Steve Martin | Magic Tricks | The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

Steve Martin's first major television appearance on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in 1968.
The Smothers Brothers
The Smothers Brothers, Tom and Dick, are one of the most iconic comedy duos in the history of television. Tom and Dick began performing as a duo in the late 1950s, playing in coffeehouses and clubs in San Francisco. Their act consisted of music, comedy, and witty banter, which quickly gained them a following.
The Smothers Brothers became a household name in the late 1960s with their variety show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. The show was groundbreaking in its approach to comedy, pushing the boundaries with political satire and social commentary. The show also featured up-and-coming musical acts, including The Doors and The Who, and introduced the world to comedians like Steve Martin and George Carlin.
The Smothers Brothers' irreverent style has made them a beloved and enduring force in American comedy.
#smothersbrothers, #stevemartin

[@evermar1]

The most amazing thing is he didn't have white hair.

[@paulcarey1708]

Weird, eh? Always assumed he went white when he was 20-25

[@gordonhenderson1965]

@@paulcarey1708 No kidding, I'm 57 now and he had white hair when I was 10

[@JACKnJESUS]

He was wearing a wig

[@bongodave13]

He did go gray prematurely. Some people do that. Looks good on him, though.

[@StamfordBridge]

@@JACKnJESUS Wig or just dyed hair?

[@UncleWally3]

And to think this man went on to have a career as a distinguished banjo player.

[@joelpartee594]

What's really impressive is the mystic toilet float went on to become a banjo.

[@freeanimals594]

But as he said long ago, it's a happy sound. You can't sing any negative, sad words playing a banjo! 🙃

[@TheActualJae]

And art critic

[@nunyanunya4147]

like Martian Short says 'its like Deliverance. its all fun and games till the banjo comes out..."

[@tashuntka]

And author.... **caresses his Cruel shoes book while chanting 'The Pointy Birds are pointy-pointy...anoint thy heads, anointy-nointy'**

[@NarffetWerlz]

What a talented young man. Can't wait to see what he makes of himself.

[@blkft]

He plays the banjo now.

[@freeanimals594]

He already has made himself. He's 77 years old.

[@joedruet1185]

@@freeanimals594 He looks good for 77

[@MrManfly]

@@joedruet1185 @freeanimals594 missed the joke 🤣

[@davidburns1753]

I am still baffled by Steve Martin's genius. I am smarter and worth millions less. What happened? Oh ... and I'm older too ... that's why he irritates me so much!!!

[@hadorstapa]

I love how he plays as if he put the candle up his left sleeve, even though he clearly didn't! Actually good sleight of hand!

[@pechaa]

Where did it go?

[@arcburn6340]

Up his right sleeve.

[@arcburn6340]

When he drops his arm fast afterwards hes breaking it.

[@PaulSmith-qs1es]

@@pechaa you can see it on the ground behind the table in a later shot. He just dropped it.

[@SaintBrick]

@@PaulSmith-qs1es The was the dove. Before the shot you can see it on the ground you can see him pick it up and toss it. The candle goes up the right sleeve.

[@TrishBlassingame]

Great memory. Saw this on TV when it originally aired. And by a stroke of magic, not long later, my parents bought a sofa and chair the same color as Steve's shirt :)

[@testfire3000]

lol

[@drewgeraci8434]

I strongly recommend Steve Martin's book Born Standing Up. It's really inspiring as he tells of his humble beginnings as a magician at a theme park. It's not a self-serving book, just positive vibes.

[@JamesGowan]

Bought, read and loved!

[@shugler]

Fantastic book! Seriously one of the most amazing yet grounded biographies I've ever read

[@chrisshockey8883]

His book Cruel Shoes is even better!

[@johnbauman4005]

​@@chrisshockey8883And who can forget his timeless poem, "Pointy Birds:" "Pointy birds, pointy pointy. Anoint me with your love, annointy 'nointy."

[@HanasDad]

"Cruel Shoes" is also worth checking out if it's still in print

[@raypierce5818]

He started out as a magician but always had more fun doing a parody of it. I built the magic he used in his first show headlining in Vegas.

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

He was also a brilliant banjo player.

[@user-br3ou2cs9o]

​@@SmallSpoonBrigade That, musicianship, is where I believe he shines brightest.

[@timward4301]

@@SmallSpoonBrigade He still is, but he used to be, too.

[@pjparkjd]

@@SmallSpoonBrigade Was? Did I miss something?

[@vincedibona4687]

@timward4301 Nice Mitch Hedburg reference.

