What's My Line? - Tom & Dick Smothers; PANEL: Steve Allen, Dina Merrill (Jan 29, 1967)

MYSTERY GUEST: Tom & Dick Smothers
PANEL: Arlene Francis, Steve Allen, Dina Merrill, Bennett Cerf
NOTE: Closing credits added from an older rerun pre-GSN-credit-crunching.
Many thanks to Steve M. Russo for providing this episode in much higher quality than the version I had previously. Folks interested in high quality, well packaged, well-edited DVDs of WML (and other game shows) can contact him directly for more information at [e-mail].
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[@RobJazzful]

I met Tom Smothers at the Gerald Ford Golf Tournament, and told him (truthfully) that he had made me laugh as much as anybody ever. He seemed genuinely humbled and grateful. It made me feel terrific, so always tell those you admire that you do.

[@lynettepalecek3141]

@Rob Johnson. Wow! Lucky you! I would have loved to have met Tom Smothers. Did you get his autograph? If I did, I would frame it. That is so cool!

[@joemackojc2811]

The two had a great routine going with a straight guy and a goof. I, in my opinion believe that Dick pretty much carried the routine, well at least he was always my favorite. I'm not so sure that I even have the names right after not seeing either of them on any other shows. But both were entertaining and they made my night as a kid on Sunday nights.

[@serpentines6356]

@@joemackojc2811 Tom was the one with blonde hair. Dick had the brown hair. Tom Smothers lives in my area, has a winery, but I haven't met him. His wife did some radio shows around these parts for awhile. She is super perky, and extrovert.

[@serpentines6356]

@@lynettepalecek3141 Tom Smothers lives in my area, has a winery, but I haven't met him. His wife did some radio shows around these parts for awhile. I called in one time and talked to her. She is super perky, and extrovert.

[@lynettepalecek3141]

@@serpentines6356 That's great that you got the chance to talk to Tom's wife! It sounds like she's a very charming person. That's wonderful! I know that even though Tom played the comedian in the Smothers Brothers routine, off stage he was exceptionally bright. One routine that they did that really sticks in my mind that they did a few decades ago (I think that it was in the 1980s) was "The Vat of Chocolate." It was hilarious! Lol.

[@judilynn9569]

So bitter sweet to see The Smothers Brothers in this episode after news of us losing Tommy just this past week. I adored them and never missed an episode of their show. ♥

[@kathybrigger9431]

This seems like yesterday to me. When I watch these old clips I remember them so clearly like no time has passed. I graduated high school in early June that year.

[@EMomp]

My family got to see the Smothers brothers in person, Dick was awesome enough to take a picture with us, I won't forget that kindness, it meant the world to my sons and it still does to me ☺️

[@magnificentfailure2390]

In late '71 or early '72, Tommy Smothers toured through Tucson on the Duncan Yo-Yo circuit. He performed at my school and then later that weekend at the shopping center nearest my house. I still have the Butterfly he sold me for $2. That was a ridiculous amount for a toy back then but, wow.

[@NondescriptMammal]

Duncan Yo-Yo Circuit would make a great name for a rock band

[@TomBarrister]

Daly's comeback to Cerf of "This will be one of the few Sunday nights when I don't look like two (of myself) to you," was a gentle rib of the fact that Cerf, while by no means an alcoholic or a drunkard, did put away a decent amount of liquor in social settings. The Ryba twins were also cheerleaders for the original Houston Oilers in the upstart American Football League and also did some work in Las Vegas.

[@poetcomic1]

Smothers Brothers, how many modern comics make you laugh and HAPPY at the same time. There was something so funny and yet so sweet about their humor.

[@SteveCarras]

Correct. Compared to the Stepehn Colberts and Roseanne Arnolds..

[@slaytonp]

During the later TV episodes, of "The Smothers Brothers," their political humor, although I totally agreed with their views, was anything but sweet, albeit still very funny, even for people who missed the primary political point. They worked very hard slipping things by the censors, who didn't always get the primary point they would have censored, if they had. The brothers eventually got themselves cancelled for refusing to kowtow to the censors. They are my heroes.

[@gabbyg7315]

I remember how upset I was when their show was cancelled. They didn't have to resort to vulgarity for laughs, as is so common today, but relied on their extremely clever humour (and clever tap-dancing around the censors) as well as playing off each other as brothers (and I did find the Mom loved you more thread funny and a little sweet).

[@bandfromtheband9445]

God, I loved this show! It could get so hilarious! This was well before my time!

[@amethystanne4586]

12 year old Me was in the 7th grade when the Smothers Brothers’ Show first came on. I loved it!

[@judilynn9569]

I was 8 at the time and loved the show. Never missed it.

