Ron Glass

{{Infobox person

| name = Ron Glass

| image = Ron Glass @ the Flanvention.jpg

| caption =

| birth_name = Ronald Earle Glass

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1945|7|10}}

| birth_place = Evansville, Indiana, U.S.

| death_date = {{nowrap|{{Death date and age|mf=yes|2016|11|25|1945|7|10}}}}

| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.

| resting_place = Rose Hills Memorial Park

| occupation = Actor

| alma_mater = University of Evansville (BA)

| known_for = Detective Ron Harris (Barney Miller)
Shepherd Book (Firefly and Serenity)

| website =

| yearsactive = 1972–2014

}}

Ronald Earle 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, Shepherd Book, in the science fiction series Firefly (2002) and its sequel film Serenity (2005).

Early life

Glass was born in Evansville, Indiana, the son of Lethia and Crump Glass.{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/81/Ron-Glass.html|title=Ron Glass Biography (1945–)|publisher=Film Reference|access-date=September 26, 2015| archive-date= May 3, 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160503215119/http://www.filmreference.com/film/81/Ron-Glass.html|url-status=live}}

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 a teacher's encouragement, he performed in a play and went on to an acting career.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

Career

File:Barney Miller cast 1977.jpg, 1977]]

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 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 Det. 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 1992, he co-starred in the 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 the NBC sitcom Mr. Rhodes opposite Tom Rhodes. In 1999, he appeared in two episodes of the NBC sitcom Friends as Russell, Ross Geller's lawyer. 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 ChristianWhedon, Firefly: The Official Companion Volume One, 166. "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.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}

Personal life and death

Glass never married, and though raised Catholic became a devout Buddhist, and a member of Soka Gakkai International.{{cite web |last1=Nielsen |first1=Euell A. |title=RONALD EARLE GLASS (1945-2016) |url=https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/ronald-earle-glass-1945-2016/ |website=BlackPast.org |date=25 October 2020 |publisher=BlackPast.org |access-date=27 February 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210212071603/https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/ronald-earle-glass-1945-2016/|archive-date= 12 February 2021}}{{cite news |last1=McDonald |first1=Soraya Nadia |date=December 2, 2016 |title=Remembering Barney Miller actor Ron Glass |url=https://andscape.com/features/remembering-barney-miller-actor-ron-glass/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928031536if_/https://theundefeated.com/features/remembering-barney-miller-actor-ron-glass/ |archive-date=28 September 2020 |access-date=27 February 2021 |work=Andscape |publisher=ESPN}} He died of respiratory failure on November 25, 2016, at the age of 71.{{cite web |last=Schwartz |first=Ryan |date=November 26, 2016 |title=Barney Miller and Firefly Star Ron Glass Dead at 71 |url=https://tvline.com/2016/11/26/ron-glass-dead-barney-miller-firefly-age-71/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161127171742/https://tvline.com/2016/11/26/ron-glass-dead-barney-miller-firefly-age-71/ |archive-date=November 27, 2016 |access-date=November 27, 2016 |publisher=TVLine}}{{cite web |last=Rogers |first=John |date=November 26, 2016 |title=Ron Glass, co-star of TV's Barney Miller dead at 71 |url=http://www.newsobserver.com/entertainment/celebrities/article117279298.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161127083503/http://www.newsobserver.com/entertainment/celebrities/article117279298.html |archive-date=November 27, 2016 |access-date=November 27, 2016 |work=The News & Observer |agency=Associated Press |location=Raleigh, North Carolina}} He is interred at the Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, California.

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1974 \|{{sortname\|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 \|
rowspan="2" \|1999 \|Deal of a Lifetime \|Mr. Creighton \|
Unbowed \|President Duquesne \|
2001 \|Recess: School's Out \|Dr. Lazenby / Tech #2 (voice) \|Direct-to-video{{cite web \|title=Ron Glass (visual voices guide) \|url=http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Ron-Glass/ \|access-date=November 10, 2024 \|publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
2005 \|Serenity \|Shepherd Book \|
2008 \|Lakeview Terrace \|Harold Perreau \|
2010 \|Death at a Funeral \|Duncan \|
2012 \|Strange Frame \|Philo Grenman \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1974

|{{sortname|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

rowspan="2" |1999

|Deal of a Lifetime

|Mr. Creighton

Unbowed

|President Duquesne

2001

|Recess: School's Out

|Dr. Lazenby / Tech #2 (voice)

|Direct-to-video{{cite web |title=Ron Glass (visual voices guide) |url=http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Ron-Glass/ |access-date=November 10, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.

