Leslie Jordan

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Leslie Jordan
File:2022 National Book Festival (52343770563) (cropped).jpg
Jordan at the 2022 National Book Festival
Born Leslie Allen Jordan
(1955-04-29)April 29, 1955
Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S.
Died Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation
  • Actor
  • writer
  • singer
Years active 1986–2022
Height 4 ft 11 in (1.50 m)[1]
Website thelesliejordan.com

Leslie Allen Jordan (April 29, 1955 – October 24, 2022) was an American actor, writer, and singer.[2] He was best known for his roles as Lonnie Garr on Hearts Afire (1993–1995), Beverly Leslie on Will & Grace (2001–2006, 2017–2020), for which he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 2006, several characters in the American Horror Story franchise (2011–present), Sid on The Cool Kids (2018–2019), and Phil on Call Me Kat (2021–2023). One of his best-known onstage performances was in Sordid Lives, where he played Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram, a role he took to the big screen in the popular cult film of the same name. During the 2020 pandemic, he became an Instagram sensation, amassing 5.8M followers. In April 2021, he published his autobiography How Y'all Doing?: Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived.

Early life

Jordan was born on April 29, 1955,[3] and was raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee.[1][4] He graduated from Brainerd High School.[5] Jordan said his mother, Peggy Ann (Griffin), was supportive and accepting, despite never truly understanding him. Jordan's father, Allen Bernard Jordan, was a major in the United States Army Reserve and died, along with two others, in the crash of a civilian Beechcraft Debonair airplane at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, on March 31, 1967, when Jordan was eleven years old.[1][6][7] In a 2014 interview, Jordan said that he had a difficult time growing up Southern Baptist. "I was baptized 14 times. Every time the preacher would say, 'Come forward, sinners!' I'd say 'Oooh, I was out in the woods with that boy, I better go forward.'"[8]

Jordan moved to Los Angeles in 1982, where he became involved with drugs and alcohol and was arrested several times. When Jordan was 27 years old, he began to journal daily, which helped him recover from drug and alcohol abuse.[9] In 2010, Jordan told talk show host Wendy Williams that he had been sober for thirteen years.[10] In the same appearance, Jordan said that before he gave up drinking, he once shared a cell with Robert Downey Jr., and when they both appeared later on Ally McBeal, Downey couldn't quite place where they had met before.[10]

He was openly gay.[11] Early in the AIDS crisis, Jordan became involved in AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) as a buddy and as a food delivery-person for Project Angel Food.[12]

Career

Film and television

Jordan began his career in 1986, appearing as Malone in the adventure series The Fall Guy.[13] He quickly became recognisable in the industry for his diminutive size and Southern drawl.[1] He appeared as newspaper editor Mr. Blackly in the movie The Help.[14] His television career includes guest appearances on Murphy Brown, Will & Grace, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Star Trek: Voyager, Caroline in the City, Pee-Wee's Playhouse, Reba, Boston Public, Boston Legal, Nash Bridges, American Horror Story, and Hearts Afire.[15]

In 1990, Jordan portrayed the ski patrol director in Ski Patrol.[16] In 2007, he guest-starred on the comedy drama Ugly Betty as celebrity-trasher Quincy Combs, and starred as Jesse Joe in the short-lived CW television program Hidden Palms.[17]

On the television series Will & Grace, Jordan played Beverly Leslie, Karen's pretentious, sexually ambiguous rival,[18] for which he received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series at the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in 2006. His Emmy Award earned him an invitation to present the awards for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series at the 2006 Emmy Awards with Cloris Leachman a week later.[19]

Jordan starred in the pilot episode of Laugh Out, the world's first interactive, gay-themed comedy show.[18] On August 18, 2014, Jordan became a housemate in the fourteenth season of the British reality game show Celebrity Big Brother. He was the second person to leave the Big Brother house (August 29, 2014).[20] In January 2015, Jordan guest-starred in the British sitcom Benidorm for two episodes, as the character Buck A. Roo.[21]

