Diana Dasrath is entertainment producer and senior reporter for NBC News covering all platforms. Leslie Jordan, the actor, comedian and musician known for his roles in Will & Grace and American Horror Story and for his uplifting pandemic Instagram videos, died after a car crash Monday in Hollywood. [42], In the same year, McCormack produced the Lifetime comedy Lovespring International, a show that revolves around six employees at Lovespring International, a dating agency located in California as an "elite Beverly Hills" company. Murdoch has survived scandal after scandal. Mars gave memorably funny performances in TV and features for decades, many of which showcased his talents for accents and comic voices: he was the deranged Franz Liebkind in Mel Brooks' original "Producers" and the one-armed Inspector Kemp in "Young Frankenstein," and played Francis's inept German boss on "Malcolm in the Middle." The cause of death of Will and Grace star Leslie Jordan has been revealed. Will & Grace co-star Sean Hayes also chimed in, saying: Leslie Jordan was one of the funniest people I ever had the pleasure of working with., Everyone who ever met him, loved him, Hayes tweeted. An anarchic presence on stage and television and in feature films for more than a half-century, Rip Taylor began his career as a stand-up comedian. Just to let you know, you never have to be more gay than that. The actor then revealed that he struggled more with being effeminate than with being gay. and "Weeds." Will and Grace Lose Their "Homojo . Daisy Jones & the Six becomes the first fictional band to hit No. [80][81] In 2003, it was confirmed that he would write, direct, and star in the romantic comedy What You Wish For. "Will & Grace" was Wilder's last on-screen appearance: he died of complications from Alzheimer's disease at the age of 83 on August 29, 2016. Leslie . Several people visited the site to take photos and somberly stare at the makeshift memorial. He was 67. He's a great host, he's relatively funny and he has great friends and he's a good friend to them the gay issue just wasn't really a big thing. The pair visited Professor Dudley, who was an inspirational figure to them during their college years. Chlo Phoenix, who drove to the site with her mother, Jessie, and sister Jazmine, gleefully pulled out her phone and grinned while watching one of Jordans viral videos, where he spins with a baton in hand, yelling, Daddy, watch me twirl!. Jack Freaks Out Over Grace's Misfortune - Will & Grace. Positive critical and audience reception for her "West Wing" performance led to more high-profile work for Joosten, including a recurring role as an incarnation of God on "Joan of Arcadia," appearances on "Scrubs," "The X-Files" and "My Name is Earl" (as Earl's mother), and a supporting role in "Wedding Crashers." "Light your mother on fire.". Mr. Stein returned later that season for "Sex, Losers, and Videotape," in which he began a torrid affair with Karen while the pair, along with Will, bemoaned their stalled love lives. He began appearing in episodic television in the early 1980s. New York Times contributor Ben Brantley, in review of the production, wrote: "Playing a thoughtless, woman-despising heterosexual, Mr. McCormack isn't much different from when he was playing a thoughtful, woman-worshiping homosexual. 5 min read Leslie Jordan, the comedic actor from Will & Grace, Murphy Brown and Call Me Kat, has died at age 67. [41] Melissa Rose Bernardo of Entertainment Weekly commented that McCormack and Maura Tierney "have incredible chemistry". After working in theater and as a street performer at Disney-MGM Studios at Walt Disney World in Florida, Joosten headed to Los Angeles, where she landed roles on series like "ER" and "Frasier." By late Monday afternoon, the BMW had been replaced by bundles of lilies and chrysanthemums and a handwritten note on lined paper: Thank you for being a light in this world! Jordan, 67, was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:38 a.m. after firefighters responding to reports of a collision at Cahuenga Boulevard and Romaine Street found him "pulseless and non-breathing" in a gray sedan, authorities said. Will & Grace is an American television sitcom created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan.Set in New York City, the show focuses on the friendship between best friends Will Truman (Eric McCormack), a gay lawyer, and Grace Adler (Debra Messing), a straight interior designer.The show was broadcast on NBC from September 21, 1998, to May 18, 2006, for a total of eight seasons, and returned to NBC on . "Will & Grace" frequently expanded its roster of characters to include extended members of the core cast's family. Let's just say McCormack does the best he can with what he's given, and leave it at that. In addition, he starred as Dr. Daniel Pierce for three seasons of the TNT crime drama Perception, and provided the voice of "Lucky" on The Hub's Pound Puppies. Will Dominion-Fox News lawsuit be different? After his death, a spokesman for Jordan released a statement saying the world was a darker place. Ferrer was also in demand for animated projects, lending his gravelly tones to "Mulan," "Justice League: The New Frontier" (as Martian Manhunter), "Superman: The Animated Series" (as Aquaman and Weather Wizard) and "Adventure Time" (as Death), as well as numerous commercials and theatrical trailers. