Richard Gilliland

Richard Gilliland (January 23, 1950 – March 18, 2021) was an American television and movie actor, best known as JD Shackleford in Designing Women (1986–1992).

Gilliland was born in Fort Worth, Texas.

He attended high school in Overland Park, Kansas (Shawnee Mission South High School), graduating in 1968.

He was active in plays and musicals.

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 Smart, who starred as Charlene in that series).

He played Ellis Kapp on The Unit and Captain Stan Cotter on 24.

He also had a recurring role as serial killer Jeffrey Speidel in the NBC series Matlock.

Gilliland played Captain Stan Cotter on 24 during season five, while his wife Jean Smart played First Lady Martha Logan in the same season.

He died following a short illness in Los Angeles, California, on March 18, 2021, at the age of 71.

He married actress Jean Smart in 1987.

They met while working on the set of Designing Women (he played J. D. Shackelford, the boyfriend of Annie Potts' character, Mary Jo Shively).

They have two sons, Connor Douglas (born 1989) and Forrest (adopted from China in May 2009).