{{short description|American actor}} {{about|the American actor/comedian|the New Zealand rugby player|Will Jordan (rugby union)|the Scottish novelist|Will Jordan (author)}}

{{Infobox person | name = Will Jordan | image = | caption = | birth_name=Wilbur Rauch | birth_date = July 27, 1927 | birth_place = The Bronx, New York, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and given age |2018|9|6|91|}} | death_place = Manhattan, New York, U.S. | occupation = {{comma separated entries|Actor|stand-up comedian}} | years_active = 1949−2010 }}

'''Will Jordan''' (born '''William Rauch''', July 27, 1927{{Citation needed |date=September 2022}} – September 6, 2018) was an American character actor and stand-up comedian best known for his resemblance to, and impressions of, television host and newspaper columnist Ed Sullivan.

==Early life== Born in the Bronx, Rauch grew up in Flushing, Queens.<ref name="nytimes1">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/08/obituaries/will-jordan-who-mimicked-the-famous-is-dead-at-91.html?action=click&module=Well&pgtype=Homepage&section=Obituaries |title=Will Jordan, Who Mimicked the Famous, Is Dead at 91 - The New York Times |work=The New York Times |date=1927-07-27 |accessdate=2018-09-20}}</ref> His father was a pharmacist and his mother owned a hat store.<ref name="nytimes1"/> Jordan graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan.{{Citation needed |date=September 2022}}

==Career== ===As Ed Sullivan=== In his act, Jordan came up with the catch-phrase, "Welcome to our Toast of the Town 'Shoooo'", which became a stereotypical joke for nearly every Sullivan impersonator after that, usually as the more generic "Really Big 'Shoooo'" (or "shoe").<ref>[http://www.povonline.com/cols/COL124.htm A Party for Wences<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060909074951/http://www.povonline.com/cols/COL124.htm |date=2006-09-09 }}</ref>{{Self-published source|date=August 2019}}

Jordan appeared as Sullivan in the Broadway production of the musical ''Bye Bye Birdie'' in 1960–1961 (a role he would reprise in the revival from October 15, 2009, through January 24, 2010).

Most of Jordan's film and television performances since the 1970s have been as Sullivan in films that feature characters appearing on Sullivan's famous variety series. These include: *''I Wanna Hold Your Hand'' (1978), The Beatles *''The Buddy Holly Story'' (1978), Buddy Holly and The Crickets *''The Doors'' (1991), The Doors

In 1983, Jordan appeared as Sullivan in the 1960s-TV-style video for "Tell Her About It", the Billy Joel hit single.

===Other work=== Jordan's other impressions included Bing Crosby, Groucho Marx and Jack Benny. He imitated Peter Lorre and James Mason as one of the actors in "Psycho Drama" on Rupert Holmes's 1974 debut album ''Widescreen''.

Jordan performed on the 1970 P.D.Q. Bach recording ''The Stoned Guest'' in the role of Milton Host, a send-up of Metropolitan Opera radio announcer Milton Cross.

He also participated in a recording project, called ''"The Sicknicks"'', with Sandy Baron. The pair produced a comedy single, "The Presidential Press Conference", which was a minor hit in 1961.

==Personal life and death== Jordan had a son, Lonnie Saunders.<ref name="nytimes1"/>

On September 6, 2018, writer Mark Evanier announced Jordan died that morning at his Manhattan home at age 91.<ref name="nytimes1"/>

