Barney Miller 10 Things You Might Not Know

Barney Miller Actors You May Non Know Passed Away

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Why has "Barney Miller" maintained such a devoted following decades subsequently completing its primetime run on ABC (1975-1982)? The writing, for ane: creators Danny Arnold and Theodore J. Flicker and their talented writers (which included "Night Court" creator Reinhold Weege) mined the mean solar day-to-solar day lives of detectives in a fictional New York Police force Section precinct for not only sharp, laugh-out-loud humor, but moments of remarkable desolation and empathy. That helped the serial add together a Peabody Award, given to shows of exceptional quality, to its three Emmys and ii Golden Globes. The mix of police and club, chaos and control, and life and death elevated "Barney Miller" to a higher place the sitcom oversupply and into the realm of something unlike: a show which entertained as it reflected on the human condition. Information technology'south no wonder that the toughest critics of Boob tube cop shows — real-life police officers – loved it.

Of course, one of the show'south almost crucial elements was its cast, led by phase veteran Hal Linden as the hard-working titular police captain. Barney and his detectives — Fish (Abe Vigoda), Harris (Ron Glass), Stanley "Wojo" Wojciehowicz (Max Gail) — were convincing every bit cops: they looked unglamorous and overworked, sounded cynical and stressed out, and had deep and existent moral cores. Their performances keep "Barney Miller" alive and relevant four decades afterward it ran its grade. Many of the actors, like Linden and Gail, are nonetheless with united states of america and working; others are non. Following is a list of "Barney Miller" actors you may non know passed away.

Ron Glass was dapper detective Harris

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A serial regular for the entire network run of "Barney Miller," Ron Glass played the fashionable and savvy Detective (after Sergeant) Ron Nathan Harris, who pursued a literary career with the aforementioned zeal with which he ran down criminals. A barbarous wit with a talent for withering putdowns, Harris finally achieved his dream with the publication of "Blood on the Badge," a hot-blooded tell-all based on his own law career. The experience ultimately turned sour — one of the subjects of the book sued him for libel — but an unbowed Harris was making inroads back to writing by the series' end.

Drinking glass earned a 1982 Emmy nomination for his turn as Harris, and remained a welcome presence on tv in the three decades that followed. He earned a new fan base with his function as Shepherd Volume on "Firefly" and its sequel moving-picture show, "Quiet," and was a highlight in episodes of "Friends," the '80s edition of "Twilight Zone," "Star Trek: Voyager," and "Agents of S.H.I.Due east.L.D." Glass, who was a devout Buddhist, died from respiratory failure at the age of 71 on November 25, 2016.

Raise a mug to Jack Soo's Detective Nick Yemana

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A recurring gag on the first four seasons of "Barney Miller" was the quality of the precinct'south coffee, which could be charitably described as unpalatable. The human responsible for this hi-test brew was Sgt. Nick Yemana, a philosophical detective played by comic and actor Jack Soo, whose dry delivery was a highlight of many episodes.

Built-in Goro Suzuki in 1917, the Japanese-American Soo worked equally a comic and emcee in San Francisco nightclubs prior to Earth War 2; he, along with his family and thousands of other Japanese-Americans, was held at two internment camps during the state of war years, but returned to comedy and singing after the war. His large break came with the Broadway show "Flower Drum Song," for which he rose from supporting role player to atomic number 82 in 1961. Roles in feature films and goggle box serial before long followed, including "M*A*S*H" and "Return to Witch Mountain."

Soo was diagnosed with esophageal cancer during the quaternary season of "Barney Miller," and he was forced to take leave from the series later on the ninth episode of Flavor v, "The Vandal." He died from the disease on January 11, 1979, with a special episode paying tribute to him at the end of Flavor 5. The retrospective concluded with his castmates raising a cup of java as a toast to his talent.

Gregory Sierra'southward Chano left later ii seasons

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Equally fans of "Barney Miller" came to larn, the prove's cast of regular and recurring actors frequently changed over the series' network run. One of the near popular players to depart the series during its early years was Gregory Sierra, a talented grapheme histrion who played Det. Sgt. Miguel "Chano" Amengual from its debut episode until the end of Flavour 2 in 1976. Chano was a dedicated cop with an emotional side that was showcased in the Season 1 endmost episode, "The Hero." In it, Chano struggles to residuum praise from his swain officers for killing ii bank robbers in a earnest state of affairs with his own anguished emotions over a life-and-expiry act.

