Ron Glass

Ronald Earle Glass (July 10, 1945 – November 25, 2016) was an American actor. He was known for his roles as literary Detective Ron Harris in the television sitcom Barney Miller (1975–1982), for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination, and as the Shepherd Book, in the science fiction series Firefly and its sequel film Serenity (2005).

Early life Glass was born in Evansville, Indiana, the son of Lethia and Crump Glass.

After graduating from St. Francis Seminary in 1964, Glass attended the University of Evansville, where he received a Bachelor of Arts, double majoring in drama and literature. Years later, the university awarded him its Medal of Honor. Glass said in 2007 he knew while he was in college that he wanted to act. With the encouragement of his teacher, Dudley Thomas, he performed in a play and went on to an acting career.

Career

Glass made his stage debut at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, before moving to Hollywood. His earliest TV appearances include episodes of Sanford and Son in 1972, an episode of Hawaii Five-O in 1973, an episode of Maude in 1973, an episode of All in the Family in 1973, an episode of The Bob Newhart Show, and episodes of Good Times in 1974. In 1975, he landed the role of Detective Ron Harris in Barney Miller, which ran until 1982.

The following season, Glass co-starred with Demond Wilson on television in a remake of The Odd Couple, called The New Odd Couple. On December 13, 1985, he played a soul-collecting devil opposite Sherman Hemsley's mathematics professor in an episode of the revived Twilight Zone series. In 2008 he appeared in the film Lakeview Terrace alongside Samuel L. Jackson and starred in the 2010 version of Death at a Funeral as Duncan.

Personal life and death Glass never married, and though raised Catholic became a devout Buddhist, and a member of Soka Gakkai International. He died of respiratory failure on November 25, 2016, at the age of 71. He is interred at the Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, California.

Filmography

Film + Year Title Role Notes 1974 Quintus 1983 Sound of Sunshine – Sound of Rain Narrator Short film 1988 Deep Space Jerry Merris 1995 Houseguest Dr. Derek Bond 2005 Serenity Shepherd Book 2010 Death at a Funeral Duncan Beg, Borrow, or Steal Ray Buren TV film Shirts/Skins Mr. Brown TV film Maude Whitnauer Fulton Episode: "Florida's Affair" Hawaii Five-O J. Paul Episode: "Tricks Are Not Treats" Elevator Repairman Episode: "Fit, Fat and Forty One" Griff Dietrich Episode: "Elephant in a Cage" Insight Courtney Rickell Episode: "Reunion" 1974 Mark Borden Episode: "The Case of the Tortured Titan" Change at 125th Street John Morse TV short film Good Times Mr. Pearson / Henry Anderson 2 episodes Earl Episode: "Rampage" 1975 Let's Switch! LaRue Williams TV film Insight Courtney Rickell Episode: "Class Reunion" Foster and Laurie Doctor #2 TV film When Things Were Rotten Black Knight Episode: "This Lance for Hire" 1975–1982 Barney Miller Det. Ron Harris Regular role (164 episodes) 1976 Arlen Washington Episode: "The Thrill Killers" 1978 Crash Jerry Grant TV film 1981 Hart to Hart Conductor Slattery Episode: "Hartland Express" 1982–1983 Felix Unger Regular role (18 episodes) 1985 Gus Brown and Midnight Brewster Midnight Brewster TV film Demon Episode: "I of Newton" 1986 Perry Mason: The Case of the Shooting Star Eric Brenner TV film 1987 227 Robert Stone 2 episodes 1988 Sonny Spoon Episode: "Deuces Wild" 1989 Family Matters Buddy Goodrich Episode: "False Arrest" 1989–1991 Amen Jason Lockwood 3 episodes 1991 The New Adam-12 Logan Mills Episode: "D.A.R.E." 1992 Murder, She Wrote Lt. Hanrahan Episode: "Incident in Lot #7" 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" 1993–2001 Rugrats Randy Carmichael (voice) 6 episodes 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" Judge Kent Episode: "Reasonable Doubts" 1997–1998 Teen Angel Rod Regular role (17 episodes) 1999 Incognito Marcus Courtland TV film Twice in a Lifetime Charlie Summers / Charlie Winters Episode: "The Blame Game" Friends Russell 2 episodes 2000 Jack & Jill Mr. Small Episode: "Animal Planet: Part 1" Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane Prof. Bradford Episode: "Too Much Pressure" Star Trek: Voyager Loken Episode: "Nightingale" 2001 Rude Awakening Joseph Episode: "Ode to Billie and Joe" Yes, Dear Dr. Bradley Episode: "The Big Snip" Graham Redmond Episode: "Pilot" The Talking Baby (voice) 4 episodes 2002 Firefly Shepherd Derrial Book Main role (14 episodes) 2004 Barry Episode: "Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here" 2004–2008 All Grown Up! Randy Carmichael (voice) 12 episodes 2006 Secret History of Religion: Doomsday – Book of Revelation Reenactor TV film Secret History of Religion: Knights Templar Reenactor TV film 2006–2007 Shark Judge Stewart Fenton 3 episodes 2008 Dirty Sexy Money D.A. Dennis Ford 2 episodes 2011 CSI: NY Colby Glass Episode: "To What End?" 2013, 2014 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Dr. Streiten 2 episodes 2013 Major Crimes Clayton Carter Episode: "There's No Place Like Home" 2014 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Paul Lomax Episode: "Killer Moves" (Final role)

Video games