[@leeroyholloway4277]

I had a few beers with Tommy Smothers one evening when I was touring playing music. He was a hoot. He was also well respected for being the brains behind their business, despite the persona.

[@KennethHavlat]

And he has had a award winning winery for years.

[@basilmarasco1975]

I saw Tommy at the bar in the lounge of the Riviera Hotel in 1983 or '84 but didn't have a beer with him. Dick and he were appearing there at the time. Jim Stafford was their opening act. He was there too (at the bar).

[@elisabethvalade9866]

I think Tommy HAD TO BE brainy, to pull everything off that he did. So quick, so--well, just so very entertaining, consistently!!

[@MSSmith1022]

Tom Smothers and his 'Yo-Yo Man' was such a fun part of the show to watch.

[@lindaconstantineau1358]

The Smothers Brothers are among my very favorites. They are comedy legends .

[@samnataluk2604]

What's my line was a great show. Miss it.

[@laurabeane8862]

It would work better today than "To Tell The Truth". Everyone has Google now 😝

[@anntaylor2039]

I like the way Arlene watches the people she thinks are cute, handsome, or pretty all the way out as they greet the Panel.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

A week from tonight the much heralded and trendsetting "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour[" would premiere on CBS from 9-10pm, replacing the new version of Garry Moore's variety hour. It may seem tame today, but this show was groundbreaking, and I think helped make the landscape possible for urban, hip 70's shows like "All In The Family, Maude, Mary Tyler Moore, Laugh In and many more. For this alone (they were already very big on TV and records) Tom and Dick deserve to be in the TV Hall of Fame. It changed everything. CBS vice presidents looked on in horror. This was to television what The Beatles were to everything else.

[@rebeccaquartieri5509]

As a young girl I enjoyed their routines

[@karlschwinbarger105]

Wow, that's pretty obvious I would have thought. But after fifty years maybe people today are clueless.

[@serpentines6356]

@@karlschwinbarger105 People don't understand because adults need to pass on history of our culture. The good, and bad. Not the lies the politically correct bs new teachers are wanting to pass on these days. America is great because we have liberty, have made great inroads, and our ancestors worked very hard and lost lives for our benefit Let's not ruin that.

[@fredericmartin7148]

@@serpentines6356 Sad to say, it IS ruined now, all ruined.

[@serpentines6356]

@@fredericmartin7148 Well, it's a good thing you weren't in charge on D-Day.

[@brahilly]

Tommy Smothers, we will miss you dearly. God bless and keep you.

[@nowvoyagerNE]

i was newly 13 years old when this aired. i sure do remember the Smothers Brothers....and by the way...mom always liked you best!

[@KetogenicKim]

Yessssss. I loved the smother's brother's show.

[@lynettepalecek3141]

@nowvoyagerNE. Lol. That was one of Tom Smothers famous lines that he said to his brother Dick. Yeah. That's a good one.

[@grantwsullivan9852]

So much fun seeing my cousins the Smothers Brothers on TV a week before their groundbreaking Comedy Show. 🙂 But also so much fun that the Contestants were all Pairs of Siblings (or Twins). 🙂

[@libertyann439]

So neat to see new acts while they are so young before they knew if they would be successful or not.

[@kenretherford6428]

Want to chat?

[@joet840]

Twins with the 60's hair, WOW, and speak in unison. Cool.!!

[@nancycurtis488]

Joseph T. I used to wear my hair just like that in high school and rolled it wet on orange juice cans and had to sleep on my stomach...so glad we don’t have to do that today but my hair did look wonderful.

[@commandoxy]

Dina Merrill was always a class act!

[@alanhumphrey4198]

Always so beautiful...

[@poetcomic1]

She was spectacularly wealthy and worked for the fun of it.

[@janetmarletto6667]

It's in her DNA. She grew up at Maralago with a regal mother, Marjorie Merriweather Post...connected to several powerful families. This a background that Arlene would have appreciated.

[@drumbum3.142]

@@alanhumphrey4198 SUCH A Pretty 🤝 Beautiful Chuckle, and Expression at the 17:12 mark☺️

[@1868foxpoint]

Wonder if the cute naval twins are still alive? The Smothers Brothers certainly are!

[@ColonelSpankysLostBattalion]

Joan and Jane Ryba were cheerleaders at Rice University in the mid 1950s

[@woodykelleher9253]

Why, then, does Rice play Houston? --JFK, 1962.

[@ruthiemay423]

An era of class, intelligence, sophistication and style. At least it is until the "wolf" whistles. 😍😍😍

[@virghammer1]

I mostly must agree ❤😂🎉.

[@amethystanne4586]

It was a different time.

[@Ridersonthestorm8899]

​@@amethystanne4586In looks i think a better time, the cars, clothes, music, movies,the women❤ all looked better then i feel.

