Richard Mulligan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Richard Mulligan
Mulligan in 1977
Born	(1932-11-13)November 13, 1932 The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Died	September 26, 2000(2000-09-26) (aged 67) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1962–2000
Spouse(s)	Patricia Jones ​ ​ (m. 1955; div. 1960)​ Joan Hackett ​ ​ (m. 1966; div. 1973)​ Lenore Stevens ​ ​ (m. 1978; div. 1990)​ Rachel Ryan ​ ​ (m. 1992; div. 1993)​
Relatives	Robert Mulligan (brother)

Richard Mulligan (born November 13, 1932 – died September 26, 2000) was an American actor. He was famous for playing funny characters in TV shows called sitcoms. You might know him from Soap (1977–1981) or Empty Nest (1988–1995). Richard won two Emmy Awards and one Golden Globe Award for his acting. His older brother, Robert Mulligan, was a movie director.

Becoming an Actor

Richard Mulligan was born on November 13, 1932, in New York City. In the early 1950s, he served in the Navy during the Korean War. After his time in the Navy, he went to Columbia University. There, he studied to become a writer for plays.

After college, Richard started working in theater. He first worked on Broadway in 1960. He was a stage manager and also performed in a play called All the Way Home. He also acted in other plays like A Thousand Clowns and Thieves.

Richard Mulligan first appeared in a movie in 1963. It was a short, uncredited role in Love with the Proper Stranger. His older brother directed this movie. From 1966 to 1967, he starred in a comedy TV series called The Hero. He played a TV star named Sam Garrett. Richard also appeared in an episode of I Dream of Jeannie and the Western TV show Gunsmoke.

Famous Roles and Awards

One of Richard Mulligan's most memorable movie roles was in Little Big Man (1970). He played General George Armstrong Custer, showing him as a very intense character. He also appeared in the funny disaster movie The Big Bus (1976).

Richard Mulligan became very well-known for his TV roles. He played Burt Campbell in the sitcom Soap from 1977 to 1981. For this role, he won a Best Actor Emmy Award.

Mulligan at the 1991 Emmy Awards

His other famous role was Dr. Harry Weston in the NBC series Empty Nest. This show was a spin-off from The Golden Girls, where his character had appeared a few times. Empty Nest ran for seven seasons. Richard won another Best Actor Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for his performance in this show. He also played Secretary of State William H. Seward in Lincoln (1988), a TV movie about Abraham Lincoln.

Richard Mulligan also acted in films where he often played supporting roles. A main role he had was in the movie S.O.B. (1981). He played Felix Farmer, a Hollywood producer-director. In 1983, he starred in the TV series Reggie, which was based on a British show. In the 1984 movie Teachers, he played a funny high-school history teacher.

In 1985, he appeared in The Twilight Zone. He played Henry Corwin, a department-store Santa Claus who becomes the real Santa. He also appeared in another episode of the series the next year.

Richard Mulligan also used his voice for animated characters. He was the voice of Einstein, a kind Great Dane dog, in Disney's 1988 film, Oliver & Company. His last acting job was a voice role in Hey Arnold! in 2000. He voiced a character named Jimmy Kafka.

Family Life

Richard Mulligan was married four times. His first marriage was to Patricia Jones from 1955 to 1960. He then married Joan Hackett from 1966 to 1973. His third marriage was to Lenore Stevens from 1978 to 1990. His last marriage was to Rachel Ryan in 1992, but it lasted only six months.

Later Years and Death

Richard Mulligan died on September 26, 2000, at his home in Los Angeles. He was 67 years old. He passed away from colorectal cancer. As he wished, his body was cremated.

Awards and Honors

In 1989, Richard Mulligan won both an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. These were for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Dr. Harry Weston in Empty Nest. On September 30, 1993, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This star honors his work in television and is located at 6777 Hollywood Boulevard.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

See also

In Spanish: Richard Mulligan para niños