Tom Smothers, half of the comedic duo the Smothers Brothers, dies at 86
He was number 316 on the list.
Tom and Dick Smothers skewered authority and the Vietnam War with their biting ‘60s variety show "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour."
Tom Smothers, the comedian who rose to fame as one-half of the musical duo the Smothers Brothers, died Dec. 26. He was 86.
A spokesperson for the National Comedy Center shared a statement from Smothers’ younger brother and longtime collaborator Dick Smothers, who said his brother died at home with family after a “recent battle with cancer.”
“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 Smothers 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 built their careers in the 1960s, winning over fans with their irreverent comedy and biting political satire, usually set to folky original songs. With Tom on guitar and Dick on double bass, the two began as traditional folk singers before pivoting to sharper political parody, often playing up their sibling rivalry for laughs. (Tom’s popular catchphrase became “Mom liked you best!”) Early on the duo appeared on the Jack Benny show.
The two found additional fame with the launch of their variety show The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, which ran on CBS between 1967 and 1969. The show was popular with young viewers, attracting high-profile musical guests like George Harrison, Joan Baez, Cass Elliot, Harry Belafonte, The Who, Janis Ian, and Pete Seeger. The show’s writers’ room also included starry names like Steve Martin, Rob Reiner, and Elaine May.
But the brothers often clashed with CBS censors, especially over their anti-authoritarian comedy, pro-civil rights stances, and opposition to the Vietnam War. Despite the show’s popularity, CBS famously canceled The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in April 1969, replacing it with Hee Haw. The brothers responded by filing a breach of contract lawsuit, which the network ultimately lost.
After the cancellation of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, the pair continued touring, and they later returned with other variety shows, none of which ever found the same popularity as the original. Tom Smothers also worked as an actor, appearing in films like Serial, The Silver Bears, and The Informant. He also remained politically active and an outspoken advocate for free speech, and he famously played acoustic guitar on John Lennon’s recording of his song “Give Peace a Chance.”
In a 2022 CBS News interview, Tom and Dick Smothers reflected on the legacy of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, with Tom explaining that when he and his brother first began their careers, they thought of themselves not as stand-up comedians but as “folk singers.” But they soon discovered that they loved making people laugh — especially if they could do it with family at their side.
"People laughing is holy," Tom Smothers said in 2022. "And if you can be part of that, and control it, and create it, it's the best thing ever."
Actor
Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, and
Yeardley Smith in The Simpsons (1989)
The Simpsons
8.7
TV Series
Tom Smothers (voice)
2009
1 episode
The Informant! (2009)
The Informant!
6.5
Dwayne Andreas
2009
The Wonderful World of Disney (1997)
The Wonderful World of Disney
7.4
TV Series
King Sextimus
2005
1 episode
Once Upon a Mattress (2005)
Once Upon a Mattress
6.7
TV Movie
King Sextimus
2005
Mr. Bill Does Vegas
Short
2002
Artie Lange, Norm MacDonald, Nikki Cox, Ian Gomez, and
Laurie Metcalf in Norm (1999)
Norm
7.8
TV Series
Dad (as Tommy Smothers)
2001
2 episodes
Maggie (1998)
Maggie
8.0
TV Series
Folkie (as Tommy Smothers)
1998
1 episode
Brooke Shields, Judd Nelson, Eric Idle, Nestor Carbonell,
Kathy Griffin, Barbara Barrie, Currie Graham, and Sherri Shepherd in Suddenly
Susan (1996)
Suddenly Susan
5.8
TV Series
Attica (as Tommy Smothers)
1997–1998
3 episodes
Jonathan Katz in Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist (1995)
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
7.6
TV Series
Tom (voice)
1997
1 episode
Timmy's Special Delivery: A Precious Moments Christmas
(1993)
Timmy's Special Delivery: A Precious Moments Christmas
7.8
Video
Dudley (voice)
1993
Dream On (1990)
Dream On
7.6
TV Series
Spunky the Rabbit (as Tommy Smothers)
1993
1 episode
Speed Zone (1989)
Speed Zone
4.4
Randolph van Sloan
1989
What's Alan Watching? (1989)
What's Alan Watching?