[@lwmson]

They pointed out that the brothers were about to make their debut of their comedy hour on CBS, but I'm sure no one at the time realized how groundbreaking and controversial their show would be.

[@ClueSign]

I believe this was their short-lived sitcom, not their famous and controversial variety show.

[@lwmson]

@@ClueSign No, that show you are referring to came out in 1965 and only lasted a season.

[@scottmiller6495]

Absolute class these two gentlemen were brilliant and superb!

[@originalmatchgame]

Tom is one of the great yo yo artists in the world !

[@lynettepalecek3141]

@Barry G. Oh, yeah! I remember that Tom Smothers was an expert with the yo-yo. I had forgotten that. Thank you for reminding me of that. I used to watch him on TV 📺 do tricks with it. He was amazing and so much fun to watch.

[@alansorensen5903]

I heard, years ago, that he was also a top collegiate gymnast. Think I'll go Google him.

[@Dragon.Thistle.112]

I love how the first two sisters speak in unison. So sweet!

[@michaelinminn]

Great observation. I felt the same. Gotta love the flip hair style as well!

[@mistiinseattle]

lol and I find it incredibly irritating. )

[@drumbum3.142]

@@mistiinseattle You Sue, and one (or two) others are in no way required to listen; you know. (?)😐😐 ) There is this little thing called subtitles.. 😐 ) They Are Beautiful, Pretty, Sweet, Well-Spoken. - and Tactful.. . )

[@mistiinseattle]

@@drumbum3.142 Are you the KZbin Police.:)

[@drumbum3.142]

@@mistiinseattle Nope. Are You the KZbin Balloon Poppers, and/or Naysayers Association. 😐

[@virghammer1]

Man, o man: Pretty astounding that Arlene was almost 60 years old here, eh?! Wow. Go, Arlene ! ❤ PS : Gotta love Bennett Cerf’s fabulous biblical quotation for JC Daly, “He multiplieth words but understandeth them not.” Lol 🤣 Right up there w/ a lot of Shakespeare’s best insults… I guess “As U Like It” & “Coriolanus,” maybe, come quickest to mind? “You lisp and wear strange suits !!” - 🤣 🤣. “ - Wit, whither wilt?!”

[@mariannecoon7250]

I love the smothers brothers and warched their show every week.

[@savethetpc6406]

Arlene looks *fabulous* in this episode! (imho)

[@lorrainem8234]

Yes! That gown is beautiful 😍

[@michaelbaucom4019]

When does she not?

[@ilzamaria6424]

@@lorrainem8234 What a lovely dress !

[@donnawoodford6641]

I see the garment more as an evening ball gown rather than for day time use.

[@woodykelleher9253]

Hello, nurse!! BOING!!

[@lynettepalecek3141]

I loved watching the Smothers Brothers perform. They had a good sense of humor. I remember the "chocolate in the vat" routine that they did. Tom was the comedian and Dick was the straight one. Tom played the guitar 🎸 and Dick played the cello. I think that Tom is older than Dick.

[@dizzyology7514]

Yes, all correct except that it was a string bass, not a cello.

[@lynettepalecek3141]

@@dizzyology7514 Okay. Thank you for correcting me. I appreciate it. 🙂

[@maureendevries1904]

Yes

[@richatlarge462]

I like the twins theme they had. Those Ryba sisters looked like Mary Tyler Moore would look three years later, in the first season of her show, wearing a wig.

[@tomhavens6006]

This is the first time I’ve watched WML after Dorothy, and I have to say she’s missed! It’s still a good show but a void definitely exists!

[@GLC2013]

I agree. It was never the same after she was gone.

[@narajuna]

Her and Arlene made the show.

[@jackkomisar458]

At 22:54, Bennett asks, "Are there any more at home like you two girls?" He is referencing a famous song, "Tell me pretty maiden" from the 1900-1902 production "Florodora", which came to New York from the London Operetta and is said to be the first musical comedy to permeate world-wide popular culture. In the song, six male clerks sing to six Florodora Girls, "Tell me, pretty maiden, are there any more at home like you?" The show was popular with amateur theater groups, particularly in Britain, into the 1950's.

[@macmcleod1188]

That is really cool information. Thank you

[@samdash4706]

The lovely Ryba twins were at least semi-celebrities already, having appeared on a few shows already. Former cheerleaders and Vegas showgirls, they were by this time convention models. To say they "sold barbells" wasn't exactly accurate; more precisely, they had made a couple of appearances at trade shows for the barbell company. They ended up going to dinner with the Smothers Brothers after the show. Jane unfortunately passed away in 2001. Joan is married and lives in Texas.

[@mathewfullerton8577]

They also were incorrect in the answer about the product being used in sport. It (a barbell) is used in weightlifting, an Olympic sport.

[@richatlarge462]

Joan passed away in 2019, eighteen years after Jane.

