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Tom Smothers, of the famed comedy and music duo the Smothers Brothers, died on Wednesday (December 27) after a battle with an aggressive form of cancer. 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," his brother Dick Smothers 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."
The duo rose to popularity in the 1960s, appearing on several shows such as The Judy Garland Show and Burke's Law before getting their own show in 1965.
The Smothers Brothers Show lasted for just a year, but in 1967, they started The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, which aired until 1969. While the show had many comedic elements, Tom and Dick used their platform to voice political opinions that angered the show's producers, leading to its abrupt cancellation. The comedy duo was later awarded a settlement after a court determined the producers violated their contract by firing them.
"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," the National Comedy Center said in a statement.