On November 1, 2017, Jordan appeared in the new British television drama Living the Dream, produced jointly by Sky and Big Talk Productions, but branded as a Sky Original Production.[22]

In 2018-2019, Jordan starred in the Fox sitcom The Cool Kids, along with Martin Mull, Vicki Lawrence, and David Alan Grier.[23]

On April 2, 2020, it was announced Jordan will play the role of Phil in the Fox sitcom Call Me Kat, along with Mayim Bialik, Swoosie Kurtz, Kyla Pratt, and Cheyenne Jackson.[24]

He appeared as one of four guest panelists on July 28, 2022, on the Gutfeld! TV show on Fox News.[25]

Theatre

Jordan was an accomplished stage actor and playwright. In one of his best-known performances onstage, he played Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram in Sordid Lives, a role he took to the big screen in the popular cult film of the same name. Jordan reprised the role in a televised spin-off of the movie, which aired on Logo, where he played a character that is in a mental hospital.[26] He wrote and starred in the autobiographical play Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel, which was also made into a motion picture. In 2004, he toured the country performing his one-man stage comedy, Like a Dog on Linoleum, to generally favorable reviews.[27][28]

Jordan's first autobiographical stage show was called Hysterical Blindness and Other Southern Tragedies That Have Plagued My Life Thus Far,[12] with music and lyrics by Joe Patrick Ward.[29][30] The production, in which Jordan was backed by a gospel choir singing satirical songs about racism and homophobia, was produced off-Broadway at the SoHo Playhouse and ran for seven months. Next, he distilled his experiences growing up as an effeminate, tiny boy in the South and in show business into an autobiographical one-man show, My Trip Down the Pink Carpet. During the opening of My Trip Down the Pink Carpet, Jordan's microphone stopped working, but he kept on with the show like nothing happened; the show was a success.[12] After touring the nation for several months with the production, the show opened off-Broadway at the Midtown Theater on April 19, 2010. The show was produced by Jordan's friend, actress Lily Tomlin. Jordan announced on The Paul O'Grady Show that he would be bringing his show to London's Apollo Theatre.[31]

Music

In 2021, he released the gospel music album, Company's Comin'.[32] Jordan was later a guest panelist on season six of The Masked Singer during Week 5 where he also did a performance of "This Little Light of Mine" as "Soft Serve".[33]

Social media

At the time of his death, Jordan had accumulated 5.8 million Instagram followers. His following grew substantially in response to his comedy posts during the COVID-19 pandemic.[34]

Death

On October 24, 2022 around 9:30 am PDT, Jordan died after his car hit the side of a building at Cahuenga Boulevard and Romaine Street in Hollywood; he was believed to have experienced a medical episode which led to the crash. He was declared dead at scene.[35]

Awards

In 2021, Jordan received GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics' Timeless Star award, the group's career achievement honor given to "an actor or performer whose exemplary career is marked by character, wisdom and wit."[36] Jordan accepted the award, previously bestowed on Jane Fonda, Meryl Streep, John Waters, Harvey Fierstein, Lily Tomlin, Dame Angela Lansbury and Sir Ian McKellen, in the Society's Dorian Awards film 'Toast' TV special that year.[37]

Credits

Writer

  • Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel (play)[38]
  • My Trip Down the Pink Carpet (2008)[38]
  • Hysterical Blindness and Other Southern Tragedies That Have Plagued My Life Thus Far[38]
  • How Y'all Doing?: Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived (2021)[38]

