RICHMOND, Va. — When actor and comedian Tim Reid picked up the phone last week, he knew it might be the last time he spoke to his longtime friend and former comedy partner, Tom Dreesen.
"I called him last week, and very difficult conversation to say the least, but he and I talked for about a half an hour, slow, of course, very difficult," Reid told Catie Beck on the WTVR CBS 6 podcast Untold. "But we managed to speak, and we laughed, and we cried."
Dreesen, who died Wednesday in Los Angeles at age 86, made history with Reid in 1969 when they formed “Tim and Tom,” one of the first Black-and-white comedy duos in America.
They used humor to take on social issues at a time of racial tension, performing in nightclubs, lounges and on television until the mid‑1970s.
The pair’s friendship began far from the spotlight.
They met at a Junior Chamber of Commerce meeting in Illinois, when both volunteered to speak to elementary school students about the dangers of drug abuse.
Reid recalls that Dreesen, a wiry, half‑Italian street‑smart Chicagoan, was the first white friend he ever had.
"The kids said, ‘You guys are funny. You ought to be a comedy team,’” Reid said.
One night over beers, they decided to give it a try.
“We didn’t know anything about show business," Reid laughed.
From there, “Tim and Tom” worked anywhere they could — Black clubs, white clubs, Polish lounges — sometimes for little or no pay.
They shared the highs of national television appearances and the challenges of hostile crowds, even threats on the road.
"We were fearless. We got attacked, we had fights. I got poisoned traveling around the country. We're chased by motorcycle gangs," Reid said. "There's something said about two people who face death, face battle together, that regardless of race, regardless of religion, when you go through something like that with a person, male or female, there's something between you that can never ever be destroyed."
After the duo split in the mid‑1970s, each found success on his own.
Reid went on to become a television star with roles like Venus Flytrap on "WKRP in Cincinnati" and Frank Parrish on "Frank's Place."
Dreesen became a popular stand‑up comedian, appearing on “The Tonight Show” and “The Late Show” and serving as Frank Sinatra’s opening act.
He also acted in television and film, wrote books, and devoted time to charitable work.
Despite occasional disagreements over the years, Reid says their bond endured.
“We stayed friends. The family stays friends," he said. "The thing that I’m most proud of is that we both had a life one could only dream about.”
Reid said their last conversation was a chance to reflect on that journey.
"We talked about how our lives had been completely changed, and we wouldn’t be where we are had it not been for going into those little schools," Reid said. "It's interesting how sometimes somebody can come into your life, unplanned, no thoughts, and if you're open, something can come out of it."
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