Gerald McRaney, 78, Dishes on Playing the Bad Guy and How Delta Burke Changed His Life (EXCLUSIVE)

While many men are settling into the quiet rhythms of retirement at age 78, actor Gerald McRaney—known as “Mac” to family and friends—isn’t slowing down. From his recent turn as Kane Bradford, the president’s dementia-stricken father on Paradise, to his current role in the Hulu limited series Murdaugh: Death in the Family, premiering October 15, McRaney continues to prove that passion for acting only deepens with time.

Born in Mississippi, McRaney has been a charming presence on screens for more than five decades, effortlessly moving from charming villains to unforgettable heroes. Fans remember him as the clever detective Rick Simon on Simon & Simon (1981–1989) and the steadfast Major MacGillis on Major Dad (1989–1993). 

But he credits a pivotal career boost to his portrayal of George Hearst on Deadwood (2004–2006). “I was the bad guy in lots of TV episodes,” he recalls. “But I got a lot more interesting roles since Deadwood.”

Yet, it’s a guest-starring arc on the 1980s hit comedy Designing Women that McRaney fondly calls life-changing. It was there he reunited with co-star Delta Burke, sparking a romance that has endured for decades. What began as an attraction to her “drop-dead gorgeous looks” quickly grew into a lifelong partnership. Remarkably, McRaney proposed after just two dates, and the couple recently celebrated their enduring love by renewing their wedding vows in the backyard of their Florida lakeside home.

In this exclusive sit-down with Woman’s World, McRaney reflects more on his most memorable roles, shares the wisdom he’s gained over a storied career and reveals why his marriage to Delta Burke remains his proudest achievement.

Woman’s World: The TV show Simon & Simon was a juggernaut in the 1980s. What episode stands out for you in the series?

Gerald McRaney: Good lord. So many. Right off the top of my head, the final episode of the show, which I also directed. That was kind of a moving experience to be directing the last episode we ever did.

WW: You’ve played characters like Rick Simon and Major MacGillis in ‘Major Dad.’ What’s one compliment about these roles that has stuck with you?

GM: I’ve gotten an awful lot of feedback from Marines who remembered the show and were very glad that I had done that and gave a decent portrayal of Marines. I also got a lot of feedback from Marine families, because that’s another big thing I wanted to do with the show, was portray the life of the families of Marines and what they have to go through in order for their spouse, dad or whomever to be in the Corps. 

WW: Now you’re portraying Randolph Murdaugh in a true crime drama. Were you at all hesitant about taking on a real-life role?

GM: I’m playing Alex’s dad, so I’m the grandfather in the family, which is a role I’m falling more and more into these days—like being the older dad in Paradise. I didn’t have any apprehension about taking on this role as the grandfather. I’ve had other roles playing reprehensible characters and that didn’t bother me at all.

WW: How do you hope the viewers will receive you in this role, or the entire series for that matter?

GM: I think personally, that there are some people who are just evil. I’ve played a few of them myself. It’s interesting how that kind of evil can sneak into someone’s life, but it seems that this was sort of a generational thing that finally evolved into what happened.

For generations, people would cover up for the wayward son and it just kept going further and further until finally you got what happened there. Randolph covered for his son, Alex covered for his son and it all came back to bite them in the butt.  

WW: Early in your career, you almost always played the villain. So where does the bigger challenge lie—in the good guy or bad guy?

GM: Probably the good guy, because just by virtue of there being evil, bad guys fascinate people, so it’s easier to grab an audience with a character like that. I, for instance, have always admired my partner—played by Jameson Parker—in Simon & Simon because he was playing the button down guy and carrying a briefcase and did everything by the book. 

To me, that was a bigger acting challenge than what I did. My character was written interestingly. Jameson had to take the milquetoast guy and make him interesting to watch. I always considered that a bigger acting challenge to what I had on that show.

WW: What was your favorite TV show growing up?

GM: Maverick was certainly one of them. And I liked Route 66 a lot when I was a kid. I can still remember that great theme song. I’ll tell you that I got really upset when they changed the design of the Corvette when they went to the Stingray…it was like they lost me. A Corvette is supposed to look like Route 66…I’m sorry. They probably did that to make it more modern to compete with Ferraris and Lamborghinis, which of course, it never really did. The classic line of the old Corvette—you didn’t confuse that with anything else.  

WW: What stands out about your role on Deadwood?

GM: Deadwood was a big turnaround in my career. There were an awful lot of people who were critical of it when they found out I had been cast as George Hearst. It was like, “Oh come on, Major Dad is going to play Hearst?” Then when I played the role, there were people saying, “Oh, I guess he can really act.” David Milch [the show’s creator and writer] was such a joy to work with.

WW: So you’re sitting next to your pool in Florida overlooking a lake. Is this a simple pleasure you always make time for or is there something else?

GM: One of Delta and my favorite things, oddly enough, is being in the same room and each of us reading a book. We may not say a word to each other for an hour or two, but just being together. And oddly enough, we do better when we’re together 24 hours. 

