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

[2] He attended Shawnee Mission South High School in Overland Park, Kansas, graduating in 1968.

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.

[5] On Designing Women he played J. D. Shackelford, the boyfriend of Annie Potts' character Mary Jo Shively.

[8][9] He also had a recurring role as serial killer Jeffrey Speidel in the NBC series Matlock.