Ron Leibman, 'Norma Rae' star who played Rachel's father in 'Friends,' dies at 82

Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY

Ron Leibman, who starred in films such as "Norma Rae," "Slaughterhouse-Five" and "Where's Poppa?" – and played Rachel Greene's nasty father on TV's "Friends" – died Friday at 82.

Leibman's agent, Robert Attermann, confirmed the passing of the "incredibly talented actor with a distinguished career in film, TV and theatre" in a statement.

No further details were released. The AP reported the cause of death as pneumonia.

Leibman, a native New Yorker who was married to actress Jessica Walter, made his big-screen debut in director Carl Reiner's 1970 dark comedy "Where's Poppa?" He worked steadily in films, including as the charismatic labor organizer Reuben in 1979's "Norma Rae," starring alongside Oscar-winner Sally Field as the title character.

More: Why we won’t shut up about ‘Friends,’ 25 years later

Sally Field paid tribute on Twitter Friday. "So many of the best memories of my career, have Ron Leibman in them," she wrote. "Thank you, Ron, for being my champion. Rest, my friend."

Leibman played a prisoner of war in director George Roy Hill's "Slaughterhouse-Five" and the comical Captain Esteban, who chronically failed to capture the Zorro (George Hamilton), in 1981's "Zorro, the Gay Blade."

The actor won an Emmy award playing reformed car thief, Martin ‘Kaz’ Kazinsky, who becomes a criminal attorney in the short-lived CBS crime drama "Kaz." The series, which he co-wrote and created, ran for a 23-show season starting in 1978, and then was cancelled.

"I got an Emmy, and the show was canceled two weeks later," Leibman said in an interview with the AV Club. "What a business, huh?"

His Tony Award came in 1993 for his Broadway performance of infamous lawyer Roy Cohn in Tony Kushner's AIDs drama "Angels in America."

Leibman would star in his most popular, reoccurring role from 1996 to 2004 as Jennifer Aniston's obnoxious TV father, Dr. Leonard Green.

Not a TV watcher, Leibman admits he almost turned the role on the sitcom down when he was first asked to appear.

"It sounded stupid to me," Leibman said in his AV Club interview. " And my daughter, who was of that age, said, 'No, you have to do it, you have to do it! I love that show, and I want to meet those kids.' She had to meet those kids. I said, 'All right. I’ll do it. I’ll do it once, but that’s all I’m doing.' "

Ron Leibman, left, with his wife Jessica Walter at the 57th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. Leibman, who appeared in movies, theater and television in a career that spanned six decades and won a Tony for Tony Kushner's iconic play ”Angels in America," died Dec. 6. He played Rachel Green's father, Dr. Leonard Green, on "Friends."
Ron Leibman, left, with his wife Jessica Walter at the 57th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. Leibman, who appeared in movies, theater and television in a career that spanned six decades and won a Tony for Tony Kushner's iconic play ”Angels in America," died Dec. 6. He played Rachel Green's father, Dr. Leonard Green, on "Friends."

Leibman said that on his first day on the "Friends" set, he started talking to Lisa Kudrow, thinking she was Aniston, the actress playing his daughter. "I didn’t know who was who, because I’d never seen the show," said Leibman.

He ended up returning for multiple appearances over the span of the hit show. "So I was a big hero in the house. It’s amazing, the power of the tube," he said. "I’ve done all this body of work, and they say, 'Oh yes, Rachel’s father.' I go, 'Give me a break.' "

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ron Leibman dies at 82: Starred in 'Norma Rae,' Rachel's 'Friends' dad