Richard Mulligan
| Richard Mulligan | |
|---|---|
 Richard Mulligan at the 1991 Emmy Awards | |
| Born |
November 13, 1932[1] The Bronx,[1] New York City, New York |
| Died |
September 26, 2000 (aged 67) Los Angeles, California |
| Cause of death | Colorectal Cancer |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1960–2000 |
| Spouse(s) |
Patricia Jones (1955–1960) Joan Hackett (1966–1973) Lenore Stevens (1978–1990) Rachel Ryan (1992–1993) |
| Children | James Mulligan |
Richard Mulligan (November 13, 1932 – September 26, 2000) was an American television and film actor best known for his role as Burt Campbell in the sitcom Soap (1977-81) and later as Dr. Harry Weston in Empty Nest (1988-95).[1]
Early life and career
Mulligan was born in New York City, the younger brother of director Robert Mulligan. After attending Columbia University, Mulligan began working in theater, making his debut as a stage manager and performer on Broadway in All the Way Home in 1960. Additional theatre credits included A Thousand Clowns, Never Too Late, Hogan's Goat, and Thieves.
Mulligan made a brief, uncredited appearance in the 1963 film Love with the Proper Stranger, which was directed by his elder brother. He starred with Mariette Hartley in the 1966-67 season comedy series The Hero, in which he played TV star Sam Garret, who in turn starred on a fictional series as Jed Clayton, U.S. Marshal. The Hero lasted only 16 episodes. Another notable TV appearance was on the I Dream of Jeannie episode "Around the World in 80 Blinks", as a navy commander accompanying Major Nelson (Larry Hagman) on a mission.
From the 1970s onwards
Mulligan's most notable film role was as General Custer in Little Big Man, whom he portrayed as a borderline psychotic. He also appeared in the disaster movie spoof The Big Bus (1976), where he was reunited with Larry Hagman, with whom he starred in an episode of I Dream of Jeannie (see above). As for his radio work, he starred in the adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Oblong Box" heard on The CBS Radio Mystery Theater (1975).
His highest profile roles in television were as Burt Campbell in the sitcom Soap (1977-81), for which he won a Best Actor Emmy Award, and as Dr. Harry Weston in the NBC series Empty Nest, a spinoff of The Golden Girls in which his character had appeared in a couple of episodes. Empty Nest ran for seven seasons, and Mulligan won a Best Actor Emmy Award as well as a Golden Globe Award for his performance. He also played Secretary of State William Seward in Lincoln (1988), a TV movie based on Gore Vidal's novel.
Mulligan returned to perform on Broadway and in films, in which he usually played supporting roles. A notable exception was the black comedy S.O.B. (1981), in which he played lead character Felix Farmer, a Hollywood producer-director modeled on the film's actual producer-director, Blake Edwards. The film again featured Larry Hagman. Mulligan was cast as Reggie Potter in the television series Reggie (1983). Lasting for only six episodes. it is a loose adaptation of the BBC series The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin.
In 1985, he appeared in The Twilight Zone episode "Night of the Meek", where he took on the role of Henry Corwin, an alcoholic department store Santa Claus who becomes the genuine article, in the remake of the 1959 Christmas episode "The Night of the Meek", the character that Art Carney had played in the original version. The next year, he appeared in another episode of the series, "The Toys of Caliban".
He appeared in Disney's 1988 film, Oliver & Company, as the voice of the oafish Great Dane named Einstein. His final performance was a voice over on Hey Arnold in 2000 as the voice of Jimmy Kafka, the long mentioned but never seen former friend of Arnold's Grandpa.
Marriages
Mulligan married four times. He was first married to Patricia Jones from 1955 to 1960, with whom he had a son, James. That was followed by marriages to Joan Hackett from January 3, 1966 to June 1973 and Lenore Stevens from 1978 to 1990. His last marriage was to adult film actress Rachel Ryan on April 27, 1992, which lasted two years.[2]
Death
After making his last appearance in an episode of Hey Arnold!, on September 26, 2000, Mulligan died of colorectal cancer at his home in Los Angeles, California. At his own request, his remains were cremated and there was no funeral service. Mulligan was survived by his son James Mulligan from his first marriage, and two brothers, Robert and James.[3]
Mulligan has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6777 Hollywood Blvd.[4]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 40 Pounds of Trouble | Bellhop | Uncredited |
| 1963 | Love with the Proper Stranger | Louie | Uncredited |
