Veteran actor Richard Gilliland has passed away at the age of 71. 

Gilliland, who reportedly died last week, was married to actress Jean Smart for nearly 34 years.

He suffered from a brief illness prior to his death in Los Angeles, according to a press release shared with PEOPLE. 

Gilliland started his acting career at the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago, where he took on the role of Jesus in ‘Godspell’ opposite Joe Mantegna's Judas. 

After arriving in Los Angeles, the actor landed starring roles in a series of TV shows, including Operation Petticoat, Just Our Luck, McMillan and Heartland, in addition to an array of guest starring appearances and stage roles. 

In 1986, he became a series regular on the CBS sitcom Designing Women, where he met Smart. The actress, who starred as Charlene Frazier Stillfield in the series.

The couple went on to work together in several stage productions, It Had to Be You and Love Letters, as well as the TV show 24 and the made-for-TV movies Just My Imagination and Audrey's Rain!

Prior to his death, Gilliland and Smart were slated to work together again this summer in a film directed by Tate Taylor. 

He is survived by Smart, his two children, Connor and Bonnie ("Ani"), as well as his sisters Ann Norberg and Wendy Knaack and his brother, John Wells.