Stage

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1988 Moving Customer at Bar [40][41]
1990 Ski Patrol Murray [40][41][42]
1992 Hero Court Official [40][41]
1992 Missing Pieces Krause [40][41]
1993 Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday Shelby [40][41]
1995 Black Velvet Pantsuit Ernie [40][41]
1996 Shoot the Moon [40][41]
1997 Two Weeks from Sunday 25 minutes[40][41]
1998 Goodbye Lover Homer [40][41]
1998 Hamburger Helper Larry Lewis 22 minutes[40][41]
1999 Eat Your Heart Out Director [40][41]
2000 John John in the Sky Tot Dixon a.k.a. I'll Wave Back[40][41]
2000 Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel Storyteller writer (play; screenplay)[40][41]
2000 Sordid Lives Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram [40][41][42]
2001 The Gristle Jake Bennett [40][41]
2003 Farm Sluts Coroner 17 minutes[40][41]
2003 Moving Alan Arthur [40][41]
2004 Home on the Range Photographer voice actor[40][41]
2004 Madhouse Dr. Morton [40][41]
2005 Sissy Frenchfry Principal Principle 28 minutes[40][41]
2007 Watch & Learn Martin 12 minutes[40][41]
2007 Undead or Alive: A Zombedy Padre [40][41]
2008 Roadside Romeo Additional voices [40][41]
2009 Eating Out 3: All You Can Eat Harry [40][41]
2010 Demonic Toys: Personal Demons Prof. Butterfield [40][41]
2010 Love Ranch Mr. Hainsworth [40][41]
2010 Leslie Jordon: My Trip Down the Pink Carpet Himself Stand Up[40][41]
2011 The Help Mr. Blackly [40][41][42]
2011 Mangus! Bruce Jackson [40][41]
2009 Rockabilly Baby writer (play)[40][41]
2012 Hollywood to Dollywood Himself [40][41]
2012 Yahoo! News/Funny or Die GOP Presidential Online Internet Cyber Debate Ron Paul [40][41]
2013 Southern Baptist Sissies Peanut [40][41]
2014 Lucky Dog Mr. Kaufman [40][41]
2017 A Very Sordid Wedding Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram [40][41]
2018 The Last Sharknado: It's About Time Benjamin Franklin Television film[40][41]
2021 The United States vs. Billie Holiday Reginald Lord Devine [40][41]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1986 The Fall Guy Malone [40][41]
1986 The Wizard Jimmy [40][41]
1987 CBS Summer Playhouse Worm [40][41]
1988 Frankenstein General Hospital Iggy [40][41]
1988 Night Court Irwin [40][41]
1989 Midnight Caller Little Bob Johnson [40][41]
1989 Murphy Brown Kyle [40][41][42]
1989 Newhart L. Gardner [40][41]
1989 The People Next Door Truman Fipps 10 episodes[40][41]
1989 The Road Raiders Whip uncredited[40][41]
1990 American Dreamer Short [40][41][42]
1990 Babes Clem [40][41]
1990 Pee-wee's Playhouse Busby [40][41]
1990 Sugar and Spice Monsieur Jacques [40][41]
1991 Top of the Heap Emmet Lefebvre 6 episodes[40][41]
1992 Bodies of Evidence Lemar Samuels 16 episodes[40][41][42]
1992 Perfect Strangers Rob Bob Phillips [40][41][42]
1992 Reasonable Doubts Asst. Public Defender Clifford Sizemore
Marvin Sizemore		 16 episodes[40][41][42]
1993 Getting By Mr. Bergner [40][41]
1993 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Alan Morris / The Invisible Man [40][41]
1993 Nurses Mr. Cooley Waits [40][41]
1993 Reasonable Doubts Asst. Public Defender Clifford Sizemore 16 episodes[40][41]
1994 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman William Wallace Webster Waldecker / Resplendant Man [40][41]
1993–1995 Hearts Afire Lonnie Garr 28 episodes[40][41][42]
1995 Charlie Grace Darnell Sims [40][41]
1995 Courthouse Mr. Barnes [40][41]
1996 Coach Blatt [40][41][42]
1996 Star Trek: Voyager Kol Episode: "False Profits"[40][41]
1996 Mr. & Mrs. Smith Earl Borden [40][41]