| 1964 | One Potato, Two Potato | Joe Cullen | |
| 1966 | The Group | Dick Brown | |
| 1969 | The Undefeated | Dan Morse | |
| 1970 | Little Big Man | George Armstrong Custer | |
| 1972 | Irish Whiskey Rebellion | Paul | |
| 1972 | Harvey | Dr. Lyman Sanderson | Television movie |
| 1973 | From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler | Mr. Kincaid | |
| 1974 | Visit to a Chief's Son | Robert | |
| 1976 | The Big Bus | Claude Crane | |
| 1978 | Having Babies III | Jim Wexler | Television movie |
| 1979 | Scavenger Hunt | Marvin Dummitz | |
| 1981 | S.O.B. | Felix Farmer | |
| 1982 | Trail of the Pink Panther | Clouseau's father | |
| 1984 | Jealousy | Merrill Forsyth | |
| 1984 | Meatballs Part II | Coach Giddy | |
| 1984 | Teachers | Herbert Gower | |
| 1984 | Micki + Maude | Leo Brody | |
| 1985 | The Heavenly Kid | Rafferty | |
| 1985 | Doin' Time | Mongo Mitchell | |
| 1986 | A Fine Mess | Wayne 'Turnip' Parragella | |
| 1986 | "Babes in Toyland" | Barnie/Barnaby Barnicle | |
| 1988 | Lincoln | William H. Seward | |
| 1988 | Oliver & Company | Einstein | Voice |
| 1996 | London Suite | Dennis Cummings | Television movie |
| 1997 | Dog's Best Friend | Fred | Television movie |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Car 54, Where Are You? | Patrolman | Episode: "The Curse of the Snitkins" |
| 1963 | Route 66 | County Prosecutor | Episode: "Shadows of an Afternoon" |
| 1966–1967 | The Hero | Sam Garret | 16 episodes |
| 1967 | The Rat Patrol | Major Lansing | Episode: "Take Me to Your Leader Raid" |
| 1967 | Mannix | Dr. Bob Adams | Episode: "Beyond the Shadow of a Dream" |
| 1967 | Gunsmoke | Jud Pryor | Episode: "Wonder" |
| 1969 | I Dream of Jeannie | Wingate | Episode: "Around the World in 80 Blinks" |
| 1970 | The Most Deadly Game | Jordan | Episode: "Witches' Sabbath" |
| 1971 | Love, American Style | George | Episode: "Love and the Jury" |
| 1971 | Police Surgeon | Kramer | Episode: "A Taste of Sun" |
| 1971 | Bonanza | Dr. Mark Sloan | Episode: "Don't Cry, My Son" |
| 1971 | Bonanza | Farley | Episode: "Kingdom of Fear" |
| 1971 | The Partridge Family | Dr. Jim Lucas | Episode: "Why Did the Music Stop?" |
| 1972 | Circle of Fear | Tom | Episode: "House of Evil" |
| 1973 | Diana | Jeff Harmon | 2 episodes |
| 1973 | The Partridge Family | Mr. Lipton | Episode: "The Diplomat" |
| 1975 | Medical Story | Dr. Ted Freeland | Episode: "The Right to Die" |
| 1975 | Matt Helm | Jack Harte | Episode: "Dead Men Talk" |
| 1976 | Little House on the Prairie | Granville Whipple | Episode: "Soldier's Return" |
| 1976 | Switch | Andy Rowen | Episode: "The Argonaut Special" |
| 1976 | Charlie's Angels | Kevin St. Clair | Episode: "Night of the Strangler" |
| 1976 | Spencer's Pilots | Babcock | Episode: "The Matchbook" |
| 1976 | The McLean Stevenson Show | Lloyd | Episode: "Oldie But Goodie" |
| 1976 | Gibbsville | Ben | Episode: "Saturday Night" |
| 1977 | Hunter | Dr. Harter | Episode: "Mirror Image" |
| 1977 | Kingston: Confidential | Harlan Scott | Episode: "Triple Exposure" |
| 1977 | Dog and Cat | Brother Saul | Episode: "Brother Death" |
| 1977 | The Love Boat | Ron Larsen | Episode: "Ex Plus Y" |
| 1977–1981 | Soap | Burt Campbell | 82 episodes Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series |
| 1978 | The Love Boat | Mark Littlejohn | Episode: "Where Is It Written?" |
| 1983 | Reggie | Reggie Potter | 6 episodes |
| 1986 | The Twilight Zone | Ernie Ross | Episode: "The Toys of Caliban" |
| 1986 | Highway to Heaven | Jeb Basinger | Episode: "Basinger's New York" |
| 1988–1995 | Empty Nest | Dr. Harry Weston | 170 episodes Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy (1990–91) Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (1990–91) Nominated—Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Actor in a Quality Comedy Series (1990–91) |
| 1988–1989 | The Golden Girls | Dr. Harry Weston | 3 episodes |
| 1991–1993 | Nurses | Dr. Harry Weston | 4 episodes |
| 1995 | The John Larroquette Show | Richard Hemingway | Episode: "An Odd Cup of Tea" |
| 1997 | The Angry Beavers | Old Gramps | Episode: "Fish and Dips" |
| 2001 | Hey Arnold! | Jimmy Kafka | Episode: "Old Iron Man" |
References
- 1 2 3 Van Gelder, Lawrence (September 29, 2000). "Richard Mulligan, 67, Actor On 'Soap' and 'Empty Nest'". The New York Times.
- ↑ "Richard Mulligan (1932 - 2000) - Find A Grave Memorial". Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- ↑ "Emmy-winning star of 'Soap' Richard Mulligan dead at 67 [Archive] - Sitcoms Online Message Boards - Forums". Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- ↑ "Richard Mulligan - Hollywood Walk of Fame". Retrieved 8 April 2016.
External links
Richard Mulligan at Find a Grave
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