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Smothers Brothers

From Alfawiki
The Smothers Brothers
IndustryEntertainment, Music, Comedy
Founded1959
FounderTom Smothers, Dick Smothers
Headquarters
Los Angeles
,
United States
ProductsMusic albums, Television shows, Live performances

The Smothers Brothers consisted of the American sibling duo Tom and Dick Smothers, recognized for their unique blend of music and humor. Their distinctive performance style showcased Tommy on the acoustic guitar and Dick playing the double bass, with Tommy adopting the role of the comic foil and Dick acting as the serious counterpart, often resulting in humorous disputes. Tommy’s well-known catchphrase was "Mom always liked you best!"

During the late 1950s and early 1960s, they were frequent guests on television variety programs and produced several hit albums capturing their live acts. Their own variety series, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, emerged as one of the most provocative TV shows in the United States amid the Vietnam War period. Although it attracted high viewership, its politically sensitive material ultimately led to their termination by CBS in 1969.

The brothers sustained their careers both jointly and individually across stage, television, and film until they retired in 2010.

Early years

Tom (born February 2, 1937) and Dick (born November 20, 1938) were born on Governors Island in New York Harbor. They were sons of Thomas B. Smothers Jr., a West Point alumnus and U.S. Army officer who passed away during World War II. Their upbringing took place under their mother’s care in the Los Angeles area.

Both graduated from Redondo Union High School and attended San Jose State University. Their professional debut as a duo occurred in February 1959 at The Purple Onion in San Francisco. They quickly gained traction performing in clubs and released multiple successful albums with Mercury Records, including the notable Curb Your Tongue, Knave! (1964). Their first national television appearance was on The Jack Paar Show in January 1961. On October 6, 1963, they featured on CBS's The Judy Garland Show, eventually taking over Garland’s time slot with their own program beginning in 1967.

In 1964, they guest-starred on Burke's Law portraying compulsive collectors. Their initial television series, The Smothers Brothers Show (1965–1966), produced by Four Star Television, depicted Tom as an angel watching over his bachelor brother Dick. The sitcom lacked their characteristic musical elements and struggled to gain ratings; Tom later reflected that "Four Star gave me ulcers."

History

Starting as a somewhat "hip" comedy-variety program, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour rapidly evolved into a platform for sharp television satire. The Smothers brothers spearheaded this initiative alongside an accomplished ensemble of writers and performers such as Steve Martin, Don Novello, Rob Reiner, presidential aspirant Pat Paulsen, Bob Einstein, Albert Brooks, and resident countercultural figure Leigh French. The show also introduced pop vocalist Jennifer Warnes (originally credited as Jennifer Warren) as a regular cast member. A highlight included the television debut of Mason Williams’ instrumental hit "Classical Gas", with Williams serving as head writer.

Musical guests

The program showcased emerging musicians frequently overlooked by other variety shows due to their unconventional styles or political stances. Notable guests comprised George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Joan Baez, Buffalo Springfield, Cass Elliot, Harry Belafonte, Cream, Donovan, The Doors, Glen Campbell, Janis Ian, Jefferson Airplane, Peter, Paul and Mary, Steppenwolf, Simon & Garfunkel, The Hollies, The Who, the original cast of the musical Hair, and folk singer Pete Seeger.

Seeger's appearance marked his return to network television after being blacklisted during the 1950s. His anti-war composition "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy" was initially censored due to its perceived critique of President Lyndon Johnson’s Vietnam War policy but was eventually broadcast.

In September 1968, the show aired early forms of "music videos" ("promotional films") for The Beatles’ double A-side single "Hey Jude" and "Revolution". Additionally, at the Los Angeles Forum, guitarist Jimi Hendrix dedicated his performance of "I Don't Live Today" to the Smothers Brothers; this recording appears on The Jimi Hendrix Box Set.

The Who performance

The 1967 appearance of the Who stands out as a pivotal event in the program's history. In keeping with their trademark approach, the group demolished their instruments following their rendition of "My Generation", incorporating small explosives to enhance the visual spectacle. Guitarist Pete Townshend broke Tommy's guitar on stage, while drummer Keith Moon triggered explosives concealed within his bass drum cannon—unknown to him, an additional charge had been placed by a stagehand, resulting in a significantly stronger explosion. This blast caused Moon to sustain injuries from cymbal fragments and singed Townshend's hair, contributing to Townshend’s permanent hearing impairment.

Disputes and termination

As the show evolved toward content aimed at younger audiences, it grew in popularity yet also provoked controversy by addressing topics such as racism, the U.S. President, and the Vietnam War. These issues characterized its concluding seasons and led to frequent clashes with CBS censors. Tom Smothers emerged as the main political provocateur, contrasting with his brother’s more conservative stance.

During the 1968–69 season, CBS required episodes to be submitted 10 days prior to broadcast for censorship evaluation. Early on, CBS excised a segment featuring Belafonte performing against footage from the 1968 Democratic National Convention and removed satirical content targeting the rival series Bonanza. Content disagreements persisted throughout the season, including objections to a sermon by David Steinberg.

Local affiliates also imposed censorship on contentious material. Tensions escalated after CBS withdrew a rerun on March 9, 1969, citing late submission as the reason. This episode contained Joan Baez honoring her husband David Harris, who was imprisoned for draft evasion; when it eventually aired two months later, all references explaining his incarceration were deleted.

