Dick Smothers

Richard Remick Smothers (born November 20, 1939) is an American actor, comedian, composer, and musician. He was half of the musical comedy team the Smothers Brothers, with his older brother Tom.

Early life

Smothers was born in New York City in 1939,<ref>Template:YouTube</ref> the son of Ruth (née Remick), a homemaker, and Thomas B. Smothers, an Army officer who died as a prisoner of war of the Japanese in April 1945.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His middle name, Remick, originates from his mother's maiden name.

After moving to Southern California, Dick attended Verdugo Hills High School in Tujunga, California, and graduated from Redondo Union High School in Redondo Beach, California, and later attended San Jose State University, then called San Jose State College. At SJSC, Smothers participated as a distance runner for the track team, coached by Lloyd (Bud) Winter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

The Smothers Brothers

The Smothers Brothers formed in the late 1950s and appeared on numerous television shows, including two shows of their own: The Smothers Brothers Show, a sitcom from 1965 to 1966; and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, a variety show in 1967. The show was cancelled by CBS on April 4, 1969. After filing a lawsuit, the Smothers were given $776,300.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Though he often aided Tom with various subjects which were deemed controversial, Dick was in reality "more conservative politically" than his older brother was, with Tom stating in 2006, "We still disagree about everything."<ref name=disagreementsbutbondage />

File:Smothers Brothers (210965404) (cropped).jpg

Dick (left) and Tom Smothers in August 1988

In December 2009, Dick and Tom both guest-starred in a 21st-season episode of The Simpsons that also featured Cooper, Peyton, and Eli Manning.<ref name="Walker">Template:Cite news</ref>

The Smothers Brothers both announced their retirement from touring in May 2010. On the December 11, 2022, episode of CBS News Sunday Morning, the brothers announced that they would be going on tour in 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, the tour was cancelled and Tom Smothers announced in July 2023 that he was diagnosed with stage 2 lung cancer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He died on December 26, 2023, at the age of 86.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Other works

In 1977, he appeared twice as a panelist on the daytime TV game show Match Game. In 1993, he played one of the characters on cartoon Christmas movie Precious Moments: Timmy's Special Delivery. Without Tom, he also appeared in the 1995 Martin Scorsese-directed film Casino in an uncharacteristically serious role as a dishonest Nevada State Senator. His character and the dialogue in one scene were partly based on the career of former United States Senator Harry Reid, who once chaired the Nevada Gaming Commission.<ref>Chris Suellentrop, Slate magazine, Harry Reid Is Not Boring, December 22, 2004</ref>

Smothers has been active in amateur auto racing,<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> both road racing<ref>"Reflections on Sebring: Dick Smothers Template:Webarchive", Richard Sloop/Carol Lynn Fogle, Motorsport.com, 2002-03-07</ref> and drag racing.<ref>"Smothers Brothers Racing Photos"</ref> He started the Smothers Brothers racing team, which competed in three championship seasons between 1968 and 1971. He specialized in endurance racing and drove cars at the famous Sebring and Le Mans events.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

In 2004, Smothers was taken to court in a domestic violence incident by his then-wife Denby after she accused him of intentionally pushing her into her car and poked his finger into her chest and allegedly said "You have no rights to our house" and that "Our marriage is over" Denby and Dick Smothers filed for divorce in late 2005 and it was finalized in 2006. Their Condo in Bird Key Florida was later foreclosed on and sold for just under $90,000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In a 2006 interview with the Vancouver-based Comedy Couch, Tom Smothers stated that he and his brother actually "disagree about everything" and that while he was "a little bit looser," Dick was "more conservative politically and also is a pragmatist. He's very pragmatic and wants everything to line up and put in a box."<ref name=disagreementsbutbondage>July 22, 2006 interview with Tommy Smothersfrom Vancouver's comedycouch.com Template:Webarchive</ref>

In February 2010, Smothers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In May, he and his brother announced their retirement from touring.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In October 2010, he announced he had been diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus.<ref name="Maher 2010">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="FDHS">Template:Cite web</ref>

He is the father of six children — Dick Jr., Andrew, Steven, Sarah, Susan, and Remick.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Template:As of he resides in upstate New York. In September 2022, Smothers married Marie Navarolli Kropp.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1966	Alice Through the Looking Glass	Tweedledee
1989	Speed Zone	Nelson van Sloan
1995	Casino	Senator Harrison Roberts
1997	The Debtors
2009	The Informant!	Judge Harold Baker

Racing results

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year	Team	Co-Driver(s)	Car	Class	Laps	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip
1972	Template:Flagicon John Greenwood Racing	Template:Flagicon John Greenwood	Chevrolet Corvette C3	GTS +5.0	53	DNF	DNF

External links

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