The Smothers Brothers' Dick Mourns Death of Tom Smothers at 86
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Tom Smothers, one-half of the iconic musical comedy duo the Smothers Brothers, passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 26. He was 86.
The sad news was announced in a statement from his brother Dick Smothers, who shared that Tom died peacefully in his home in Santa Rosa, California, after a battle with cancer. The National Comedy Center published a press release sharing the news and statement on behalf of the family.
"Tom was not only the loving older brother that everyone would want in their life, he was a one-of-a-kind creative partner," said Dick. "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.”
Journey Gunderson, the executive director of the National Comedy Center also shared some words about Tom's passing, calling him an "extraordinary comedic talent," and "a true champion for freedom of speech, harnessing the power of comedy to push boundaries and our political consciousness."
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Through the Smothers Brothers' show The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, which ran from 1967 to 1969, Tom and Dick challenged ideas and censorship from CBS as they used the platform to critique the Vietnam War and discuss other important topics.
The series was both groundbreaking and controversial, with comedian Steve Martin telling The Hollywood Reporter in a feature for the show's 50th anniversary, "The show was really rebellious and in its own modest way, dangerous."
Comedian David Steinberg commented on Tom's talent, saying "Tommy was a comic genius who was only happy when he pushed the envelope," with Martin adding that the late comedian "was a fantastic leader and very inspiring."
In 2008, Tom was honored with a Commemorative Emmy Award for his writing on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, while both he and his brother Dick were inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2010.
