Rod Phillips (actor)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
August 23, 1960
Rod Phillips | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gregory Leslie Patton August 23, 1960 El Centro, California, U.S. |
| Died | May 24, 1993 (aged 32) West Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Other names | Ron Greer |
| Education | Santa Barbara High School |
| Alma mater | Paris Junior College |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1982–1993 |
| Agent | Falcon Studios |
| Partner | Darras Robert Pyron (1982–1985) |
Rod Phillips (born Gregory Leslie Patton; August 23, 1960 – May 24, 1993) was an American adult gay film actor and jeweler who appeared in gay pornographic films from 1982 to 1993.[1][2] He was recognized for his "All-American" athletic physique and blond hair, becoming a prominent figure during the "Golden Age" of gay cinema.[3]
Gregory Leslie Patton was born in El Centro, California.[1] He developed a fascination with jewelry making at a young age, learning basic gem polishing and pearl knotting by age 12.[1] He graduated from Santa Barbara High School in 1978.[1]
Following high school, Patton moved to Paris, Texas, to study jewelry making and gemology at Paris Junior College.[1] He briefly lived in Midland, Texas, before returning to Santa Barbara in 1980.[1]
Career
Adult film and modeling
In late 1982, Patton met adult film star Lee Ryder at the Boom-Boom Room in Laguna Beach.[4] The two began a relationship, and at Ryder's urging, Patton entered the adult industry under the stage name Rod Phillips.[1] He was also occasionally credited as Ron Greer.[1]
Phillips was noted for his athletic build and "All-American" appearance, which led to extensive modeling work for Modernismo Publications and other publishers.[5] He appeared in magazines such as Honcho, Jock, Torso, and Just Men.[6]
He retired from the industry in the mid-1980s but made two separate comebacks, once in 1990 and again in 1993.[1] During his 1990 return, he briefly dated and performed with Joey Stefano.[7]
Jewelry vocation
Outside of film, Phillips was a skilled jeweler.[1] He worked for Diamonds on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills for several years.[1] In his final year, due to declining health, he took a freelance position at The Gauntlet, a famous body piercing boutique in West Hollywood, because it was within walking distance of his home.[1]
Personal life
Death
Phillips died on May 24, 1993, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in West Hollywood at the age of 32.[8] While rumors of suicide by overdose circulated within the industry, his death was officially attributed to rapid health decline from AIDS-related complications.[1] He is memorialized on The AIDS Memorial.[1]