Tom Dreesen, Trailblazing Comedian Who Opened for Sinatra, Dies at 86
Tom Dreesen, a pioneering comedian who formed one of America’s first interracial stand-up duos with Tim Reid and later spent years as Frank Sinatra’s opening act, died at 86 at his Los Angeles home; a cause of death wasn’t disclosed. Born in 1939 in Chicago, Dreesen and Reid launched “Tim and Tom” in 1969 to address social issues through humor and helped pave the way for interracial comedy. Dreesen went on to rack up hundreds of national TV appearances, including 60 on The Tonight Show, toured with the Rat Pack, and supported charitable causes as an ambassador for the Gary Sinise Foundation. He is survived by daughters Amy and Jennifer, seven grandchildren, and was preceded in death by his son Tommy.