Although initially renewed for the 1969–70 season on March 14, CBS CEO William S. Paley abruptly terminated the series on April 4, citing the brothers’ refusal to comply with advance delivery deadlines for censorship review. The Smothers Brothers successfully sued CBS for breach of contract but did not return to television. Despite cancellation, the show received an Emmy Award that year for outstanding writing. The cancellation controversy is chronicled in the 2002 documentary Smothered.

Subsequent career and retirement

Following their original series, the Smothers Brothers headlined several other television projects: the 1968 CBS summer replacement The Summer Brothers Smothers Show; the 1970 ABC summer series The Return of the Smothers Brothers; and the 1975 NBC series The Smothers Brothers Show, produced by Joe Hamilton, which sought to revive their initial variety format without controversy but failed to gain traction; plus the 1980 specials titled The Tom and Dick Smothers Brothers Specials I and II.

In February 1970, The Return of the Smothers Brothers aired as a one-hour special penned by Tom Smothers alongside David Steinberg and Bob Einstein, featuring guest appearances from Peter Fonda and Glen Campbell.

In 1978, they led a replacement cast in I Love My Wife, a Broadway musical satire under Gene Saks’ direction. In 1981, they appeared in the short-lived drama series Fitz and Bones, set in San Francisco; Tom portrayed cameraman Bones Howard while Dick played investigative reporter Ryan Fitzpatrick. The show was cancelled after five episodes.

Their guest appearances included playing themselves on Benson in 1985 and participating in Cinemax’s Comedy Experiment Rap Master Ronnie. In 1989, they appeared in the commercially unsuccessful film Speed Zone, alongside John Candy and others.

In 1988, they reunited with CBS for a special commemorating the twentieth anniversary of their variety show’s debut, which led to reviving The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1988–1989). This revival commenced during a Writers Guild strike with an exemption granted to its writing staff.

That same year brought forth The Yo Yo Man Instructional Video, starring Tom's "Yo-Yo Man" persona; it sold over 200,000 copies.

In 2004, they guest-starred on Bonnie Hunt's series Life With Bonnie. Individually, Dick pursued film roles including a dramatic part in Martin Scorsese's Casino, while Tom appeared in the 2005 television movie Once Upon a Mattress. They featured in the documentary The Aristocrats (2005), had cameos in the 2009 film The Informant!, and appeared on a 2009 episode of The Simpsons.

After touring for over five decades—more than fifty-one years—they officially concluded live performances with a final concert at Las Vegas’ Orleans Hotel and Casino on May 16, 2010. This farewell event was intimate, attended by family and close friends.

On July 22, 2019, they made their first official joint public appearance in nearly ten years at a charity event hosted by McCurdy's Comedy Theater in Sarasota, Florida. Shortly thereafter, they donated much of their career memorabilia to the National Comedy Center, followed by an appearance at the Chautauqua Institution commemorating fifty years since their show's cancellation.

The Smothers Brothers returned for several appearances in 2022. On December 11 of that year, they announced intentions for a tour planned for 2023; however, it was subsequently cancelled after Tom Smothers revealed a stage 2 lung cancer diagnosis in July 2023. He passed away on December 26, 2023, aged eighty-six.

Tom Smothers and his wife Marcy Carriker managed Remick Ridge Vineyards—named after his mother’s maiden name—in Sonoma County, California.

Awards

In 2003, the Smothers brothers were honored with the George Carlin Freedom of Expression Award by the Video Software Dealers' Association, acknowledging their exceptional comedic talent and steadfast defense of the First Amendment. That same year, San Jose State University conferred upon them Honorary Doctorate Degrees. Later, in 2008, the Boston Comedy Festival presented them with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

During the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2008, Tommy Smothers was posthumously granted a 1968 Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Comedic Series for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. He had originally declined nomination due to controversy surrounding the show, which resulted in missing the initial award ceremony.

The duo received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1989 and were inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2010. On June 18, 2022, they were bestowed with the Johnny Carson Comedy Legend Award at the Great American Comedy Festival.

Albums

  • 1961: The Smothers Brothers at the Purple Onion
  • 1962: The Two Sides of the Smothers Brothers
  • 1963: Think Ethnic!
  • 1963: Curb Your Tongue, Knave!
  • 1964: It Must Have Been Something I Said!
  • 1965: Tour de Farce: American History and Other Unrelated Subjects
  • 1965: Aesop's Fables
  • 1966: Mom Always Liked You Best!
  • 1966: The Smothers Brothers Play It Straight
  • 1967: Golden Hits of the Smothers Brothers, Vol. 2
  • 1968: Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
  • 1988: Sibling Revelry: The Best of the Smothers Brothers

Singles

Year Single (A-side, B-side)
Both sides from same album except where indicated 		US chart Album
1962 "Down in the Valley"
b/w "Where the Lilacs Grow" (from The Two Sides of The Smothers Brothers) 		The Songs and Comedy of The Smothers Brothers at the Purple Onion
"Fly Ezekiel"
b/w "They Call the Wind Maria" (from The Songs and Comedy of The Smothers Brothers...) 		Non-album track
1963 "Jenny Brown"
b/w "You Go Thisaway" (Non-album track) 		84 It Must Have Been Something I Said
1964 "Slithery Dee" / "The Civil War Song"
b/w "The Coo-Coo" (Non-album track)
1965 "The Three Song"
b/w "The World I Used to Know" (by Dick Smothers) 		Mom Always Liked You Best!
"The Toy Song"
b/w 'Little Sacka Sugar" (from Play It Straight) 		Non-album track
1966 "Lark Day"
b/w "The Write of Songs" (by Dick Smothers) 		Play It Straight
1969 "The Christmas Bunny" (Two parts) Non-album track

External links

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