Veteran TV actor Ron Glass has died aged 71.

The Indiana-born performer, who starred in countless television shows throughout his career - including Friends, Star Trek and CSI, is thought to have passed away peacefully in his LA home, yesterday.

It's not yet clear if the star had been ill prior to his death, but there is speculation that he was suffering from respiratory problems.

Naturally, the news has shocked members of California's Buddhist community, of which he was a prominent figure.

(Image: WireImage)

Sharing the news on Facebook, one friend wrote: "My Buddhist Brother and Friend, Ron Glass passed last night.

"I had called him 11/15/16 to find out how is doing since it's been a few months since I had see him last and his nurse said he was not up to talking. I called back on 11/16/16 and said to the nurse: 'let him know that I love him and really care'".

She added: "Next, I called Ron Carter, for him to find out for me how is Ron is doing. Thinking that this could be a man thing. He text me at 2:33 AM this morning of his passing."

She then went on to reminisce about how they met and became friends.

(Image: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

"I first met Ron Glass, about 1 month later after I started my Buddhist practice in the home of Andrea Hairston Locke , who was my District Leader," she wrote.

"At my request, Ron came on a very cold day to be my guest in the MLK Kingdom Day Parade. One day I brought my mom, to SGI-USA Los Angeles Friendship Center and we encountered Ron. He gave my mom the celebrity treatment. Wrap his big muscular arms around her just to say hi. Oh! how she just loved that moment.

"Each time I saw Ron, I would say to him 'the older you get the better you look!'. Then one day I saw him with his oxygen tank and I did not know how to respond.

"I will miss his voice, smile, kindness; but most of all his good looks. On to the next journey my Silver Fox!".

(Image: Getty)

Responding to the sad news, one friend wrote on Facebook: "He was such a wonderful leader in LA while I was there. warmth, humanity, humility, good natured, funny.... he was one who always left his celebrity at the door and really brought Buddhism alive through his behavior. godspeed, brother!".

Ron's TV breakout role came in the 1970s when he was cast as Detective Ron Harris in Barney Miller, an American sitcom which ran for eight seasons and earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor.

He also starred in two episodes of Friends as Ross Geller's divorce lawyer, Russell - The One Where Joey Loses His Insurance and The One Where Ross Hugs Rachel, both 1999 - and appeared in Star trek: Voyager, Rugrats and Teen Angel.