Tom Smothers, Comedian, Musician and Scourge of CBS Censors, Dies at 86

https://news.google.com ^

[11th_VA]

He and his brother, Dick, "turned television upside down" on 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour' before they were canned.

Tom Smothers, the countercultural comedy icon admired for the 1960s variety program he created and hosted with his younger brother, Dick, and for the tenacity he displayed in frequent clashes with CBS censors, has died. He was 86.

Smothers died peacefully Tuesday at his home in Santa Rosa, California, after a battle with cancer, his brother said in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter by a spokesperson for the National Comedy Center.

“Tom was not only the loving older brother that everyone would want in their life, he was a one-of-a-kind creative partner,” Dick, 84, said. “I am forever grateful to have spent a lifetime together with him, on and off stage, for over 60 years. Our relationship was like a good marriage — the longer we were together, the more we loved and respected one another. We were truly blessed.”

The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour ran from February 1967 until April 1969, when the pair were fired after 72 episodes (and with their show in the top 10 and already renewed for a fourth season). Up against NBC powerhouse Bonanza at 9 p.m. on Sunday nights, their program succeeded by attracting younger, hipper, more rebellious viewers — while also launching the careers of Steve Martin, Rob Reiner, Bob Einstein, Mason Williams and many others…

[ealgeone]

Kinda hard to win when you refuse to cross the DMZ and threaten Hanoi.

Stupid strategery.

[roadcat]

His mom always liked his brother best.

I remember his joke routines about that. One I identified with was his joke about his pet, I think it was a chicken. That it killed Dick's dog. Reason is, that I had a pet duck when I was a kid, but one day my dad's dog killed my duck. The dog just had pups and the duck was trying to eat the dog's food, dog got protective.

Anyway, RIP Tommy Smothers.

[jocon307]

Thanks for posting. RIP Tommy Smothers! I was all confused about them, was sure he was the younger brother! What his brother said was lovely.

[jocon307]

Yes, think I remember seeing that. I do definitely remember the cop (who I today learned was the guy who played “super dave osborn) give Liberace a speeding ticket for playing the piano too fast!

[Yardstick]

Ha, yep, found it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2BdoPTGc64

Liberace, a natural ham and a good sport is able to pull off a comedy bit with no probs....and I remember Super Dave Osborn from back in the day on David Letterman lol.

Brings to mind this traffic cop sketch by Key & Peele:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52br8-y0ONU

[clearcarbon]

"And at least they were against the war when LBJ was still in the White House"

They were always lampooning LBJ. They'd sponsor campaign speeches for alternative candidate, Pat Paulsen, on their show.

[John Milner]

We were on Central Time so everything was on an hour earlier. So even if we stayed at their house for the end of the show it was only 9 o’clock. Then 30 minutes home and in bed by 9:45.

[jocon307]

That is great! Thanks so much for finding and sharing both of these you tubes!

Liberace seems to have been a unique artist! He exhibits joy. What the world needs now is Joy, just Joy! Take your dour wokery and go the heck away.

[dfwgator]

They'd sponsor campaign speeches for alternative candidate, Pat Paulsen, on their show.

"I've upped my standards, now up yours!"

[clearcarbon]

If Paulsen was running against biden in 2024 demRATs would still have to cheat to win. Paulsen had more credibility than biden has, walked better and stuttered less.

[11th_VA]

I’ve been binge watching their routines all night - great memories

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks. Great idea...

[jmacusa]

Wow. That’s sad. used to love these guys.

Another icon of my youth gone. R.I.P Tom Smothers.

[Striperman]

I loved the Suoer Dave segments!

[P.O.E.]

Now Saturday night was a different story: Jackie Gleason, Lawrence Welk, Hollywood Palace, then we got to stay up late and watch boxing.

[Chickensoup]

He is one of the first who battled with censors over the f word. Probably one of tbe first comedians to refer to the word for laughs.

What a bore. And helped diminish the culture to boot.

No tears here

[Texan4Life]

NO, you are wrong on this. The Vietnamese (many of them) wanted their own country, free of world power domination.

Sounds the Colonies against the British Empire, doesn’t it.

IOW, Vietnam wanted Vietnam, without the French, the British, the US, or Russia, or China being their overlords, and, they were willing to fight in the trenches for it.

I salute the Vietnamese spirit.

A war fought for the benefit of the MIC, and those “experts” who blindly assigned “The Domino Theory” to Vietnam.

[plain talk]

The Doors performed Touch Me which was a great example of a early mixture of rock and jazz on a TV program. Although I am not sure any of it was live except Jim Morrison’s voice. Robby Krieger’s black eye was a nice touch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgrHGXWhuc8

[Yardstick]

Very cool and yep that is one heck of a black eye lol

[lasereye]

You’re repeating a well worn myth. The North Vietnamese government was not fighting against “world power domination”. They were doctrinaire communists. The South Vietnamese people were overwhelmingly against the communists.