Originally a student of playwriting at Columbia University, Richard Mulligan began his acting career in regional theater and soon after made his Broadway debut in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play "All the Way Home". In addition to his continuing Broadway career, Mulligan had successfully transferred his unique comedic talents to film and television. On the big screen, he had appeared in such films as
Little Big Man (1970),
The Big Bus (1976),
Teachers (1984) and
The Heavenly Kid (1985). He had also performed in a number of
Blake Edwards' films, including
S.O.B. (1981),
Trail of the Pink Panther (1982),
Micki + Maude (1984) and
A Fine Mess (1986). Mulligan had made numerous guest-starring television appearances, but it was his role as Burt Campbell in Witt-Thomas-Harris' offbeat sitcom
Soap (1977) that earned him his first Emmy Award. He also starred in the short-lived sitcom
Reggie (1983). His movie-of-the-week and miniseries credits include
Pueblo (1973),
Poker Alice (1987),
Harvey (1996) and the acclaimed
Guess Who's Coming for Christmas? (1990) with
Beau Bridges. He was the brother of director
Robert Mulligan.