Leslie Jordan
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Leslie Jordan | |
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![]() Jordan in 2007 | |
Born | Leslie Allen Jordan April 29, 1955 Memphis, Tennessee, United States[1] |
Occupation(s) | Actor, playwright |
Years active | 1986–present |
Height | 4 ft 11 in (1.50 m)[2] |
Leslie Allen Jordan (born April 29, 1955) is an American actor and playwright. He is best known for his roles as Lonnie Garr in Hearts Afire, Beverly Leslie in Will & Grace and several different characters in the American Horror Story franchise.
Early life
Leslie Jordan was born in Memphis, Tennessee and later moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee.[2] 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.'"[3]
During an appearance on Today with Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford, Jordan discussed his personal life and career. He described his mother, Peggy Ann, as being supportive and accepting though never truly understanding him. When asked about his mother he said that she was a very private woman and that she still lives in Chattanooga. Jordan's father was a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army and he died in a plane crash when Jordan was eleven.[2]
Jordan left Tennessee and arrived in Los Angeles in 1982. During this time he became involved with alcohol and other drugs and was arrested many times. When Jordan was seventeen years old, he started to write in journals every day. He said that writing in his journals helped him with recovering from drug and alcohol abuse.[4]
Jordan became involved in volunteer work. 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.[5]
Career
Jordan has made numerous appearances in both film and television. He is recognizable for his diminutive size and Southern drawl.[2] He appeared as a newspaper editor named Mr. Blackly in the popular movie The Help.[6] He is best known for his television work, including guest appearances on 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 his secondary role on Hearts Afire. He guest-starred on the comedy-drama Ugly Betty as celebrity-trasher Quincy Combs. In 2007, Jordan starred as Jesse Joe in the short-lived CW television program Hidden Palms. He also portrayed the ski patrol director in Ski Patrol.
He is best known for his role as Karen's pretentious, sexually ambiguous rival Beverley Leslie on the series Will & Grace.[7] For that role he received an Emmy Award for Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series at the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in 2006. Because Jordan won the award for Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, he was invited to present the awards for outstanding comedy writing and outstanding comedy directing at the 2006 Emmy Awards with Cloris Leachman a week later.[8]
Jordan starred in the pilot episode of Laugh Out, the world's first interactive, gay-themed comedy show.[7] On August 18, 2014, Jordan became a housemate in the celebrity edition of the British reality game show 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".
Jordan is 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 the Sordid Lives: The Series, a televised spin-off of the movie airing on Logo where he plays a character that is in a mental hospital.[9] He wrote and starred in the autobiographical play Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel, which was also made into a motion picture. He recently toured the country performing his one-man stage comedy, Like a Dog on Linoleum, to generally favorable reviews.[10][11]
Jordan's first autobiographical stage show was called Hysterical Blindness and Other Southern Tragedies That Have Plagued My Life Thus Far,[5] with music and lyrics by Joe Patrick Ward.[12][13] 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 Southern United States 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, and his show was a success.[5] 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 is produced by Jordan's friend, actress Lily Tomlin. Jordan announced on The Paul O'Grady Show that he will be bringing his show to London's Apollo Theatre.
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.[14]
In the fall of 2018, Jordan will star in the FOX network sitcom The Cool Kids, along with Martin Mull, Vicki Lawrence and David Alan Grier.[15]
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
Stage
- Found a Peanut (1986)[16]
- Sordid Lives (1996)
- Southern Baptist Sissies
- 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 | 25 minutes | |
1998 | Goodbye Lover | Homer | |
1998 | Hamburger Helper | Larry Lewis | 22 minutes |
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 Sluts | Coroner | 17 minutes |
2003 | Moving Alan | Arthur | |
2004 | Home on the Range | Additional Voice | voice actor |
2004 | Madhouse | Dr. Morton | |
2005 | Sissy Frenchfry | Principal Principle | 28 minutes |
2007 | Watch & Learn | Martin | 12 minutes |
2007 | Undead or Alive: A Zombedy | Padre | |
2008 | Roadside Romeo | Additional voices | |
2009 | Eating Out 3: All You Can Eat | Harry | |
2010 | Demonic Toys: Personal Demons | Prof. Butterfield | |
2010 | Love Ranch | Mr. Hainsworth | |
2010 | Leslie Jordon: My Trip Down the Pink Carpet | Himself | Stand Up |
2011 | The Help | Mr. Blackly | |
2011 | Mangus! | Bruce Jackson | |
2009 | Rockabilly Baby | writer (play) | |
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 | |
2017 | A Very Sordid Wedding | Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | The Fall Guy | Malone | |
1986 | The 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 | The 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 total |