Sierra, who had been a recurring character on "Sanford and Son" prior to joining the cast of "Barney Miller," too as a supporting histrion in films ranging from "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" to "The Towering Inferno," resumed steady work in big screen features and on television after departing the series. He concluded his run as Chano to star in "A.E.S. Hudson Street," a medical one-act from "Barney Miller" co-creator Danny Arnold, which was cancelled after five episodes, and captained the squad room on "Miami Vice" for four episodes until he was replaced by Edward James Olmos. Sierra's terminal screen credit was Orson Welles' long-gestating concluding characteristic, "The Other Side of the Wind," which was released in 2018; the 83-year-old actor died January 4, 2021 from stomach and liver cancer.

Steve Landesberg was the vivid oddball Dietrich

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Like several of his "Barney Miller" castmates and recurring players, Steve Landesberg made his debut on the series with a guest appearance every bit a con human arrested by Wojo in the Season ii opener, "Doomsday." Eleven episodes later on (in "Fish"), he fabricated his debut as Arthur Dietrich, a coolly cerebral and undeniably offbeat cop transferred from the 33^rd Precinct to supervene upon a depressed Fish, who was on restricted duty. A semi-regular for the remainder of Seasons 2 and 3, Dietrich became a series regular in Season four and remained with the show until its concluding episode.

Much of Dietrich's grapheme — the deadpan just amiable delivery, the seemingly limitless databank of noesis — seemed to exist drawn from Landesberg'due south career as a stand-up comic, which began in the late '60s. Guest appearances on TV and in films led to "Barney," for which he received 3 Emmy nominations. Landesberg maintained a lower profile after the series ran its grade, though he provided voices for blithe serial like "Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law" and enjoyed plum character turns in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," among other projects. His final screen credit came with a 2009 episode of "The Cleaner"; Landesberg died the post-obit yr from colon cancer at the age of 74 on Dec 20, 2010.

Ron Carey stood tall as Officer Levitt

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Actor-comedian Ron Carey fabricated likewise his debut on "Barney Miller" not as a cop, merely as a cheat: he played a burglar who was pursued through the metropolis sewers past Harris and Wojo in the Season 2 finale, "The Mole." Carey then returned in "Quarantine, Pt. 2," the third episode of Season iii, which marked his debut equally Officer Carl Levitt. What he lacked in physical stature, Levitt compensated with sheer decision and an unwavering religion in his own abilities, of which he constantly reminded Barney every bit a ways of gaining promotion to detective. It took Levitt 5 more seasons to brand the grade as sergeant, which came in the series finale.

Carey, who was born Ronald Cicenia, began his career in the aforementioned manner as co-stars Jack Soo and Steve Landesberg: every bit a stand up-up comic. He worked his manner upwards from the New York club excursion to appearances on diverseness and talk shows and eventual feature and TV roles. "Barney Miller" was his breakout project, and information technology led to steady piece of work with Mel Brooks in "Loftier Feet" and "History of the World, Part i," every bit well every bit several Tv set commercials. Carey's screen career waned after "Miller" ran its course in 1982; he worked in several Italian comedies and Telly series, and was briefly top-billed in his ain sitcom, "Take Faith," which ran for a one-half-season in 1989. Carey died of complications from a stroke at the age of 71 on January xvi, 2007.

Abe Vigoda's Fish was an unlikely breakout star

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Abe Vigoda had been working steadily, if nigh-anonymously, on the New York stage and the occasional television series (including a handful of appearances on "Night Shadows") from the mid-1940s until 1972, when he was cast equally the doomed mobster Tessio in "The Godfather." The popularity of the film boosted his screen profile and led to his star-making role as Detective Phil Fish on "Barney Miller."

On paper, Fish seems like the least likely stan candidate: an aged, downtrodden cop with a litany of physical complaints (many of Fish's "Miller" gags were based around trips to the bath) and a demeanor that made Eeyore seem sunny. But Vigoda found the humor and pathos in the grapheme, and Fish became the runaway hit of the series, with three Emmy nods in his get-go three seasons. Fish retired from the precinct in Season 4 in society for Vigoda to star in a spin-off series, "Fish," which establish him caring for a group of foster children. The show lasted two seasons.

Vigoda never accomplished the same caste of fame later on "Barney Miller"; his career was relegated to supporting roles in features like "Cannonball Run II" and "Expect Who'due south Talking," along with guest shots on dozens of Television serial. He was peradventure amend known for a incessant running gag about the fact that he wasn't dead yet. Vigoda appeared to take the joke in stride, and in fact, outlasted nigh predictions nigh his demise until January 2, 2016, when the 94-yr-one-time thespian died in his slumber from natural causes.