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Jordan's vehicle crashed into a wall in Hollywood around 9:30 a.m. local time. For Will, this included his father, George, who appeared in four episodes of the series, beginning with Season 2's "Oh Dad, Poor Dad, He's Kept Me in the Closet and I'm So Sad." 2021; Prestia died at the age of 64 on October . [76] McCormack also serves as producer for the show. [4] He is the eldest of three siblings. Murdaugh's fall from grace ends in life sentence for murder. [32] McCormack hosted the fourth episode of the 28th season of the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live on November 2, 2002. I think it brought a lot of us together in a time when we were not sure what was going on, Wiser said of Jordans Instagram videos. He turned over his Instagram account to Deesha Dyer, a former Cabinet member of the Obama administration, to lead a conversation on systemic racism. I didnt realize [he had blown up] until last night when everybody started calling me telling me youve gone viral," Jordan told NBCs "TODAY" show in March 2020. "Knowing that he has left the world at the height of both his professional and personal life is the only solace one can have today. : Artificial Insemination." 1 on iTunes Charts, 36 songs, no apologies: Morgan Wallen delivers more (much more) of what made him countrys king, Joy Behar kicks off Joys Banned Book Club with gay-penguin tale And Tango Makes Three, Paramount to pay $122.5 million to settle lawsuit over CBS deal, Jussie Smollett finally appeals his conviction stemming from 2019 hate-crime hoax. Emmy-winning actor Leslie Jordan has died at the age of 67. From March 6 through July 8, 2012, he played the role of Senator Joseph Cantwell in the Broadway revival of Gore Vidals The Best Man.[78]. Actor Tom Sizemore dies; Murdaugh trial ends in life sentence; Walgreens limits abortion pill sales; and more morning headlines . Morrison worked on other series and features while on the NBC comedy, including a run as the voice of Mrs. Portillo on Disney Jr.'s "Handy Manny." 0:56. The latest will air as scheduled Thursday, but with an added "in memoriam" segment about the actor who played Phil, the company said. Playing Mrs. Friedman in "Star-Spangled Banter" was Anne Meara, who partnered with her husband, actor Jerry Stiller, as a successful comedy duo during the 1960s and 1970s. The reunion is anything but welcome, as Karen originally distanced herself from Lois due to her mother's career as a professional con artist. received mixed reaction, but McCormack's performance was favored by critics, with Variety's Brian Lowry concluding, "the real kitsch factor resides in Eric McCormack's performance as the suave charmer, which adds an element of high camp to the proceedings. Will & Grace 7.3 TV Series Beverley Leslie 2001-2020 17 eps Sordid Lives 6.7 Earl 'Brother Boy' Ingram 2000 Credits Edit Actor132 Writer3 Producer1 Soundtrack3 Additional Crew1 Self82 Thanks3 Archive Footage9 IMDbPro Expand below Actor Upcoming 1 Strangers in a Strange Land Gentleman Post-production Previous 131 Call Me Kat Phil TV Series Not only was he a mega talent and joy to work with, but he provided an emotional sanctuary to the nation at one of its most difficult times., Jordan earned an Emmy for his role as Beverly Leslie on "Will & Grace" and appeared in dozens of other shows and movies, including "Star Trek: Voyage," "American Horror Story" and "Murphy Brown.". When not working, Valdez finds joy in writing and reading poetry, running, thrifting and experiencing food and music with friends and family. Angry that Leo is withholding the money from her, Grace decides to spend it on frivolous items (Japanese silverware, irregular jeans) until an elderly couple arrives and demands to know what they did with their life savings. The Colleton County jury deliberated for less than three hours Thursday before finding Murdaugh guilty of killing his 22-year-old son, Paul, with a shotgun and his 52-year-old wife, Maggie, with a . Not only was he a mega talent and joy to work with, but he provided an emotional sanctuary to the nation at one of its most difficult times. "Jordan is one of the true stars of the lockdown, amassing more than3.8 million Instagram followersin a little over a month," Moylan wrote in an April 2020 piece for NBC News' Think section. [12] There, he enrolled in theatre classes and performed in high school productions of Godspell and Pippin. Perry's roles may not have been particularly substantial, but he worked for more than two decades on screen and landed roles on major series like "The West Wing," "Scrubs," "The O.C." The series also earned critical praise (and Emmys) for its writing and nuanced portrayal of gay and straight characters, which was cited by none other than President Joe Biden as doing more to educate the public onLGBTQ issues than any other series. The gag was so popular that it led to repeat performances on numerous game shows, variety series, episodic programs like "The Monkees," and voices for cartoons