Some people have trouble with that and have to distance themselves from time to time. But we function better when we’re always together. We just know that the other person is there and that’s all that really counts.

WW: You recently renewed your vows after 36 years? Congratulations!

GM: We did it right here in our backyard and invited just a few friends in the area and some people from out of town. Mainly my daughter, son and grandkids came in.

WW: Is there a song that brings you joy every time you hear it? One that you played at your wedding?

GM: Here’s an interesting story to tell you. When I picked Delta up to take her out on our first date, I arrived at her house and when she opened the door, she was playing Patsy Cline’s version of “Always.” That became the first dance at our wedding and it was the first dance here when we renewed our vows. 

But the real interesting story is that Delta and I did a USO tour in Saudi Arabia just before the first Persian Gulf War broke out. We were there for Christmas with the troops. When the war was over, the USO wanted to give us medals and General Boomer, who was commander of all Marine forces at that theater of operation, asked if he could put the medals on us. Of course, the USO said yes, and we did it on the Major Dad set. 

About a week ahead of time, the public affairs officer in Los Angeles, who was also our technical advisor on the show, asked me what Delta’s favorite piece of music was. And I said, “Always.” The night came and she was working one sound stage away from me on her own show, so on the appointed time, I went down and got her, walked her back up to my sound stage and the AD took us over to the officer club’s set. 

There were visuals from the USO and General Boomer was there. He put the medal around my neck, shook my hand, took a step back and saluted. I was in my dress uniform, so I returned it. Then he stepped over to Delta and put the ribbon around her neck, kissed her on the cheek, stepped back and presented a salute. He said, “Miss Burke, from the 1st Marine division to you, ma’am.” The lights went on the other side of the set. There were his musicians and they started playing “Always.” Wait! It gets better. 

On the last note of “Always,” they segued into the Marine hymn, the lights went up and in the audience, there were just the Marines that she had visited on Christmas.

WW: What was your first impression of Delta Burke?

GM: Just that she was knock dead gorgeous. That was my first impression. Prettier than she appeared on film. But then when we were introduced by my publicist at an event, we shook hands and we’re both southern and realized that a handshake just wasn’t going to do, so we just hugged each other at our first meeting. I wanted to see her again, but we lost each other in the shuffle after that. She was looking for me, evidently, and I was looking for her, but our paths didn’t cross again. 

A couple of months later, I got a call from my agent wondering if I’d be interested in playing a role. I was just about to start a new season of Simon & Simon and thought, I’m going to be busy really soon and didn’t know if it was such a good idea to be doing guest roles again now that I had my own series. 

Out of curiosity, I asked what the show was and he said Designing Women. He said he didn’t know how much they were willing to pay and I said “I don’t care!” 

He said, “We don’t know what the role is” and I said, “Just get me on that sitcom.” I had promised my sister that I was going to be with her when my brother-in-law went through open heart surgery, so the dates were going to conflict. I went back to Virginia to be with my sister and my agent calls and said they’re holding that role open for you. The next morning, the surgery went off without a hitch, so I flew back to L.A. I was living on my boat in Marina del Rey at the time and Michael, my agent, met me out there and gave me the script. I started reading the script and found out I’m playing Delta’s first ex-husband and we have a love scene. 

I would have paid them for me to do that role. It fell into place. From the day I walked onto that set, Delta and I have basically been together. And we’re still together, so it might work out!

WW: What’s a simple life lesson from your early years that has carried over into your life today?

GM: I had a very good scout master when I was a kid and I got to talk to him years later. He had retired and moved back to our hometown. He left when I was about 13 years old. I hadn’t spoken to him since and I got to call him and thank him for what he had done for me. The major life lesson I learned from Mr. Dixon was don’t quit…whatever you start, just finish. That’s especially important for someone who is going to go into this trade, because you’re going to spend a lot of time getting rejected. If you’ve got that sort of in the core of your being, that I’m not going to quit.

WW: What’s one misconception about aging that you’re very happy to prove wrong?

GM: That you don’t have to feel old just because you are. So after getting out of bed, start doing your morning exercises, especially stretching. I have to stretch before I think these days. My philosophy is if you quit moving, you will quit moving. I don’t want to do that.

WW: What small thing brought you joy yesterday?

GM: Being in the bedroom with my wife and our two dogs, and just sitting there looking at emails. That brings me joy. I know that’s simple, but it’s something that brings me joy. Every once in a while, I will tell Delta that I don’t think I have ever been as happy as I’ve been since I met her. In all sorts of ways. Apart from just our direct relationship, I appreciate more things, I am more patient now. She has had a really profound influence on me for the better.

WW: So life’s colors are more vivid for you now.

GM: Yes ma’am. They certainly are. 

Don’t miss Hulu’s true crime drama miniseries, launching on October 15. The series, inspired by the Murdaugh Murders Podcast, stars Gerald McRaney as grandfather Murdaugh as well as Jason Clarke, Patricia Arquette, Brittany Snow and more.