13 Leslie Jordan Movie And TV Performances That Prove He Was A Comedic Genius
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Leslie Jordan is one of those actors who worked hard for years without breaking into popular culture as a household name. That ultimately changed around the turn of the millennia, as Jordan took roles on hit shows like Will & Grace that brought him to the forefront of the public's attention. Jordan's work in sitcoms certainly helped elevate his standing, and his popularity only increased with time.
When COVID-19 hit, Jordan found himself in the same situation as most folks - stuck at home with little work. To combat this, Jordan began posting videos online that included his raw, unfiltered brand of comedy, and his popularity skyrocketed. Sadly, Jordan died on October 24, 2022, at the age of 67, and he left a diverse body of work behind that emphasizes his joyful, artistic legacy.
Below are some of the best performances Jordan gave throughout his amazing lifetime. Take a look at the TV series and films Jordan starred in below, and be sure to vote on which ones best exemplify his special comedic style.
- 145 VOTESPhoto: NBC
Years Of Performance: 2001-2020
Who He Played: Beverley Leslie (appearing in 17 episodes from the original series and its revival)
Why He Was So Funny: Jordan played one of his most-loved characters, Beverley Leslie, in Will & Grace, off and on, for the show's initial and follow-up run. Though Beverley's personality and mannerisms fit many gay stereotypes, he insists he isn't gay whenever anyone brings up the nature of his sexuality. He has a wife who's never seen on screen, and always tells Karen (Megan Mullally) or other characters that he's a Republican and opposed to the idea of homosexuality when the subject comes up.
Of course, Jordan was known for his openness and pride as a gay man in real life, so this is all part of the joke. Every time Beverley enters a room with a well-timed “Well, well, well,” it's a treat for the audience to enjoy his characteristic style and his ongoing, catty “frenemy” dynamic with Karen.
- 211 VOTESPhoto: ABC
Year Of Performance: 2005
Who He Played: Bernard Ferrion (appearing in six episodes across the first two seasons)
Why He Was So Funny: Jordan played against type in Boston Legal as Bernard Ferrion, a man with an unfortunate habit of killing people with frying pans. In his first appearance, he needs legal defense after offing his mother in this fashion; Alan Shore (James Spader) manages to get him off for lack of evidence. Shore swears off further representing him, believing him to be “evil.”
His defense is handed over to Tara Wilson (Rhona Mitra), and he once more evades a prison sentence despite killing his neighbor, again with a frying pan. In a bitter twist of irony, Bernard meets and befriends Catherine Piper (Betty White), who tries to get him to turn his life around. Failing at this, she kills him with - you guessed it - a frying pan and hides his body in a freezer. This story arc is the kind of bizarre yet delightfully dramatic guest appearance that actors like Jordan knock out of the park.
- 311 VOTES
Con Man
Photo: VimeoYears Of Performance: 2015-2017
Who He Played: Himself
Why He Was So Funny: In the comedy web series Con Man, Alan Tudyk stars as Wray Nerely, a struggling actor who appeared in a cult classic sci-fi series and finds escaping from that performance impossible (taking some inspiration from Tudyk's own experiences after appearing in the popular-but-promptly-cancelled sci-fi show Firefly).
Jordan appears in a handful of episodes as a fictionalized version of himself, who, apparently, is only pretending to be gay. He has a hilarious scene with Tudyk, where he explains that his “perceived personality” helps him get the ladies - specifically, “Conservative cougars.” He ends it with a hilarious line that only Jordan could deliver with such perfection.
- 420 VOTES
Year Of Performance: 2011
Who He Played: Harold Blackly
Why He Was So Funny: Leslie Jordan plays a minor role in the acclaimed 2011 drama The Help as Harold Blackly,the editor of The Jackson Journal, and he interviews Skeeter (Emma Stone) for a job. Initially, he's not interested in hiring her, but he relents and brings her on board. He instructs her to read a few of Miss Myrna's columns and answer them.
While his appearance is short and he's only on-screen for the one scene, Jordan imbues the supporting character with life, drawing on his own Southern upbringing. One memorable quote comes when Mr. Blackly spots someone not close a door while smoking. He says, “You know, one day, they'll realize smoking kills you.”
