| Adam Reed | |
| Birth Name: | Adam Brooks Reed |
| Birth Date: | 8 January 1970 |
| Birth Place: | Asheville, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Voice actor, animator, screenwriter, producer, director |
| Alma Mater: | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| Years Active: | 1994–present |
| Notable Works: | Sealab 2021, Frisky Dingo, 12 Oz. Mouse, Archer |
Adam Brooks Reed (born January 8, 1970)[1] is an American voice actor, animator, screenwriter, television producer and television director. Reed created, writes, and voice acts the FX/FXX adult animated comedy series Archer, which premiered in September 2009. He also voice acted, wrote, directed and produced the television series Sealab 2021 and Frisky Dingo, with his co-creator and creative partner Matt Thompson.
Reed graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1992 with a degree in English.[2] He was hired as an intern at Turner Broadcasting thanks to his sister's connections, where his first job consisted of reviewing episodes of The Flintstones to be distributed on VHS as part of a promotion with Little Debbie, developing both an encyclopedic knowledge and appreciation for the series in the process.[3] Reed would eventually meet his future creative partner Matt Thompson, who was working in the on-air department as an associate producer at the time. The two soon collaborated on various Cartoon Network On-Air projects where they were credited together as "Butterbean."[4] In 1994, Thompson pitched High Noon Toons as a mid-day programming block for the network. High Noon Toons was hosted by cowboy hand puppets Haas (Thompson) and Lil' Jo (Reed), both referencing characters on Bonanza. This culminated in a primetime special series, Hoot'Nanny, where Reed and Thompson traveled to various European cities to shoot footage for the special as Haas and Li'l Jo. The two were frequently drunk during filming. Once in 1995, the duo were reprimanded for lighting one of the prop sets on fire.[5]
In 1995, Reed was told to write the live action segments for Carrot Top's A.M. Mayhem, a two-hour morning block of cartoons hosted by Scott "Carrot Top" Thompson. Reed described the experience as "a nightmare," placing most of the blame on Thompson's manager, who he described as "an unfunny person approving your jokes."[6] It was during this time where he and Matt Thompson came up with the idea for what would eventually become Sealab 2021, but the network wanted Reed to continue writing for A.M. Mayhem. In response, Reed resigned from Turner. Thompson resigned shortly after.[7] Prior to leaving, both stole the source footage material for Sealab 2020 from the network.
Reed and Thompson moved to New York, where they would spend a year working production in the "sordid underbelly" of daytime talk shows.[8] Soon they were working for Showtime, and "making more money than we ever thought possible," according to Reed. During this period, the duo produced two amateur pilots for Sealab in their spare time using the stolen footage, which they would later send unsolicited to Cartoon Network's then vice president of development, Mike Lazzo. Due to their boss at Showtime having an unforeseen accident, Reed and Thompson suddenly find themselves unemployed. In response, Reed booked a getaway trip to Europe. As he was about to leave for the airport, Lazzo called Reed wanting to greenlight Sealab.[9]
Reed and Thompson formed 70/30 Productions when they created Sealab 2021, one of the first original series for Adult Swim. The company's name came from the plan that Reed would do 70% of the writing and 30% of the producing, with Thompson doing the reverse.[10]
The pair became known for their work on a number of other Adult Swim projects, including Frisky Dingo, which aired for several years after Sealab 2021 was cancelled.[11]
In 2009, Reed and Thompson closed 70/30 Productions and formed Floyd County Productions to produce Reed's new project, the FX/FXX series Archer. The company not only develops exclusive programming but also creates content for other media, including the television shows Atlanta, Legion, Fargo, Goliath and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. In 2020, After numerous years of hard work, Reed decided to officially retire and sold the remainder of the company to Thompson.
