Comedian Tom Smothers, one-half of the Smothers Brothers, dies at 86

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Comedian Tom Smothers, one-half of the Smothers Brothers, dies at 86

The National Comedy Center, on behalf of his family, said in a statement Wednesday that Tom Smothers died Tuesday following a cancer battle.

www.nbcbayarea.com

RIP to one of the stars who was on "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" back in the 1960's.

Tom Smothers, half of the Smothers Brothers and the co-host of one of the most socially conscious and groundbreaking television shows in the history of the medium, has died at 86.

The National Comedy Center, on behalf of his family, said in a statement Wednesday that Smothers died Tuesday at home in Santa Rosa, California, following a cancer battle.

“Tom was not only the loving older brother that everyone would want in their life, he was a one-of-a-kind creative partner. I am forever grateful to have spent a lifetime together with him, on and off stage, for over 60 years,” his brother and the duo's other half, Dick Smothers, said in the statement. “Our relationship was like a good marriage — the longer we were together, the more we loved and respected one another. We were truly blessed.”

When "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" debuted on CBS in the fall of 1967 it was an immediate hit, to the surprise of many who had assumed the network’s expectations were so low it positioned their show opposite the top-rated "Bonanza."

 

[crainbebo]

Thank you Tommy, for all the hilarious moments over the past 60 years. May he RIP.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I remember watching them.

The only thing I can remember specifically right now is that Flip Wilson as his Reverend Leroy welcoming the Brothers Carothers.

 

[landtuna]

That show's cancellation resulted in the only complaint letter I ever wrote to any broadcaster. I boycotted C(BS) for years. It's still on the bottom of my viewing priority.

I guess now we'll always wonder which brother their mother liked most.

 

[vchimpanzee]

But cancelling them did give us "Hee Haw", which was one of my favorite shows at the time.

 

[Daryl Lynn L.A.]

Comedian Tom Smothers, one-half of the Smothers Brothers, dies at 86

The National Comedy Center, on behalf of his family, said in a statement Wednesday that Tom Smothers died Tuesday following a cancer battle.

www.nbcbayarea.com

RIP to one of the stars who was on "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" back in the 1960's.

I watched the Smothes Brothers every week. Tom was really an innovator for his time, as he understood the use of folk music as a grass-roots basis for making voices of every day people heard. Tom battled it out with the CBS sensors. They were a talented duo. Steve Martin and Lorne Michaels were some of the early writers for their show.

 

[Oldie919]

RIP.Tom.......
".....Sure do look like pumas!!!!"
(For those who don't get that line....Google it.....)

 

[semoochie]

I watched the Smothes Brothers every week. Tom was really an innovator for his time, as he understood the use of folk music as a grass-roots basis for making voices of every day people heard. Tom battled it out with the CBS sensors. They were a talented duo. Steve Martin and Lorne Michaels were some of the early writers for their show.

I'm thinking that Steve won an Emmy!

 

[The Media Observer]

In short order, there would be no Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show or Colbert Report without The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour paving the way for all three of them. That's just for starters.

Sad news indeed. R.I.P. Mr. Smothers--- he'll be missed. ☹️

 

[TheBigA]

I'm thinking that Steve won an Emmy!

Correct. His only Emmy is as a writer on the Smothers Brothers show in 1969.

 

[Daryl Lynn L.A.]

I watched the Smothes Brothers every week. Tom was really an innovator for his time, as he understood the use of folk music as a grass-roots basis for making voices of every day people heard. Tom battled it out with the CBS sensors. They were a talented duo. Steve Martin and Lorne Michaels were some of the early writers for their show.

spelling edit- *censors*. edit *Smothers*

 

[Mediafrog+]

RIP, Tom. You and your brother blazed a path for many others to follow. Having grown up in the 1960s I recall the controversy over The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

I also remember watching (when it was new) The Smothers Brothers Show, a half-hour sitcom that ran for 32 episodes in CBS’s 1965-66 season. Unless it has completely slipped past me, I have not seen this show aired in reruns anywhere. Anyone know?

The Smothers Brothers Show - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[vchimpanzee]

Steve Martin and Lorne Michaels were some of the early writers for their show.

This explains a lot.

 

[Daryl Lynn L.A.]

This explains a lot.

You mean, it explains why it was funny? Or, it explains why it brought up political topics?

 

[vchimpanzee]

You mean, it explains why it was funny? Or, it explains why it brought up political topics?

Why SNL is the way that it is. Steve was only a frequent host, not a cast member, but his influence is there.

 

[Weiserguy]

Why SNL is the way that it is. Steve was only a frequent host, not a cast member, but his influence is there.

There is a lot of residual influence from the early cast in the later decades of SNL. Steve Martin is one name, but Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Bill Murray and Gilda Radner all influenced later decisions, because they all left their mark on Lorne Michaels. And the Smothers Brothers left their mark on Lorne too, as did fellow Smothers writers like Mason Williams or Elaine May.

There are a lot of ghosts that haunt NBC Studio 8-A, because everyone influences everyone else in comedy, for better or worse. Conan O'Brien was a writer at SNL. So was Robert Smigel (who used to do the Saturday TV Funhouse cartoons like The Ambiguously Gay Duo or Christmastime For The Jews). In fact, the very earliest SNL episodes, before it was even re-christened Saturday Night Live -- did you know it originally was titled NBC Saturday Night to avoid confusion with ABC's Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell, which launched within weeks of SNL -- used to contain little puppet skits by Jim Henson and Frank Oz in the earliest days of The Muppets. All of that leached into SNL's DNA.

 

[landtuna]

RIP, Tom. You and your brother blazed a path for many others to follow. Having grown up in the 1960s I recall the controversy over The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

I also remember watching (when it was new) The Smothers Brothers Show, a half-hour sitcom that ran for 32 episodes in CBS’s 1965-66 season. Unless it has completely slipped past me, I have not seen this show aired in reruns anywhere. Anyone know?

The Smothers Brothers Show - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I'm guessing lack of reruns is due to their comedy being very topical with a lot of it not understandable to younger viewers today (as a lot of it revolved around 1960's politics and the Vietnam War). As an old timer though I'd love to see their programs again.

 

[radiofan2023]

I'm guessing lack of reruns is due to their comedy being very topical with a lot of it not understandable to younger viewers today (as a lot of it revolved around 1960's politics and the Vietnam War). As an old timer though I'd love to see their programs again.

Look on youtube

 

[Mediafrog+]

I'm guessing lack of reruns is due to their comedy being very topical with a lot of it not understandable to younger viewers today (as a lot of it revolved around 1960's politics and the Vietnam War). As an old timer though I'd love to see their programs again.

I was referring to their half-hour sitcom, not the variety comedy hour which came later.

Found the open and closing credits to The Smothers Brothers Show; the vocal version is what I remember:

 

[vchimpanzee]

used to contain little puppet skits by Jim Henson and Frank Oz in the earliest days of The Muppets. All of that leached into SNL's DNA.

I am aware from the prime time reruns that The Muppets used to be on SNL. But they had been around many years even then.