Dick Smothers

Comedian / Performer

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

About this interview

In the half-hour solo portion of his interview, Dick Smothers chronicles his early years and influences. He talks about his family life growing up, his early music experience, and getting into entertainment with his brother, Tom Smothers.

In the two-and-a-half-hour joint portion of their interview, Tom Smothers and Dick Smothers talk about their work as the "Smothers Brothers." They speak about their first network series, the short-lived situation comedy The Smothers Brothers Show. They discuss in detail The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and the controversy surrounding the series' topical material that led to its cancellation by CBS in 1969. The two describe the series' comedy sketches, guest stars who appeared, and the tempestuous era in which it ran. They also talk about their resurgence as performers and the legacy of their comedy act. Karen Herman conducted the interviews on October 14, 2000 in Las Vegas, NV.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"The American public hasn’t forgotten the Smother Brothers."

People Talking About ...

Dick Smothers

Highlights

Dick Smothers on his brother Tom Smothers and their relationship

Tom and Dick Smothers on the origin of Tom's "mom always liked you best" catchphrase

01:18

Tom and Dick Smothers on the changing social and political views in the sixties as The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour came on the air

02:14

Tom and Dick Smothers on the difficulties and their subsequent firing on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

23:22

The Smothers Brothers on their legacy

01:08

Full Interview

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Chapter 1

Full solo interview with Dick Smothers

Dick Smothers on his early family life

Dick Smothers on his early music education and teaming up with his brother Tom; and his early career aspirations

Dick Smothers on his brother Tom Smothers and their relationship

Chapter 2

[START OF JOINT INTERVIEW WITH TOM SMOTHERS] On their first professional work and the evolution of their comedy as part of their performance

On their first forays into television

On their sitcom The Smothers Brothers Show

On the development of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

On the changing social and political views in the sixties as The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour came on the air

Chapter 3

On the start of The Smothers Brothers' Comedy Hour and the difficulties of producing a variety show

On some of the confrontations they had with CBS and unions regarding the material on The Smothers Brothers' Comedy Hour

On their dealings with CBS, their firing, and their thoughts about the larger political issues which may have contributed to the demise of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

Chapter 4

On CBS' cancellation of The Smothers Brothers' Comedy Hour for breach-of-contract

On some of their censored pieces on The Smothers Brothers' Comedy Hour, including a guest-starring appearance by Harry Belafonte

On working with CBS executives; and their eventual firing and subsequent lawsuit

On their short-lived series The Smothers Brothers Show (1975) and the importance of creative control

On "Yo-Yo Man" sketches, The Tom and Dick Smothers Brothers Special, and some of the shows they were involved in after their television series went off the air

Chapter 5

On the collaborative nature of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

On their opinion on the power of television and their advice to future television professionals

On blacklisting and their hiring of Pete Seeger

On their then-current projects and lifestyles

On the legacy of the Smothers Brothers

Shows

Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The

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Tom and Dick Smothers on the origin of Tom's "mom always liked you best" catchphrase