After the cancellation of Frisky Dingo in 2008, Reed took a vacation to Spain to brainstorm ideas for a new project. His experience traversing the Vía de la Plata, and people-watching in Plaza Mayor in nearby Salamanca, enabled him to conceptualize his vision of Archer.[12] Reed recalled in an interview:
Nevertheless, he believed developing a sitcom with the theme of global espionage was inevitable given his proclivity for adventure-driven comedy. Archer was originally pitched under the working title Duchess.[13]
Archer draws inspiration from a variety of sources, including the James Bond franchise, (2006), and The Pink Panther franchise.[14] The show's hallmarks include reference-heavy humor, rapid-fire dialogue, and meta-comedy. Archer is produced using limited animation and takes its visual style from mid-century comic art. The cast members record their lines individually, and the show regularly employs guest actors and actresses for supporting characters. There have been 145 episodes broadcast in the show's history.
Archer has received positive reviews from critics and won awards, including four Primetime Emmy Awards, four Critics Choice Awards, and three Clio Awards. The series has also received 15 Annie Award nominations, among others, for outstanding achievement in animation, writing, direction, and voice acting.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | High Noon Toons | Lil' Jo | Also writer and producer |
| 2000–05 | Sealab 2021 | Dr. Virjay, Mardock, Various | Also co-creator, writer and executive producer |
| 2005–07; 2018 | 12 oz. Mouse | Shark | Actor; 22 episodes |
| 2006–08 | Frisky Dingo | Killface, Xander Crews / Awesome X, Ronnie, Wendell T. Stamps, Nearl Crews | Also co-creator, writer and executive producer |
| 2008 | The Xtacles | Also co-creator, writer and executive producer | |
| 2007 | That Crook'D 'Sipp | Beauregard Beauxregard VIII | Pilot; actor |
| 2008–09 | Robot Chicken | King Randor, Tony Stark / Iron Man, NASCAR President, Jerry Lawler | Actor; 3 episodes |
| 2009–23 | Archer | Ray Gillette, Bilbo, Captain Reynaud | Also creator, director (season 1–6), writer (season 1–10) and executive producer |
| 2012 | Unsupervised | Executive producer | |
| 2014 | Chozen | Executive producer |
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | NewNowNext Awards | Best Show You're Not Watching[15] | Archer | |
| 2011 | Annie Awards | Best General Audience Animated TV/Broadcast Production[16] | Archer | |
| Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Comedy Series[17] | Archer | ||
| 2012 | Annie Awards | Best General Audience Animated TV/Broadcast Production[18] | Archer | |
| Comedy Awards | Best Animated Comedy Series[19] | Archer | ||
| Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Animated Series[20] | Archer | ||
| 2013 | Annie Awards | Best General Audience Animated TV/Broadcast Production[21] | Archer | |
| Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Animated Series[22] | Archer | ||
| 2014 | Annie Awards | Best General Audience Animated TV/Broadcast Production[23] | Archer | |
| Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Animated Series[24] | Archer | ||
| Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Animated Program[25] | For "Archer Vice: The Rules Of Extraction" | ||
| 2015 | Annie Awards | Best General Audience Animated TV/Broadcast Production[26] | Archer | |
| Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Animated Series[27] | Archer | ||
| Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Animated Program[28] | "Pocket Listing" | ||
| Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media – Multiplatform Storytelling[29] | Mark Paterson & Tim Farrell for "Archer Scavenger Hunt" | |||
| 2016 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Animated Program[30] | "The Figgis Agency" | |
| Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media – Multiplatform Storytelling[31] | Mark Paterson, Tim Farrell, & Bryan Fordney for "Archer Scavenger Hunt 2" | |||
| 2017 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Animated Program[32] | "Archer Dreamland: No Good Deed" | |
| 2018 | Annie Awards | Outstanding Achievement for Writing in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production[33] | Adam Reed | |
| Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Animated Series[34] | Archer | ||
| Webby Awards | Best Use of Augmented Reality[35] | Archer, P.I. App | ||
| Saturn Awards | Best Animated Series or Film on Television[36] | Archer |