like "The Jetsons.". Tammin Sursok and Christie Hayes, Home & Away's Sutherland sisters, in TV reunion. ", Character actor Don Perry played Bertram on "Gay/December Romance." [12] In an interview with The Guardian in 2003, McCormack admitted to auditioning "two or three times" for the part of Ross Geller, which ultimately went to David Schwimmer, for the situation comedy Friends. Eric James McCormack (born April 18, 1963) is a Canadian actor known for his roles as Will Truman in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, Grant MacLaren in Netflix's Travelers and Dr. Daniel Pierce in the TNT crime drama Perception.. Born in Toronto, McCormack started acting by performing in high school plays. The Tennessee native, who won an outstanding guest actor Emmy. Leslie Jordan, photographed in 2021, died Monday at age 67. 0:00. ", "What he lacked in height he made up for in generosity and greatness as a son, brother, artist, comedian, partner and human being," Shaul continued. For much of the late 1990s, he lived in Los Angeles and had minor roles. Character actor Miguel Ferrer got a terrific showcase for his comic talents in Season 1's "Saving Grace," which cast him as an arrogant publicist who considered Grace as a decorator for his house. [85], McCormack has been married to Janet Leigh Holden, whom he met on the set of Lonesome Dove,[12] since August 1997. [77] He also provides the voice of "Lucky" on The Hub's Pound Puppies series, which premiered October 10, 2010. Jordan received the award for Timeless Star, which honors an actor or performer whose exemplary career has been marked by character, wisdom and wit, from GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics in 2021. "The world is definitely a much darker place today without the love and light of Leslie Jordan, Shaulsaid in October. "[50] On September 5, 2008, McCormack made a guest appearance in the seventh season and 100th episode of the television series Monk, where he played an unctuous host of a television crime docudrama. It changed me in that the concept of any other options disappeared. George Truman was depicted as a cautious but caring father: when Will accuses him of lying to his friends about his sexual orientation, George replies that he kept the information private for fear that some of the smaller-minded friends would criticize Will, a situation he couldn't bear. He soon settled into steady work in both mediums, and appeared to specialize in playing older professional types: judges on "My Name is Earl" and "Coach," doctors ("ER"), priests ("Everybody Loves Raymond"), and more than his share of grandparents ("The Drew Carey Show") and characters who simply bore the name "Old Man" ("Malcolm in the Middle," "Southland," "That '70s Show," etc.). Richard Winton is an investigative crime writer for the Los Angeles Times and part of the team that won the Pulitzer Prize for public service in 2011. Emmy-winning US actor Leslie Jordan died in October 2022. Though best remembered for her TV work, which included "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter," "Good Morning Miami," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," and "The Fugitive," Pleshette also earned a Golden Globe nomination for Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" and appeared in features like "Support Your Local Gunfighter" and "Nevada Smith" with Steve McQueen. His spokesperson confirms to Yahoo Entertainment. They are opposites but not in an ash-smudged, Windex-wielding Felix and Oscar way. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997, she recovered and returned to work on shows like "8 Simple Rules" and "Home Improvement" while also founding theweSPARK Cancer Support Center, which aided cancer patients and their families. Jordan became a hit on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic, entertaining the world with playful and lighthearted videos, which often went viral, on Instagram. Leslie Jordan co-hosted the announcement of nominees for the 94th Academy Awards earlier this year. He died at the age of 91 on November 2, 2021; Prestia died at the age of 64 on October 6, 2011. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Grace eventually became dependent on April's encouragement to complete her work, which prompted Will's intervention. He attended Stephen Leacock Collegiate Institute (the same school Mike Myers attended) and also attended Sir John A. MacDonald Collegiate, named after Canada's first Prime Minister. Even this issue divided the Pressmans: Mrs. Pressman wanted the heat option, while Mr. Pressman suggested an alternative. '"[12] He explained that when he first read the script, "what hit me immediately was that this was me. The latter includes her relationship with Jack, whom she invites to Hanukah dinner instead of Grace. "[3], McCormack graduated from high school in 1982[5] and then enrolled at Ryerson University School of Theatre in Toronto to further improve his acting. Its all gravy, he says. One of the most frequent guest stars on "Will & Grace" was Oscar-nominated actress Debbie Reynolds, who played Grace's mother, Bobbi. He would often use the line,How yall doin?. Joey Wiser and Felipe Araipa also dropped by on