Tom Dreesen Biography
Tom Dreesen is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and philanthropist. He attended Thornton Township High School in Harvey. He met Tim Reid through a local Jaycee chapter in 1968 while working as an insurance salesman.
Tom has made over 500 appearances on national television as a stand-up comedian, which include more that 60 appearances on The Tonight Show. He is also a favorite guest of David Letterman, and also frequently hosts the show in Letterman’s absence. Dreesen toured cross country and opened for Frank Sinatra for 13 years.
He has also appeared countless times in Las Vegas, Tahoe, Reno and Atlantic City with artists like Smokey Robinson, Liza Minnelli, Natalie Cole and Sammy Davis, Jr. Dreesen has acted in numerous television shows, from Columbo to Murder She Wrote.
He also appeared in motion pictures including Man on the Moon and Space balls. Tom has recorded comedy albums, starred in his own TV comedy special, Dreesen Street, and also hosted a late night talk show in Chicago, Night Time Starring Tom Dreesen.
He is currently appearing to rave reviews around the country in his one-man show “An Evening Of Laughter and Memories of Sinatra.”
Tom Dreesen Age
Tom Dreesen was born on September 11, 1939 in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. He is [agecalc birthdate=1939-09-11]
Tom Dreesen Family
Tom was born the third in a family of eight children. He grew up in poverty in Harvey, IL. Dreesen realized when he was about 12 years old that his aunt’s husband was his real father. His biological father revealed on his deathbed that his one regret in life was not being able to tell people that Tom was his son.
His older sister, Darlene, died from multiple sclerosis MS in 1989.
Tom Dreesen Wife – Tom Dreesen Married
Tom married Maryellen Subock in 1958. They have three children together, Amy, Tom, Jennifer. The couple later divorced in 1984.
Tom Dreesen Comedian – Tom Dreesen Stand Up
Dreesen and Reid teamed up as Tim and Tom, they were the first biracial stand-up comedy duo in the United States. They sought the assistance of Vince Sanders, a radio personality. He would coach the act and handle some of its business affairs for the next four years.
Though their material is now considered cutting-edge for its time, the duo struggled to make a living together and split up in the mid-1970s. However, both found individual success, Reid landed a major role on WKRP in Cincinnati while Dreesen made appearances on Match Game and became a regular on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson.
He supported the strike at The Comedy Store in West Hollywood in 1979. The strike was settled and the comedians performing there began to get paid. Tom released a comedy album through Flying Fish Records called That White Boy’s Crazy in 1989. The album was then recorded in front of an all-black audience in Harvey, Illinois.
Frank Sinatra
Tom was a close personal friend of Frank Sinatra for several years up until his death. He also toured with Frank Sinatra as the crooner’s opening act. Whenever Tom is a guest on talk-shows, he is frequently asked to tell anecdotes from his time as a member of Sinatra’s gang.
Book
Tim and Tom
The book tells the story of that pioneering duo, the first interracial comedy team in the history of show business–and the last.
Net Worth
Tom’s net worth is not yet revealed.
Tickets
His tickets are not yet available.
Philanthropy
Tom is also involved in philanthropic endeavors and he hosts an annual golf tournament called the Tom Dreesen Celebrity Classic. He created “Day for Darlene” in 1982, a 26-mile run through south Chicago to raise money to help fight multiple sclerosis.
