Tim Reid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tim Reid
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Reid in 2012
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Timothy Lee Reid Sr.
December 19, 1944 Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Norfolk State University (BBA) |
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| Years active | 1968–present |
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| Children | 2 |
Timothy Lee Reid Sr. (born December 19, 1944) is an American actor, comedian, and movie director. He is famous for his roles in popular TV shows. You might know him as Venus Flytrap on WKRP in Cincinnati, Downtown Brown on Simon & Simon, Ray Campbell on Sister, Sister, or William Barnett on That '70s Show.
Reid also starred in the TV series Frank's Place. In the show, he played a professor who inherits a restaurant in Louisiana. He is also the founder of the Legacy Media Institute. This non-profit group helps young people who want to work in movies and television.
Contents
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Tim Reid was born in Norfolk, Virginia. He grew up in a time of segregation, when laws unfairly separated people based on their race. Many of the businesses in his neighborhood were Black-owned.
In 1968, he graduated from Norfolk State College with a degree in business. He then worked for the DuPont company for three years.
Reid's career in entertainment also started in 1968. He met an insurance salesman named Tom Dreesen. They were asked to help with an anti-drug program for schools. After a student's comment, they decided to become a comedy team called "Tim and Tom". They were the first interracial comedy duo, which means one performer was Black and the other was white. This was very unique at the time. They later wrote a book about their experiences called Tim & Tom: An American Comedy in Black and White.
Famous Television Roles
Reid's first TV appearance was on The Richard Pryor Show in 1977. His big break came when he was cast as the cool radio DJ Venus Flytrap in the comedy series WKRP in Cincinnati. The show was a big hit and aired from 1978 to 1982.
After WKRP, Reid played Detective Marcel "Downtown" Brown in the detective show Simon & Simon from 1983 to 1987. He won awards for his acting in the comedy series Frank's Place in 1988.
Many people know Reid as the dad, Ray Campbell, in the popular 1990s show Sister, Sister. He starred in the show for all six seasons, from 1994 to 1999. He also had a recurring role as William Barnett in That '70s Show from 2004 to 2006. In 1990, he played the adult version of Mike Hanlon in the TV mini-series based on Stephen King's scary novel It.
Work as a Director
Besides acting, Tim Reid is also a talented director. He has directed many TV shows. In 1996, he directed the movie Once Upon a Time...When We Were Colored. He also created and directed a children's TV show in the 1980s called Bobobobs.
New Millennium Studios
In 1997, Tim and his wife, Daphne Maxwell Reid, built New Millennium Studios in Petersburg, Virginia. It was the only Black-owned film studio in the United States at the time and one of the largest independent studios outside of Hollywood.
Many movies and TV shows were filmed at the studio. Parts of the Steven Spielberg movie Lincoln and scenes from Hearts in Atlantis were shot there. The Reids sold the studio in 2015.
Personal Life
Tim Reid was married to Rita Sykes from 1966 to 1980. They have two children, Timothy II and Tori. In 1982, he married actress Daphne Maxwell Reid, who is also a well-known actress.
In 2014, Reid received an honorary doctorate degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. This was to recognize his many great contributions to the entertainment industry and his community. He currently lives in Virginia.
See also
In Spanish: Tim Reid para niños
