Tim Reid & Tom Dreesen
PMP Network Presents
Tim Reid and Tom Dreesen join the PMP Network to discuss their book, "Tim and Tom: An American Comedy in Black and White." They delve into their challenging upbringings and how their unique experiences led them to form America's first black and white comedy team.
Actor & Comedian
Tim Reid
Comedian
Tom Dreesen
Tim & Tom:
An American Comedy in Black and White
About Tim Reid & Tom Dreesen
Tom Dreesen was an American stand-up comedian and actor who co-founded Tim and Tom, America's first interracial comedy duo, with Tim Reid in 1969. He made over 500 national television appearances, including 60 visits to The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and served as Frank Sinatra's opening act for 14 years. His film credits included Spaceballs, The Rat Pack, and Trouble with the Curve. He co-authored the memoir Tim & Tom: An American Comedy in Black and White.
In this interview
- Discusses his difficult childhood growing up with eight siblings in a shack.
- Recalls meeting Tim Reid as young adults and forming their groundbreaking comedy team.
- Describes the book as a positive story about struggle and perseverance.
- Notes they were both the first and last black-white comedy duo.
“A black guy growing up in the South, and a white guy growing up in the South Side of Chicago.”— Tim Reid & Tom Dreesen, in this interview
Since this interview
Tom Dreesen passed away on June 17, 2026, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 86.
