What Was Ron Glass' Cause Of Death?

Sadly, yet another profoundly talented performer has unexpectedly passed. Breaking early Saturday evening via Variety, actor Ron Glass has died at age 71. The actor's rep has confirmed the sad news to Variety, but you may be wondering: How did Glass die? At the time of reporting, the cause of death is still currently unknown. It is also unknown whether Glass was dealing with any health issues which may have contributed to his death. That said, the news still comes as a shock to many fans who have followed him over the years. Update: On Saturday, Glass' rep told TheWrap that the actor died from respiratory failure on Friday night.

Earlier: It is unquestionable that Glass leaves behind a wonderful body of work, as well as a devoted public following that will continue to appreciate his various performances for years to come. There was no decline in Glass' work ethic, with credits in film and television racked up through 2014. At 71, he remains best known as Shepherd Derrial Book on Joss Whedon's cult television show Firefly and as Detective Ron Harris on Barney Miller. More recently, Glass had guest roles on Dirty, Sexy, Money, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Going by his resumé alone, Glass remained as proficient as ever in Hollywood. Now, celebrities and fans are taking to social media to properly pay tribute to Glass.

The most touching tribute at this point in time comes from Glass' former Firefly co-star, Nathan Fillion. In a cross-post from his Twitter account, Fillion tweeted out:

"Shepard [sic], don't move."

"Won't go far."

We love you, Ron Glass. Don't go far.

Fillion's connection back to the beloved show which brought he and Glass together is one of the many tributes pouring in right now. While Glass' death was surely unexpected and altogether sudden, there is no doubt in my mind he will be sincerely missed.