Tom Smothers, Half of Smothers Brothers Comedy Duo, Dead at 86

His brother and costar Dick Smothers remembered him as a "one-of-a-kind creative partner."

By Allison Schonter

Comedian Tom Smothers, one half of the legendary Smothers Brothers comedy duo, has died. Smothers passed away peacefully at his home in Sonoma County, California on Tuesday, Dec. 26 with his family at his side following a recent battle with cancer, according to a family statement shared by the National Comedy Center and his brother, Dick Smothers. 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," Dick said in a statement. "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."

Tom and Dick Smothers in Cheyenne
(Photo: Mark Junge / Getty Images)

Seen on the left in the photo above, Tom Smothers performed with his brother Dick as the Smothers Brothers. Although the two initially wanted to be folk musicians, they eventually began adding comedy bits to their act. Together, the comedy duo appeared on the CBS sitcom The Smothers Brothers Show from 1965 to 1966 and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour variety show in 1967.

"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," National Comedy Center executive director Journey Gunderson said. "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."

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Tributes for Smothers have also poured in online. On X (formerly Twitter), one person wrote, "Farewell to Tom Smothers, who with brother Dick introduced primetime America to the off-center 'stoner' humor that would flower on SNL. On late 1960s TV, they mixed trenchant satire with an amused/outraged sense of the surrealism of a nation in flux. He played dumb; he wasn't." Somebody else wrote, "his humor and wit brought joy to generations and Mom always did like him best."

Amid Tom's passing, Dick and his wife Marie have requested that memorial donations honoring him be made to the National Comedy Center, the nation's official cultural institution dedicated to comedy. Smothers is survived by his children Bo and Riley Rose Smothers, grandson Phoenix, Marcy Carriker Smothers, sister-in-law Marie Smothers, and several nephews and a niece. He is predeceased by his son Tom and sister Sherry Smothers. A private memorial service for family and friends will take place in 2024.

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