If you've watched any kind of TV in the last couple of decades, then chances are good you've seen Bill Glass at some point even if you didn't realize it was him. His first acting credit dates back to 1999 in the "Santa on Ice" episode of Becker. Glass plays a man portraying Joseph in a local Christmas pageant. He goes to see Dr. John Becker (Ted Danson) after suffering a smack in the head at the hands of the Virgin Mary after complimenting her on her nice rear end (although the episode uses another word for it that could also describe a donkey).
The episode provided an initial glimpse into the kind of comedic timing Glass was capable of mustering, timing that would be put to good use in the Progressive commercials. It's also for this reason he's likely landed gigs on other comedy series, such as Battery Park, Dharma & Greg, and Free Ride. However, he's been known to show a serious side as well. He appears on season 1, episode 2 of the neo-Western series Justified as Mr. Lawlor. He's just your average run-of-the-mill homeowner who discovers $180,000 just laying underneath his house. He goes on a spending spree, which lands him in hot water when men with a link to the cash arrive at his abode to collect the loot.
Most recently, you could see Glass in a small but memorable role on Fresh Off the Boat. He appears in the season 4 episode, "It's a Plastic Pumpkin, Louis Huang," as a pumpkin salesman, Bob, who wheels and deals with Louis (Randall Park) until they finally reach an agreement but only after Bob promises to throw in a cutout of a black cat wearing a witch's hat. One thing's clear from all this: If you watch re-runs of your favorite sitcoms with commercials, then you're going to come across Bill Glass sooner or later.