==Filmography==

===Television=== {| class="wikitable" ! scope="col" style="width:6em;"|Year ! scope="col" style="width:20em;"|Title ! scope="col" style="width:12em;"|Role ! scope="col" style="width:16em;"|Notes |- | 1950 | ''Ford Star Revue'' | | Two episodes |-' | 1951 | ''The Steve Allen Show'' | | |- | 1952–1953 | ''The Arthur Murray Party'' | | Four episodes |- | 1954–1968 | ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' | | Eleven episodes |- | 1954 | ''Your Chevrolet Showroom'' | | |- | 1954–1956 | ''Tonight Starring Steve Allen'' | | Two episodes |- | 1955 | ''The Martha Raye Show'' | | Two episodes |- | 1956 | ''Good Morning! with Will Rogers Jr.'' | | |- | 1958 | ''Make Me Laugh'' | | |- | 1958–1962 | ''Tonight Starring Jack Paar'' | | Two episodes |- | 1959 | ''Today'' | | |- | 1961 | ''American Bandstand'' | | |- | 1962–1964 | ''The Red Skelton Show'' | | Two episodes |- | 1962 | ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' | | |- | 1965 | ''That Regis Philbin Show'' | | |- | 1965 | ''The Jimmy Dean Show'' | | |- | 1966–1971 | ''The Merv Griffin Show'' | | Six episodes |- | 1966–1975 | ''The Mike Douglas Show'' | | Two episodes |- | 1968 | ''The Joey Bishop Show'' | | |- | 1968–1971 | ''Kraft Music Hall'' | | Four episodes |- | 1972 | ''The ABC Comedy Hour'' | | |- | 1972 | ''The Bob Braun Show'' | | |- | 1974 | ''Funny Farm'' | | |- | 1978 | ''The Comedy Shop'' | | |- | 1979 | ''Elvis'' | Ed Sullivan | Television film |- |}

===Film=== {| class="wikitable" ! scope="col" style="width:6em;"|Year ! scope="col" style="width:20em;"|Title ! scope="col" style="width:12em;"|Role ! scope="col" style="width:16em;"|Notes |- | 1960 | ''Top Cat'' | The Cat, J. Caesar Bandwagon, Russians, Bank Robber, Names Unlimited Men, Movie Men | Animated voice role; uncredited<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Paramount's "The Cat" {{!}} |url=https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/paramounts-the-cat/ |website=cartoonresearch.com |access-date=19 April 2025}}</ref> |- | rowspan="3" | 1961 | ''Cool Cat Blues'' | The Cat, Smiling Ed Solvent, Bodyguard, Sloppy Louie, Louie's Henchmen, I.O.U. Network President | Animated voice role; uncredited<ref name=":0" /> |- | ''Hound About That'' | Hunter, Dog, Fox | Animated voice role; uncredited<ref name=":0" /> |- | ''Cane and Able'' | The Cat | Animated voice role; uncredited<ref name=":0" /> |- | rowspan="3" | 1967 | ''Think or Sink'' | Narrator, Roscoe, Professor Rhinestine | Animated voice role; uncredited |- | ''From Orbit to Obit'' | German Scientist | Animated voice role; uncredited<ref>{{cite web |title=Paramount Cartoons 1966-67 {{!}} |url=https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/paramount-cartoons-1966-67/ |website=cartoonresearch.com |access-date=19 April 2025}}</ref> |- | ''Forget-Me-Nuts'' | Narrator, Roscoe, Professor Rhinestine | Animated voice role; uncredited |- | 1977 | ''A Doonesbury Special'' | Sportscaster | Animated voice role |- | rowspan="2" | 1978 | ''I Wanna Hold Your Hand'' | Ed Sullivan | Feature film debut |- | ''The Buddy Holly Story'' | Ed Sullivan | |- | 1983 | ''Billy Joel - Tell Her About It'' | Ed Sullivan | Music video |- | 1984 | ''Broadway Danny Rose'' | Himself | |- | 1991 | ''The Doors'' | Ed Sullivan | |- | 1992 | ''Mr. Saturday Night'' | Ed Sullivan | |- | 2003 | ''Down with Love'' | Ed Sullivan | Final appearance |- |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb name|0430220}} * {{IBDB name}} * {{iobdb name|26036}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jordan, Will}} Category:1927 births Category:2018 deaths Category:American impressionists (entertainers) Category:American male film actors Category:American male stage actors Category:American male comedians Category:20th-century American male actors Category:21st-century American male actors Category:20th-century American comedians Category:21st-century American comedians Category:Male actors from the Bronx Category:Comedians from the Bronx

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