RIP Tom Smothers

[justgladtobehere]

I've heard interviews with the brothers and Tom always came across as the more animated and aggressive regarding their fight with CBS and their style/viewpoint despite his role as the idiot.

 

[Huggy]

A couple of book recommendations:

Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour by David Bianculli is a good history of the show. It's thoroughly researched and very well written.

Thanks A Lot, Mr. Kibblewhite: My Story is Roger Daltrey's autobiography. He comes off as sharp, funny, and thoughtful. This fan of The Who enjoyed it.

Daltrey's book is a fine addition to The Who library. I didn't find it to be the slog Townshend's book was and it did a great job detailing their early days, the rampant dysfunction within the band's clashic lineup and what's become of the band in the wake of the deaths of Moon and Entwistle. And you're right, just like books by Elton John, Rod Stewart, Phil Collins and others, there is no shortage of sly British humo(u)r.

 

[Slacker]

This documentary from 2002 oughta be good, so hope I find time to watch it.
If nothing else, watch the intro for a couple of familiar faces among the writers.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Tom Smothers' father, Major Thomas Bolyn Smothers Jr., was a 1929 West Point graduate who served in the 45th Infantry Regiment and survived the Battle of Bataan and the Bataan Death March. He endured harsh captivity for nearly three years in a POW camp on the Philippines and died in 1945 while a prisoner of war.

This info is from the West Point Museum site. Tommy looks a lot like his dad. The more info I discover on the Smothers brothers, the more intrigued I become.

 

[Slacker]

Tom Smothers' father, Major Thomas Bolyn Smothers Jr., was a 1929 West Point graduate who served in the 45th Infantry Regiment and survived the Battle of Bataan and the Bataan Death March. He endured harsh captivity for nearly three years in a POW camp on the Philippines and died in 1945 while a prisoner of war.

This info is from the West Point Museum site. Tommy looks a lot like his dad. The more info I discover on the Smothers brothers, the more intrigued I become.

And the father survived the Bataan Death March only to die when an Allied bomber mistakenly bombed a Japanese ship that was transporting POWs. ... Also, I read that the Smothers Brothers' mother was an alcoholic, so they struggled mightily as kids. Glad they turned out great despite all that.

 

[Slacker]

One more from the vault. These guys could really sing, too ...