Richard Gilliland


Richard Morris Gilliland was an American television and movie actor, best known as JD Shackleford in Designing Women.

Life and career

Gilliland was born in Fort Worth, Texas, to parents Richard Velton Gilliland and Betty Gene née Morris Gilliland. He attended Shawnee Mission South High School in Overland Park, Kansas, graduating in 1968. He was active in plays and musicals. He studied drama at the University of Kansas for two years before transferring to the The [Theatre School at DePaul University|Goodman School of Drama] in Chicago. 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.
Gilliland first appeared onscreen in the 1970s. His notable appearances include The Waltons, Thirtysomething, Party of Five, Little Women, and a recurring role on Designing Women where he met actress Jean Smart, who starred as Charlene in that series. On Designing Women he played J. D. Shackelford, the boyfriend of Annie Potts' character Mary Jo Shively. He and Smart married in 1987. They have two sons, Connor Douglas and Forrest who was adopted from China in May 2009.
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. 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.

Select TV and filmography