Actor, producer, and director Tim Reid has committed himself to projects that show American blacks in a more positive light than are generally seen in Hollywood through his United Image Entertainment company. As an actor Reid is best remembered for playing cool disc jockey Venus Flytrap on WKRP and for his short-lived sitcom Frank's Place (1987-1988). Fans of the crime-drama Simon and Simon (1981-1988) will remember him for playing Lt. Downtown Brown. Reid first appeared on television in Frankie Avalon: Easy Does It (1976). He then worked on The Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Hour (1977) and The Richard Pryor Show (1977). He made his feature film debut in Dead Bang (1989) and since then his feature film appearances have been sporadic. As a director, Reid debuted with the acclaimed Once Upon a Time...When We Were Colored (1997). As a writer, Reid has penned scripts for a series of animated videos chronicling Frank Baum's Oz tales. He also produced the feature films Out-of-Sync (1995) and Spirit Lost (1996). On television, Reid starred in the sitcom Sister-Sister (1994). In 1999 he directed the moody thriller Asunder. Though he appeared on screens only intermittently as the 21st century got under way, he did appear in You Wish! And The Reading Room, as well as the gritty 2007 drama Trade.