Richard Morris Gilliland (January 23, 1950 – March 18, 2021) was an American television and movie actor, best known as JD Shackleford in Designing Women (1986–1992).[1]
Richard Gilliland | |
|---|---|
.JPG) Gilliland in a promotional photo for Operation Petticoat | |
| Born | January 23, 1950 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | March 18, 2021 (aged 71) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Years active | 1974–2021 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
Life and career
Gilliland was born in Fort Worth, Texas to parents Richard Velton Gilliland and Betty Gene née Morris Gilliland.[2] He attended Shawnee Mission South High School in Overland Park, Kansas, graduating in 1968. He was active in plays and musicals.[3] He studied drama at the University of Kansas for two years before transferring to the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago.[4] He left school his final year to become a member of the Chicago Free Street Theater. He joined the cast of Godspell in Chicago first as a disciple and then in the leading role before moving to Los Angeles in 1973.[3]
Gilliland first appeared onscreen in the 1970s.[4] His notable appearances include The Waltons, Thirtysomething, Party of Five, Little Women,[4] and a recurring role on Designing Women where he met actress Jean Smart, who starred as Charlene in that series.[5] On Designing Women he played J. D. Shackelford, the boyfriend of Annie Potts' character Mary Jo Shively. He and Smart married in 1987.[5] They have two sons, Connor Douglas (born 1989)[6] and Forrest who was adopted from China in May 2009.[7]
He played Ellis Kapp on The Unit and Captain Stan Cotter on 24 during season five, while his wife Jean Smart played First Lady Martha Logan in the same season.[8][9] He also had a recurring role as serial killer Jeffrey Speidel in the NBC series Matlock.
He died following a short illness in Los Angeles, California, on March 18, 2021, at the age of 71.[10][11]
Select TV and filmography
- The Streets of San Francisco (1974) (TV series)
- Bug (1975)
- Stay Hungry (1976)
- McMillan (1976–77) (TV series)
- The White Buffalo (1977)
- Operation Petticoat (1977–78) (TV series)
- Little Women (1978) (TV miniseries)
- The Waltons (1981) (TV series)
- Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)
- The Night the Bridge Fell Down (1983) (TV movie)
- Just Our Luck (1983) (TV series)
- Challenge of a Lifetime (1985) (TV movie)
- The Love Boat (1985) (TV series)
- Mary (1986) (TV series)
- Designing Women (1986–91) (TV series)
- Hunter (1987) (TV series)
- Police Story: Monster Manor (1988) as Mike
- Heartland (1989) (TV series)
- Thirtysomething (1989–90) (TV series)
- Murder, She Wrote (1991, 93) (TV series)
- Matlock (1991, '93, '95) (TV series)
- Winnetka Road (1994) (TV series)
- Touched by an Angel (1996) (TV series)
- Dark Skies (1996–97) (TV series)
- Early Edition (1997) (TV series)
- Star Kid (1997)
- Brooklyn South (1998) (TV series)
- The Practice (1998) (TV series)
- Party of Five (1997, '98) (TV series)
- Judging Amy (2000) (TV series)
- Becker (2001) (TV series)
- Vampire Clan (2002)
- Joan of Arcadia (2003) (TV series)
- Crossing Jordan (2004) (TV series)
- 24 (2006) (TV series)
- The Unit (2007) (TV series)
- Dexter (2009) (TV series)
- Desperate Housewives (2010) (TV series)
- Torchwood (2011) (TV series)
- Imposters (2017–18) (TV series)
- Case 347 (2020) (Movie)
