Trivia

Mulligan was cremated, and no memorial service was held, at his own request.

Had appeared in four series created by Susan Harris: Soap (1977), The Golden Girls (1985), Empty Nest (1988) and Nurses (1991). In the latter three, he played the same character, Dr. Harry Weston.

Won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series. However in 1989, he finally accepted his Emmy Award for Empty Nest (1988). Because in 1980, he had been participating in the Screen Actors' Guild strike at the time of The 32nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1980), during which he had won for Soap (1977).

Had appeared in Blackboard Jungle (1955) uncredited.

Had worked with both Lee Grant and her daughter, Dinah Manoff. Grant and Mulligan appeared in the movie Teachers (1984); Mulligan and Manoff appeared in the sitcoms Soap (1977) and Empty Nest (1988).

Had worked with Bea Arthur in episodes of three television series: Soap (1977), The Golden Girls (1985) and Empty Nest (1988).

Best remembered by the public for his starring roles as Burt Campbell on Soap (1977) and as Dr. Harry Weston on Empty Nest (1988), The Golden Girls (1985) and Nurses (1991).

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 6777 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on September 30, 1993.

Younger brother of director Robert Mulligan.

Studied playwrighting at Columbia University.

He was directed by his elder brother Robert Mulligan in Love with the Proper Stranger (1963).

Ex-wife Rachel Ryan was 29 years younger than he was.

Friends with: Katherine Helmond, Michael Landon, Larry Hagman, Bea Arthur, Shirley Jones, Betty White, Estelle Getty, Susan Harris, Dinah Manoff, Robert Loggia, Blake Edwards, Robert Guillaume, Gordon Jump and George Gaynes.

He was considered for the role of Tom Hagen in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather (1972) before Robert Duvall was cast.

Did not begin acting until he was age 29.

He played the same character (Dr. Harry Weston) in three different series: The Golden Girls (1985), Empty Nest (1988) and Nurses (1991).

He was a commercial spokesperson for Total Whole Grain Cereal in the 1980s.

Was Jason Robards' stand-by in the Broadway production of "A Thousand Clowns" (1962).

The character "Nagilum", from the season season episode, Where Silence Has Lease (1988), was named after him for being the first choice to play the role. But the role was given to actor Earl Boen.

He never retired from acting until his death.

He was also a heavy smoker.

Three of his acting influences where Harpo Marx, Peter Lorre and Spencer Tracy.

Brother of James Mulligan.

Has one son, James Mulligan.

Uncle of Beth Mulligan, Christoper Mulligan, and Kevin Mulligan.