Ron Glass

Ronald Earle Glass (July 10, 1945 – November 25, 2016) was an American actor known for his roles as Det. Ron Harris in the television sitcom Barney Miller (1975–1982), and as Shepherd Book in the science fiction series Firefly (2002) and its sequel film Serenity (2005). Born in Evansville, Indiana, Glass graduated from St. Francis Seminary in 1964 before attending the University of Evansville, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in drama and literature. He made his stage debut at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis and later moved to Hollywood. Glass's early television appearances included episodes of Sanford and Son and Hawaii Five-O.