The Smothers Brothers are an American music-and-comedy team, consisting of the brothers Tom (or Tommy) (born February 2, 1937) and Dick Smothers (born November 20, 1939). The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Comedy (from the Greek κωμωδίαkomodia has a popular meaning (any discourse generally intended to amuse especially in Television, Film, and Thomas Bolin “Tom” Smothers III (born February 2, 1937) is an American Comedian, Composer and Musician, best known Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Richard Remick “Dick” Smothers (born November 20, 1939) is an American Comedian, Composer and Musician. Events 284 - Diocletian was chosen as Roman Emperor. 762 - Bögü Khan of the Uyghurs, Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The brothers' trademark act was performing folk songs (Tommy on acoustic guitar, Dick on string bass), which usually led to arguments between the siblings. Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous A steel-string acoustic guitar, is a modern form of Guitar descended from the Classical guitar, but strung with steel strings for a brighter louder sound The double bass is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed String instrument used in the modern symphony orchestra. Tommy's signature line was, "Mom always liked you best!" Tommy (the elder of the two) acted "slow," and Dick, the straight man, acted "superior. "
In the 1960s, the brothers frequently appeared on television variety shows and issued several popular record albums of their stage performances. Their own television variety show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, became one of the most influential and controversial American TV programs of the Vietnam War era. Despite popular success, the brothers' penchant for material that was critical of the political mainstream (and sympathetic to the emerging counterculture) led to their program's cancellation by the CBS network in 1969. Counterculture (also " counter-culture " is a sociological term used to describe the values and norms of behavior of a Cultural group, or CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
The brothers continued to work, both independently and as a team, on stage, on television and in films during subsequent decades. They continue to tour the country as the longest-lived comedy team in history; 2008 marks their 50th year performing together.
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Early life and career beginnings
The brothers were both born on Governor's Island in New York Harbor, where their father, Thomas B. This article is about Governors Island in New York For other uses see Governors Island (disambiguation Governors Island is a 172- Acre (69 ha island New York Harbor, a geographic term refers collectively to the rivers bays and tidal estuaries near the mouth of the Hudson River in the vicinity of New York City Smothers, a West Point graduate and U.S. Army officer, was stationed. "USMA" redirects here For other uses see USMA (disambiguation The United States Military Academy (also known as USMA, The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. Maj. Smothers died during the Second World War while being transported from a Japanese prisoner of war camp in Fukuoka, Japan, to a POW camp in Mukden, Manchuria. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. They were raised by their mother in the Los Angeles area. The Greater Los Angeles Area, or the Southland, (not to be confused with the Los Angeles Metro Area which includes only Los Angeles and
They graduated from Redondo Union High School in Redondo Beach, California, and attended San Jose State University. Redondo Union High School is a public high school in Redondo Beach California. Redondo Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. San José State University, commonly shortened to San José State and SJSU, is the founding campus of what became the California State University system After a brief time in a folk group called the Casual Quintet, the Smothers made their debut as a duo in 1958. Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous They were a popular act in clubs and released several successful record albums, the most successful being Live at the Purple Onion, 1961. The Songs and Comedy of the Smothers Brothers at the Purple Onion (released May 1, 1961 on Mercury Records)
Their first television series was a situation comedy, The Smothers Brothers Show (1965–1966). The Smothers Brothers Show was a Situation comedy featuring the Smothers Brothers that aired on CBS on Friday nights at 930 p Tom played an angel come back to earth to oversee his brother Dick, who played a swinging bachelor. It did not do well in the ratings and had little of the music that was identified with the brothers. Tom would later say "Four Star (the production company) gave me ulcers. "