- 523 VOTES
Years Of Performance: 2013-2019
Who He Played: Quentin Fleming (Season 3), Cricket Marlowe (Season 6), and Courtney (Season 9)
Why He Was So Funny: Jordan first joined the cast of American Horror Story to play Witches's Councillor Quentin Fleming in the anthology's third season, Coven. If that wasn't enough, he came back to the set in Season 6 (Roanoke) to play Ashley Gilbert, an actor who portrayed Cricket Marlowe in a fictional docuseries. His final appearance was as Courtney, as assistant to summer camp owner Margaret (Leslie Grossman) in Season 9 (1984). In each of his appearances, Jordan capitalizes on two aspects of his physicality and personality - his height and homosexuality - to great hilarity.
While working on Season 6, Jordan had an amusing experience: when he first saw co-star Lady Gaga on set, he didn't recognize her. He told the story during an appearance on the Trailblazers Radio show:
The first day, I showed up, and there was a girl standing there, and they said, 'Leslie, have you met Stefani?' And I thought she was maybe an extra. I didn't know who she was.
- 68 VOTESPhoto: Fox
Years Of Performance: 2018-2019
Who He Played: Sid Delacroix (appearing in all 22 episodes)
Why He Was So Funny: Sidney "Sid" Delacroix was one of four main characters on the one-season Fox sitcom The Cool Kids, which follows a group friends in a retirement community in a sort of male, 2010s version of The Golden Girls. Sid, who's friends with Hank (David Alan Grier) and Charlie (Martin Mull), was married to a woman for 25 years before coming out of the closet. He never officially divorced his wife, Bonnie (Jennifer Coolidge), and he remains close friends with her on the show - which causes some problems in Sid's new relationship with John (Jere Burns).
Much like many of Jordan's characters, Sid capitalizes on his unique personality and joy. Sadly, The Cool Kids only lasted for one season, but there's still plenty of Jordan's trademark wit packed into the episodes that exist.
- 716 VOTES
Living the Dream
Photo: Sky OneYears Of Performance: 2017-2019
Who He Played: Aiden (appearing in all 12 episodes)
Why He Was So Funny: Living the Dream was a short-lived British comedy-drama series that aired 12 episodes across two seasons. The series, which featured a variety of popular actors, including Jane McNeill, Kim Fields, Kevin Nash, and, of course, Leslie Jordan, followed a British family who moves to Florida to run a trailer park.
In that vein, much of the show centers around the various differences between British and American culture. Jordan is perfectly cast as Aiden, who helps the Pemberton family bridge the gap with the Florida locals. The family has trouble dealing with the trailer park's residents, who aren't happy to have them there, and Aiden is somewhat helpful, where others aren't.
- 812 VOTESPhoto: The CW
Year Of Performance: 2013
Who He Played: Yorkie (Voice) in the Season 9 episode “Dog Dean Afternoon”
Why He Was So Funny: While viewers don't see Leslie Jordan in Supernatural, they can hear his distinctive voice clearly as he plays a Yorkie who has witnessed a murder in one episode. Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) casts a spell on himself so he can talk to a dog and get some information on a killer. In a hilarious scene, Jordan's Yorkie insists that Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki) must continue scratching his belly, or he won't give them the information they need.
Jordan's voice perfectly fits the Yorkie's personality, and his inclusion in the episode only adds to the hilarity of the silliness of it all. With Jordan's help, “Dog Dean Afternoon” is one of the lighter, goofier episodes that help break up some of the more dark and serious plots of Supernatural.
- 913 VOTES
The Last Sharknado: It's About Time
Photo: SyFyYear Of Performance: 2018
Who He Played: Benjamin Franklin
Why He Was So Funny: Leslie Jordan appears in the sixth and final entry in the Sharknado franchise, The Last Sharknado: It's About Time. In the made-for-TV film, Jordan plays US founding father Benjamin Franklin, who is integral in stopping Sharknados from happening throughout history, thanks to some convenient time travel shenanigans.
Jordan doesn't appear for long in the movie, but like most of his performances, he makes a lasting impression. The film was terrible if you take the recommendations of critics and viewers into account, but few can fault Jordan's performance. He clearly has fun offering his own take on a well-known historical figure and delivering a decadent performance regardless of how silly the film's premise is.
