By Steve Cook
People have been laughing at
Tim Reid for the past four decades. And, when you consider
that he’s
starred in a number of TV situation comedies, that’s
a good thing. You may best remember him as Venus Flytrap,
the pseudonym for the multi-layered fictional DJ, Gordon
Sims, on WKRP in Cincinnati.
 While that role catapulted the Norfolk native into the national
spotlight in 1978, even before that Reid was making audiences
laugh, as part of the nation’s first black and white
stand up comedy team, Tim and Tom. Tom was comedian Tom Dreesen,
a long-time pal of Frank Sinatra, and a frequent guest on
The Late Show With David Letterman.
That was back in 1968, shortly after he had graduated from
Norfolk State with a B.S. in Business/Marketing. Reid moved
with his wife and child to Chicago after he was hired as
a marketing representative with Dupont. There he met Dreesen.
He also made another acquaintance in Chicago in the early
seventies, that of an actress from New York…Daphne
Maxwell. It was a casual, work related acquaintance. Reid,
shortly thereafter toured with entertainer Della Reese, before
settling in Hollywood and beginning his television career.
About the time WKRP was ending its run, and American viewers
were saying their goodbyes to Gordon Sims as well as the
other characters that worked in the fictional Ohio radio
station, Reid was reacquainted with Daphne Maxwell. During
the intervening years he had married, and had two children,
and subsequently divorced, she had been married, had one
child and subsequently divorced. In 1982 he and Maxwell were
married.
Despite his comedic talents, in a number of ways, Tim Reid
has much in common with his alter ego, Gordon Sims. Through
the course of the series, and thanks to the combined talents
of the show’s writers and Reid, Venus Flytrap became
a very multi-dimensional character…an individual whose
outward persona belied a depth not often explored in TV comedies.
Perhaps due to the similarities between the actor and his
role, Reid says that after the series ended its run in 1982, “It
took me years to shed the character.”
“He still hasn’t shed Venus’ wardrobe,” jokes
Daphne Maxwell Reid, who has, herself, starred in several
TV series, including Frank’s Place, in which she co-starred
with her husband. One might expect Daphne Reid to take note
of the wardrobe. In addition to being a successful film and
television star, as well as an executive producer, and chief
operating officer of New Millennium Studios, she is also
a former fashion model (She was the first black model to
appear on the cover of Glamour Magazine) and an accomplished
fashion designer. She has created patterns under the Daphne
Maxwell Reid Collection for McCall’s, and has recently
introduced Granny Dux, a line of children’s wear.
In a recent interview with the celebrity couple, on the sound
stage at their New Millennium Studios in Petersburg, the
Reids spoke candidly and quite eloquently about the events
that brought them to this area, their aspirations, and a
host of other topics.
 As Tim Reid passionately describes his recent and future
projects, as well as the goals that have inspired him and
his wife to acquire a residence in Petersburg, it’s
easy to forget that you’re speaking with some big-time
Emmy-wining television star. You could easily imagine you
were conversing with a favorite college professor.
But, with such hits as WKRP, as well as Sister, Sister, That
70s Show, and others under his belt, and with Daphne Maxwell
Reid sporting a resume that includes starring roles in Fresh
Prince of Bel Air, and Snoops, as well as guest appearances
on a slew of top TV series like Simon & Simon, Murder
She Wrote and Crossing Jordan, clearly this is truly a star
quality, Hollywood couple. And, the first thing I wanted
to know is what a Hollywood couple like the Reids is doing
in a place like Petersburg. No offense, but Richmond’s
neighbor to the south is a far cry from the glamour of Los
Angeles.
“It was Doug Wilder’s election as governor that
brought us to Virginia,” Tim Reid says. “We decided
that any state that was that progressive, is where we wanted
to live.” He adds that despite Los Angeles’ liberal
reputation, racism is still prevalent.”
“You couldn’t get a black man elected governor
in California in a hundred years,” he says. And, when
he says it, when Tim Reid speaks of the obstacles blacks
have experienced, including the obstacles in establishing
careers in the film industry, he says it without malice,
without any anger. His passion is obvious. But rather than
let passion turn to resentment, Tim and Daphne Maxwell Reid
chose to put their money where their mouths are. In 1997,
the couple brought together a group of investors, including
former Virginia Governor, Mark Warner, to build New Millennium
Studios in Petersburg. Why Petersburg? “Central Virginia
seemed to be the best place for our fledgling film industry,” Tim
Reid says.
Daphne Reid adds, “We needed a large parcel of land
at a reasonable price. Petersburg made us an offer that made
this financially possible.” Of the couple’s continuing
involvement with the city, she says, “We are pleased
to be here and watch the growth of Petersburg’s new
art community.
Financing many of their own projects, the Reids have used
the facilities of New Millennium to showcase the creative
talents, and tell the diverse stories of Americans of color.
The American Legacy Television project is a prime example
of Tim Reid’s special gift of recognizing and telling
a good story.
The venerable actor clearly has a unique talent for telling
a story. His ability to glean the most interesting tidbits
from what may have been overlooked by others puts him in
an elite group of some of America’s best storytellers.
He tells me of a story he is currently developing, one about
which he learned from reading a Ripley’s Believe it
or Not feature in the Sunday Comics section of the newspaper. “It’s
the story,” he says, “of the first time an American
city was bombed from the air.” I sat spellbound as
he proceeded to vividly describe the events of May 20, 1921
when a relatively affluent black section of Tulsa, Oklahoma
was bombed…by the United States government. The retelling
of that largely forgotten story in U.S. History has been
featured throughout the month of February and now throughout
March on syndicated stations across the country in a program
called “American Legacy Television”.
Previous episodes from the series can be found on American
Legacy Collection Vol. 1, which is available on line at www.nmstudios.com
and for rent at select Blockbuster Video stores where Reid
has secured Blockbuster’s first African-American direct
vendor deal.
In continuing their passion for creating content, Tim and
Daphne Reid have embarked on a new direction for New Millennium
Studios. In addition to continuing to produce American Legacy
Television programming, they have formed a non-profit Institute
to assist the state in developing qualified crew and talent
to contribute to the base of talent needed to keep Virginia
in the film industry mix.
New Millennium Studios’ combination of technical infrastructure,
close ties to industry professionals, production track record,
and commitment to diversity makes it a suitable home for
a new type of creative industry incubator. Legacy Media Institute
will be a support system for diverse, independent minded
creative talent; and an authoritative source of market research
on the tastes, interests, media usage, consumer patterns,
and demographics for a multi-cultural audience. In addition,
through its labs and seminars, the Institute will bring emerging
artists together with established industry professionals.
Together with academic institutions Legacy Media Institute
can become a 21st Century paradigm that leads emerging artists
on the path to becoming more enlightened in their work and
able to balance conflicting media values in order to find
common ground with a global audience.
Tim and Daphne Reid’s bios may tell you they are comedic
actors. Both, have honed their craft well. But when you reflect
on their tireless efforts in providing opportunities to those
who, perhaps, would never have had such, as well as their
passion and creativity in telling stories that would otherwise,
perhaps, never have been told, the Reids have demonstrated
a remarkable ability to invoke a wide range of emotions,
that go far beyond laughter. |
