Timothy Lee Reid Sr. (born December 19, 1944) is an American actor, comedian and film director best known for his roles in prime time American television programs, such as Venus Flytrap on WKRP in Cincinnati (1978–82), Marcel "Downtown" Brown on Simon & Simon (1983–87), Ray Campbell on Sister, Sister (1994–99) and William Barnett on That '70s Show (2004–06).
Reid also starred in a CBS series, Frank's Place, as a professor who inherits a Louisiana restaurant. Reid is the founder and president of Legacy Media Institute, a non-profit organization "dedicated to bringing together leading professionals in the film and television industry, outstanding actors, and young men and women who wish to pursue a career in the entertainment media".Legacy Media Institute.
Early years Reid was born in Norfolk, Virginia, and raised in the Crestwood area of Chesapeake, formerly Norfolk County, Virginia. He is the son of William Lee and Augustine (née Wilkins) Reid. He had experienced segregation growing up in Norfolk, the majority of businesses around him being black-owned. He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree at Norfolk State College in 1968. Reid also became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. After graduation, he was hired by Dupont Corporation, where he worked for three years.Tim Reid profile , Museum of Broadcast Communications website; accessed January 11, 2014.
Reid's entertainment career also began in 1968. He and insurance salesman Tom Dreesen met at a Junior Chamber of Commerce meeting near Chicago.Leopold, Todd (October 2, 2008), "'WKRP' vet Reid, standup Dreesen's previous life", CNN. They were "put together to promote an anti-drug program in the local schools" and, prompted by a comment from a child, decided to form a comedy team. The team, later billed as "Tim and Tom", was the first interracial comedy duo. Years later, Reid and Dreesen wrote a book about those years called Tim & Tom: An American Comedy in Black and White (2008), co-written with sports writer Ron Rapoport.Tim and Tom page at The University Press of Chicago."Tim Reid Biography" at IMDb.
Television acting career Reid started out on the short-lived The Richard Pryor Show in 1977. Reid starred as DJ Gordon "Venus Flytrap" Sims on the hit CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati from 1978-1982, in what is perhaps his best known TV role. He reprised his role in a 1992 episode of the sequel series The New WKRP in Cincinnati.
Reid starred as Lieutenant Marcel Proust "Downtown" Brown on the CBS detective series Simon & Simon from 1983-1987. In 1988, Reid won an award from Viewers for Quality Television Awards as "Best Actor in a Quality Comedy Series" in CBS comedy Frank's Place (1987-1988). In 1988, the same role earned him an Image Award for "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series",Tim Reid profile; accessed November 26, 2007. but the series was short-lived as was his subsequent CBS series Snoops (1989-1990).
Reid played the adult Mike Hanlon in the 1990 television mini-series adaptation of Stephen King's epic horror novel It. He made an appearance as Sgt. Ray Bennett of the Seacouver Police Department in three first-season episodes of Highlander: The Series from 1992-1993. Reid had a starring role in the series Sister, Sister as Ray Campbell for the entire six-season run from 1994–1999. On April 13, 2009, he appeared opposite former Sister, Sister co-star Tamera Mowry on the short-lived ABC Family series Roommates as Mr. Daniels. Reid had a recurring role on That '70s Show as William Barnett from 2004 to 2006.
Directing Reid has directed various television programs, as well the 1996 film Once Upon a Time...When We Were Colored, based on a similarly titled memoir by Clifton L. Taulbert. Reid directed and adapted a children's TV show called Bobobobs that aired in the late 1980s. He is the creator of Stop the Madness, an after-school special video in the fight against drugs, recorded on December 11, 1985.
New Millennium Studios Tim and Daphne Maxwell Reid built New Millennium Studios in 1997. Located in Petersburg, Virginia, the 57.4-acre site with its 14,850-square-foot sound studio was both the only Black-owned film studio in the United States since the 1930s, and also one of the largest independent film studios outside of Hollywood.
New Millennium Studios was used in dozens of movie and television productions, including scenes from the 2001 film Hearts in Atlantis of the Stephen King book of the same name; parts of 2000's The Contender and elements of Steven Spielberg's 2012 film Lincoln were all shot there. The Reids also produced feature films of their own.
Due to "a lack of incentives in the state" to bring film production to Virginia, the Reids sold the property in March 2015 for $1.475 million to Four Square Property Management LLC, a company formed by Four Square Industrial Constructors, based in Chester, Virginia.
Personal life
In 1966, Reid married Rita Ann Sykes; they divorced on May 9, 1980. They have two children together: Timothy II (born 1968) and Tori Reid (born 1971). On December 4, 1982, he married actress Daphne Maxwell Reid.
In July 2011, Reid was named to the board of directors of the American Civil War Center at Tredegar Iron Works., This Week in the Civil War, This Week in the Civil War. On May 10, 2014, Reid received a Virginia Commonwealth University honorary doctorate for his many outstanding and distinguished contributions after he delivered a commencement speech.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Reid served on the advisory board of the National Student Film Institute. A native Virginian, Reid resides in Glenshellah, Portsmouth, Virginia.
