Tommy Smothers: The Smothers Brothers Legend

Dec. 27, 2023, 9:30 p.m. Entertainment

Tommy Smothers is a true comedy legend. He was one-half of the legendary Smothers Brothers, a groundbreaking comedy duo who changed the face of American comedy.

Tommy was born Thomas B. Smothers III on February 2, 1937, in Falmouth, Massachusetts. His father, Thomas B. Smothers Jr., was a successful businessman, and his mother, Ruth Smothers, was a homemaker.

Tommy was a talented athlete in his youth, playing both football and baseball. However, it was his passion for music that would ultimately define his career. He learned to play the guitar at a young age, and his mastery of the instrument would become one of his trademarks.

Tommy met his future comedy partner, Dick Smothers, while they were both students at the University of California, Berkeley. The two brothers hit it off immediately, and they began performing together as a comedy team.

The Smothers Brothers quickly established themselves as one of the most successful comedy acts in the country. They were regulars on the popular television variety show, "The Tonight Show," and their own self-titled variety show, "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour."

The Smothers Brothers were known for their irreverent brand of humor, and they often found themselves at odds with the network censors. This resulted in their show being cancelled in 1969, but the brothers bounced back with a successful syndicated version of their show.

Tommy Smothers continued to perform and tour with his brother Dick until 2014, when Dick announced his retirement from show business. Tommy has since retired as well, but his legacy as a comedy legend will live on forever.