Mike Mulligan, who wrote and created the popular television series Mood, Dear John, Jeffersonand All in the familypassed away. He was seventy-three years old.
According to his rep, Mulligan died in his West Hills, Calif., home of acute respiratory failure, as reported. The Hollywood Reporter.
He was born Bernard Michael Mulligan on January 28, 1947 in Los Angeles and later earned a degree from Loyola Marymount University. Later he was in the Air Force.
After working with Jay Moriarty, his writing partner of 18 years, Mulligan finally discovered his passion for writing and producing. Among the many award-winning television programs they co-wrote and produced were 49 episodes of Norman Lear’s The Jeffersons (1978–81).
The program, which was one of the first in American sitcoms to address issues such as suicide, transgender identity, and racial supremacy, earned the production duo an NAACP Image Award.
In addition to writing and producing episodes of All in the Family (1976), Good Times (1974), What’s Happening Now (1985–88), Maude (1975), Dear John (1989–91), Here and Now (1992), And Melba (1986), Mulligan has been a member of the Writers Guild of America for more than 50 years.
Along with Carlos Bermudez, Mulligan co-wrote and produced the original Telemundo series Los Beltran (1990–2001). The Golden Eagle Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, the Imagine Foundation Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, and the Alma Award for Outstanding Comedy Series were all awarded to the show.
Outside of TV, Mulligan worked with colleague John Harper to lead training for Trauma Informed Care for the Homeless charities across the country.
Jill, his wife; John Mulligan, his son; Jerry (Milligan) Gasto, his sister; and Dionn Avant and Mischon Beneda, her stepdaughters, are among the survivors.