Firefly and Barney Miller Star Ron Glass Dies at 71

[Dohc-WP]

Ron Glass, the television star who played Shepherd Derrial Book in Firefly, has died. He was 71.

Variety received confirmation of Glass' death by the actor's rep, but no additional details with regard to the cause or location of his death were disclosed.

In addition to his role in Firefly, Glass starred as Ron Harris in the American sitcom Barney Miller. He also reprised his role as Shepherd Derrial Book in 2005's Firefly followup film, Serenity.

The actor started his long-running television career in 1973 with appearances in several shows, including All in the Family and Hawaii Five-O. More recently, Glass appeared in an episode of CSI and played Dr. Streiten in Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

IGN

 

[Wyvern]

It was a sad day indeed.

RIP

 

[Jan]

"A government is a body of people, usually, notably ungoverned."



Wherever you are, Shepherd, I hope the theatres are quiet.

 

[Avatar]

2016 really is an awful year.

Firefly came out when I was 15. It had a profound influence on me and how I see the world; my morals and ethics are all paralleled in the stories and characters. The thing is, Firefly is really a story about a broken man, with a bleak outlook on life. Life had screwed Captain Reynolds, had allowed the wrong people to win and beat him into submission. It's easy to follow Firefly and lose faith in humanity, when you learn to recognize the perils and betrayal around every corner.

Shepard Book's character served to offset this. He saw the good in things when no one else did. He saw the beauty in a broken world and the magnificence of a something as simple as a box of strawberries. And the awe of the world, the following of his own moral compass while observing his faith, and the protection of his flock, how imperfect and unwilling to be a part of the flock they may be, all that was brought to life by Ron Glass.

He will be missed.

 

[Wyvern]

2016 really is an awful year.

Firefly came out when I was 15. It had a profound influence on me and how I see the world; my morals and ethics are all paralleled in the stories and characters. The thing is, Firefly is really a story about a broken man, with a bleak outlook on life. Life had screwed Captain Reynolds, had allowed the wrong people to win and beat him into submission. It's easy to follow Firefly and lose faith in humanity, when you learn to recognize the perils and betrayal around every corner.

Shepard Book's character served to offset this. He saw the good in things when no one else did. He saw the beauty in a broken world and the magnificence of a something as simple as a box of strawberries. And the awe of the world, the following of his own moral compass while observing his faith, and the protection of his flock, how imperfect and unwilling to be a part of the flock they may be, all that was brought to life by Ron Glass.

He will be missed.

I totally agree, plus the true sadness that he wont be able to be in the tv show if they ever get it going again.

He brought to life this mysterious Shepard, who has secrets and a past that I still believe was conencted to the Alliance in the sence that he was in the same secret group (an Operative) as the guy who tracked River and Simon in the movie.

Kaylee: How come you don't care where you're going?
Book: 'Cause how you get there is the worthier part.

Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: Ah, hell, Shepherd, I ain't looking for help from on high. That's a long wait for a train don't come.
Shepherd Book: Why when I talk about belief, why do you always assume I'm talking about God?

Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: It should have been me that got hit.
Shepherd Book: The thought... had crossed my mind.

Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: I look to be bored by many more sermons before you slip. Just don't move.
Shepherd Book: Can't order me around, boy. I'm not one of your crew.
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: Yes, you are.

Shepherd Book: I don't care what you believe in, just believe in it.

Shepherd Book: When I talk about belief, why do you always assume I'm talking about God?

Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: It's of interest to me how much you seem to know about that world.
Shepherd Book: I wasn't born a shepherd, Mal.
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: You have to tell me about that sometime.
Shepherd Book: [pause] No, I don't.

Shepherd Book: [dying] I killed the ship that killed us. Not very Christian.
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: You did what was right.
Shepherd Book: Coming from you that means - almost nothing.
[grin]