- 105 VOTESPhoto: CBS
Years Of Performance: 1993-1995
Who He Played: Lonnie Garr (appearing in 27 of the series's 54 episodes)
Why He Was So Funny: Hearts Afire was one of Jordan's first successful television runs, though he'd previously appeared in ten episodes of The People Next Door. He brought Lonnie Garr to life in the political sitcom's second season, when the leads (played by John Ritter and Markie Post) move from Washington, DC to a small town in the South to run a newspaper. Jordan's trademark whimsy as one of their new colleagues helped liven the retooled show up incredibly.
Lonnie is a character who could have worked or bombed completely, as his nature truly did change the way the show operated. He provided a great many laughs explaining his rollercoaster past that brought him to work at this brand-new paper, and every zany one-liner is buoyed by Jordan's inimitable charm.
- 119 VOTESPhoto: ABC
Year Of Performance: 2011
Who He Played: Felix Bergman (appearing in two Season 8 episodes, “Suspicion Song” and “Putting It Together”)
Why He Was So Funny: Leslie Jordan appears in two episodes of the final season of Desperate Housewives, playing Felix Bergman, an art critic and a gallery owner. Jordan plays the stereotypical vicious art critic to perfection as he tears apart every other student's paintings, before coming to Susan Delfino (Teri Hatcher), who stands up to him.
Although she gives him a hard time for being such a jerk, Felix falls in love with Susan's painting, which he displays in his gallery despite Susan's desire to keep that from happening. Felix even tries to convince Susan to move to New York City to become a professional artist, but she's not interested in leaving Wisteria Lane. Jordan's performance is funny and engaging, and he fits in perfectly with the Desperate Housewives cast.
- 129 VOTESPhoto: Fox
Years Of Performance: 2021-2022
Who He Played: Phil (appearing in 39 of the series's 53 episodes)
Why He Was So Funny: Phil is one of the main characters on Call Me Kat, working in Kat's (Mayim Bialik) café as a baker. Much like Jordan himself, Phil is a Southern gentleman, and several remarks hint at his conservative upbringing, although he is now out as gay. For the most part, Phil is both an employee and a close confidant of Kat, as they often spend time together when they aren't working. Phil is often a source of great comedic asides - like an anecdote of a time where he “mistakenly” became high, references to his pet ducks, or the revelation that his full name is actually “Philliam.”
Call Me Kat was Jordan's final on-screen project, and after his passing, his character was given a “happy ending” on the series, moving to Tahiti with his love interest, Jalen. At the end of the farewell episode, “Call Me Philliam,” the cast broke the fourth wall to acknowledge their sadness at the loss of their friend and collaborator. The episode concludes with the cast saying, “Love, Light, Leslie," followed by a clip of Dolly Parton saying goodbye to Jordan through song.
- 1318 VOTES
Benidorm
Photo: ITVYear Of Performance: 2015
Who He Played: Buck A Roo (appearing in two Season 7 episodes)
Why He Was So Funny: Leslie Jordan makes a late guest appearance in Benidorm, a British series focusing on the lives of holidaymakers and staff working at Solana, an all-inclusive resort in Benidorm, Spain. The series's ten seasons each focused on a single week during the holiday season each year.
Jordan's character, Buck A Roo, is cowboy probate attorney who tells the Garveys (a family of vacationers that are series mainstays) that they have a multi-million dollar inheritance coming their way. They initially discount him as a fraud, and it's easy to see why, as Buck A Roo is a caricature of Americans not uncommon in British television. However, when they learn Buck A Roo is telling the truth, they travel to Las Vegas, marking their departure from the show. More than anything, Buck A Roo is as antithetical as the rest of the cast as possible, and Jordan plays the character brilliantly.
- 146 VOTESPhoto: OUTtv
Year Of Performance: 2012
Who He Played: Harold (appearing in five out of the series's eight episodes)
Why He Was So Funny: DTLA aired on LGBT-focused network OUTv, following a group of seven friends living in Downtown Los Angeles and embracing new experiences. It ran for only eight episodes (with the finale spanning two parts); Leslie Jordan appeared in five as Harold, a frequently exasperated theater director.
Jordan brought much of his personality to the series, playing a loose adaptation of himself. In one scene, Harold finds one performance terrible and tears the actor to shreds for his embarrassingly poor Southern accent.
