Tom Smothers, Star of ‘Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,’ Dies at 86

Tom Smothers, the comic half of the Smothers Brothers entertainment duo, died on Tuesday at 86 after a recent battle with cancer.

His brother and “Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” costar Dick Smothers announced the news Wednesday.

“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 in a statement to TheWrap. “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,” a one-hour variety show on CBS, made its debut in February 1967. The show featured skits and songs by the two brothers, bringing fun and innovative comedy to network television. Tom played the guitar and Dick played stand-up bass as the two entertained America with their comedic singing and iconic bickering. 

Smothers is survived by his children Bo and Riley Rose Smothers, grandson Phoenix, Marcy Carriker Smothers, sister-in-law Marie Smothers and a number of nephews and a niece.

The National Comedy Center executive director Journey Gunderson issued a statement on Tom’s passing, saying he “was not only an extraordinary comedic talent, who, together with his brother Dick, became the most enduring comedy duo in history, entertaining the world for over six decades — but was a true champion for freedom of speech, harnessing the power of comedy to push boundaries and our political consciousness.” 

“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,” Gunderson continued. “We were proud to bring Tom and Dick out of retirement and reunite them on stage in 2019 to celebrate their legendary careers, and we are honored to preserve Tom’s remarkable work and legacy here at the National Comedy Center for generations to come.”