Leslie Jordan (Actor)

Leslie Jordan at the 15th Annual Benefit Luncheon for Friendly House. (Photo: Amanda Edwards / Getty Images)

A ubiquitous character actor small in stature (4'11") but large on chreating characters with eccentric personality quirks, Leslie Jordan is best known for his TV guest spots, typically playing unforgettably Southern characters with an over-the-top fey demeanor. The Tennessee native has had a prolific career as both an actor and writer, arriving in Hollywood in 1982 and got his first major notices when he played the Tammy Wynette-fixated drag queen in Del Shores' hit play "Sordid Lives" and went on to star in the film adaptation of that play. He also won virtually every Los Angeles-area award for best supporting actor gives in theatre for his portrayal of Peanut Leroy, the sodden, aging homosexual in the runaway hit "Southern Baptist Sissies."

But it was television that provided Jordan with his most successful venue: after a few guest spots the actor wowed viewers with his portrayal of the hapless ex-con Kyle on the hit sitcom "Murphy Brown" in 1989, which led to a succession of memorable turns on dozens of popular TV sit-coms and dramas. Jordan's expert character turns, typically as wacky Southern eccentrics, led to many recurring roles, including stints on "Nurses," "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" and, as a favorite of writer-producer David E. Kelley, as cloning expert turned new-age reverend turned science teacher turned drama coach Dr. Benjamin Harris on "Ally McBeal" and "Boston Public," and as the mousy but suprisingly homicidal Bernard Ferrion on "Boston Legal." The actor, who frequently appeared in the ensembles of short-lived series ("The People Next Door," "Sugar and Spice," "Top of the Heap," "Reasonable Doubts" and "Hearts Afire" among them) was probably best known, however, for his frequent role as Beverly Leslie, the catty high society nemesis of "Will & Grace's" Karen Walker (Megan Mullally) whose barbs simultaneously dripped venom and honeysuckle, beginning in 2001. Jordan also had dozens of film roles to his credit.

As a writer, Jordan’s play "Hysterical Blindness and Other Southern Tragedies That Have Plagued My Life Thus Far" ran to sold-out audiences at the Hudson Main Stage in Los Angeles and went on to a successful seven month run Off-Broadway in New York City. His screenplay "Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel" won the Los Angeles Film Festival's Production Grant award and was made into an independent film in 2000.