Description

Richard Remick Smothers is an American actor, comedian, composer, and musician, best known as one half of the folk‑comedy duo the Smothers Brothers, alongside his older brother Tom Smothers. Performing since the late 1950s, the brothers blended traditional folk music, Dick on double bass and vocals with satirical banter, eventually gaining national fame through their television shows, The Smothers Brothers Show (1965–66) and the groundbreaking The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967–69), which challenged censorship and addressed social issues of the Vietnam War era. Beyond the duo, Smothers pursued acting, including a serious role as a corrupt Nevada state senator in Martin Scorsese’s Casino (1995). Active intermittently through 2019, he remains notable for his contributions to musical comedy and television history.