Karen Dior (February 14, 1967 – August 25, 2004) was the stage name of Geoffrey Gann, an American actress, singer, director, and

drag queen A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have usually been gay men, and part o ...

Life and career

Karen Dior was born Geoffrey Gann in

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

; She was adopted as an infant into a

Southern Baptist The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination, and the largest Protestant and second-largest Christian denomination in the United States. The word ...

family, and was raised in that religious tradition. Gann moved to Los Angeles at the age of 21 and began working in a beauty salon and performing in drag shows in

West Hollywood West Hollywood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Incorporated in 1984, it is home to the Sunset Strip. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census, its population was 35,757. It is considered one of the most ...

bars. In 1989, She began appearing in

bisexual Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whi ...

and transgender adult films. She performed in approximately 120 adult films, most of them under the Dior name. She also performed under the names Geoff Dior, Rick Van, Geoffrey Karen Dior, Geoffrey Gann, and Geoff Gann. In the 1990s, Dior moved into mainstream film and television roles, including a performance as

Loni Anderson Loni Kaye Anderson (born August 5, 1945) is an American actress who played receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on the CBS sitcom ''WKRP in Cincinnati'' (1978–1982), which earned her three Golden Globe Awards and two Emmy Award nominations. Early ...

's stalker in the 1992 TV movie ''The Price She Paid.'' Other work included guest appearances on the television series '' Xena: Warrior Princess'', '' Head Over Heels'', and ''

Veronica's Closet ''Veronica's Closet'' is an American sitcom television series created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, that aired on NBC for three seasons, from September 25, 1997, to December 7, 2000. The show stars Kirstie Alley as Veronica "Ronnie" Chase, ...

''.

Later years and death

Dior contracted HIV in 1995 and later worked as an AIDS activist. After leaving the adult film industry, Dior wrote and released ''Sleeping Under the Stars'', her first autobiographical work, in 2001. The same year, she released an album (under the name Geoffrey Karen Dior) titled ''S E X'', and she was a member of two bands, the Johnny Depp Clones and Goddess. She also received a PhD in philosophy in religion and became an

ordained minister In Christianity, a minister is a person authorised by a church body, church or other religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spir ...

. On August 25, 2004, Dior died of

hepatitis Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver tissue. Some people or animals with hepatitis have no symptoms, whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), poor appetite, vomiting, tiredness, abdominal pa ...

Selected filmography

Actress

* ''Single White Shemale'' (1992) * ''

Mystery Date ''Mystery Date'' is a 1991 American teen comedy film directed by Jonathan Wacks and starring Ethan Hawke, Teri Polo, and Brian McNamara. Shock-rockers Gwar have a brief cameo in the film. Plot Tom McHugh quickly learns that his perfect big brot ...

'' (1992) * ''

A River Made to Drown In ''River Made to Drown In'' is a 1997 drama film starring Michael Imperioli, Richard Chamberlain, Ute Lemper and James Duval. Although directed by James Merendino, Merendino had his name removed, and the film is credited to Alan Smithee.Daniel He ...

'' (1997) * '' Xena: Warrior Princess'' (1 episode, 1997 – "Here She Comes... Miss Amphipolis") * ''Head Over Heels'' (1 episode, 1997) * ''

'' (1 episode, 1998) * '' Double Down'' (2001)

Director

* ''I Dream Of Queenie'' (1997) "Produced and Directed" * ''Genderella'' (1998) * ''Playing the Odds'' (1998) * ''Getting Personal'' (1999) * ''Bi Athletes'' (2000) * ''Bi-Dazzled'' (2001) * ''Leather Temptation'' (2002) * ''Bi-Sluts'' (2001) "2001 AVN Bisexual Nominated Adult Film"

Bibliography

* ''Sleeping Under the Stars'' (2001)

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dior, Karen 21st-century American male writers HIV/AIDS activists AIDS-related deaths in California American dance musicians American male film actors 20th-century American memoirists American pornographic film directors American male pornographic film actors American male television actors Bisexual male pornographic film actors Directors of gay pornographic films Directors of transgender pornographic films Deaths from hepatitis LGBT memoirists American LGBT musicians LGBT people from Missouri American LGBT writers Pornographic film actors from Missouri Actors in transgender pornographic films 1967 births 2004 deaths 20th-century American singers American male non-fiction writers 21st-century American non-fiction writers 20th-century American male actors LGBT Protestant clergy American drag queens 20th-century American male writers 20th-century LGBT people