their way home to visit the memorial. After being hospitalized for an epileptic seizure in 2019, Taylor died at the age of 88 on October 6 of that year. A toxicology screening was negative for marijuana, alcohol and other drugs, the agency's report said. [43] The series debuted to ambivalent reviews,[44] with Matthew Gilbert of The Boston Globe commenting that Lovespring International is "a lively little cable exercise in over-the-top characters, bad taste, satire, and political incorrectness. In October 2010, it was reported that McCormack would star in a new TNT television drama, Perception, playing a crime-solving neuroscientist named Dr. Daniel Pierce, who works with the federal government to solve cases using his knowledge and imaginative view of the world. Film critic Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times wrote that McCormack and Weigel "both make a strong impression". However, it was on "Will & Grace," playing the role of Beverley Leslie during the original run and on the revival when he truly made his comedic mark on the small screen. But when you have 4.7 million followers, I mean, you cant just sit silent. His manner of death was classified as natural, the Los Angeles County medical examiner said. [29] In 2000, McCormack appeared in the ABC television movie The Audrey Hepburn Story, portraying actor Mel Ferrer. A friend of mine called from California and said, You have gone viral. And I said, No, honey, Im fine. What he lacked in height he made up for in generosity and greatness as a son, brother, artist, comedian, partner and human being, his spokesman told NBC. Cookies help us deliver our Services. [54] McCormack's decision to do the show was due to "great writing". Harry also is known for being a judge on American Idol alongside Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson, a paycheck that also seriously contributed to his massive fortune. his timing, his delivery, all apparently effortless. What he lacked in height he made up for in generosity and greatness as a son, brother, artist, comedian, partner and human being. "[13] McCormack moved to Los Angeles, California, and made his US television debut in a 1991 episode of the CBS crime series Top Cops. He worked his way up to supporting roles in features before landing his breakout turn as Bob Morton, the toxic yuppie executive who created a cyborg police program in "RoboCop.". [79], McCormack has set up his own production company called Big Cattle Productions to develop ideas for television. CLIP 05/14/20. LOS ANGELES Leslie Jordan, who won an Emmy playing the conniving Beverley Leslie on "Will & Grace" and became a social media sensation during the pandemic, died Monday after he crashed his car into a tree in Hollywood, his agent said. Joosten's final acting role came on an episode of "The Mentalist" in 2012; she died of lung cancer at the age of 72 on June 2 of that year. The veteran actor was driving in Hollywood when he suffered a sudden medical emergency and crashed his BMW into the side of a building. At the scene of the crash, black skid marks from Cahuenga Boulevard led onto the sidewalk where Jordans BMW had slammed into the building, its metal facade dented. Many "Will & Grace" guest stars continue to perform in their own projects today, while a select handful died due to old age or other issues over the course of the 20-plus years since its first episode. He died the following year at the age of 81 on November 18, 2012. [46], In 2008, McCormack co-starred in the A&E television miniseries The Andromeda Strain, a remake of the 1971 movie based on the novel by Michael Crichton. She declined to reprise Rosario for the "Will & Grace" revival and died of heart failure at the age of 83 on December 1, 2019. [59][60], McCormack starred in the science-fiction film Alien Trespass (2009), in which he played Doctor Ted Lewis, who gets possessed by an alien marshal, Urp, after he crash-lands on Earth. [13] He appeared in the 1992 theatrical films The Lost World, based on Conan Doyle's novel of the same name and in its sequel, Return to the Lost World, also released in 1992. IE 11 is not supported. Actor Tim Bagley played the recurring role of Larry on "Will & Grace," longtime pal of Jack and Will. Tributes from Hollywood began pouring in after news of Jordans death spread on social media, including from his Will & Grace co-stars. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. While Karen's husband Stan is in prison for tax evasion, she meets wealthy Lionel Banks at a hotel bar in Season 4's two-part closing episode "A.I. Sources told TMZ the comedian had been feeling unwell and had even scheduled an appointment to see a cardiologist. [21] Will & Grace quickly developed a loyal audience, with the show and McCormack receiving strong reviews. Leslie Jordan, a veteran actor and comedian whose credits include "Will & Grace" and "Call Me Kat," died Monday morning after driving his car into a building. Will Meets James (Taye Diggs) Dressed as Captain von Trapp - Will & Grace. Sean Patrick Hayes (born June 26, 1970) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. [13], McCormack made his Canadian television debut in the 1986 movie The Boys from Syracuse.