A look at America’s first interracial stand-up comedy duo and – sadly – its last, after the jump …..
Five years ago, one of the most rewarding non-fiction books I have ever read was published … and is one that I encourage you to read (which may be in your public library, or available by inter-loan). Tim & Tom tells the story of two men from different backgrounds who somehow came together and formed the first black-white stand-up comedy duo. The stand-up comedy business is notoriously difficult and while they had successes, they had to split due to their inability to get that big break. Mercifully, they both made it in show business, but had to do it separately – and this book chronicles their struggles as well as hoping that someday, an interracial duo will follow in their footsteps … and make it.
Tim Reid is an African-American from Roanoke, Virginia who became a marketing manager at DuPont, yet who also had an interest in film and television. Tom Dreesen is a white man who grew-up in a hardscrabble town south of Chicago in a large family – often a source of comedy – who became an insurance salesman. They were paired up in a school anti-drug program organized by the Jaycees in the late 1960’s and – while preaching a serious message to kids – had so much fun and laughter talking to a group near Chicago that one girl in the audience suggested they form a comedy duo.
Which they did: not following a traditional comic/straight man model, but incorporating a good deal of late-60’s to early 70’s topical material in their act. Tim Reid was something of a loner, and when people ask him if Tom was his first white friend: he replies that Tom was the first close male friend he had, period. Racial issues were certainly part of (though not all of) their routine and when they were able to get in front of open-minded audiences: they succeeded.
The first chapter of the book recounted a Moment of Truth – at an all-black nightclub in Atlantic City, some in the audience were startled to see them, and one patron stood-up to accuse Tom Dreesen (in so many words) of having Tim Reid as a sort of minstrel accompanist. The (risky) ad-lib Tom delivered resulted in moments of silence … then raucous laughter, and the audience was theirs for the rest of the night.
Yet promoters did not know how to handle them, being such a unique act – and the comedy club circuit was notoriously haphazard at that time (with Jay Leno working his way up the ranks often being an opening act at strip clubs) before the comedy club circuit that exists today came into being. And for years, they tried to appear on the one TV show that could have changed history ….. but the Tonight Show (during Johnny Carson’s heyday) would not book them. Today, late-night comedy offers many outlets to break-through … but not then. And after years of struggle financially, they split.
Tim Reid decided that nightclubs were not his thing, and landed the job as the disk jockey Venus Flytrap on the hit television series WKRP in Cincinnati – with the photo (right) of him smiling at Tom Dreesen during one episode, as Tom garnered a guest appearance, a few years later.
And that is because Tom decided that he did want to remain as a stand-up: and did make it as a solo performer: getting-the-call to appear on the Tonight Show.
And for those of you of-a-certain-age, he got the ultimate compliment for a standup comic on that show. Normally, one had to make more-than-one successful appearance on that show to have Johnny wave-you-over to his desk after the end of your routine – for most on their debut, you usually just went offstage. Johnny invited Tom Dreesen to the couch his first time – with Tim Reid watching at home, happy for his friend … but saying out loud, “Damnit, Tommy: that should have been us!”
After WKRP, Tim Reid went on to appear on the show “Snoops” and during the late 80’s both starred in – and directed – the CBS ‘dramedy’ show Frank’s Place – about a college professor who takes over his father’s restaurant – that along with The Cosby Show portrayed African-Americans in a variety of roles. After two Emmy nominations, it was due to have a second season … but was cancelled due to a strange reason: related to Tim Reid by Walter Cronkite of all people.
Tom Dreesen was eventually offered the job of being Frank Sinatra’s opening act in the last fourteen years of his singing life, and the book tells of some interesting tales. One dramatic scene came when Tom learned that he was, in fact, an illegitimate child: that the man he thought was his father was not his biological father.
He spoke to his actual biological father, who begged Tom not to reveal the secret (which he honored). In telling Frank Sinatra about this, the singer replied “Tommy, that happens in more families than you might think”. And years later, when Tom’s biological father was near death, he told Tom of his greatest regret: not being able to point to the TV screen (as he was a bar owner) when Tom Dreesen was performing and exclaim, “That’s my boy!”
Tom Dreesen finally wore down Tim Reid about having their story told in a book – written by Chicago sportswriter Ron Rappoport. A compact disc of a 1973 comedy performance of theirs is also available.
Tim Reid will turn age 69 in a few weeks, and is an award-winning filmmaker (and sculptor) in his native Virginia.
Tom Dreesen is age 72 and continues to perform onstage and on television, with a Frank Sinatra tribute show as part of his schedule.
In their book tour, Jay Leno invited them on the Tonight Show: finally appearing there forty years later. The two men are friends and are honorary uncles to each other’s children. They talk about how President Obama would have given them lots of material were they performing today … and hope that someone will follow in their footsteps.
Do yourself a favor and read this book. In the meantime, here is a short video of their routine dealing with race.
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