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
It was The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour for which the Smothers Brothers became best known. Premiering in February 1967, it started out as only a slightly "hip" version of the typical comedy-variety show of its era, but rapidly evolved into a show that extended the boundaries of what was considered permissible in television satire. While the Smothers themselves were at the forefront of these efforts, a large portion of the credit also goes to the roster of writers and regular performers they brought to the show, some of whom would go on to become some of the biggest names in comedy, including Steve Martin, Don Novello ("Father Guido Sarducci"), Rob Reiner ("Mike Stivic"), Presidential candidate Pat Paulsen, Bob Einstein ("Super Dave Osborne" and "Officer Judy") and resident hippie Leigh French ("Share a Little Tea with Goldie"). Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an Emmy Award -winning American Actor, Comedian, Writer, Don Novello (born January 1, 1943) is an American writer Film director, producer, Actor, Singer, and Robert "Rob" Reiner (born March 6, 1947) is an American Actor, director, producer, Writer, and Patrick Layton Paulsen (July 6 1927 – April 24 1997 was an American Comedian and satirist notable for his roles on several of the Smothers Robert "Bob" Einstein (born November 20, 1942, in Los Angeles California) is an American Actor and comedy Writer The Hippie Subculture was originally a Youth movement that began in the United States during the early 1960s and spread around the world Leigh French (born July 14, 1945) is an American actress In her early career as a regular on the Smothers Brothers variety show of the late-1960s The show also introduced audiences to pop singer Jennifer Warnes (originally billed as Jennifer Warren), who was a regular on the series. Jennifer Jean Warnes (born March 3 1947 in Seattle, Washington) is an American singer and songwriter The television premiere of Mason Williams' hit record, Classical Gas, took place on the show; Williams was also the head writer for the series. Mason Douglas Williams (b August 24, 1938) is an American Guitarist and Composer, best known for his popular guitar instrumental " Classical Gas " is an Instrumental piece written by Mason Williams.
Musical guests
The series showcased new musical artists that other comedy-variety shows rarely gave airtime, due to the nature of their music or their political affiliations. Joan Baez, Harry Belafonte, Cream, Donovan, The Doors, Janis Ian, Jefferson Airplane, Peter, Paul and Mary, Spanky and Our Gang, Steppenwolf, The Who (in an infamous performance when drummer Keith Moon planted an explosive device inside his drum set and blew it up on air) and even Pete Seeger were showcased during the latter years of the show despite the advertiser-sensitive nature of their music. Joan Chandos Baez (born January 9, 1941 in Staten Island, New York) an American Folk singer and Songwriter known Harold George Belafonte Jr (born March 1 1927 is an American musician actor and Social activist. Cream were a 1960s British rock band Donovan ( Donovan Phillips Leitch, born 10 May 1946 in Glasgow) is a Scottish Singer-songwriter and guitarist This article is about the band For their self-titled debut album see The Doors (album; for the Oliver Stone film see The Doors (film; for Doors in computing Janis Ian (born Janis Eddy Fink, April 7 1951 is a Grammy Award -winning American Songwriter, Singer, multi-instrumental Musician Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band from San Francisco, a pioneer of the Psychedelic rock movement Peter Paul and Mary (often called PP&M) are a musical group from the United States who were one of the most successful folk-singing groups of the Spanky and Our Gang was an American 1960s Folk-rock band led by Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane Steppenwolf is a rock band that helped establish Heavy metal music in the late 1960s along with bands like Blue Cheer and Iron Butterfly The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend Keith John Moon ( August 23, 1946 &ndash September 7, 1978) was the Drummer of the rock group The Who. Peter "Pete" Seeger (born May 3 1919 is an American folk singer political Activist, and a key figure in the mid-20th century American
Seeger's appearance was his first appearance on network television since being blacklisted in the 1950s; it became controversial because of his song choice: Waist Deep in the Big Muddy, an anti-war song that the network perceived was an insult to Lyndon Johnson and his Vietnam War policy. "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy" is a song written by Pete Seeger in 1967 during the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia The song was censored on Seeger's first appearance but permitted on a later appearance.