[@bleuefish]

I remember watching this when it aired, as a kid. For weeks, my sister and I got in trouble, from ruining every Kleenex tissue in the house

[@geeeeeeeee787]

All charisma and stage presence!

[@James-kv6kb]

Was a professional magician for 30 years I called myself Mr Charisma lol

[@alexandercalder2143]

yes, total confidence as well

[@JJLewis-so1iq]

The smothers brothers was a great show. We never missed it.

[@NoahRobertGraves]

Ah! But do you miss it now? 🙂

[@JJLewis-so1iq]

@@NoahRobertGraves kinda

[@kidwave1]

Amazing what passed for "comedy" back then. Absolutely NONE of this was even worth a chuckle. The smothers brothers were about as funny as a double m@rder.

[@JJLewis-so1iq]

@@kidwave1 i guess were more easily entertained back then.

[@jamesbrice6619]

@@kidwave1 maybe you're simply a dark, depressed, jaded stick in the mud

[@crazypetemagicman]

I'm a magician and the Zombie being called a toilet float trick is hilarious to magicians LMFAO

[@James-kv6kb]

Same I retired after 30 years but yeah that one made me laugh

[@Vicki_Benji]

Can we take a moment to appreciate Steve Martin with no gray hair? These are some of his best performances, and I wish more people could see this.

[@CineSoar]

This reminds me of a bit he did, on Carson IIRC. He holds up a scarf and confidently, but obviously uses the scarf as cover for reaching into his suitcoat pocket. But, by his facial expression, you can see whatever he intended to produce, wasn't in that pocket (as the digging in his pocket gets even more obvious). So, he scrambles to regain his composure, and tries again in the opposite pocket. Still not there. He pauses a moment, as he fumbles around under the scarf, and with a dramatic flourish, he reveals... his wristwatch! Then, as he is setting up the next trick, he says "Watch... watch... [indicating his watch]... Watch."

[@patriciaalley1562]

I think we need to give him credit for a lot of the success of the Smothers Brothers as he was one of the writers and you can read him all over their routines.

[@bossfan49]

Not taking anything away from Steve, but the Smothers were a very popular act for years before the show. They had already released 9 comedy/music albums for their nightclub acts and several television appearances by then.

[@ronmorgan8214]

Tommy lines

[@jeaniebird999]

I'm 53 and can't, for the life of me, remember him with dark hair. He's such a gem. 🥰

[@cvn6555]

55 and me, neither. Seemed like he always looked prematurely old.

[@jeaniebird999]

@@cvn6555 He's like my grandad; had gorgeous, white hair as long as _anyone_ could remember. He said he went white by age 19.

[@earthstewardude]

He was 23 in this act and the year was 1968 - you were not born yet.

[@jeaniebird999]

@@earthstewardude I wonder what caused him to go white so quickly. 🤔 Wasn't it white by the time he got to SNL? All the women, in my family, desire to wind up with snow white hair, like our patriarch. I've been working on it for decades but mine is _still_ just gray. 😞

[@geraldhenrickson7472]

I first saw him at the Disneyland magic shop in 1971 and remember him because he seemed too young to have white hair. I did not know he had already been on a major television show until seeing this video. To this day I remember him being behind the counter doing slight of hand yet must admit it makes little sense all these years later. Oh well.

[@brendachase1814]

I had a funny friend who had a hall in her house where she had family photos on the wall, and there, among her family, was a smiling photo of Steve Martin! So unexpected and hilarious

[@vwlssnvwls3262]

Steve Martin has been a hero of mine my whole life, because he can make anything funny and amazing.

[@mrcat3493]

Steve Martin is a legend.

[@davidmccarthy6061]

Smothers Brothers was such a great show!!

[@etxkevin7452]

That candle one was awesome!! 🤣🤣🤣

[@James-kv6kb]

There's so many things you can do with those candles type in Jeff McBride

[@bonwatcher]

The predecessor of the Great Flydini. Steve Martin's showmanship is second to none.

[@TimmehJay]

I remember seeing this as a kid and stealing the napkin bit as an ice breaker for years to come. It usually just made people uncomfortable. Took me a lot longer to realize that part.

[@schnellfahren911]

That's a mixed bag, making people uncomfortable can be hilarious, but if the vibe isn't right it's not so fun. Props for being the guy who actually broke the ice, and I hope you're now surrounded with people who enjoy your humor

[@penguinista]

He is a genius performer with a ton of professional experience at this point. Making a Steve Martin joke or routine work is not easy like he makes it look to be!