1992 | Perfect Strangers | Rob Bob Phillips | |
1992 | Reasonable Doubts | Asst. Public Defender Clifford Sizemore Marvin Sizemore |
16 episodes total |
1993 | Getting By | Mr. Bergner | |
1993 | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Alan Morris / The Invisible Man | |
1993 | Nurses | Mr. Cooley Waits | |
1993 | Reasonable Doubts | Asst. Public Defender Clifford Sizemore | 16 episodes total |
1994 | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | William Wallace Webster Waldecker / Resplendant Man | |
1993-1995 | Hearts Afire | Lonnie Garr | 28 episodes total |
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 | The 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 | ||
2000 | FreakyLinks | Hotel Clerk | |
2000 | Nash Bridges | Walter Marley | |
2000 | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch | Chuck | |
2000, 2002 | Son of the Beach | Jordan | 2 episodes total |
2000 | The Strip | Gaston | |
2001 | Ally McBeal | Dr. Benjamin Harris | |
2001-2002 | Boston Public | Dr. Benjamin Harris | 5 episodes total |
2001-2006, 2017 | Will & Grace | Beverley Leslie | 12 episodes total |
2003 | Judging Amy | Reginald Hoyt | |
2003-2004 | Reba | Terry (The jeweler from the rings) | 3 episodes total |
2003 | Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales | Rog Monroe | |
2004 | George Lopez | Doctor | |
2004 | Monk | Town Official | |
2005-2006 | American Dad! | Beauregard LaFontaine | voice actor; 2 episodes total |
2005 | Boston Legal | Bernard Ferrion | 6 episodes |
2005 | Chasing Christmas | Past | |
2007 | Ugly Betty | Quincy Combs | Episode: "Punch Out" |
2007 | Hidden Palms | Jesse Jo | 5 episodes |
2008 | 12 Miles of Bad Road | Kenny Kingman | 6 episodes |
2008 | Privileged | Dale Dart | |
2008 | Sordid Lives: The Series | Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram | 10 episodes |
2008 | Under the Pink Carpet | Himself | 2 episodes total |
2009 | Alligator Point | ||
2009 | Glenn Martin, DDS | voice actor | |
2011 | Desperate Housewives | Felix Bergman | |
2011 | Shake It Up | Theodore Van Glorious | |
2011 | Under the Pink Carpet | Himself | 2 episodes total |
2012 | DTLA | Theatre Director | |
2012 | The Game | ||
2012 | Raising Hope | Reverend Bob | |
2012 | The Secret Life of the American Teenager | ||
2013 | American Horror Story: Coven | Quentin Fleming | 3 episodes total |
2013 | Baby Daddy | Edwin the Mall Elf | Episode: "Emma's First Christmas" |
2013 | RuPaul's Drag Race | Himself | Guest judge on Season 5, Episode 7 |
2013 | Supernatural | Yorkie Mutt |
voice actor; 2 episodes |
2014 | Partners | Marion Phillips | Episode: "Jurist Prudence" |
2014 | Celebrity Big Brother UK | Himself | Series 14, 12 episodes |
2015 | Benidorm | Buck A. Roo | Series 7, Episode 1 & 2 |
2016 | Fear, Inc. | Judson | |
2016 | American Horror Story: Roanoke | Ashley Gilbert (reenactor of Cricket Marlowe) | 3 episodes |
2016 | K.C. Undercover | Cecil B. DeVille | |
2017 | Living the dream | Aiden | |
2018–present | The Cool Kids | Sid |
References
- ^ Biography Archived 2014-04-07 at the Wayback Machine at Leslie Jordan's official website
- ^ a b c d "Leslie Jordan Biography". TV.com.
- ^ Middleton, Josh (12 March 2014). "GIRL TALK: Gossiping With Southern Baptist Sissies Star Leslie Jordan". Philly Magazine. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
- ^ Duerst, Austin (16 October 2012). "Funnyman Leslie Jordan reflects on 'The Help', 'Will & Grace', 'Ski Patrol' and one-man comedy shows". isthmus.com. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
- ^ a b c Freeman, Chris (2009). "Leslie Jordan: from small screen to big stage".
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ "Emmy-Winner Leslie Jordan Headlines Tuesday Night Live May 15".
- ^ a b "Atlanta Entertainment Company to Produce Innovative, Interactive Gay-Themed Comedy Show". prnewswire.com (Press release). Atlanta. 2 May 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
- ^ Jordan, Leslie (2008). My Trip Down the Pink Carpet. Simon and Schuster.
- ^ Parks, Tim (17 August 2006). "The 'Sordid Lives' of 'Southern Baptist Sissies". The Gay and Lesbian Times. Archived from the original on 2 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
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suggested) (help) - ^ Nichols, David C. (15 October 2004). "'Dog on Linoleum' finds firm footing". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
- ^ Helbig, Jack (11 August 2005). "Like a Dog on Linoleum". Chicago Reader. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
- ^ "Theatre Reviews". New York Magazine. 13 June 1994. p. 97 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Review/Theater; A Hollywood Soul's Trip From Tennessee". The New York Times. 28 May 1994.
- ^ Dowell, Ben (October 19, 2017). "Philip Glenister and Lesley Sharp are Brits abroad in first look at Sky's new Florida comedy Living the Dream". Radio Times. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
- ^ Boedeker, Hal (May 14, 2018). "Fox makes room for veteran performers". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
- ^ Drake, Sylvie (1 July 1986). "Stage Review : 'Found A Peanut' As Child's Play". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
External links
- 1955 births
- Living people
- People from Chattanooga, Tennessee
- LGBT people from Tennessee
- Writers from Tennessee
- Male actors from Memphis, Tennessee
- American male comedians
- American male film actors
- American male stage actors
- American male television actors
- Primetime Emmy Award winners
- Gay actors
- LGBT comedians
- Gay writers
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- 20th-century American comedians
- 21st-century American comedians