Gordon, whose name was initially misspelled as "Gorden" by Equity, found himself in the hospital with a kidney stone after his application was addressed to the incorrect name. Following his recovery, he noticed the mistake on his hospital chart and decided to stick with the misspelled version.
Born in Huddersfield, Gordon's early life was marked by a Scottish mother, who was married to a local engineer. After leaving school, he began his career as a sales clerk in a textile company before venturing into radio broadcasting in the early 1960s. During this time, he interviewed pop stars at a local theatre and gained valuable experience.
Gordon's involvement in amateur theatre began when a friend asked him to help with set design and odd jobs. When his friend had to drop out of a play, Gordon stepped in and discovered his true passion for acting. This moment marked the beginning of his journey, which would ultimately lead him to the stage.
Gordon's big break came when he was spotted by Alan Ayckbourn, who offered valuable advice that led him to the Octagon Theatre in Bolton for a 13-month stint. His first major role was that of an 80-year-old man in 1968.
Gordon made his television debut in Coronation Street, playing the role of Bernard, Elsie Tanner's nephew, for over 50 episodes. He then appeared in episodes of "It Ain't Half Hot Mum" and "Are You Being Served?", both of which were produced by David Croft. Croft, impressed by Gordon's talent, promised to write a larger part for him in the future.
In 1982, Gordon's hard work paid off when he was cast as the lead in David Croft's creation, "Rene and 'Allo Allo", a role that would cement his status as a talented comedic actor.