[@neils5539]

His autobiography "Born Standing Up" is excellent. Very good reading.

[@rodneybray5827]

I'm way past idolizing anyone but Martin's body of work is inspirational. Kudos for him for having some success with so much hard work.

[@shockeye3863]

You have to appreciate how much time it took for Steve to dye his hair for this performance.

[@RyanConnell5150]

He went gray by the time he was 32. He was about 23 here depending on when this aired exactly in the year 1968.

[@rwspop]

@@RyanConnell5150 oh boy

[@normanacree1635]

He was travelling incognito

[@Ishai1]

This is his real hair color, he's been dyeing it gray since he was 30 for comedic effect. He's a genius.

[@FakingANerve]

​@@Ishai1😂👏👏👏

[@PhilFeedback]

Rest In Peace Tommy 😢 I’ll always remember the time we saw the Smothers Brothers perform at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel. “Dream the Impossible Dream”.

[@jcalli66]

Oh my god and holy shit. Seeing Steve Martin with no grey hair makes this something to be preserved forever.

[@terminat1]

God.

[@ChrisOnStage2]

I went to taping of The Midnight Special (Helen Reddy & Three Dog Night were there) and Steve Martin was the warm-up comedian. I was laughing my butt off while everyone else around me (including my then girlfriend) just sat there....silent. "He's not funny", she said to me. But I knew he was hilarious and going places!

[@ModGirl-nu1xk]

Similar to when I first saw him opening for The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band at a small venue in Atlanta. A few of us were in hysterics but the majority was... silent. Not very far into his routine some people began booing. All of a sudden he announced that he was going to do his famous disappearing act and he left the stage. I (and the few others) felt so bad for him and also irritated that we missed the rest of his act. Fast forward to about a year later and everyone thought he was the funniest thing ever. I wondered why it took them so long to catch up. 🤔

[@DawnDavidson]

People didn’t get his absolute deadpan delivery. They weren’t sure if they were supposed to laugh. Sort of the uncanny valley of humor. Honestly, it reminds me a bit of some of the British humor I’ve seen over the years. Maybe he just needed a wider audience who could appreciate his style? I’m glad he stuck with it. He’s really quite brilliant, and it’s been a joy to have him in the world. Fun to see him here with dark hair, too. By the time he was famous a decade later, he’d already started to go quite grey.

[@klartext2225]

Remember his Oscar opening monologues! Remember. And cry. Stuff like this will never ever come back again.

[@MikesOrganicVideos]

Awesome. He later did at least a few of these gags in his standup, in the '70's. Thanks for posting.

[@houdannycomedymagic8642]

He must have picked these up from the Disneyland Magic Shop, where he worked!

[@HolmanHal]

I notice many commenters are surprised to see Steve Martin here with dark hair. I'm in my 70s and also have white hair. But I dyed mine gradually so no one would notice. (Ba-dah-Boom!) I also saw Martin perform in-person back in the late 1970s or early 1980s at the Paladium Theater in Oakland, CA at the height of his popularity. A bonafide intellectual offstage, much of his banjo-accompanied act back then relied upon lots of off-the-wall physical antics. This included wearing a fake arrow through his head, being constantly plagued by "happy feet" and uttering exaggerated catch phrases such as "Well, excuuuse me." Unexpected twist: At the "end" of his show Martin invited the entire audience, some 1,000 strong (and a half dozen weak), to join him outside the theater for some typically obscure reason. So like lemmings to the sea, we all dutifully obliged by following him into the street where he resumed his now mostly ad-libbed comedy act for another 10-11 minutes. Steve Martin.....a certifiably "wild and crazy guy."

[@Vince_F]

He such “A WILD AND CRAZY GUY!!!😂

[@user-xt3bi1co3t]

That guy's wild and crazy

[@t.r.1442]

The part I love best is how he so perfectly recreated Dwight Schrute's look from the Office.

[@CrownRock1]

He was 23 when he did this performance, but he looks 30. Within the next two years, his hair would go completely gray, making him look 45 when he was only 25. And now, at 77 years old, he looks 45.

[@johndoe-cb5ck]

...and at 45 he only looked 50 but at 50 he looked 50 then at 60 he looked 50 and at 65 he looked 48 the when he was 70 he looked 46 1/2....

[@michaeljoefox]

Life before the internet. Appreciate your lives, kids.

[@judd442009]

"King Tut!"

[@bunpeishiratori5849]

He gave his life for tourism.

