Ron Glass
Ron Glass | |
---|---|
Ron Glass in 2005 | |
Born |
Ronald Earle Glass July 10, 1945 Evansville, Indiana, U.S. |
Died |
November 25, 2016 71) (aged Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Cause of death | Respiratory failure |
Alma mater | University of Evansville |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1972–2014 |
Known for |
Detective Ron Harris (Barney Miller), Shepherd Derrial Book (Firefly and Serenity) |
Ronald Earle "Ron" Glass (July 10, 1945 – November 25, 2016) was an American actor. He was known for his roles as literary Det. Ron Harris in the television sitcom Barney Miller (1975–1982), and as the spiritual Shepherd Derrial Book in the 2002 science fiction series Firefly and its sequel film Serenity.
Early life
Glass was born in Evansville, Indiana, the son of Lethia and Crump Glass.[1] Graduating from Saint 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 a teacher's encouragement, he performed in a play and went on to an acting career.[2]
Career
Glass made his stage debut at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota 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 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 Det. Ron Harris in Barney Miller, which ran until 1982. The following season, Glass also co-starred with Demond Wilson on television in the short-lived 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 1992, he co-starred in the short-lived sitcom Rhythm and Blues, a kind of "black WKRP," playing "the fifth Top" opposite Roger Kabler. In 1996, Glass was cast as uptight history teacher Roland Felcher in NBC sitcom Mr. Rhodes opposite comedian Tom Rhodes. In 1999, he appeared in an episode of NBC sitcom Friends as Ross Geller's divorce lawyer, Russell.
After that, Glass appeared in dozens of television series, including sitcoms such as Family Matters and the series Teen Angel, where he played God's cousin Rod. He had a guest appearance in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Nightingale". He was a series regular in the science fiction series Firefly (2002) and the sequel film Serenity (2005), in which he played Derrial Book, a pseudo-Christian[3] "Shepherd" with a mysterious past. Glass provided the voice of Randy Carmichael for the Nickelodeon series All Grown Up! and Rugrats, and the character Garth in the video game Fable II. 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.
Death
Glass died of respiratory failure on November 25, 2016, at the age of 71.[4][5]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1974 | Crazy World of Julius Vrooder, TheThe 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 | Sanford and Son | Hucklebuck | Episode: "The Card Sharps" |
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 | Bob Newhart Show, TheThe 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 | New Adventures of Perry Mason, TheThe 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 | Sanford and Son | Herman | Episode: "Once a Thief" |
1974 | Streets of San Francisco, TheThe 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 | Streets of San Francisco, TheThe 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 | New Odd Couple, TheThe New Odd Couple | Felix Unger | Regular role (18 episodes) |
1985 | Gus Brown and Midnight Brewster | Midnight Brewster | TV film |
1985 | Twilight Zone, TheThe 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 | Adam-12 | Logan Mills | Episode: "D.A.R.E." |
1992 | Murder, She Wrote | Lt. Hanrahan | Episode: "Incident in Lot #7" |
1992 | Royal Family, TheThe 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 | Practice, TheThe 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 | Education of Max Bickford, TheThe Education of Max Bickford | Graham Redmond | Episode: "Pilot" |
2001 | Proud Family, TheThe Proud Family | The Talking Baby (voice) | Episodes: "Spelling Bee", "Makeover" |
2002 | Firefly | Shepherd Derrial Book | Main role (13 episodes) |
2004 | Division, TheThe 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" |
Video games
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2008 | Fable II | Garth | Voice |
References
- ↑ "Ron Glass Biography (1945–)". Filmreference.com. Archived from the original on May 3, 2016. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
- ↑ Judyth Piazz (2007-10-25). "Ron Glass – Barney Miller/Serenity chats with Judyth Piazza" (Podcast). NewsBlaze.com. Archived from the original on March 25, 2014. Retrieved December 9, 2007.
- ↑ Whedon, Firefly: The Official Companion Volume One, 166.
- ↑ Schwartz, Ryan (November 26, 2016). "'Barney Miller' and 'Firefly' Star Ron Glass Dead at 71". TVLine.com. Archived from the original on November 27, 2016. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
- ↑ Rogers, John (November 26, 2016). "Ron Glass, co-star of TV's 'Barney Miller' dead at 71". The News & Observer. Raleigh, North Carolina. Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 27, 2016. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ron Glass. |
- Ron Glass at the Internet Movie Database