Richard Gilliland – whose numerous acting credits include the CBS sitcom “Designing Women”, where he met his wife almost 34 years ago, Jean Smart – died. He was 71 years old.
Gilliland died on March 18 in Los Angeles after a brief illness, his family confirmed to USA TODAY on Thursday in a statement provided by Smart’s representative, Ame Vanlden.
In 1986, Gilliland landed a recurring role in “Designing Women” for five seasons as baseball talent scout JD Shackelford, the boyfriend of Mary Jo Shively of Annie Potts. It was there that he met and ended up marrying Smart, who played Charlene Frazier-Stillfield on the series.
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“I met him when he was kissing someone else,” Smart said during a 2017 interview with Northwest Prime Time, adding that she asked cast member Delta Burke to find out if Gilliland was on the market. “Naturally, Delta approached him and blurted out: ‘Jean wants to know if you’re married’.”
Smart said that they got along immediately after she “lured” him to her dressing room to help him with the crossword puzzle, and they never looked back. The couple married in June 1987, in the rose garden of cast member Dixie Carter, who she shared with Hal Holbrook.
Gilliland and Smart share two children: son Connor, 31, and Bonnie (“Ani”), who turns 12 in May.
The couple also starred in the theatrical productions of “It Had to Be You” and “Love Letters”, the telefilms “Just My Imagination” and “Audrey’s Rain” and, most notably, the Fox series “24”, where Gilliland played Captain Stan Cotter alongside Smart’s first lady, Martha Logan.
The pair were to work together again this summer on a Tate Taylor movie before Gilliland’s death.
His other acting credits include “Operation Petticoat”, “Just Our Luck”, “McMillan” and “Heartland”, as well as appearances on “Criminal Minds”, “Dexter”, “Scandal”, “Thirty Something” and “Desperate Donas From home. “
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In a tribute to Instagram on Thursday, Potts asked his co-star for “Designing Women” “please give Dixie and Meshach a squeeze for me,” referring to co-stars Dixie Carter, who died in 2010, and Meshach Taylor, who died in 2014.
“Rest in peace, dear Richard,” Potts captioned a picture of her, Gilliland and Smart on the set.
“Criminal Minds” star Joe Mantegna shared a throwback to himself and Gilliland, who starred together in the 1972 Goodman School of Drama production of “Godspell”.
GODSPELL 1972. He was Jesus and I was Judas. Starting a 50-year friendship. In June 87, in 78 hours, I was best man at his wedding and he became best man of my first son. My wife, my children and I mourn the passing of a great friend.
RIP Richard Gilliland pic.twitter.com/LYbFUMpLmk– Joe Mantegna (@JoeMantegna) March 25, 2021
“He was Jesus and I was Judas”, Mantegna tweeted. “Starting a 50-year friendship. In June 87, in 78 hours, I was best man at his wedding and he became best man of my first child. My wife, my children and I mourn the passing of a great friend.”
This article was originally published in USA TODAY: Richard Gilliland, actor and husband of Jean Smart, dies at 71