1997 Arli$$ Skip Lloyd [40][41]
1997 The Pretender Pat [40][41][42]
1997 Weird Science Boyd Butayne [40][41]
1997 Wings Teddy Kolb [40][41]
1998 Buddy Faro Frankie Delgado [40][41]
1998 Caroline in the City Dr. Leslie [40][41][42]
1998 Dharma & Greg Kenny [40][41][42]
1998 Ellen Top Studio Executive [40][41][42]
1998 Maximum Bob Cletus Huntley [40][41]
1998 Pacific Blue Bo Nyby [40][41]
1999 Martial Law Horatio Hawkins [40][41]
2000 Any Day Now [40][41]
2000 FreakyLinks Hotel Clerk [40][41]
2000 Nash Bridges Walter Marley [40][41]
2000 Sabrina, the Teenage Witch Chuck [40][41]
2000, 2002 Son of the Beach Jordan 2 episodes[40][41]
2000 The Strip Gaston [40][41]
2001 Ally McBeal Dr. Benjamin Harris [40][41]
2001–2002 Boston Public Dr. Benjamin Harris Recurring role; 5 episodes[40][41][42]
2001–2006, 2017–2020 Will & Grace Beverley Leslie 17 episodes[40][41][42]
2003 Judging Amy Reginald Hoyt [40][41]
2003–2004 Reba Terry (The jeweler from the rings) Recurring role; 3 episodes
[40][41]
2003 Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales Rog Monroe [40][41]
2004 George Lopez Doctor [40][41]
2004 Monk Town Official [40][41]
2005–2006 American Dad! Beauregard LaFontaine voice actor; 2 episodes[40][41]
2005 Boston Legal Bernard Ferrion Recurring role; 6 episodes[40][41]
2005 Chasing Christmas Past [40][41]
2007 Ugly Betty Quincy Combs Episode: "Punch Out"[40][41][42]
2007 Hidden Palms Jesse Jo Recurring role; 5 episodes[40][41]
2008 12 Miles of Bad Road Kenny Kingman Recurring role; 6 episodes[40][41]
2008 Privileged Dale Dart [40][41]
2008 Sordid Lives: The Series Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram 10 episodes[40][41]
2008 Under the Pink Carpet Himself 2 episodes[40][41]
2009 Alligator Point [40][41]
2009 Glenn Martin, DDS voice actor[40][41]
2011 Desperate Housewives Felix Bergman [40][41]
2011 Shake It Up Theodore Van Glorious [40][41]
2011 Under the Pink Carpet Himself 2 episodes[40][41]
2012 DTLA Theatre Director [40][41]
2012 The Game [40][41]
2012 Raising Hope Reverend Bob [40][41]
2012 The Secret Life of the American Teenager [40][41]
2013 American Horror Story: Coven Quentin Fleming Recurring role; 3 episodes[40][41][42]
2013 Baby Daddy Edwin the Mall Elf Episode: "Emma's First Christmas"[40][41]
2013 RuPaul's Drag Race Himself Guest judge on Season 5, Episode 7[40][41]
2013 Supernatural Yorkie
Mutt		 voice actor; Episode: "Dog Dean Afternoon"[40][41]
2014 Partners Marion Phillips Episode: "Jurist Prudence"[40][41]
2014 Celebrity Big Brother UK Himself Series 14, 12 episodes[40][41]
2015 Benidorm Buck A. Roo Series 7, Episodes 1 & 2[40][41]
2015 Con Man Leslie Jordan / 'Curley' Recurring role; 6 episodes[40][41]
2016 Fear, Inc. Judson [40][41]
2016 American Horror Story: Roanoke Ashley Gilbert (reenactor of Cricket Marlowe) Recurring role; 3 episodes[40][41][42]
2016 K.C. Undercover Cecil B. DeVille [40][41]
2017-2019 Living the Dream Aiden [40][41]
2018–2019 The Cool Kids Sid Main role, 22 episodes[40][41][42]
2019 American Horror Story: 1984 Courtney Recurring role; 4 episodes[40][41][42]
2021-2022 Call Me Kat Phil Main role; 31 Episodes[40][41][42]
2021 The Great North Thomas Wintersbone Season 1 Episode 6: "Pride and Prejudice Adventure"[40][41]
2021 Special Charles Season 2 Episode 7: "Why Is No One Ready?"[40][41]
2021 The Masked Singer Soft Serve/Guest panelist Season 6 Episode 5: "Time Warp"[40][41]
2022 RuPaul's Drag Race Guest director Season 14 Episode 12: "Moulin Ru: The Rusical"[40][41]
2022 Trixie Motel Himself Upcoming Episode; posthoumous release

