Tim Reid Biography

Timothy L. "Tim" Reid (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 (2004-2006). Reid starred in a CBS series, Frank's Place, as a professor who inherits a Louisiana restaurant.

Early years

Reid was born in Norfolk, Virginia and raised in the Crestwood area of Chesapeake, Virginia, formerly Norfolk County, Virginia. The son of Augustine (née Wilkins) and William Lee Reid. He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration 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.

Reid's entertainment career also began in 1968, under atypical circumstances. He and insurance salesman Tom Dreesen met at a Junior Chamber of Commerce meeting near Chicago. 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 co-wrote a book about those years called Tim & Tom: An American Comedy in Black and White (ISBN 978-0-226-70900-0, co-written with sports writer Ron Rapoport).

Television acting career

Reid started out on the short-lived The Richard Pryor Show.

Reid starred as DJ "Venus Flytrap" on the hit CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, in what is perhaps his best known TV role.

Reid also starred as Lieutenant Marcel Proust "Downtown" Brown (episodes 43-127), on the CBS detective series Simon & Simon.

In 1988, Reid won an award from Viewers for Quality Television Awards as "Best Actor in a Quality Comedy Series" in Frank's Place. In 1988, the same role earned him an Image Award for "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series."

Reid appeared in the movie version of Stephen King's IT. He played the role of Mike Hanlon, the librarian at the Derry, Maine Public Library. Reid also made an appearance as Sgt. Ray Bennett of the Seacouver Police Department in three first-season episodes of Highlander: The Series.

He had a starring role in the series Sister Sister as Ray, for the entire six season run. On April 13, 2009, Reid returned to his former co-star Tamera Mowry on the short-lived ABC Family series Roommates. Reid played Mr. Daniels, Hope's father in the episode "The Break In" in which Mowry played Hope Daniels.

He also had a recurring role on That '70s Show as William Barnett.

Directing

Reid has directed various television programs as well the film Once Upon a Time...When We Were Colored based on a novel by Clifton L. Taulbert.

He directed and adapted a children's TV show called Bobobobs which aired in the late '80s.

Reid is the creator of Stop the Madness, an after school special video in the fight against drugs recorded on December 11, 1985. The video shows a young Whitney Houston, LaToya Jackson, Kim Fields, New Edition, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Casey Kasem. It was a project heavily supported by Nancy Reagan. It was recorded at Hollywood Sounds and the White House in the Blue Room.

Personal life

In 1967, Reid married Rita; they divorced on May 9, 1980. They have two children together: Tim Reid II (born 1968) and Tori Reid (born 1971). Since December 4, 1982, he has been married to actress Daphne Maxwell Reid. Tim Reid was initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity on Sunday November 14, 2010. He was also named to the board of directors of The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar in July 2011. Tredegar Iron Works is located along the James River in Richmond and strives to interpret the American Civil War from three perspectives: Union, Confederate and African American.

Filmography

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1974	That's My Mama	Rev. Armbruster	Episode:"Clifton's Persuasion "
1976	Mother, Jugs & Speed	Unity Dispatcher	uncredited
	Rhoda	Kitchen Helper	Ep."Guess Who I Saw Today"
1977	The Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. Show	unknown
	Fernwood 2 Night	Matthew Johnson	Ep."#1.43"
	The Richard Pryor Show	Blind Man	Ep."#1.2"
	Lou Grant	Detective	Ep."Hostages"
	What's Happening!!	Dr. Claymore	Ep."It's All in Your Head"
	Maude	Policeman	Ep."Maude's Christmas Surprise"
1978	ABC Weekend Specials	Tillson	Ep."Little Lulu"
	WKRP in Cincinnati	Venus Flytrap	83 episodes;1978-1983
1979	You Can't Take It with You	Donald	TV
1982	Benson	Russell, Benson's Brother	Ep."Thy Brother's Keeper"
1983	Teachers Only	Michael Horne	5 episodes
	Simon & Simon	Det. Marcel 'Downtown' Brown	79 episodes;1983"87
1985	Code Name: Foxfire	unknown	Ep."Robin's Egg Blues"
1987	Matlock	Danny Miller	Ep."The Court-Martial: Part 1 and 2"
	Frank's Place	Frank Parish	22 episodes;1987"88
1989	Dead Bang	Chief Dixon
	Snoops	Chance Dennis	4 episodes
1990	ABC TGIF	Ray
	The Fourth War	Lt. Col. Clark
	Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer	Jack Barnett	TV
	Stephen King's It	Mike Hanlon	TV Movie
1991	Zorro	Dr. Lorenzo Lozano	Ep."Wicked, Wicked Zorro"
1992	You Must Remember This	Joe	TV
	The New WKRP in Cincinnati	Gordon Sim / Venus Flytrap	Ep."Venus, We Hardly Knew Ya"
	Mastergate	Chip Chatworth	TV
	Highlander: The Series	Sgt. Bennett	3 episodes;1992"93
1993	Say a Little Prayer	Thug
1994	Sister, Sister	Ray Campbell	119 episodes;1994"99
	Race to Freedom: The Underground Railroad	Frederick Douglass
1995	Simon & Simon: In Trouble Again	Downtown Brown
	Out-of-Sync	Det. Wilson
1996	Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored	Director	Debut as a film director
1997	Touched by an Angel	Buddy Baker	Ep."Last Call"
1998	Linc's	Priest	unknown episodes
1999	Just Deserts	Scott Waring	TV
2000	Alley Cats Strike	Mayor McLemore	TV
2002	Mu Sa Do	Doorman 2
2003	You Wish!	Larry	TV
	For Real	Marc
2004-2006	That '70s Show	William Barnett	9 episodes
2005	On the One	Prophet
	The Reading Room	Douglas	TV
2006	That's So Raven	Sheriff Jefferson	Ep."Driving Miss Lazy"
2007	Trade	Hank Jefferson
2009	Roommates	Mr. Stanley Daniels
2010	Treme	Judge