Tom Dreesen, the legendary comedian who served as Frank Sinatra's opening act for 14 years and was a close friend of David Letterman, has died at the age of 86.
Death Announcement
The US star died at his Los Angeles home, a family spokesperson confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. No cause of death has been disclosed at this time.
Career Highlights
Dreesen was a trailblazer in comedy, famously pushing for stand-up comedians to receive fair pay at The Comedy Store. He also performed as part of one of the first interracial stand-up comedy acts with Tim Reid, known as Tim and Tom, gaining national fame before their split in the 1970s.
He appeared over 60 times on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and was a regular guest and occasional guest host on The Late Show with David Letterman. Dreesen and Letterman became close friends at The Comedy Store in West Hollywood in the 1970s.
Tributes from David Letterman
Leading the tributes, Letterman said in a statement: "Tom was the first comedian I met at the Comedy Store in 1975. We became friends immediately. He had wisdom and endless stories. Everyone admired him, looked up to him and wondered if he ever stopped talking. He never did, he never will. We love him for that. We'll miss the stories. God bless you Tom."
Bond with Frank Sinatra
Dreesen began opening for Sinatra in 1983, forging a remarkable bond with the legendary singer during his final years. He recalled: "I thought, 'Yeah, I'll go one week. I'll get my picture taken and I'll hang it in every bar back in Chicago and that will be the end of that.' On the second night, Frank and his wife, Barbara, took me to dinner, and in the middle of dinner he put down his knife and his fork. He said, 'Kid, I like your material. I like your style. I'd like you to do a few other dates with me if you're interested.' I said, 'Yeah!' and it turned into 14 years, 45 to 50 cities a year."
The pair developed a profound friendship, with Dreesen regularly visiting Sinatra at his Palm Springs compound. He served as a pallbearer and delivered a eulogy at Sinatra's funeral in 1998, and for many years hosted the Frank Sinatra Celebrity Invitational Black Tie Gala.
"If he loved you, he worshiped the ground you walked on," Dreesen said. "In a lot of ways, he was like a father to me. I didn't have a father that really cared that much where I was and what I did. But Frank would give me advice and counsel and then he was a buddy in a lot of ways. I thought the world of him."
Legacy
Dreesen's career included warming up crowds for Liza Minnelli, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, and Sammy Davis Jr. He was known for his impeccable style and enduring impact on comedy.
