Blonde, blue-eyed supporting, character, and occasional leading actor Richard Mulligan has worked on stage, screen, and television. He made his feature-film debut in Love With the Proper Stranger (1963), but only occasionally appeared in movies through the early '70s. One of his notable roles was that of the arrogant General Custer opposite Dustin Hoffman in Arthur Penn's Western epic Little Big Man (1970).
Mulligan made his first TV appearance in the telepic Pueblo (1973). His film career has encompassed a wide variety of genres, but in the late '70s, he turned primarily to comedy. On television, Mulligan is best known for playing Burt Campbell on the long-running comedy Soap (1977-1981) and for his Emmy-winning portrayal of Dr. Harry Weston on the sitcom Empty Nest (1988-1995). His older brother, Robert Mulligan, is a director. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide. 