Leslie Jordan was driving to the set of Call Me Kat when he had his fatal car crash, a new report reveals.
That is one of several emerging details related to Monday’s death of the 67-year-old actor, who also appeared on American Horror Story and Will & Grace.
Jordan — who played Kat’s cat cafe employee Phil on the Mayim Bialik-led show — was behind the wheel of his BMW headed to the set when he crashed into a building in Hollywood, according to TMZ. People working on the show, which tapes in Burbank, became concerned when Jordan hadn’t arrived more than an hour after his call time. There was a scramble to locate him and they learned he died in the accident.
It is believed Jordan had a medical emergency leading to the crash. The same outlet reported that he had been experiencing shortness of breath over the last three weeks and made an appointment with a cardiologist. The appointment was supposed to be some time this week.
A rep for the Emmy winner has not responded to request for comment.
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Fire Department released a statement about the crash and audio from a 911 call. We now know that a passerby called to report the accident, in the 900 block of North Cahuenga Boulevard in Hollywood, and when LAFD first responders arrived, they saw a gray sedan that had collided with a curb, tree and then building.
In the 911 call obtained by Entertainment Tonight, a bystander said, “There’s a man in a four-door BMW, in a gray vehicle, that crashed against the building. … There’s other people trying to open the car door and to get this gentleman out.”
Jordan had no pulse and was not breathing. LAFD paramedics freed him from his seatbelt and began CPR and defibrillation, continuing life-saving methods for more than 40 minutes. There was no change in his vitals so the LAFD, with the medical control physician at the Paramedic Base Station Hospital, ruled Jordan deceased at the scene at 9:38 a.m.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s department now has the case and will determine the exact cause, time and manner of death of his death.
Call Me Kat halted production Monday upon the news of Jordan’s death as the cast and crew navigate his loss. According to Variety, the show will include a title card paying tribute to Jordan on Thursday’s episode. The episode is titled “Call Me Uncle Dad.” According to a teaser, Jordan’s character Phil has a great night with a potential love interest.
Jordan told Yahoo Entertainment last year, “I’ve got 30 or 40 years in the business, and I really think [Call Me Cat] is my favorite job,” adding, “I hope that it comes through how much fun we’re having.”
The show account and Bialik posted social media tributes to the “larger than life” star:
In addition to his acting, Jordan became a social media star amid the pandemic, entertaining people with his daily posts. He told Yahoo last year that a friend called him to tell him he had gone viral. “I said, ‘No, honey, I’m fine. I’m in Tennessee with my mother. I don’t have the virus.'”
The social media attention landed him more than 5 million Instagram followers as well as a book deal and the role in Call Me Kat. Just weeks ago, in early August, Jordan bought his first piece of property ever. He wrote on Instagram, “It’s never too late to be happy, y’all” and shared a look at the condo while he sang The Jefferson‘s theme song, “Movin’ On Up.”
According to the real-estate website Dirt, Jordan bought luxury condo in the Empire West residential tower in West Hollywood for $1.75 million. The seller was the estate of Ivan Reitman — the film director of Ghostbusters, Stripes and Meatballs.