The performance by The Who was another defining moment in the series. As they often did during that period, The Who destroyed their instruments at the conclusion of their performance. However, a stage hand, at the request of the band, had overloaded Keith Moon's kick drum with explosives. Keith John Moon ( August 23, 1946 &ndash September 7, 1978) was the Drummer of the rock group The Who. When they were detonated, the explosion was so intense, Moon was injured by cymbal shrapnel and, allegedly, Pete Townshend's hearing was permanently damaged. Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (born 19 May 1945 in Chiswick, London) is an English rock Guitarist, Singer,
In 1968, the show broadcast in successive weeks "music videos" (not called that at the time) for The Beatles' popular songs Hey Jude and Revolution. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A music video is a Short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music most commonly a Song with lyrics The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 " Hey Jude " is a song by the English rock band The Beatles that was recorded in 1968 " Revolution " is a song by The Beatles, written by John Lennon and attributed to Lennon/McCartney. Before a rowdy crowd at the Los Angeles Forum, Jimi Hendrix dedicated I Don't Live Today to the Smothers Brothers, as heard on The Jimi Hendrix Box Set. The Forum, known for a time as the Great Western Forum, is an indoor arena in Inglewood California, a suburb of Los Angeles. James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix) (November 27 1942 – September 18 1970 was an American Guitarist, Singer and Songwriter ' I Don't Live Today' is a song written and first performed by famed Guitarist Jimi Hendrix.
Controversies and cancellation
With the focus of the show having evolved towards a more youth-oriented one, the show became both popular and controversial for those same references to youth culture and the issues that both interested and affected this particular target audience. Three specific targets of satire — racism, The President of the United States, and the Vietnam War — would wind up defining the show's content for the remainder of its run, and eventually lead to its demise. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia
Whereas most older audiences were tuning into shows like the western Bonanza, the younger generation — ages 15–25 — were watching the Smothers' more socially relevant humor. Bonanza is an American television series that ran on NBC from September 12 1959 to January 16 1973
The Brothers soon found themselves in regular conflicts with CBS' network censors. CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. A television network is a distribution network for Television content whereby a central operation provides programming for many Television stations Censorship is the suppression of speech or deletion of communicative material which may be considered objectionable harmful or sensitive as determined by a censor At the start of the 1968–69 season, the network ordered that the Smothers deliver their shows finished and ready to air ten days before airdate so that the censors could edit the shows as necessary. In the season premiere, CBS deleted the entire segment of Belafonte singing against a backdrop of the havoc during the 1968 Democratic National Convention, along with two lines from a satire of their main competitor, Bonanza. Chicago Convention redirects here for the Convention on International Civil Aviation for the event also referred to by this name Bonanza is an American television series that ran on NBC from September 12 1959 to January 16 1973 As the year progressed, battles over content continued, including a David Steinberg sermon about Moses and the Burning Bush. See also David A Steinberg, David H Steinberg David Steinberg (born August 9, 1942) is a Canadian comedian actor director Moses ( Latin: Moyses,; Greek: grc Mωυσής in both the Septuagint and the New Testament; Arabic: ar موسىٰ The burning bush is an object described by the Book of Exodus as being located on Mount Horeb; according to the narrative the bush was on fire but was not consumed
With some local stations making their own deletions of controversial skits or comments, the continuing problems over the show reached a boiling point after CBS showed a rerun on March 9, 1969. Events 590 - Bahram Chobin is crowned as king Barham VI of Persia. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The network explained the decision by stating that because that week's episode did not arrive in time to be previewed, it would not be shown. In that program, Baez paid tribute to her then-husband, who was entering jail after refusing military service, while comedian Jackie Mason made a joke about children "playing doctor. Jackie Mason (born Yacov Moshe Maza, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin) is an American stand-up comedian. " (When the show finally did air, two months later, the network allowed Baez to state that her husband David Harris was in prison, but edited out the reason: refusing selective service. David Harris (born 1946 in Fresno California) is an American Journalist and Author. The Selective Service System is the means by which the United States administers military Conscription. )
Despite the conflict, the show was picked up for the 1969–70 season on March 14, seemingly ending the debate over the show's status. Events 1489 - The Queen of Cyprus, Catherine Cornaro, sells her kingdom to Venice. However, network CEO and President, William S. Paley, abruptly canceled the show on April 4, 1969. William Samuel Paley ( September 28, 1901 &ndash October 26, 1990) was the chief executive who built Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS Events 1581 - Francis Drake completes a circumnavigation of the world and is knighted by Elizabeth I. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The reason given by CBS was based on the Smothers' refusal to meet the pre-air delivery dates as specified by the network in order to accommodate review by the censors before airing. CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. This cancellation led the Brothers to file a successful breach of contract suit against the network, although the suit failed to see the Brothers or their show returned to the air. Breach of contract is a Legal concept in which a Binding agreement or bargained-for exchange is not honored by one or more of the parties to the contract by non-performance Despite this cancellation, the show went on to win the Emmy Award that year for best writing. The saga of the cancellation of the show is the subject of a 2002 documentary film, Smothered.
