Comedy trailblazer Tom Dreesen, Sinatra’s longtime opening act, dies at 86

Tom Dreesen, who along with partner Tim Reid formed one of America’s first interracial stand-up comedy duos and later spent years as Frank Sinatra’s opening act, died Wednesday. He was 86.

Tom Dreesen passes away at 86

Tom died at his home in Los Angeles, according to publicist Lori De Waal. A cause of death was not provided.

After meeting in Chicago, Tom and Tim, who was Black, formed ‘Tim and Tom’ in 1969. Against a backdrop of simmering racial tension, they used humour to address social issues and promote understanding between audiences of different backgrounds. They worked together until the mid-1970s. Tim went on to solo success playing DJ Venus Flytrap on the popular TV sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, where Tom was a guest star.

After splitting with Tim, Tom honed a solo comedy act, making over 500 national TV appearances, including 60 visits to The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He also was a frequent guest and sometime guest host on The Late Show with David Letterman. Their friendship dated to the early 1970s when both worked at The Comedy Store in West Hollywood, California.

Tom’s final TV appearance came last week on Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen, which replaced Stephen Colbert's canceled CBS late-night show.

Tom was Sinatra‘s opening act for 14 years and became close with the entertainer.

In 2008, he co-wrote the book Tim and Tom: An American Comedy Act in Black and White and in 2020 he authored his memoir.

Tom acted in such TV shows as Columbo, Murder, She Wrote and Touched by an Angel. His film roles included Spaceballs, Man on the Moon and Trouble With the Curve, as well as the HBO movies The Rat Pack and Lansky.

Tom was active in charitable work, motivational speaking and veterans’ causes, including serving as ambassador for the Gary Sinise Foundation. “America lost one of our great comedians and patriots, and I lost a dear friend,” Sinise posted on X.

He was born on September 11, 1939, in Chicago and raised as one of eight children in suburban Harvey. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 17 and after getting out in 1960 he returned home to work a series of jobs, including selling insurance. Tom is survived by daughters Amy and Jennifer from his marriage to Maryellen Subock, which ended in divorce in 1984, as well as seven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son Tommy.

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