James Gregory played old-school detective Luger

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Though he clearly viewed himself as a sage, experienced effigy, Inspector Frank Luger'southward appearances at the 12^thursday Precinct were noted more than for their confusing qualities. An one-time-school cop with a decidedly backwards arroyo to police force work, Luger, who was Barney's superior officer, attempted to impart wisdom through folksy recollections of his own days equally a beat cop and detective. Invariably, these "retrieve-when" sessions turned gruesome or got jumbled up in the inspector'due south mind; more often than not, they acquired him to get weepy over how much he loved his long-gone and equally difficult-nosed former partners. For Barney and the others, it was best to just let Luger ramble on.

Grapheme histrion James Gregory stole about every scene in which he appeared as Luger, who recurred throughout the series' network run. The gravel-voiced Gregory had played hard-nosed types for decades prior to appearing on "Barney": he had been a scheming senator in "The Manchurian Candidate," a psychiatrist using mind control on patients in "Dagger of the Mind" from Season 1 of "Star Expedition: The Original Series," and the menacing General Ursus in "Below the Planet of the Apes," amid many other film and TV appearances.

Gregory, whose long list of credits also included sympathetic roles on "The Twilight Zone," "F Troop" and a recurring turn as President Ulysses S. Grant on "The Wild, Wild Westward," died at the age of 90 at his home in Sedona, Arizona on September xvi, 2002.

Barney's baddest was George Murdock'due south Lt. Scanlon

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One of the toughest characters on "Barney Miller" wasn't a criminal, just rather, a cop with a zeal for tearing downward the men and women of the 12^th Precinct. Lt. Ben Scanlon hailed from the New York Police Department's Internal Affairs partition, and investigated alleged improprieties by fellow officers. Scanlon, however, took not but a hardline arroyo to these cases, but appeared to relish the opportunity to put Barney and others in the hot seat.

Invariably, though, his efforts were thwarted by his own single-mindedness and the detectives' clever minds. Case in point: his effort to root out graft accusations with a lie detector test in Season 5's "Voice Analyzer," which is defeated by Harris's unflappable cool and Dietrich'due south bemused assertion than he's an alien, and therefore unable to reveal emotion.

Character thespian George Murdock played Scanlon in 11 episodes of "Barney Miller," which marked only a fraction of his long film and TV careers. His credits included "The Twilight Zone," "Nighttime Gallery," "Star Expedition: The Next Generation" and "Seinfeld," though he might be best remembered equally life-sciences officer Dr. Salik on the original "Battlestar Galactica," or equally the Second Elder on multiple episodes of "The X-Files." Murdock also played the God entity in "Star Expedition V: The Last Frontier." He made his last TV appearance in "Miracle Day: Dead of Night" from Season 4 of "Torchwood" in 2011; Murdock died the following year on Apr xxx at the historic period of 81.

Don Calfa was arrested 7 unlike times on "Barney Miller"

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Forever enshrined in zombie movie history as jittery mortician Ernie Kaltenbrunner in 1985's "Return of the Living Dead," character actor Don Calfa as well appeared in numerous other features and television set serial, including seven episodes of "Barney Miller." Calfa played a dissimilar perpetrator in each appearance — among them, a deranged bomber in Flavor 3'southward "Group Abode," a desperate echo offender who locks the detectives in a holding prison cell in Season iv's "Hostage" (directed by Hal Linden), and a onetime master thief whose hold-up attempt is undone by his recent brain surgery in Season six's "The Desk." Calfa'due south talent for comic delivery and off-kilter characters made each appearance memorable.

The Brooklyn-born Calfa made his screen debut in experimental comedy features by Robert Downey Sr., including 1972's "Greaser's Palace," before moving into mainstream Television set and features in the 1970s. His feature credits include collaborations with Martin Scorsese ("New York, New York"), Steven Spielberg ("1941") and Peter Bogdanovich ("Nickelodeon"), simply it was "Render of the Living Dead" for which he was well-nigh widely known. Calfa died from natural causes at his home in Yucca Valley, California, on Dec ane, 2016, two days earlier his 77^th birthday.

Jack DeLeon: a sympathetic scene-stealer

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Comedian turned actor Jack DeLeon fabricated eight appearances on "Barney Miller" every bit Marty Morrison, a gay man who institute himself at odds with or in need of the 12^th Precinct detectives at diverse times. He's busted for theft on several occasions, including Season 1's "The Invitee," where he'southward nabbed for stealing a suitcase. In later episodes, Marty calls on Barney in Season two'due south "Discovery" to aid him and his partner, Mr. Driscoll (Ray Stewart), with a harassment example involving a cop, and in Season half-dozen'southward "The Kid Stealers," when Driscoll takes extreme measures to run across his son. While the portrayal of Marty and Driscoll is broad by current Television set standards — and Wojo's confusion over their orientation is occasionally blench-worthy – both are treated by the prove's writers every bit people, not caricatures, which is notable for '70s Television receiver.