Later career
The Smothers Brothers had further television shows: The Smothers Brothers Show (1975), which was an unsuccessful attempt to recapture the look and feel of the original comedy-variety series without the controversy, The Tom and Dick Smothers Brothers Specials I and II in 1980. In 1981 Tom and Dick Smothers played non brothers in a light drama, set in San Francisco, titled Fitz and Bones. Both characters worked at a Bay Area television station; Tom played cameraman Bones Howard and Dick played Ryan Fitzpatrick, an investigative reporter. The show was cancelled after 5 episodes. [1] Later there was the The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1988–1989). This show began production during a 1988 Writers Guild of America strike. The Writers Guild of America is a generic term referring to the joint efforts of two different US labor unions The Writers Guild of America East (WGAE representing As writer-performers, the brothers were allowed to perform their own material during the strike, as were their staff and guest stars. Prior to this they had reportedly saved an episode of Saturday Night Live by breaking through a picket line and hosting the show against the union's wishes; the episode was a ratings smash the likes of which the series had not seen since the 1970s. Saturday Night Live ( SNL) is a weekly late-night 90-minute American Sketch comedy / Variety show based in New York City This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. The Smothers Brothers also lent their (uncredited) singing voices to "Tom and Tom, the Brothers Brothers" in In Living Color (1990–1992). This article is about the television series For the band see Living Colour.
The brothers have worked independently as well; Dick has appeared as an actor in films, including a rare dramatic role as a crooked Nevada senator in Martin Scorcese's Casino. Casino is an Academy Award nominated 1995 Crime drama Film directed by Martin Scorsese.
The Smothers Brothers operate the Remick Ridge Vineyards (Remick was their mother's maiden name) in Sonoma County, California and continue to tour. Remick Ridge Vineyards is a California -based Vineyard and Winery owned and operated by the Smothers Brothers. Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of California, is one of the northernmost counties of the nine county Greater San Francisco Bay Area, U Marci Smothers, wife of Tommy Smothers, hosts a talk show on KSRO, Santa Rosa, California.
They most recently appeared in The Aristocrats documentary in 2005. The Aristocrats is a 2005 documentary Film about the formerly obscure Dirty joke of the same name.
Discography
- Live at the Purple Onion, 1961
- The Two Sides of the Smothers Brothers, 1962
- Think Ethnic!, 1963
- Curb Your Tongue, Knave, 1963
- It Must Have Been Something I Said!, 1964
- Tour de Farce: American History and Other Unrelated Subjects, 1965
- Aesop's Fables, 1965
- Mom Always Liked You Best!, 1966
- The Smothers Brothers Play It Straight, 1966
- Golden Hits of the Smothers Brothers, Vol. 2, 1966
- Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, 1968
- Sibling Revelry: The Best of the Smothers Brothers, 1988
References
External links
- The Official Smothers Brothers Home Page
- Smothers Brothers Forum
- Smothers Brothers discography at MusicBrainz
- Canadian interview with Tommy Smothers
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