kids encyclopedia robot

Leslie Jordan facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Leslie Jordan
2022 National Book Festival (52343770563) (cropped).jpg
Jordan in 2022 at the National Book Festival
Born
Leslie Allen Jordan

(1955-04-29)April 29, 1955
Died October 24, 2022(2022-10-24) (aged 67)
Occupation
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • writer
  • singer
Years active 1982–2022
Height 4 ft 11 in (1.50 m)

Leslie Allen Jordan (April 29, 1955 – October 24, 2022) was an American actor, comedian, writer, and singer. His television roles include Beverley Leslie on Will & Grace (2001–2006 and 2017–2020), several characters on television in the American Horror Story franchise (2013–2019), Sid on The Cool Kids (2018–2019), Phil on Call Me Kat (2021–2022), and Lonnie Garr on Hearts Afire (1993–1995). On stage, he played Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram in the 1996 play Sordid Lives, later portraying the character in the 2000 film of the same name. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jordan became an Instagram contributor, amassing 5.8 million followers in 2020, and published his autobiography How Y'all Doing? Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived in April 2021.

Early life

Jordan was born on April 29, 1955, and was raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He graduated from Brainerd High School. Jordan said his mother, Peggy Ann Jordan (née Griffin; 1935–2022), 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 almost 12 years old. 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.'"

Jordan moved to Los Angeles in 1982, where he began to journal daily.

He was openly gay. 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.

Career

Film and television

Jordan began his career in 1986, appearing as Malone in the adventure series The Fall Guy. He quickly became recognizable in the industry for his diminutive size and Southern drawl. He appeared as newspaper editor Mr. Blackly in the movie The Help. 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. In 1990, Jordan portrayed the ski patrol director in Ski Patrol. 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.

On the television series Will & Grace, Jordan played Beverley Leslie, Karen's pretentious, ambiguous rival, 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. Jordan starred in the pilot episode of Laugh Out, the world's first interactive, gay-themed comedy show. 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). In January 2015, Jordan guest-starred in the British sitcom Benidorm for two episodes, as the character Buck A. Roo. 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. In 2018–2019, Jordan starred in the Fox sitcom The Cool Kids, along with Martin Mull, Vicki Lawrence, and David Alan Grier.

On April 2, 2020, it was announced Jordan would play the role of Phil in the Fox sitcom Call Me Kat, along with Mayim Bialik, Swoosie Kurtz, Kyla Pratt, and Cheyenne Jackson. In 2021, Jordan was 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". He later returned as a guest panelist in season seven.

Theatre

Jordan played Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram in Sordid Lives, and also portrayed this character 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 who is institutionalized in a mental hospital. 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.

Jordan's first autobiographical stage show was called Hysterical Blindness and Other Southern Tragedies That Have Plagued My Life Thus Far, with music and lyrics by Joe Patrick Ward. 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. 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.

Music

Jordan released the gospel music album Company's Comin' in 2021.

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.

Death

On October 24, 2022, at approximately 9:30 am PDT, while driving en route to film scenes at the Call Me Kat set, Jordan's car hit the side of a building at Cahuenga Boulevard and Romaine Street in Hollywood. He was believed to have experienced a medical episode that led to the crash. Jordan was pronounced dead at the scene. He was 67 years old.

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." 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 'Toast' TV

He also won an Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series Emmy Award in 2006 for his part as Beverley Leslie in Will & Grace.

Credits

Writer

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

Stage

  • Found a Peanut (1986)
  • Sordid Lives (1996)
  • Southern Baptist Sissies (2000)
  • Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel
  • Like a Dog on Linoleum (2004)
  • My Trip Down the Pink Carpet (2010)
  • Lucky Guy (2011); off-Broadway musical, in the role of Big Al Wright

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1988 Moving Customer at Bar
1990 Ski Patrol Murray
1992 Hero Court Official
1992 Missing Pieces Krause
1993 Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday Shelby
1995 Black Velvet Pantsuit Ernie
1996 Shoot the Moon
1997 Two Weeks from Sunday Short
1998 Goodbye Lover Homer
1998 Hamburger Helper Larry Lewis Short
1999 Eat Your Heart Out Director
2000 John John in the Sky Tot Dixon a.k.a. I'll Wave Back
2000 Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel Storyteller Writer (play; screenplay)
2000 Sordid Lives Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram
2001 The Gristle Jake Bennett
2003 Farm *** Coroner Short
2003 Moving Alan Arthur
2004 Home on the Range Photographer (voice)
2004 Madhouse Dr. Morton
2005 Sissy Frenchfry Principal Principle Short
2007 Watch & Learn Martin Short
2007 Undead or Alive: A Zombedy Padre
2008 Roadside Romeo Additional voices
2009 Eating Out 3: All You Can Eat Harry
2009 Rockabilly Baby Writer (play)
2010 Demonic Toys: Personal Demons Prof. Butterfield
2010 Love Ranch Mr. Hainsworth
2010 Leslie Jordan: My Trip Down the Pink Carpet Himself Stand up (also a book)
2011 Help, TheThe Help Mr. Blackly
2011 Mangus! Bruce Jackson
2012 Hollywood to Dollywood Himself
2012 Yahoo! News/Funny or Die GOP Presidential Online Internet Cyber Debate Ron Paul
2013 Southern Baptist Sissies Peanut
2014 Lucky Dog Mr. Kaufman
2016 Fear, Inc. Judson
2017 A Very Sordid Wedding Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram
2021 The United States vs. Billie Holiday Reginald Lord Devine
TBA Strangers in a Strange Land Gentleman Post-production; posthumous release

