Honestly, if you only know Colton Ford from one corner of the internet, you're missing the bigger picture. He wasn't just a face on a screen. He was a guy who basically lived three different lives before he was done. Glenn Soukesian—that was his real name—was a singer, a theater geek, a banker, and yeah, a massive adult star who decided to reinvent himself when most people are thinking about retirement.
When people search for Colton Ford movies and tv shows, they usually fall into two camps. Some are looking for the cult-classic horror of The Lair. Others are curious about how he made the jump from the adult industry to mainstream cameos. Tragically, we lost him in May 2025 following a hiking accident in Palm Springs at the age of 62. It's a weird time to look back on his filmography, but it’s actually the best way to understand how he bridged the gap between "subculture" and "star."
The Sheriff of Vampires: Why The Lair Still Hits
If you haven't seen The Lair, it’s a trip.
Produced by Here TV and directed by Fred Olen Ray, it was basically a gay vampire soap opera. It was campy, low-budget, and absolutely leaned into its own absurdity. Colton played Sheriff Trout. He was the "straight man" (in the comedic sense) in a town full of blood-suckers and supernatural drama.
Most people don't realize he did 28 episodes of that show. That's a huge commitment.
- Sheriff Trout was grounded. While everyone else was hissing and wearing leather capes, Ford brought a sort of weary, muscular authority to the role.
- The chemistry was real. He worked alongside Dylan Vox, who later shared some really touching tributes about their time on set.
- It was a pioneer. Back in 2007, there wasn't a ton of gay-centric horror on TV. The Lair didn't care about being prestige TV; it just wanted to be fun.
Watching it now feels like a time capsule of mid-2000s queer media. It wasn't trying to win an Emmy. It was trying to give the community its own version of True Blood before True Blood was even a thing.
From Naked Fame to the Big Screen
The most pivotal moment in his career wasn't a scripted role. It was the 2005 documentary Naked Fame.
This movie is essential viewing if you want to understand the "Colton Ford movies and tv shows" timeline. It followed him as he tried to leave his adult career behind to become a club music artist. It wasn't always pretty. The film showed the doors being slammed in his face because of his past.
It's a raw look at "rebranding" before that was a corporate buzzword. You see him recording tracks, dealing with skepticism, and eventually finding a niche where he could be both a sex symbol and a serious singer.
The Cameos and Comedy
Once Naked Fame put him on the map for mainstream audiences, he started popping up in unexpected places. You’ve probably seen him in:
- The Next Best Thing (2000): He had a tiny role as "Glen" in this Madonna and Rupert Everett movie. This was actually before his adult career took off.
- Circuit (2001): A movie about the circuit party scene where he fit right in, though it was a small part.
- Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild! (2008): He played "Butch Hunk." The title tells you everything you need to know. He was totally game to poke fun at his own image.
- Hellbent (2004): He appeared as a band member in this gay slasher flick.
He had this way of showing up, looking incredible, and then disappearing back into his music. He didn't seem to have the ego of someone who needed to be the lead in every scene.
Beyond the Screen: The Music and Theater Era
You can't separate his TV work from his music. Most of the time, he was on screen specifically to promote a sound.
In 2011, he made his off-Broadway debut in Little House on the Ferry. He also did And All the Dead, Lie Down in 2014. These weren't just vanity projects. He had a background in musical theater from his school days in Mission Viejo, where he played Emile de Becque in South Pacific.
By the time 2019 rolled around, he appeared in The (Art) Of Be(i)ng. It was a more experimental project that showed he was still interested in the craft of acting, even as his music career took center stage with albums like Permission and Tug of War.
The Legacy of Glenn Soukesian
Colton Ford was a bit of a contradiction. He was a muscular, intimidating-looking guy who friends described as "sweet, funny, and sassy." He started his adult career at 40—an age when many performers are retiring. He then transitioned to TV and music in his late 40s and 50s.
He proved that you don't have to be defined by one choice you made in your 20s or 30s.
His filmography is a mix of high-camp TV, indie queer cinema, and honest documentary work. While he might be remembered by some for his time in the adult industry, his work as Sheriff Trout and his vulnerability in Naked Fame created a much more complex legacy. He was a "giver" in his personal life, a performer who never stopped working, and a guy who really just wanted to sing.
If you’re looking to dive into his work, start with Naked Fame to get the man behind the persona, then binge The Lair for the pure, unadulterated 2000s nostalgia. You’ll see a performer who was way more versatile than the posters suggested.
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To explore his full journey, look for his final musical releases from 2023, like the album Permission, which serves as a final chapter to the creative life he fought so hard to build. Check out his music videos—especially "Into the Nightlife" with Cyndi Lauper—to see how he eventually bridged the gap between the underground and the icons.