[@pete5123]

Yeah 😊

[@annabrown7302]

STEVE MARTIN FROM WACCO TEXAS LOVE HIM❤

[@chrismaggio7879]

"While I'm waiting for me to come out..." hahahah

[@TahoeJones]

First comedian ever to fill a stadium with audience.

[@janorhypercleats]

The most successful performer in the history of stand-up!!

[@annemarie1507]

No matter how weird and dumb, Martin always makes me laugh.

[@vincedibona4687]

Why do you call yourself weird and dumb? IOW, your sentence structure isn’t quite as good as you thought it was. 😉

[@jdssurf]

Steve is funny as hell, you just get his humor or you don't, seems ppl like to bag on him and say his not funny, how interesting those ppl say he's not, just because he's not to them. Real mature.

[@johndoe-cb5ck]

Jr...told you not watch youtube and definitely to not comment on youtube...you are so grounded !

[@terrytragianopoulos9345]

Steve Martin was Unique and Different right from the start Just incredibly funny and different Ten years from this broadcast on the Smothers Brothers he becomes the Biggest and most Successful Comedian in the USA

[@vincedibona4687]

Weird random capitalization of words and no punctuation. 🤷🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️😬

[@terrytragianopoulos9345]

@vincedibona4687 Vince are you some kind of weird guy who roams KZbin and corrects everyone's grammar and punctuation? Get a Life Guy!

[@reverendragnarok]

@@vincedibona4687 it's a very easy way to identify Boomers online, ain't it?

[@KassyKlown]

He still is the most perfect man to ever exist!

[@joeski734]

He is an artist with how he is so funny doing the stupidest things. But meticulous design and timing go into it. Amazing it's all right here right at the beginning.

[@smalls9852]

Rofl! Got a chance to see him perform recently and I have to say, his comedy still holds up lol

[@creeib]

He will never get off the ground 😂

[@kevinwalker7910]

It's funny b/c at the very beginning, audience not really sure what to make of him. "I'll be out in a minute, but before I get here..." They slowly began to get him. The seeds of greatness there.

[@jxchamb]

It was weird to hear silence at the beginning. Nowadays I crack up just looking at a image of Steve.

[@ronmartin4212]

It's neat to see him from back in the '60's,this,the Dating Game,etc.First I saw him was in '75,so this is great to see.

[@user-dq5xx9hi4q]

I never heard of Steve until I saw him on Saturday Night Live in the late 1970s. By then his hair was silver.

[@TinyFord1]

He’s the funniest comedian on movies and series in the world. It’s insane that even he had to start somewhere

[@00Jaxs013]

I love the subtlety of the act. You don't have that as much nowadays.

[@katherinehunter9526]

Oh Dear! Wait a minute while I wipe my tears away! Oh Tommy Smothers you " MR. YOYOMAN" were my favorite brother! 💞🙏🏻 I remember the TV nights when our family would pile into the den to watch " The Smothers Brothers Show"!. It was an hour of truly edgy 60'S entertainment. I remember the night your show had been canceled by the station for pushing the envelope. I think it was about your protesting of the War the US was sending boy's to in Vietnam!? We were heartbroken losing your show! But a few years later along came ROWEN MARTIN'S LAUGH IN TV and they BROKE all the TV regulations! So thankfully they Brought you and Dick on as guest's! Thanks for teaching us YOYO TRICKS and to always to "QUESTION AUTHORITIES"! REST in PEACE and LOVE forever TOMMY! I Thank both of you brother for truly touching my heart and soul as a pre-teen and affected my direction in life. 🕊❤ 💫🕯🎶 🧿 🙏🏻

[@jamesbrice6619]

Always watched this on Sunday nights

[@JMLRecording]

I know others probably said this too but … THAT BROWN HAIR!!!!!! Can’t get over it

[@angellacanfora]

He's a wild and crazy guy!

[@schnellfahren911]

I'm recognizing some Magic Johnathan inspiration. Man I loved that guy. I also truly love Steve, and old tv shows with their notations of recent history. Take note all you fame seeking youngsters out there, (especially if you didn't know who the Smothers Brothers are/were) the metaphor didn't go away: "fame is fleeting"

[@Patos619]

I love this man! Thank you 😊

[@franksalerno1904]

Interesting to me how the band and crew was trying to follow him or anticipate what he needed -subsequently stepping on a few of his jokes and flow. I’m reminded of how this grew into bits like ‘Excuse Me’ and with Howard Shore on SNL in the 70’s. His making fun of professional show business and satirizing slick entertainers has been widely chronicled. If you haven’t read or gotten the audiobook of Born Standing Up - it’s a wonderful quick read. He also put out a new audiobook on Spotify in Dec 2023 that Is fun for fans or a brief primer for you if you are discovering SM. Cheers

[@b5maddog]

Never heard of this man, but he seems like a wild and crazy guy.

