This week, Ira spoke with Tom Dreesen.
Tom Dreesen has made over 500 appearances on national television as a stand-up comedian, including more that 60 appearances on The Tonight Show. He is a favorite guest of David Letterman, and frequently hosts the show in Letterman’s absence. For 13 years he toured cross country and opened for Frank Sinatra, and has appeared countless times in Las Vegas, Tahoe, Reno and Atlantic City with artists like Smokey Robinson, Liza Minnelli, Natalie Cole and Sammy Davis, Jr. Tom has acted in numerous television shows – from Columbo to Murder She Wrote – and appeared in motion pictures including Man on the Moon and Spaceballs. He has recorded comedy albums, starred in his own TV comedy special, Dreesen Street, and hosted a late night talk show in Chicago, Night Time Starring Tom Dreesen.
He is currently appearing around the country in his one-man show “An Evening Of Laughter and Memories of Sinatra.”
For 30 years, Dreesen has has lent his talent to over 100 charities, and founded a “Day for Darlene” to bene?t Multiple Sclerosis Research. He ran 26 miles on three occasions for the event, which is named for his late sister who was af?icted with MS.
A proud veteran of the United States Navy, he continues to perform for US troops all over the world, and recently appeared at numerous bases in Iraq. Tom Dreesen’s hometown of Harvey, Illinois named a street after him. He was a 2005 recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
