"Steve Landesberg, actor on ‘Barney Miller’" by Hamilton Boardman, New York Times / December 24, 2010
NEW YORK — Steve Landesberg, an actor and comedian with a friendly and often deadpan manner who appeared on television and in movies, including “Barney Miller,’’ “The Golden Girls,’’ “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,’’ and “Head Case,’’ has died at 74, his agent said Monday....
Mr. Landesberg is probably best known for the role of Detective Sergeant Arthur P. Dietrich in the 1970s sitcom “Barney Miller.’’ The sitcom, which ran on ABC from 1975 to 1982, featured Mr. Landesberg as an intellectual detective with a quiet manner who seemed to have an unrivaled knowledge of practically any topic that arose....
The sitcom, set in a New York City police station, portrayed a group of wisecracking detectives who dealt with the oddball characters who would end up there. With most of the action in the squad room rather than out in the street, some police officers have said that the show often better represented the real life of rank-and-file officers than many detective dramas on television....
Steve Landesberg (center, with glasses) with the cast of “Barney Miller,’’ including (from left) Hal Linden in the title role, Ron Glass, Max Gail, Ron Carey, and James Gregory. (ABC) 