Shared with kind permission from CarsonEntertainmentGroup. October 5, 1982 October 14, 1986 March 24, 1987 May 1, 1989 (Jay Leno, guest-host) Apologies for the substandard video quality on some of these clips.
Ive been laughing at Tom & Dick since I was 10 years old...and I'm still laughing at this. They were talented musicians and had a wealth of old folk songs to share. But nobody could top their comic timing, or even just Tommy getting laughs without saying a word. I always got the impression that they sometimes surprised each other with improvisations, and they just rolled with it. Never forget that these two buttoned up, conservative looking folk singers had one of the most radical, politically commentary based shows on TV in the mid 60's. And it was a pioneering show as well as a huge hit. RIP Tommy🙏. Thanks for all the joy.
Me too. Seeing this again decades later, I’m wondering how in the world they could have rehearsed the back & forth conversation or if they just made it up as they went.
I was 11 when their comedy hour first aired. I grew up in a Baptist church0, and every0 Sunday night after church, we went to one of the parishioner's home for snacks. The adults would be in the living room talking, and we kids watched TV somewhere else. Most of the kids wanted to watch Bonanza. Whenever it was my turn to pick, I always chose the Smothers Brothers. Tom Smothers' comedy became etched into my DNA. He was the best, and I miss him more than just about anyone else.
Same here. We have a rural church where I live that has a barbecue, bake and craft sale every fall as a fundraiser. I met Tommy there one year. It was almost six decades ago. RIP Tommy.
I was a Smothers Brothers fan from the mid '60's (showing my age) but until I saw Tom do his Carson impression on the Tonight show...I never knew how good it was.
Boil that cabbage down Tom . RIP. Sadly Dick will finally be able to finish a song. I have a vinyl collection of all their original pressings. I started collect them in the 70's. I was a huge fan. Tom was playing acoustic and singing on John Lennon's Give peace a chance single. I'm glad I was alive through this era. Thanks Tom and Dick.
Most unique straight man and goofy guy team ever. Smart bits and Tom was my 1st favorite comedian. I've got an extra dry sense of humor and i think he was the one that lit that spark in me.
It’s no wonder why, at a time when there was only 3 TV channels to showcase all the talent there was, these two had their own comedy hour. There will never be another act like Tom and Dick. Rest in peace YoYo Man!
I will always love and miss you and John Denver, dear funny, Tommy. Your mother only pretended to like Dickie best. Rest in peace, sweet son, brother and father….save a seat for mom.
Not an american, but have heard about the Smother Brothers. Never bothered to listen to them cos I thought they were "just another harmony-singing duo". Heard them for the first time now, and boy was I wrong! They are marvelous. Thanks.
Tom Smothers was, like, the best of America -- light, heady, ridiculous, hilarious, brilliant, serious but you'd never know it. We have no idea what their lives were behind the scenes but these two could not have come from anywhere else in the world and are truly one of a kind. American masters surely. Just unbelievable people given to us by God Almighty and the universe.
Two brilliant multi talented brothers that so many owe their careers to ….. yes you Steve Martin amongst many others. Any of you who do sketch and political comedy… improv, … they paved so many roads for you. They did it with such wit, intelligence, timing and talent. 💕 peace out Tommy and know how much you are loved Dick and Tommy
Oh, The Impossible Dream.......And Bread and Roses Concerts.....WoW those were wonderful!!! I love the Smothers Brothers......they lived right here in Sonoma County Ca where I live and we're saying goodbye to dear Tommy who just passed on....but never forgotten thank you....😍
What a great comedy team. I was a kid but remember them having "controversial" guests and opinions on their show in the 60's. I think that's what got them cancelled.
Thank you Don Giller, you always come through with the gems. RIP Tommy, and all the best to Dick, you gave us a lot of entertainment gold through the years.
Such great memories watching this. Thank you for posting. Amazing talents. Biggest mistake the network made cancelling their show. Clearly, the brothers had the last laugh! Rest easy fine Sir.
Thank you so much for uploading what you upload! I miss the old late night so much, and it's hard to believe that even then- 80s/90s- these shows were a vestige of earlier greatness. Met the Smothers Brothers at Speedway gas station, where I worked briefly while in college! They pulled in with their touring van, and I only knew them from yo-yo instructional videos that my cousin watched as a kid haha. I asked for their autographs anyway...
Oh Dear! Wait a minute while I wipe my tears away! Oh Tommy Smothers you " MR. YOYOMAN" were my favorite brother! 💞🙏🏻 I remember the TV nights when our family would pile into the den to watch " The Smothers Brothers Show"!. It was an hour of truly edgy 60'S entertainment. I remember the night your show had been canceled by the station for pushing the envelope. I think it was about your protesting of the War the US was sending boy's to in Vietnam!? We were heartbroken losing your show! But a few years later along came ROWEN MARTIN'S LAUGH IN TV and they BROKE all the TV regulations! So thankfully they Brought you and Dick on as guest's! Thanks for teaching us YOYO TRICKS and to always to "QUESTION AUTHORITIES"! REST in PEACE and LOVE forever TOMMY! I Thank both of you brother for truly touching my heart and soul as a pre-teen and affected my direction in life. 🕊❤💫🕯🎶🧿🙏🏻 Tommy passed on December 26, 2023!
Tom Smothers full nane is Thonas Smothers III, son of Thomas Smothers Junior (II), who died as a POW in 1945 during WWII. Tom Smothers first son was named Thomas Smothers IV and the son also died in 2023.
Thanks, Don. Wonderful document of some of the driest humour we’ve ever known. Boy, they could weave a spell out of repartee. “We’re going to drop the ‘brother’ bit…”
Here are the Nielsen seasonal rankings for the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (2/1967-4/1969): 1966-1967: #16 (22.0 rating), 1967-1968: #18 (21.7 rating), 1968-1969: #27 (20.6 rating). However, they were likely near the top each season in the 18-34 demographic. Also, they were the highest rated TV show to be cancelled in 1969. Maybe that's what freddyjefferson5164 meant.
Don, is there anyone who has as comprehensive an index of guests on the Carson Tonight Show as you have on the Letterman show? Someone asked me a very specific question about a guest on Carson who claimed (and I’m not making this up) to have been one of the people who killed Rasputin. I couldn’t even think of where to begin looking for that information. Any ideas where I could go to check if such a guest was ever on the show? Happy New Year and I hope you’re doing well.
Look at the Mark Twain list and convince me the Smothers don't deserve the award more than half of that list. Like the RnR Hall of Fame, these award shows are a joke.
Actually, Dick, the Pilgrims came to the new world to escape religious tolerance. They wanted to keep their religion pure and not sullied by new religions.
