Emmy-winning American actor Leslie Jordan, perhaps best known for his role as Beverley Leslie on the sitcom Will and Grace, has passed away, on October 24, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. Jordan was born April 29, 1955 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, so that made him 67 years old at the time of his death.

The Beverley Leslie role was one for which he won an Emmy and was nominated for a Gold Derby Award, but Jordan was no stranger to SF/F/H (Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror roles. In fact, he had an impressive resume in horror projects. During the Pandemic, he had a popular series of Instagram posts with 5.8 million followers.

SF/F/H Roles

He played Padre in Undead or Alive: A Zombedy (2007). He played Shelby in Jason Goes to Hell: Final Friday (1993). In Demonic Toys: Personal Demons (2010) Jordan played Professor Butterfield.

In 2017, Jordan was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Guest Performance in a Television Series for his performance in American Horror Story: Roanoke as Ashley Gilbert. He also appeared in American Horror Story:1984 as Courtney and American Horror Story: Coven as Quentin Fleming.

Jordan played Benjamin Franklin in The Last Sharknado: It’s About Time. He made guest appearances on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Supernatural, Sabrina: the Teenaged Witch, Weird Science, and The Wizard.

He even appeared on Star Trek: Voyager as a Ferengi. He played the Ferengi Kol in the Star Trek: Voyager episode “False Profits.”

Leslie Jordan’s bubbly humor and slight stature at 4’11” contributed to his being cast as the Ferengi named Kol in Star Trek: Voyager episode “False Profits”.

Other Roles

Leslie Jordan may have been best known for his recurring role in Will and Grace, but he was also respected for his involvement in the Sordid Franchise. Jordan created the role of Earl “Brother Boy” Ingram in the award-winning play Sordid Lives, then reprised the role in the cult film and the TV series. He played newspaper editor Mr. Blackly in The Help (2011). In 2013 he appeared in Southern Baptist Sissies as Peanut.

A Man of Words

Leslie Jordan was a writer as well as an actor. He published his autobiography in April 2021, How Y’all Doing? Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived. He was the playwright of Hysterical Blindness and Other Southern Tragedies That Have Plagued My Life Thus Far. He was the writer and star of an autobiographical one-man show, My Trip Down the Pink Carpet.

In 2021, The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics’ Timeless Star award went to Leslie Jordan. The Timeless Star Award goes to given to “an actor or performer whose exemplary career is marked by character, wisdom and wit.” That seems a fair memorial for Leslie Jordan: character, wisdom, and wit.

Thank you, Mr. Jordan. You have certainly earned your rest.

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Susan Macdonald
Susan Macdonald

Susan Macdonald is the author of the children’s book “R is for Renaissance Faire”, as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in “Alternative Truths”, “Swords and Sorceress ”, Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, “Cat Tails” “Under Western Stars”, and “Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid”. Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio’s web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions,  Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.