2005

|Serenity

|Shepherd Book

2008

|Lakeview Terrace

|Harold Perreau

2010

|Death at a Funeral

|Duncan

2012

|Strange Frame

|Philo Grenman

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1972–1974 \|Sanford and Son \|Hucklebuck / Herman Edwards \|2 episodes
rowspan="8" \|1973 \|All in the Family \|Jack \|Episode: "Everybody Tells the Truth"
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"
{{sortname\|The\|Bob Newhart Show}} \|Elevator Repairman \|Episode: "Fit, Fat and Forty One"
Griff \|Dietrich \|Episode: "Elephant in a Cage"
Insight \|Courtney Rickell \|Episode: "Reunion"
rowspan="4" \|1974 \|{{sortname\|The\|New Adventures of Perry Mason}} \|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
{{sortname\|The\|Streets of San Francisco}} \|Earl \|Episode: "Rampage"
rowspan="4" \|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 \|{{sortname\|The\|Streets of San Francisco}} \|Arlen Washington \|Episode: "The Thrill Killers"
1978 \|Crash \|Jerry Grant \|TV film
1981 \|Hart to Hart \|Conductor Slattery \|Episode: "Hartland Express"
1982–1983 \|{{sortname\|The\|New Odd Couple}} \|Felix Unger \|Regular role (18 episodes)
rowspan="2" \|1985 \|Gus Brown and Midnight Brewster \|Midnight Brewster \|TV film
{{sortname\|The\|Twilight Zone\|The Twilight Zone (1985 TV series)}} \|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."
rowspan="2" \|1992 \|Murder, She Wrote \|Lt. Hanrahan \|Episode: "Incident in Lot #7"
{{sortname\|The\|Royal Family\|The Royal Family (TV series)}} \|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)
rowspan="2" \|1997 \|Superman: The Animated Series \|News Anchorman (voice) \|Episode: "Blasts from the Past"
{{sortname\|The\|Practice}} \|Judge Kent \|Episode: "Reasonable Doubts"
1997–1998 \|Teen Angel \|Rod \|Regular role (17 episodes)
rowspan="3" \|1999 \|Incognito \|Marcus Courtland \|TV film
Twice in a Lifetime \|Charlie Summers / Charlie Winters \|Episode: "The Blame Game"
Friends \|Russell \|2 episodes
rowspan="3" \|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"
rowspan="4" \|2001 \|Rude Awakening \|Joseph \|Episode: "Ode to Billie and Joe"
Yes, Dear \|Dr. Bradley \|Episode: "The Big Snip"
{{sortname\|The\|Education of Max Bickford}} \|Graham Redmond \|Episode: "Pilot"
{{sortname\|The\|Proud Family}} \|The Talking Baby (voice) \|4 episodes
2002 \|Firefly \|Shepherd Derrial Book \|Main role (14 episodes)
2004 \|{{sortname\|The\|Division}} \|Barry \|Episode: "Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here"
2004–2008 \|All Grown Up! \|Randy Carmichael (voice) \|12 episodes
rowspan="2" \|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)

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1972–1974

|Sanford and Son

|Hucklebuck / Herman Edwards

|2 episodes

rowspan="8" |1973

|All in the Family

|Jack

|Episode: "Everybody Tells the Truth"

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"

{{sortname|The|Bob Newhart Show}}

|Elevator Repairman

|Episode: "Fit, Fat and Forty One"

Griff

|Dietrich

|Episode: "Elephant in a Cage"

Insight

|Courtney Rickell

|Episode: "Reunion"

rowspan="4" |1974

|{{sortname|The|New Adventures of Perry Mason}}

|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

{{sortname|The|Streets of San Francisco}}

|Earl

|Episode: "Rampage"

rowspan="4" |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

|{{sortname|The|Streets of San Francisco}}

|Arlen Washington

|Episode: "The Thrill Killers"

1978

|Crash

|Jerry Grant

|TV film

1981

|Hart to Hart

|Conductor Slattery

|Episode: "Hartland Express"

1982–1983

|{{sortname|The|New Odd Couple}}

|Felix Unger

|Regular role (18 episodes)

rowspan="2" |1985

|Gus Brown and Midnight Brewster

|Midnight Brewster

|TV film

{{sortname|The|Twilight Zone|The Twilight Zone (1985 TV series)}}

|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."

rowspan="2" |1992

|Murder, She Wrote

|Lt. Hanrahan

|Episode: "Incident in Lot #7"

{{sortname|The|Royal Family|The Royal Family (TV series)}}

|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)

rowspan="2" |1997

|Superman: The Animated Series

|News Anchorman (voice)

|Episode: "Blasts from the Past"

{{sortname|The|Practice}}

|Judge Kent

|Episode: "Reasonable Doubts"

1997–1998

|Teen Angel

|Rod

|Regular role (17 episodes)

rowspan="3" |1999

|Incognito

|Marcus Courtland

|TV film

Twice in a Lifetime

|Charlie Summers / Charlie Winters

|Episode: "The Blame Game"

Friends

|Russell

|2 episodes

rowspan="3" |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"

rowspan="4" |2001

|Rude Awakening

|Joseph

|Episode: "Ode to Billie and Joe"

Yes, Dear

|Dr. Bradley

|Episode: "The Big Snip"

{{sortname|The|Education of Max Bickford}}

|Graham Redmond

|Episode: "Pilot"

{{sortname|The|Proud Family}}

|The Talking Baby (voice)

|4 episodes

2002

|Firefly

|Shepherd Derrial Book

|Main role (14 episodes)

2004

|{{sortname|The|Division}}

|Barry

|Episode: "Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here"

2004–2008

|All Grown Up!

|Randy Carmichael (voice)

|12 episodes

rowspan="2" |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=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Voice role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
2008 \|Fable II \|Garth \|
2014 \|Ancient Space \|Colonel Edwards / Professor Risseau \|Voice (final role)

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Voice role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

2008

|Fable II

|Garth

2014

|Ancient Space

|Colonel Edwards / Professor Risseau

|Voice (final role)