6.4
TV Special
Tom Smothers
1989
Tom Smothers in Yo-Yo man (1988)
Yo-Yo man
9.3
Video
Yo-Yo man
1988
Cinemax Comedy Experiment (1985)
Cinemax Comedy Experiment
TV Series
1985
Missy Gold, Robert Guillaume, Caroline McWilliams, James
Noble, Lewis J. Stadlen, and Inga Swenson in Benson (1979)
Benson
7.1
TV Series
Elevator Musician
1985
1 episode
Tales of the Unexpected (1979)
Tales of the Unexpected
7.6
TV Series
Marvin Castlemore
William
1984
2 episodes
Anne Baxter, James Brolin, and Connie Sellecca in Hotel
(1983)
Hotel
6.4
TV Series
Sam
1984
1 episode
The Great Bear Scare (1983)
The Great Bear Scare
6.2
TV Movie
Ted E. Bear (voice)
1983
Diana Muldaur, Dick Smothers, and Tom Smothers in Terror at
Alcatraz (1982)
Terror at Alcatraz
6.7
TV Movie
Bones Howard
1982
Pandemonium (1982)
Pandemonium
5.2
Cooper
1982
Fred Grandy, Bernie Kopell, Ted Lange, Gavin MacLeod, and
Lauren Tewes in The Love Boat (1977)
The Love Boat
6.3
TV Series
Wilfred Davis
Martin Fallow
1980–1982
2 episodes
Ricardo Montalban and Hervé Villechaize in Fantasy Island
(1977)
Fantasy Island
6.6
TV Series
Ralph Rodgers
1982
1 episode
Fitz and Bones (1981)
Fitz and Bones
3.9
TV Series
Bones Howard
1981
4 episodes
Victoria Dorazi in Betty Boop for President (1980)
Betty Boop for President
5.5
Video
Pudgy (voice)
1980
There Goes the Bride (1980)
There Goes the Bride
3.3
Timothy Westerby
1980
Serial (1980)
Serial
6.5
Rev. Spike
1980
A Pleasure Doing Business (1979)
A Pleasure Doing Business
7.1
Alfredo
1979
Silver Bears (1977)
Silver Bears
6.0
Donald Luckman
1977
The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas (1973)
The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas
6.7
TV Movie
Ted Edward Bear (voice)
1973
Get to Know Your Rabbit (1972)
Get to Know Your Rabbit
5.2
Donald Beeman
1972
Premium
Short
1971
Love, American Style (1969)
Love, American Style
6.8
TV Series
The Kidnapper (segment "Love and the Kidnapper")
1971
1 episode
John Wayne in Swing Out, Sweet Land (1970)
Swing Out, Sweet Land
7.5
TV Movie
Newspaper Printer's Assistant
1970
Hot Dog (1970)
Hot Dog
5.9
TV Series
1970
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967)
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
8.0
TV Series
Guest Performer (uncredited)
1969–1970
3 episodes
Plastic Ono Band: Give Peace a Chance (1969)
Plastic Ono Band: Give Peace a Chance
5.5
Music Video
Tom Smothers (uncredited)
1969
Judi Rolin in Alice Through the Looking Glass (1966)
Alice Through the Looking Glass
5.9
TV Movie
Tweedledum
1966
My Brother the Angel (1965)
My Brother the Angel
7.3
TV Series
Tom Smothers
1965–1966
32 episodes
Gene Barry in Burke's Law (1963)
Burke's Law
7.4
TV Series
Ghys Rafer
1964
1 episode
Angela Cartwright, Rusty Hamer, Sherry Jackson, Marjorie
Lord, and Danny Thomas in The Danny Thomas Show (1953)
The Danny Thomas Show
7.1
TV Series
Tom Smothers (as The Smothers Brothers)
1962
1 episode
Producer
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1988)
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
7.5
TV Series
executive producer
1989
1 episode
The Tom and Dick Smothers Brothers Special I
TV Special
executive producer
1980
Another Nice Mess (1972)
Another Nice Mess
5.8
producer
1972
The Return of the Smothers Brothers
TV Movie
executive producer
1970
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour (1969)
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
6.9
TV Series
executive producer
1969
1 episode
Pat Paulsen for President
8.2
TV Movie
executive producer
1968
The Summer Brothers Smothers Show
7.7
TV Series
executive producer
1968
1 episode
Writer
Jonathan Katz in Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist (1995)
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
7.6
TV Series
additional material (as the Smothers Brothers)
1997
1 episode
The Return of the Smothers Brothers
TV Movie
Writer
1970
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