# Adam Reed
**Adam Reed** (Adam Brooks Reed) is an American television writer, producer, director, and voice actor, best known as the creator, executive producer, and head writer of the FX animated comedy series *[Archer](https://www.edgepedia.org/archer-2009-tv-series)*, on which he also voices the character Ray Gillette.[1](https://archer.fandom.com/wiki/Adam_Reed) Born in 1970 in [Asheville, North Carolina](https://www.edgepedia.org/asheville-north-carolina), he earlier co-created the [Adult Swim](https://www.edgepedia.org/adult-swim) series *Sealab 2021* and *Frisky Dingo* with his longtime collaborator Matt Thompson.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0994488/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name and birth | Adam Brooks Reed, born 1970 in Asheville, North Carolina[1](https://archer.fandom.com/wiki/Adam_Reed) |
| Education | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, English major, graduated 1992[3](https://torontoscreenwritingconference.com/session/in-conversation-with-adam-reed/) |
| Breakthrough series | *Sealab 2021* (2000) and *Frisky Dingo* (2006), created with Matt Thompson at 70/30 Productions[1](https://archer.fandom.com/wiki/Adam_Reed) |
| Signature work | *Archer* (2009), created for FX; premiered January 14, 2010[4](https://animesuperhero.com/toonzone-presents-a-roundtable-interview-with-adam-reed-amp-aisha-tyler-on-archer/) |
| Voice roles | Ray Gillette on *Archer*; Xander Crews and Killface on *Frisky Dingo*; Dr. Ilad Virjay on *Sealab 2021*[1](https://archer.fandom.com/wiki/Adam_Reed) |
| Emmy record | 1 win and 4 nominations at the Primetime Emmys, all for *Archer* as executive producer/writer[5](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/adam-reed) |
| Company | Co-founder and CEO of Floyd County Productions, Atlanta, the production house for *Archer*[6](https://ecorp.sos.ga.gov/BusinessSearch/DownloadFile?filingNo=14273369) |
## Early career
Reed attended the [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill), where he majored in English and nearly minored in Drama, graduating in 1992.[3](https://torontoscreenwritingconference.com/session/in-conversation-with-adam-reed/) After college he moved to Turner Broadcasting's Cartoon Network in 1994, where he began working with Matt Thompson on *High Noon Toons*.[3](https://torontoscreenwritingconference.com/session/in-conversation-with-adam-reed/) In 1995 the pair founded the Atlanta animation house 70/30 Productions, where they created, wrote, directed, produced, and voice-acted *Sealab 2021* (2000) and *Frisky Dingo* (2006). The company closed in January 2009.[1](https://archer.fandom.com/wiki/Adam_Reed) In 2008, Reed and Thompson co-founded Floyd County Productions, also based in Atlanta, which became the production house for *Archer*; a Georgia Secretary of State filing lists Adam Brooks Reed as the company's CEO and Thompson as secretary and CFO.[1](https://archer.fandom.com/wiki/Adam_Reed) • [6](https://ecorp.sos.ga.gov/BusinessSearch/DownloadFile?filingNo=14273369)
## Archer
*Archer*, an animated spy satire, was created by Reed and premiered on FX on January 14, 2010.[4](https://animesuperhero.com/toonzone-presents-a-roundtable-interview-with-adam-reed-amp-aisha-tyler-on-archer/) Reed has described the inspiration as [James Bond](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-bond), noting that he had read the Bond novels and found the character dark and bitter, and set out to make "the worst guy possible that you still root for."[7](https://www.fanbolt.com/6121/exclusive-adam-reed-on-the-origins-of-fxs-archer/) The series is executive produced by Reed, Matt Thompson, and Casey Willis at Floyd County Productions, and is produced by FX Productions.[8](https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/archer)
**Writing and production method.** Reed wrote nearly all of the series himself for its first decade. According to the Archer Wiki, he wrote every episode before season 10 except 19 that had a co-writer, and season 10 was the last season for which he received writing credits.[1](https://archer.fandom.com/wiki/Adam_Reed) In interviews he described writing at a computer, starting a few months before each season, and acknowledged that season-long arcs were his weak point, with FX sometimes rearranging episode order in ways that made his jokes look planned.[9](https://www.awn.com/animationworld/adam-reed-adult-animation-and-brilliantly-naughty-archer) The production records voices first and animates to the audio, a process Reed said centers the show on the voice actors' performances and allows ad-libbing in the booth.[4](https://animesuperhero.com/toonzone-presents-a-roundtable-interview-with-adam-reed-amp-aisha-tyler-on-archer/) Floyd County's art directors have described his scripts as unusually cinematic for a limited-animation show, with an average episode timeline of about 11 weeks.[10](https://www.awn.com/animationworld/minimalist-animation-archer)
**Voice work.