title: Leo Ford
text: # Leo Ford
  
  Leo Ford (born Leo John Hilgeford; July 5, 1957 – July 17, 1991) was an American pornographic actor who appeared in gay pornographic films and bisexual pornographic movies and magazines in the 1980s. He was born in Dayton, Ohio.
  
  ## Career
  
  In 1989, Ford was crowned King of the Beaux Arts Ball in New York City. His Queen was Melissa Slade.
  
  Ford paired with David Alan Reis aka "Lance" in Leo & Lance and Blonds Do It Best, Leo and Lance directed by William Higgins; Blonds Do It Best directed by Richard Morgan. In his starring role for the film Games, directed by Steve Scott, Ford played a medal-winning swimmer in the Gay Games competition, with Al Parker playing a photographer assigned to take professional portraits of the athlete. In a scene that foreshadowed what happened to Ford in real life, his character had a severe motorcycle accident that left him hospitalized and in a coma.
  
  ## Private life
  
  Ford had a relationship with cult actor Divine. The two traveled together and he made appearances at clubs in which Divine was contracted to perform. After Divine's death, Ford began a relationship with Craig Markle. Ford and Markle lived together in Los Angeles and Hawaii and raised tropical birds. After Ford's death Markle ran a travel agency and oversaw Ford's collection of pictures from his career.
  
  ## Death
  
  On July 15, 1991, while driving his motorcycle, Ford was struck by a truck making an illegal turn onto Sunset Boulevard. Ford suffered massive head trauma and died two days later on July 17. Craig Markle was riding with him but suffered only minor injuries. Ford was cremated and his ashes sent to San Francisco, where after a wake at Josie's Bar they were scattered near the Golden Gate Bridge.
  
  