[@alexandercalder2143]

from Bratislava

[@randomdude189]

He does most of these at the troubadour too. Such a funny guy. I also love the way old cameras captured the light and left tracers with movement.

[@daveydudely9954]

man he influenced me so much i remember doing a ridiculous magic show for our 8th grade campout at kingfisher lake, just like this one, in1975

[@sharktomesmiles]

I love you Tommy

[@oldpossum57]

Great band! I was completely unaware of this when I was a kid.

[@thatcriticvideo]

An oldie but goodie had me rolling

[@m.rg.5860]

Does anyone remember his “Best Fishes” autographed photo that came with one of his comedy albums? I had that in my dorm room in College for 4 years!!

[@rcnotes]

My mom taught me the napkin trick when I was about 5 years old in 1957. I wonder if she taught it to Steve Martin.

[@EweChewBrrr01]

I honestly think this is the only time I've seen Steve Martin without grey hair.

[@mikethebeginner]

This guy magically turned Steve Martin's hair BROWN. Astonishing.

[@magistrumartium]

I remember when he was a supporting goofball on the Sonny and Cher Show!

[@FactBuffet]

Steve Martin was in his early 20s here!

[@optimusprimus89]

An oldie but goodie .... i thought that was a phrase that started like 3 years ago

[@6lu5ky86]

Handsome young man, a great legacy.

[@ryanellis4474]

Front to back perfect and brilliant I will pray for America. 🇺🇸 Please pray for me. 🙏🏻 God Bless you. ✝️

[@sonnestt]

The new phone book's here!!!

[@boffo63]

I grew up on this and Laugh In

[@kidwave1]

Sorry

[@faustinreeder1075]

Lol

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

What's weird is that Steve Martin is also John Fogerty. Not sure how he pulled that off!

[@user-br3ou2cs9o]

Yes. 😂😂

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

@@RonCoop 😆

[@attorneyrobert]

That is a wild and crazy guy!

[@nealstarling5422]

Believe it or not Steve Martin has been around for a very long time he even had Elvis in his audience, he was selling out stadiums long before SNL and his movie career.

[@user-uz8sn1qv8y]

i was hoping this was the Great Flydini!!!

[@Beeznitchio]

That was great. The build-up was spectacular.

[@timbaldwin6283]

I'll never, ever, ever forget what Steve Martin told me one time. He said "Never..." No, wait. He said "Always..."

[@jeffallen55]

"Always keep a litter bag in your car. It doesn't take up much room, and if it gets full, you can just throw it out the window."

[@edwinearl4584]

He was 14 in this clip. 😂

[@Discrimination_is_not_a_right]

That was great. 😂😂

[@jasonite]

That's not bad! I like the wax candle bit

[@johncushing4474]

Don’t forget Super Dave Osborne was a writer on the Smothers Brothers too..!!!!

[@ModGirl-nu1xk]

Officer Judy!

[@michellepost3098]

As a young adult, he looks funny with brown hair. He said he started getting gray hair before he was thirty. I watched the 1960s smothers brothers show when new, and I was a child. Same with Laugh-In.

[@dougalexander7204]

A unique artist who painted it well.

[@jonmyers8681]

Smothers Brothers gave Steve Martin his start, as well as George Carlin

[@maggierioux6501]

I remember seeing George Carlin on the Ed Sullivan Show several times -- in a suit and tie!

[@Sevenmountainisevil]

Legend

[@erc1971erc1971]

I think this is the first time I have ever seen him with dark hair!

[@TheLvBret]

Simply the best ever

[@les4767]

HOLY SHIT! He DID have color in his HAIR!!!!!

[@jdssurf]

love him always

[@connecticutaggie]

I am glad he got better.

[@rustneversleeps01]

He was born a poor black child in Mississippi

[@slimtimm1]

He was 23 at the time and I had just been born

[@eightinches3671]

So it's the late 60's and Dick grows a mustache and Tommy lets his sideburns grow long 😆😆

[@Mets_xx_Fan_01]

Steve Martin is a genius

[@Fibonaccisghost]

Looks like the Great Flydini