Tom Smothers, half of ‘The Smothers Brothers’ comedy duo, dies at age 86

Tom Smothers, half of the groundbreaking “Smothers Brothers” comedy duo whose envelope-pushing commentary on Vietnam and various social issues got them taken off the air in the 1960s, has died of cancer. He was 86.

“Tom was not only the loving older brother that everyone would want in their life, he was a one-of-a-kind creative partner,” his brother Dick Smothers, the other half of the music-comedy pair, said in a statement from the National Comedy Center, which announced his death.

“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.”

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“The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” debuted on CBS in 1967 and ran for just three years before it was abruptly canceled. Network censors had wearied of fighting with Tom Smothers over the duo’s comedic skewering of the powers that be, and for addressing controversial topics.

The brothers sued CBS for $31 million over the cancelation; they were awarded $775,000.

The variety show was an immediate hit whose viewership sometimes surpassed its time-slot competitor, NBC’s “Bonanza.” Featuring young rock groups such as the Who, Buffalo Springfield and Jefferson Airplane, and showcasing new comedic talent such as Steve Martin, the pair also wove faux sibling rivalry into the mix with Tom Smothers’ catchphrase, “Mom always liked you best!”

The show’s appeal and subsequent demise were chronicled in the 2002 documentary “Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.” as the brothers interspersed music and comedy to explore race relations, drugs, draft evasion and political dissent over the objections of network executives.

While the show was short-lived, it paved the way for much of today’s late-night fare. Decades later, when accepting an honorary Emmy in 2008, Smothers jokingly thanked the writers whom he said had gotten him fired. The brothers continued to perform live and released albums.

The National Comedy Center dubbed Smothers “a true champion for freedom of speech, harnessing the power of comedy to push boundaries and our political consciousness,” executive director Journey Gunderson said in the center’s statement. “Tom was a true pioneer who changed the face of television and transformed our culture with The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, which satirized politics, combated racism, protested the Vietnam War, and led the way for ‘Saturday Night Live,’ ‘The Daily Show,’ today’s network late night shows, and so much more.”

Smothers died at home with family, his brother said. Besides younger brother Dick, Smothers is survived by his children Bo and Riley Rose Smothers; two grandchildren; sister-in-law Marie Smothers, several nephews and a niece, the National Comedy Center said.

With News Wire Services