Tributes Pour In For Late Comedian, Chicago Area Native Tom Dreesen

CBS Chicago

Updated on: June 18, 2026

Tom Dreesen, whose decades-long career as a comedian and entertainer took him from a poverty-stricken childhood in Harvey to sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in entertainment, has died at 86.

Tom Dreesen, the Harvey native, became one of America's most recognizable stand-up comics, appearing dozens of times on "The Tonight Show" starring Johnny Carson and later with David Letterman—eventually, he earned a spot among entertainment royalty as Frank Sinatra's opening act for over a decade.

Just two years ago, he performed a sold-out show at the Den Theatre in Wicker Park.

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