Fabulous Flashback: Del Shores ‘Sordid’ Out His Life (Orginally published in April, 2002)

Nicholas Snow's Perspective of "Sordid Lives" Through The Years

The late Sharyn Lane with Del Shores as photographed by Nicholas Snow in May, 2002.

By Nicholas Snow

“Sordid Lives is a gift to myself,” explains writer/director Del Shores, who had just finished two chapters of the short story upon which the film is based—Nicotene Fit—when, as a married man with two children, he came face to face with his own gayness. Nicotine Fit is about Shores’ Aunt Sissy who was still smoking, and it talked about a nephew who was gay. The story was autobiographical without Shores knowing it.

“Coming out created the play,” Shores explains. “It was true creativity where I didn’t censor myself and I let these characters take me on a journey.”

One of those characters is Brother Boy, portrayed by veteran actor Leslie Jordan. Shores met Jordan for the first time when casting him in Cheatin’ in 1985.

“I fell in love with him as a person and with his work,” explains Shores of Jordan. “He’s God Dad to one of my daughters. He’s part of my family. The detail that Leslie brings to the role just envelops the fabric of the character. He’s truly one of the most gifted people on the planet.”

Shores hopes that Jordan becomes rich and famous.

“It’s certainly one of my fantasies that Leslie becomes a huge star because I like to go to famous people’s houses,” Shores explains. “I especially like to go to famous people’s houses that sort of come from white trash, so I can see what they’ve done with their money. Let me tell you something. It’s usually just rich white trash.”

Shores hit play, Southern Baptist Sissies, which won virtually every theater award available in Los Angeles, returns this week for an eight-week limited run at the Zephyr Theater. Winning more than six awards for his performance, including Best Supporting Actor by the Garland Awards, L.A. Critics Award and the Ovation Awards, Jordan (Sordid Lives, and TV’s Will & Grace, Boston Public) will reprise his role as the hysterical barfly, “Peanut,” alongside his bar sidekick “Odette Annette Barnette,” portrayed by Dale Dickey (TV’s X-Files, Christy). Together, the two characters are a tragic alcoholic duo.

Incidentally, not only did Shores meet Jordan when casting Cheatin’ in 1985, he also met his wife whom he ironically cheated on years later.

“I wish I’d come out to my wife with a little more integrity instead of having an affair and her finding out about it,” Shores explains. According to Shores, the person he had the affair with had some transforming advice for him. “The people who love you will continue to love you,” his companion explained. Shores ultimately came out to his Southern Baptist preacher dad, and his ex-wife’s parents are both in Southern Baptist Sissies. Talk about a family affair.

The success of Southern Baptist Sissies actually helped Sordid Lives to move beyond the stage and onto the silver screen because of the bond that formed between Shores and producer Sharyn Lane. “During the run of the play, I met Sharyn Lane, Shores explains. “We just fell in love with each other’s spirits and persons and she became my buddy.”

Shores was in a bookstore with his daughter and noticed that a man kept staring at him. Shores thought it quite odd that a man would be cruising him so boldly in front of his daughter. Eventually, the man approached him and said, “Aren’t you Del Shores?”

Upon confirmation of Shores’ identity, the man continued, “I want you to know your play changed my life. I decided if you could to all of this with humor, that it was time for me at age 44 to come out to my parents.”

In the conversation that ensued, Shores spoke with the man about the challenges in trying to get Sordid Lives made into a movie. “Promise me that you won’t give up,” the man appealed to Shores.

“I called Sharyn and told her the story,” Shores explained, “and we started writing letters to all of our rich friends asking them to invest.”

One of Shores’ friends gave something much more powerful than money. She gave Shores a letter of intent to appear in Sordid Lives, and that letter helped bring in the big bucks. Her name is Olivia Newton-John.

Newton-John’s sister Rhona was an old friend of Shores’ from acting class, and when Shores’ plays began to be produced, Rhona would bring her famous sister to see them. Shores become more than just an acquaintance to Newton-John when she brought her terminally ill father to see Shores’ play, Daddy’s Dyin…Who’s Got The Will?, and they all had dinner together afterwards at Newton-John’s house.

About his recent trip to the desert to meet fans of Sordid Lives at the Camelot Theaters, Shores explained, “I am overwhelmed and so grateful to the people of Palm Springs. I was so full when I left that there was nothing I could do the next day that would not depress me. I looked at Sharyn on the drive home and said, ‘We have to go back to the real world. We have to feed our dogs.’”

While Shores and Lane feed their dogs, Sordid Lives will undoubtedly still feed the spirits of filmgoers in the desert.

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