** Reed voices Ray Gillette, a role he played across the series' run, including the final season in 2023.[8](https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/archer) On his earlier shows he voiced the hero Xander Crews and the villain Killface on *Frisky Dingo* and Dr. Ilad Virjay on *Sealab 2021*.[1](https://archer.fandom.com/wiki/Adam_Reed)
**Awards and later seasons.** The Television Academy lists Reed with four nominations and one win for Outstanding Animated Program, all credited to him as executive producer/writer on *Archer* episodes: a win in 2016 for "The Figgis Agency," and nominations in 2014, 2015, and 2017.[5](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/adam-reed) Reed stepped back from writing after season 10; Amber Nash, who voices Pam Poovey, described him as "the creator and the head writer for the first 10 years."[11](https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/online-originals/sounding) The show's 14th season, announced as its final season, aired in 2023.[12](https://9c519110712a1cc5ffdf-b1b745d17d9877b298ac94fd86f5428e.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/FeatureArticles-Sept2023.pdf)
## Other work
Reed's 2009 web series *My Pal Satan* won best web series and theme song at the New York Television Festival.[3](https://torontoscreenwritingconference.com/session/in-conversation-with-adam-reed/) He also served as executive producer on two one-season FX animated shows, *Unsupervised* (2012) and *Chozen* (2014), and co-created the pilot *Cassius and Clay*, which FXX picked up for 10 episodes before canceling before its first season aired.[1](https://archer.fandom.com/wiki/Adam_Reed)
## The same-named unscripted television producer
A different **Adam Reed** (Adam D. Reed) works in unscripted television. He is the Emmy-nominated CEO of Thinkfactory Media, an ITV America company, which he joined in 2005 as showrunner on *Gene Simmons' Family Jewels*, a series he co-created with Simmons.[13](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0715283/) His credits include the Emmy-nominated mini-series *Hatfields & McCoys* with [Kevin Costner](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-costner) and [Bill Paxton](https://www.edgepedia.org/bill-paxton), *Marriage Boot Camp*, *Mama June*, *Rat in the Kitchen* for TBS, and *R&B Divas* for TV One.[14](https://www.untitled.tv/adam-reed) He is also a children's book author; his book *Reindeer in Here* was adapted into an Emmy-nominated animated Christmas special that debuted on CBS in 2022.[13](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0715283/) In 2011 he became the youngest producer included in [The Hollywood Reporter](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-hollywood-reporter)'s "Reality Power List."[14](https://www.untitled.tv/adam-reed)
## References
1. [Adam Reed, Archer Wiki (Fandom)](https://archer.fandom.com/wiki/Adam_Reed)
2. [Adam Reed (III), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0994488/)
3. [In Conversation With Adam Reed, Toronto Screenwriting Conference](https://torontoscreenwritingconference.com/session/in-conversation-with-adam-reed/)
4. [Toonzone Presents: A Roundtable Interview with Adam Reed & Aisha Tyler on "Archer", Anime Superhero News](https://animesuperhero.com/toonzone-presents-a-roundtable-interview-with-adam-reed-amp-aisha-tyler-on-archer/)
5. [Adam Reed, Emmy Awards and Nominations, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/adam-reed)
6. [Floyd County Productions, Inc. Annual Registration, Georgia Secretary of State](https://ecorp.sos.ga.gov/BusinessSearch/DownloadFile?filingNo=14273369)
7. [Exclusive: Adam Reed On The Origins Of FX's 'Archer', FanBolt](https://www.fanbolt.com/6121/exclusive-adam-reed-on-the-origins-of-fxs-archer/)
8. [FX's Archer, FX Networks](https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/archer)
9. [Adam Reed, Adult Animation and the Brilliantly Naughty 'Archer', Animation World Network](https://www.awn.com/animationworld/adam-reed-adult-animation-and-brilliantly-naughty-archer)
10. [The Minimalist Animation of 'Archer', Animation World Network](https://www.awn.com/animationworld/minimalist-animation-archer)
11. [Sounding On, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/online-originals/sounding)
12. [Feature Articles, September 2023 (Archer 14th and final season)](https://9c519110712a1cc5ffdf-b1b745d17d9877b298ac94fd86f5428e.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/FeatureArticles-Sept2023.pdf)
13. [Adam Reed (II), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0715283/)
14. [Adam Reed biography, Untitled Inc](https://www.untitled.tv/adam-reed)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Film and television directors › Directors of the United States and Canada › Television directors › Live-action scripted television directors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license