Ninety percent of the time, you're going to hear no. It took me seven years to make 'Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored.' Nobody wanted to see the movie made. I got the movie made.

They were "put together to promote an anti-drug program in the local schools" and prompted by a comment from a child decided to form a comedy team. Reid also starred as Lieutenant Marcel Proust "Downtown" Brown (episodes 43-127) on the CBS detective series Simon & Simon. It was a project heavily supported by Nancy Reagan.

Timothy L. "Tim" Reid (born December 19 1944) is an American actor comedian and film director best known for his roles in prime time American television programs such as Venus Flytrap on WKRP in Cincinnati (1978–82) Marcel "Downtown" Brown on Simon & Simon (1983–87) Ray Campbell on Sister Sister (1994–99) and William Barnett on That '70s Show (2004-2006).