Comedian Tom Smothers Of The Smothers Brothers Dead At 86
Comedian Tom Smothers has tragically died from cancer at the age of 86, according to CNN. Tom's brother, Dick Smothers, celebrated his character, along with the work they achieved together in a statement. "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 Smothers wrote. "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."
The bulk of Tom's success came through "The Smothers Brothers Power Hour," which he first starred in with Dick. Unfortunately, their jokes centered on controversial social issues that pushed too many boundaries for CBS, which eventually canceled the show, per TMZ. However, as Journey Gunderson, the National Comedy Center executive director, told The Hollywood Reporter, the show "led the way for 'Saturday Night Live,' 'The Daily Show,' today's network late night shows, and so much more." Tom — who was awarded an honorary Emmy in 2010 — also found solo success in roles in and/or voice acted in other television projects, such as "Suddenly Susan," "The Wonderful World of Disney," and "The Simpsons."
Tom Smothers had lung cancer
Although Tom Smothers' death has come as a shock to his fans, he'd been suffering from lung cancer for some time. A previous CBS News interview, which featured Tom Smothers and his brother, Dick Smothers, discussing their comedy legacy, was later amended to announce that Tom had since received a stage two lung cancer diagnosis. At the time, Dick revealed that Tom's prognosis looked promising. Unfortunately, stage 2 lung cancer has a dismal survival rate, with only 35% of patients surviving past the five-year mark, according to City of Hope.
Following Tom's death, fans have flocked to X, formerly known as Twitter, to immerse themselves in the memories of his career. "Tom Smothers, half of the legendary Smothers Brothers duo, has left us at 86. His humor and wit brought joy to generations and Mom always did like him best," tweeted music publicist Eric Alper. "What a brave and hilarious artist he was. May his memory be a blessing," wrote another fan. A couple of fans gave insight into their personal history with Tom. "Oh. He was a lovely man. Used to run into him in Kenwood when he had his winery/shop. He was warm and welcoming and laughed with people. A lot," tweeted another user. Meanwhile, a purported former tenant of Tom also sang his praises. "Tommy was our landlord in the 90s. I have a few signed yo-yo's from him! Super nice guy and super funny!" tweeted the fan.