Rod Phillips (actor)

Rod Phillips
Born
Gregory Leslie Patton

(1960-08-23)August 23, 1960
El Centro, California, U.S.
DiedMay 24, 1993(1993-05-24) (aged 32)
West Hollywood, California, U.S.
Other nameRon Greer
EducationSanta Barbara High School
Alma materParis Junior College
Occupations
  • Actor
  • Model
  • Jeweler
Years active1982–1993
AgentFalcon Studios
PartnerDarras 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. He was recognized for his "All-American" athletic physique and blond hair, becoming a prominent figure during the "Golden Age" of gay cinema.

Early life and education

Gregory Leslie Patton was born in El Centro, California. He developed a fascination with jewelry making at a young age, learning basic gem polishing and pearl knotting by age 12. He graduated from Santa Barbara High School in 1978.

Following high school, Patton moved to Paris, Texas, to study jewelry making and gemology at Paris Junior College. He briefly lived in Midland, Texas, before returning to Santa Barbara in 1980.

Career

Adult film and modeling

In late 1982, Patton met adult film star Lee Ryder at the Boom-Boom Room in Laguna Beach. The two began a relationship, and at Ryder's urging, Patton entered the adult industry under the stage name Rod Phillips. He was also occasionally credited as Ron Greer.

Phillips was noted for his athletic build and "All-American" appearance, which led to extensive modeling work for Modernismo Publications and other publishers. He appeared in magazines such as Honcho, Jock, Torso, and Just Men.

He retired from the industry in the mid-1980s but made two separate comebacks, once in 1990 and again in 1993. During his 1990 return, he briefly dated and performed with Joey Stefano.

Jewelry vocation

Outside of film, Phillips was a skilled jeweler. He worked for Diamonds on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills for several years. 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.

Personal life

Phillips was in a long-term relationship with Lee Ryder until approximately 1985. In 1992, he was diagnosed with HIV-related lymphatic prostate cancer. Despite undergoing extensive chemotherapy, he continued to maintain a fitness regimen until early 1993.

Death

Phillips died on May 24, 1993, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in West Hollywood at the age of 32. While rumors of suicide by overdose circulated within the industry, his death was officially attributed to rapid health decline from AIDS-related complications. He is memorialized on The AIDS Memorial.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1983Winner Takes AllRodDebut
1983Winner Takes All: High VoltageRod
1983SpokesRon Greer
1984The Biggest One I Ever Saw!Handsome Guy
1984Giants 1Jack
1984Men in Films: Too Hot for CableSteve
1985Boys Town: Going West HollywoodThe Model
1985WindowsRod
1986Daddies: Hot Shots 7Jeff
1986Kink: Hot Shots 6Lover Boy
1987Too Big for His BritchesBlonde
1987Men & FilmsStephen
1987The Best of Blonds 1: Stroke 1Blonde
1988Bare TalesMatt
1990Guess Who's Cuming?Rod
1990Hard StealRet. P.I. Tyler 'Ty' Hartman
1990PlungeRod
1992The Best of Joey StefanoRod Phillips
1993HologramJeremy
1994Make Mine Jizz, Hard Hunks CollectionChrisPosthumous release
2006The Big SurpriseRodPosthumous release
2007Falcon Studios 35th Anniversary Limited EditionRodPosthumous release
2008The Best of Lee RyderRodPosthumous release
2008The Best of Leo Ford vs. Kurt MarshallRodPosthumous release
2009Best of the 1980sRodPosthumous release
2010Rites of InitiationRodPosthumous release
2011Grudge FuckRodPosthumous release
2013Riveting Raw Threeways!, Falcon Bareback 12RodPosthumous release
2015Deep Raw Delivery: Falcon Bareback 24RodPosthumous release
2021Falcon Icons: The 1980sRodPosthumous release

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Fade Out" Manshots Vol. 6 No. 1. FirstHand, Ltd. 1993. p. 82.
  2. ↑ "Trouble Shooters" Skin Vol. 7 No. 1. Hudson Communications Group. 1985. p. 24.
  3. ↑ "Men in Uniform" Torso Vol. 3 No. 4. Modernismo Publications. 1984. p. 48.
  4. ↑ "Behind the Camera" Manshots Vol. 2 No. 7. FirstHand Ltd. 1990. p. 22.
  5. ↑ "Trouble Shooters" Skin Vol. 6 No. 1. Hudson Communications Group. 1984. p. 24.
  6. ↑ "Honcho Flashback: Lube It Up" Honcho Vol. 20 No. 8. Modernismo Publications, Ltd. 1997. p. 25.
  7. ↑ Wonder Bread and Ecstasy: The Life and Death of Joey Stefano. Alyson Publications. 1993. p. 72.
  8. ↑ "Rod Phillips Obituary". www.weremeber.com. February 24, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Winner Takes All" Manshots Vol. 1 No. 4. FirstHand, Ltd. 1989. p. 41.
  10. ↑ "The Biggest One I Ever Saw" Manshots Vol. 1 No. 1. FirstHand, Ltd. 1988. p. 42.
  11. ↑ "The Biggest One I Ever Saw" Stallion Vol. 4 No. 6. Stallion Publications, Inc. 1985. p. 73.
  12. ↑ "Boystown" Manshots Vol. 9 No. 9. FirstHand, Ltd. 1997. p. 48.
  13. ↑ "Windows" Manshots Vol. 1 No. 5. FirstHand, Ltd. 1989. p. 44.
  14. ↑ "Too Big for His Britches" Studflix Vol. 6 No. 4. Hudson Communications Group. 1988. p. 43.
  15. ↑ The Advocate - Issues 561-566. Northwestern University. 1990. p. 26.
  16. ↑ "Manshots Picks: Plunge" Manshots Vol. 2 No. 8. FirstHand, Ltd. 1990. p. 40.