Tom Smothers, half of the popular Vietnam War-era comedy duo the Smothers Brothers, died Tuesday in his home following a recent battle with cancer. The news was confirmed by Smothers’ brother and longtime co-star, Dick Smothers. “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 said in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter). “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.” Tom Smothers was 86.
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The Smothers Brothers, who hosted The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour on CBS in the late ‘60s, were known for their youthful bent and bold satire of American politics and culture during the Vietnam War. The brothers’ signature bit was a lighthearted folk act, with Tom on acoustic guitar and Dick on stand-up bass. As the song progressed, the brothers would descend into bickering, prompting Tom to utter his signature line, “Mom always liked you best!”
For three seasons, from February 1967 on, Dick and Tom pushed the boundaries of what was seen as permissible on network television on their Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour by critiquing American foreign policy and referencing drugs, race, and religion. Part of the credit for this defiance goes to an ace writing team brought on by Dick and Tom, which included Steve Martin, Rob Reiner, Don Novello, Pat Paulsen, Bob Einstein, Albert Brooks, and more. The show also featured a number of musical guests who rarely got airtime on other variety shows due to their political affiliations or the content of their lyrics. This group included George Harrison, Ringo Star, Joan Baez, Cass Elliott, The Doors, Harry Belafonte, Simon and Garfunkel, The Who, Pete Seeger, and many more.
“During the first year, we kept saying the show has to have something to say more than just empty sketches and vacuous comedy,” Smothers said in a 2006 interview. “So we always tried to put something of value in there, something that made a point and reflected what was happening out in the streets.”
Tiring of the brothers’ controversial views and constant fights with network censors, CBS abruptly canceled the show in 1969. Still, the series went on to win an Emmy that year for best writing, and the saga of its cancellation eventually became the subject of the 2002 documentary, Smothered.
The Smothers brothers went on to appear on a number of specials and variety shows in the ensuing decades, including 1970's The Return Of The Smothers Brothers, 1988's The Yo Yo Man Instructional Video, a popular VHS starring a character created by Tom, and a number of guest spots on shows like Benson, Life With Bonnie, The Aristocrats, The Simpsons, and more.
Tom’s family has requested that memorial donations be made to the National Comedy Center, which has helped preserve the Smothers Brothers’ legacy over the years. Tom was “an extraordinary comedic talent, who, together with his brother Dick, became the most enduring comedy duo in history,” Journey Gunderson, the National Comedy Center’s executive director, said in a statement (via THR). “[He] was a true champion for freedom of speech, harnessing the power of comedy to push boundaries and our political consciousness.”
In addition to his brother, Smothers is survived by his wife, Marcy Carriker Smothers, children Bo and Riley Rose Smothers, grandson Phoenix, and several nieces and nephews.