Filmography Year Film Role Notes1974That's My MamaRev. ArmbrusterEpisode:"Clifton's Persuasion "1976Mother, Jugs & SpeedUnity Dispatcher uncredited1976 RhodaKitchen Helper Episode: "Guess Who I Saw Today"1977Fernwood 2 Night Matthew Johnson Episode: "#1.43"1977The Richard Pryor ShowBlind ManEpisode: "#1.2"1977Lou GrantTV CameramanEpisode: "Hostages"1977What's Happening!!Dr. Claymore Episode: "It's All in Your Head"1977Maude Policeman Episode: "Maude's Christmas Surprise"1978ABC Weekend SpecialsTillsonEpisode: "Little Lulu"1978–1982WKRP in CincinnatiVenus Flytrap 83 episodes1979You Can't Take It with YouDonaldTV movie1982BensonRussell DuBoisEpisode: "Thy Brother's Keeper"1983Teachers OnlyMichael Horne 13 episodes1983–1987Simon & SimonDet. Marcel 'Downtown' Brown 79 episodes1985Code Name: FoxfireunknownEpisode: "Robin's Egg Blues"1987MatlockDanny MillerEpisode: "The Court-Martial: Part 1 and 2"1987–1988Frank's PlaceFrank Parish22 episodesNAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy SeriesTCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy (shared with Hugh Wilson)VQT Award for Best Actor in a Quality Comedy SeriesNominated-Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or ComedyNominated-Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy SeriesNominated-Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series1989Dead BangChief Dixon 1989–1990SnoopsChance Dennis 13 episodes1990The Fourth War Lt. Col. Clark 1990Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced SingerJack BarnettTV movie1990Stephen King's ItMike HanlonTV miniseries1991Zorro Dr. Lorenzo Lozano Episode: "Wicked, Wicked Zorro"1992Just DesertsScott WaringTV pilot episode1992The New WKRP in Cincinnati Venus FlytrapEpisode: "Venus, We Hardly Knew Ya"1992MastergateChip Chatworth TV movie1992You Must Remember ThisJoeTV movie1992–1993Highlander: The SeriesSgt. Bennett 3 episodes1993Say a Little PrayerThug1994–1999Sister, SisterRay Campbell 114 episodes1994Race to Freedom: The Underground Railroad Frederick Douglass1995Simon & Simon: In Trouble AgainDowntown BrownTV movie1995Out-of-SyncDet. Wilson1996Once Upon a Time...When We Were ColoredDebut as a film director1997Touched by an Angel Buddy Baker Episode: "Last Call"1998Linc'sAs creator and co-executive producer2000Alley Cats Strike Mayor Jeffery "Jeff" McLemore Disney Channel Original Movie2002Las Vegas WarriorDoorman 22003You Wish!Larry PendragonDisney Channel Original Movie2003For RealMac Also director2004–2006That '70s ShowWilliam Barnett 9 episodes2005Preaching to the ChoirProphet 2005The Reading RoomDouglasTV movie2006That's So RavenSheriff JeffersonEpisode: "Driving Miss Lazy"2007TradeHank Jefferson 2009RoommatesMr. Stanley Daniels Episode: "The Break-In"2010The Cost of HeavenRichard Ginyard2010–2012TremeJudge John A. Gatling 4 episodes2012The Soul ManHenryEpisode: "Loving Las Vegas"2013Troop 491: The Adventures of the Muddy LionsPastor Brown2013Habeas CorpusRay SeniorShort film2016By the Grace of BobJJ Barnes2016LimitlessAstrophysicist Sturgeon ReidEpisode: "Close Encounters"2016TriMiles201693 DaysDr. Adeniyi Jones2016Chasing WaterfallsQuincyTV movie2016The Rooftop Christmas TreeDale LandisTV movie2016CrushedRussell BlackTV movie2017–2018GreenleafBishop Lionel Jeffries5 episodes2017–2018Me, Myself & IOlder Darryl3 episodes2018Love Is_"Wiser" SeanEpisode: "(His) Answers"2018My Christmas InnPerry TaylorTV movie2019Grey's AnatomyJulianEpisode: "I Walk the Line"2019Radio ChristmasGarrettTV movie2019Dolly Parton's HeartstringsKendal HooksEpisode: "If I Had Wings"2019Check Inn to ChristmasBlakeTV movie2019Baking ChristmasPhillipTV movie2020A Welcome Home ChristmasGeneral O'TooleTV movie2021SwaggerClyde Sawyer3 episodes2021Pennywise: The Story of ItHimselfDocumentary film2022A New Orleans NoelMarcel LiretteTV movie2024StreamDave Burham References
External links Tim Reid Productions
'WKRP' vet Reid, standup Dreesen's previous life An excerpt from Tim & Tom: An American Comedy in Black and White by Tim Reid and Tom Dreesen with Ron Rapoport Alpha Phi Alpha News.