Don Reed

Don Reed

65 · Born: Nov 23, 1959

2018

Personal Details

BornNov 23, 1959 Oakland, California, USA

Biography

Don Reed is a multi-talented individual, renowned for his work as a comedian, actor, writer, producer, director, and solo performer. He is often described as a "solo show powerhouse" and a comedic "molotov-cocktail" of storytelling, characters, sound effects, impersonations, and improvisation.

Reed's career in the entertainment industry began when he was noticed by a few Hollywood players after performing on an HBO special featuring up-and-coming comedians. This led to recurring and guest starring roles on popular TV shows such as "A Different World" and "The Cosby Show".

In the early years, Don Reed also worked as an audience warm-up for several sitcoms, which eventually led to writing and creative consulting on those shows. He spent several years behind the camera, writing, producing, and doing voice-over work for various projects, including animated films like "Spiderman" and "The Flintstones".

Reed's work on HBO shorts sparked his return to on-camera work, and he went on to write and direct several short films for the network. His performances caught the attention of Paramount Television, which cast him as a series regular and writer on the sketch comedy show "Off Limits". He later joined the cast of "The RERUN Show" on NBC, where he was a series regular.

Over time, Don Reed transitioned to a solo career, writing, performing, directing, and producing five solo shows that ran Off-Broadway in New York City, San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley. His flagship show, "East 14th", won the TBA: Theater Bay Area Award for Outstanding Production of a Solo Show in 2016 and was nominated for two NAACP Awards.

Reed has also shared his stories on NPR/WNYC's hit broadcast Snap Judgment, which has been downloaded over 2 million times a month and aired in over 380 cities across the country. He has traveled extensively with the national tour, performing for thousands, and was honored with the Snap Judgment Performance of the Year award in 2016 for his groundbreaking story "I Miss Toni".

Additionally, Don Reed has worked as a promo producer and executive at NBC for two years, and later founded his own advertising and promotion entity, an entertainment copywriting company that serviced movie trailers, promos, and video games for numerous Fortune 500 entertainment companies.

Career

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1996
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1994
Fear of a Black Hat
Fear of a Black Hat as Daryll in Charge
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1993
Once Upon a Forest
Once Upon a Forest as Marshbird (voice) (uncredited)
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1987