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1986 Guy, The FallThe Fall Guy Malone
1986 Wizard, TheThe Wizard Jimmy
1987 CBS Summer Playhouse Worm
1988 Frankenstein General Hospital Iggy
1988 Night Court Irwin
1989 Midnight Caller Little Bob Johnson
1989 Murphy Brown Kyle
1989 Newhart L. Gardner
1989 People Next Door, TheThe People Next Door Truman Fipps 10 episodes
1989 The Road Raiders Whip Uncredited
1990 American Dreamer Short
1990 Babes Clem
1990 Pee-wee's Playhouse Busby
1990 Sugar and Spice Monsieur Jacques
1991 Top of the Heap Emmet Lefebvre 6 episodes
1992 Bodies of Evidence Lemar Samuels 16 episodes
1992 Perfect Strangers Rob Bob Phillips
1992–1993 Reasonable Doubts Asst. Public Defender Clifford Sizemore
Marvin Sizemore
16 episodes
1993 Getting By Mr. Bergner
1993–1994 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Alan Morris / The Invisible Man
1993 Nurses Mr. Cooley Waits
1993–1995 Hearts Afire Lonnie Garr 28 episodes
1995 Charlie Grace Darnell Sims
1995 Courthouse Mr. Barnes
1996 Coach Blatt
1996 Star Trek: Voyager Kol Episode: "False Profits"
1996 Mr. & Mrs. Smith Earl Borden
1997 Arli$$ Skip Lloyd
1997 Pretender, TheThe Pretender Pat
1997 Weird Science Boyd Butayne
1997 Wings Teddy Kolb
1998 Buddy Faro Frankie Delgado
1998 Caroline in the City Dr. Leslie
1998 Dharma & Greg Kenny
1998 Ellen Top Studio Executive
1998 Maximum Bob Cletus Huntley
1998 Pacific Blue Bo Nyby
1999 Martial Law Horatio Hawkins
2000 Any Day Now Big Top Police Officer
2000 FreakyLinks Hotel Clerk
2000 Nash Bridges Walter Marley
2000 Sabrina, the Teenage Witch Chuck
2000, 2002 Son of the Beach Jordan 2 episodes
2000 Strip, TheThe Strip Gaston
2001 Ally McBeal Dr. Benjamin Harris
2001–2002 Boston Public Dr. Benjamin Harris Recurring role; 5 episodes
2001–2006,
2017–2020
Will & Grace Beverley Leslie 17 episodes
2003 Judging Amy Reginald Hoyt
2003–2004 Reba Terry / Jeweller Recurring role; 3 episodes
2003 Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales Rog Monroe
2004 George Lopez Doctor Episode: "Leave It To Lopez"
2004 Monk Town Official
2005–2006 American Dad! Beauregard LaFontaine (voice) 2 episodes
2005 Boston Legal Bernard Ferrion Recurring role; 6 episodes
2005 Chasing Christmas Past
2007 Ugly Betty Quincy Combs Episode: "Punch Out"
2007 Hidden Palms Jesse Jo Recurring role; 5 episodes
2008 12 Miles of Bad Road Kenny Kingman Recurring role; 6 episodes
2008 Privileged Dale Dart
2008 Sordid Lives: The Series Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram 10 episodes
2008–2011 Under the Pink Carpet Himself 4 episodes
2009 Alligator Point
2009 Glenn Martin, DDS Additional voices
2011 Desperate Housewives Felix Bergman
2011 Shake It Up Theodore Van Glorious
2012 DTLA Theatre Director
2012 Game, TheThe Game Donatella Sweetescott
2012–2013 Raising Hope Reverend Bob
2012 Secret Life of the American Teenager, TheThe Secret Life of the American Teenager Episode: "I Do and I Don't..."
2012 The Neighbors Carla Episode: "Thanksgiving Is for the Bird-Kersees"
2013 The Exes Percy Episode: "Toy Story"
2013 American Horror Story: Coven Quentin Fleming Recurring role; 3 episodes
2013–2022 RuPaul's Drag Race Himself 2 episodes; guest judge/guest director
2013 Supernatural Yorkie, Mutt (voice) Episode: "Dog Dean Afternoon"
2013 Baby Daddy Edwin the Mall Elf Episode: "Emma's First Christmas"
2014 Partners Marion Phillips Episode: "Jurist Prudence"
2014 Celebrity Big Brother UK Himself Series 14, 12 episodes
2015 Benidorm Buck A. Roo Series 7, Episodes 1 & 2
2015–2017 Con Man Leslie Jordan / 'Curley' Recurring role; 6 episodes
2016 American Horror Story: Roanoke Ashley Gilbert (reenactor of Cricket Marlowe) Recurring role; 3 episodes
2016 K.C. Undercover Cecil B. DeVille
2017 Life in Pieces Neils Episode: "Poison Fire Teats Universe"
2017–2019 Living the Dream Aiden
2018 The Last Sharknado: It's About Time Benjamin Franklin
2018–2019 The Cool Kids Sid Main role
2019 American Horror Story: 1984 Courtney Recurring role; 4 episodes
2021–2022 Call Me Kat Phil Main role
2021 The Great North Thomas Wintersbone (voice) Episode: "Pride and Prejudice Adventure"
2021 Fantasy Island Jasper Episode: "Día de los Vivos"
2021 Special Charles Episode: "Why Is No One Ready?"
2021 The Masked Singer Soft Serve/Guest panelist 2 episodes
2022 Trixie Motel Himself Episode: "Malibu Barbara"

Discography

  • Company's Comin' (April 2, 2021)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Leslie Jordan para niños

kids search engine
Leslie Jordan Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.