The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

[Duster76]

The passing of Tom Smothers got me to thinking about their legendary variety show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. The team had been red hot throughout the 60's culminating with their own variety show in 1967. The show was loaded with controversy, had high ratings getting cancelled in the spring of 69. So here's the question, did the cancellation hurt them, help them or have no long range effect one way or the other. In looking at how everything transpired I have come to the conclusion it had no long range effect.

It is true the show was initially renewed for the 69-70 season but the ratings were already in decline so how much longer would it have run. I'd say no longer than season or two, Laugh-In had already peaked, for the 69-70 season the show would remain on top but the audience numbers were starting downward. 70-71 Laugh-In would drop out of the top 10 finishing at number 13. Flip Wilson was another variety series appealing to younger viewers after two seasons at number 2 it dropped to 12 and then number 50. My point, the Smothers Brothers ratings showed similar performance which might suggest the series would have run its course over the next season or two.

The controversy surrounding them died quickly, it's not like the Smothers Brothers didn't have other opportunities, they were back on television by 1970 with a summer series on ABC, they had another show in 1975, and yet another failed series in 1981, as well as 1988-89.

Outside of may getting another year or two (at the most) out of the series, I don't think the series abrupt cancellation had a lasting effect on their career. In an odd way it may have helped them.