In addition to invitee roles like Marty, DeLeon was a prolific voice-over player for animated projects, including the Rankin-Bass adaptation of "The Hobbit," the 1967 "Fantastic Four" series, and the 1981 "Spider-Man" serial, for which he voiced Kraven the Hunter. DeLeon, who also performed under the name Christopher Weeks, died at the historic period of 81 from complications of heart and kidney disease on Oct 16, 2006.

Two actresses played Fish's wife, Bernice

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When the producers of "Barney Miller" decided to give viewers a look at Fish'south life exterior the precinct, Florence Stanley, a veteran of Broadway and television, was tapped to play his long-suffering wife, Bernice. She appeared in seven episodes — relieve for Flavor 2's "Fish," which also introduced Steve Landesberg as Detective Dietrich. In that episode, Fish is placed on restricted duty and returns to his apartment for lunch. Dietrich follows him there and is introduced to Bernice, who was played by Doris Belack of "Law and Club" fame. Stanley would besides reprise Bernice opposite Vigoda in the brusk-lived spin-off series "Fish," which aired for two seasons in 1977 and 1978.

Stanley'southward distinctive gravel tones made her a natural for blithe projects afterward "Barney" and "Fish," and she contributed voices to "Dinosaurs" and "Family Guy," among other shows. She also worked steadily in live-activeness projects, including recurring roles on "My Ii Dads" (which she besides directed), Warren Beatty'due south "Bulworth" and "Down With Love." Stanley died at the age of 79 due to complications from a stroke on October 3, 2009.

Richard Libertini brought the weird to Barney Miller

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Eccentrics seemed to be actor Richard Libertini's specialty. The Boston-born actor's best-known moving-picture show and Goggle box roles were personalities that were often just orbiting reality, like his deluded Latin American dictator in "The In-Laws," and the blow-prone holy man ("Dorsum in bowl!") in "All of Me." That'due south also an apt clarification for Libertini's three appearances on "Barney Miller": he played a numerology-obsessed human being named 1223 in Season four's "Evaluation," a centre-aged Olympic hopeful who well-nigh skewers an elderly lady with his javelin, and a human being claiming to be a time traveler in "The Child Stealers." Libertini'south boundless enthusiasm made each advent memorable.

Libertini played a wide range of offbeat roles throughout his career, including turns in "Popeye," "Fletch" (every bit Chevy Chase's editor), and "Awakenings," among many other projects, and was a member of the famed Second Urban center improvisational troupe. He died of cancer at the historic period of 82 at his dwelling house in Venice, California on Jan 7, 2016.

Doris Roberts was a v-time guest star

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Though perhaps best remembered equally Marie Barone on "Everybody Loves Raymond," Doris Roberts amassed a staggering list of film, stage, and television credits over the course of her half-century-plus career. Her TV output in the 1970s alone includes guest shots on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Rhoda," "Soap," and five appearances on "Barney Miller" in two unlike roles.

For her debut in Season 3's "Sex Surrogate," she played a adult female who shoots her husband for visiting a sex clinic, and then returned the post-obit twelvemonth for the commencement of four turns as the harried Harriet Brauer, whose frustrations with husband Philip (Peter Hobbs) collection her to extremes. She had him arrested for liquidating their assets in Season 4's "The Sighting," and then lodged complaints against him for becoming a mercenary (the Season five two-parter "Wojo's Girl") and a nudist (Season 7's "Agent Orangish").

A 5-time Emmy winner (for "Raymond" and an appearance on "St. Elsewhere"), Roberts died on April 17, 2016 following a stroke at the age of 90.

Leonard Stone did damage control in 5 episodes

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Forever enshrined in pop civilization history every bit the father of Violet Beauregarde in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," Leonard Stone was a near-ubiquitous face on Tv from the 1950s to the mid-2000s. "Barney Miller" fans knew him for five appearances on the series between 1975 and 1982. He was often bandage as management types called in to polish over problems caused past their employees: a school vice primary with a suicidal history teacher in Season 4's "Tunnel," or the dominate of mailman Stuart Pankin, who is arrested for non-delivery of mail for 8 years in "Uniform Day" from Season half dozen.

Rock, who trained at the Majestic Academy of Dramatic Art in London after serving in Globe War 2, was a repeat performer on dozens of other shows, from "Lost in Infinite" to "Alice" and "50.A. Constabulary." He logged his final screen appearance in the TV movie "Surrender, Dorothy" in 2006, and died five years later on November 2, 2011, merely one 24-hour interval earlier his 88^thursday altogether.

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