Discography

  • Company's Comin' April 2, 2021 [43][32]

References

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External links

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  25. ↑ https://twitter.com/Gutfeldfox/status/1552796040381726720[bare URL]
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 38.3 38.4 38.5 38.6 38.7 38.8 38.9 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ 40.000 40.001 40.002 40.003 40.004 40.005 40.006 40.007 40.008 40.009 40.010 40.011 40.012 40.013 40.014 40.015 40.016 40.017 40.018 40.019 40.020 40.021 40.022 40.023 40.024 40.025 40.026 40.027 40.028 40.029 40.030 40.031 40.032 40.033 40.034 40.035 40.036 40.037 40.038 40.039 40.040 40.041 40.042 40.043 40.044 40.045 40.046 40.047 40.048 40.049 40.050 40.051 40.052 40.053 40.054 40.055 40.056 40.057 40.058 40.059 40.060 40.061 40.062 40.063 40.064 40.065 40.066 40.067 40.068 40.069 40.070 40.071 40.072 40.073 40.074 40.075 40.076 40.077 40.078 40.079 40.080 40.081 40.082 40.083 40.084 40.085 40.086 40.087 40.088 40.089 40.090 40.091 40.092 40.093 40.094 40.095 40.096 40.097 40.098 40.099 40.100 40.101 40.102 40.103 40.104 40.105 40.106 40.107 40.108 40.109 40.110 40.111 40.112 40.113 40.114 40.115 40.116 40.117 40.118 40.119 40.120 40.121 40.122 40.123 40.124 40.125 40.126 40.127 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ 41.000 41.001 41.002 41.003 41.004 41.005 41.006 41.007 41.008 41.009 41.010 41.011 41.012 41.013 41.014 41.015 41.016 41.017 41.018 41.019 41.020 41.021 41.022 41.023 41.024 41.025 41.026 41.027 41.028 41.029 41.030 41.031 41.032 41.033 41.034 41.035 41.036 41.037 41.038 41.039 41.040 41.041 41.042 41.043 41.044 41.045 41.046 41.047 41.048 41.049 41.050 41.051 41.052 41.053 41.054 41.055 41.056 41.057 41.058 41.059 41.060 41.061 41.062 41.063 41.064 41.065 41.066 41.067 41.068 41.069 41.070 41.071 41.072 41.073 41.074 41.075 41.076 41.077 41.078 41.079 41.080 41.081 41.082 41.083 41.084 41.085 41.086 41.087 41.088 41.089 41.090 41.091 41.092 41.093 41.094 41.095 41.096 41.097 41.098 41.099 41.100 41.101 41.102 41.103 41.104 41.105 41.106 41.107 41.108 41.109 41.110 41.111 41.112 41.113 41.114 41.115 41.116 41.117 41.118 41.119 41.120 41.121 41.122 41.123 41.124 41.125 41.126 41.127 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ 42.00 42.01 42.02 42.03 42.04 42.05 42.06 42.07 42.08 42.09 42.10 42.11 42.12 42.13 42.14 42.15 42.16 42.17 42.18 42.19 42.20 42.21 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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