Book of Revelation            Reenactor           TV film

2006      Secret History of Religion: Knights Templar           Reenactor           TV film

2006–2007          Shark     Judge Stewart Fenton    Episodes: "Dr. Feelbad", "Dial M for Monica", "Student Body"

2008      Dirty Sexy Money             D.A. Dennis Ford               Episodes: "The Star Witness", "The Verdict"

2011      CSI: NY Colby Glass         Episode: "To What End?"

2013      Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.      J. Streiten, MD   Episode: "Pilot", "The Magical Place"

2013      Major Crimes     Clayton Carter   Episode: "There's No Place Like Home" (s02e09)

2014      CSI: Crime Scene Investigation    Paul Lomax         Episode: "Killer Moves"