Ron Glass, a prolific TV actor known for playing Ron Harris in the sitcom âBarney Millerâ and Shepherd Derrial Book in âFirefly,â has died. He was 71. The actorâs 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 âSanford and Son,â âHawaii Five-Oâ and âAll in the Familyâ in the early â70s.
In 1975 Glass found his breakout role in âBarney Miller,â 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 âBarney Miller,â Glass would go on to star in 18 episodes of the 1982 âThe Odd Coupleâ remake âThe New Odd Coupleâ as well as making guest appearances on âThe Twilight Zone,â âFamily Mattersâ and âMurder, She Wrote,â among other shows. In the late 1999 he appeared on two episodes of âFriendsâ Ross Gellerâs divorce lawyer, Russell.
The science fiction community knows him best as Shepherd. In 2002 Glass joined Joss Whedonâs cult favorite âFirefly,â playing a spiritual figure with a mysterious past. Glass would also reprise the role in the 2005 movie âSerenity.â He was also in an episode of “Star Trek Voyager”. Glass was still a regular face on American television as recently as 2014 when he appeared in an episode of âCSI.â That same year he appeared in âAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.â as Dr. Streiten. Glass never married. He was a member of the Soka Gakkai International, a lay Buddhist organization.