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Richard Gilliland

American actor (1950–2021) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Richard Gilliland
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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]

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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]

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