‘Roseanne’ Producer Eric Gilliland Passes Away

Eric Gilliland, a respected television producer and writer best known for his work on the beloved sitcom “Roseanne,” passed away Sunday. The sad news was confirmed by his sister Lisa to Variety.

Gilliland made significant contributions to “Roseanne” during his tenure from 1992 to 1996. His efforts on the show earned him a Writers Guild of America Award nomination for the memorable 1992 episode, “The Dark Ages.”

In 2019, he returned briefly to the franchise as a consulting producer for two episodes of “The Conners,” a spin-off of the original “Roseanne” series.

Following his time on “Roseanne,” Gilliland’s career continued to blossom. He took on the role of consulting producer for the popular series “That ’70s Show” from 1998 to 1999. He even wrote the third episode of the first season, titled “Streaking.” This episode featured a humorous plot where characters Eric, Kelso, Hyde, and Fez planned to streak in front of President Gerald R. Ford during his visit to Point Place, Wisconsin.

Gilliland’s portfolio extended beyond those flagship shows. He worked as a producer on a diverse array of TV series such as “Nurses,” “That’s Life,” “Welcome to New York,” “Mr. Sunshine,” and “My Boys.” His writing prowess was showcased through multiple episodes he penned for these series. For example, he wrote four episodes of the TBS sitcom “My Boys” and contributed to two episodes of the short-lived ABC sitcom “Mr. Sunshine,” which starred and was co-created by Matthew Perry.

His extensive list of writing credits includes shows like “Women in Prison,” “Live-In,” “Who’s the Boss?,” “Living Dolls,” “Married People,” “Doogie Howser, M.D.” and “The Wonder Years.” Moreover, Gilliland received a Daytime Emmy nomination in 2019 for his work on Netflix’s historical sketch comedy series, “The Who Was? Show.”

Following the news of his death, many within the entertainment industry took to social media to pay their respects and share their memories of Gilliland.

“Weird, I know, but I found myself thinking this morning that Eric Gilliland would have taken some perverse pleasure in knowing that, of all people, he was outlived by Dick Van Dyke,” wrote “Modern Family” co-creator Steve Levitan in a Facebook post on Monday. “That’s one of the ways Eric and I bonded back in 8th grade, over our mutual love for ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show.’ And Monty Python, Jack Benny, ‘The Carol Burnett Show,’ ‘SNL’ and bad puns. (Yes, people, we started a pun club).”

Actor Martha Plimpton expressed her sorrow on Instagram, saying, “I don’t have the ability to find the older pictures right now. I don’t know entirely what to do with myself. Today is harder. The world is a less happy and laughter-filled place without my friend, Eric Gilliland.”

Dan Bucatinsky, another actor, referred to Gilliland as “brilliant, sweet, kind, funny, generous” in his Instagram tribute. He added, “His legacy is the wake of love he generated from so many friends.”

The news of Gilliland’s passing leaves a void in the hearts of those who knew him personally and professionally. His talent, humor, and kindness touched the lives of many in the television and entertainment industry.

Source: Variety