Comedian Tom Dreesen has died at the age of 86 after a long battle with cancer.
Born in Chicago and raised in nearby Harvey, he served in the U.S. Navy before beginning a decades-long career in comedy. Dreesen became a trailblazer in stand-up, including forming one of America’s first interracial comedy duos and breaking barriers during a time of major social change.
He went on to make over 500 television appearances and became a frequent guest on shows like The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Late Show with David Letterman. He also spent more than a decade touring with Frank Sinatra, one of the most defining chapters of his career.
Friends and colleagues remember him as a warm, generous performer whose career spanned more than five decades.