[@samdash4706]

I'm sorry to hear she has passed away. I recall reading (in a Rice University alumni magazine if I recall, where the twins had been cheerleaders) that they had been invited to be on Twenty-One (of "Quiz Show" scandal infamy). They had responded that they did not feel qualified to do so, but were informed "it wouldn't be a problem", essentially letting them know what was up.

[@dollyyoder9410]

9:15 NHh​@@samdash4706

[@Beson-SE]

Bennett: I just think it's a lucky thing there aren't two John Dalys up there. John: Well this be one of the few Sunday nights when I don't look two to you! (Good one John!!) 5:11

[@jcmick8430]

Was that to insinuate that Mr Bennett is a drunk!

[@loissimmons6558]

It was part of the friendly repartee between John and Bennett, similar to the fake feud between Jack Benny and Fred Allen.

[@nealsausen4651]

jcmick84 ; Yes!

[@JayTemple]

I love John's comeback around 5:00. Also, Steve underestimates how many branches the military has. I assume he was forgetting the Air Force and the Coast Guard.

[@caremell]

JayTemple how come there is marine and Navy ? Isnt it both sea section of army ?

[@zarabada6125]

@@caremell In the US, the Navy and the Marines have separate command structures and report independently to the Department of the Navy. The Marines' most senior officer is a General and the Navy's most senior officer is an Admiral. The army is another distinct body and reports to the Department of the Army. Other countries have their military structured in different ways. For example, in the UK the Royal Marines report to an Admiral in the Royal Navy (although as a ceremonial position, the Royal Marines and Royal Navy have different members of the Royal family as their figurehead - the Royals rarely get involved in operational activities and their main interaction is at ceremonies and parades).

[@caremell]

Zarabada thank you for the extent info

[@twinsonic]

@@caremell you could have googled that yourself..

[@cinibar]

It was a sad shame what happened to the Smothers Brothers Show just because the political elite couldn't handle the truth, which they were so great at displaying.

[@geraldkatz7986]

Leftists hadn't taken over Hollywood yet. It would happen soon.

[@Nan-59]

I was just reading about that in Wikipedia.

[@bogieviews]

@@Nan-59 It's interesting that now the left has taken over almost everything and if not stopped, our, and their, demise is imminent.

[@virghammer1]

You sure have that right, “cinibar!” ( or “correct / accurate,” I prob. should’ve said. Ugh. Wcyd ? 🤷‍♀️. - U. G. H.

[@sshelget]

JUST LIKE TODAY

[@ToddSF]

Tom and Dick Smothers had a half-hour sitcom on CBS, "The Smothers Brothers Show", that aired for one season, 1965-66, 32 episodes. They played brothers, one of whom, Tom, had died. He came back as a fledgling angel assigned to help specific people, always involving his living brother Dick in problematic ways. They sang the theme song which contained the line "There are miracles that start, but they always come apart". Then, in 1967 came their variety show on CBS, "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour". It ran until 1969 and was quite a hit, especially among younger people. High schoolers like me loved it -- they had great musical guests such as Simon & Garfunkel whom they'd use in comedy sketches. The show was abruptly canceled because some of the comedy in the show involved political satire, questioned authority and some of it even questioned our involvement in the Vietnam War. It became even more popular among a younger age group for all of that and had good ratings. Tom and Dick had hoped to move the show to the San Francisco Bay Area so they could be closer to home -- figuring if Jackie Gleason could do his show from Florida, they could do theirs from Northern California. They were in the Bay Area searching for a venue for taping the show when they got the news that the show was being abruptly canceled in violation of the contract CBS had with the Smothers Brothers. Sad--because the show was both entertaining and funny and it asked relevant questions via music and comedy. A very young Steve Martin (age 22 to 24) was one of the writers and used to appear as an extra in some of the comedy sketches -- his hair was still black then.

[@TomBarrister]

And after that, they had their own hour-long variety show for two years (67-68 and 68-69, and a revival that ran in 1993. Oddly, their show was pulled by CBS because it was too risque for that era. Today it would be considered tame.

[@oughtssought1198]

The variety show lasted 3 seasons, a week after this show thru spring of '67 was the first apt addition to your useful career resume relevant to this show is that the Smothers Brothers credit Steve Allen with giving their career a huge early boost there were several people who made the best '50s TV far better than the wasteland of homogenized, redundant, inane, bigoted irrelevance '60s network TV became Steve Allen was among the best of those "several people" on '50s network TV

[@mona2242]

@@TomBarristerthey had my utmost respect for risking their job for the sake of peace, love and brotherhood. Who ,I ask, would be brave enough today to get up on stage and tell it like it is?

[@hiyapal7719]

5:23 Jon Daly had a perfect comeback. Lol 😂😂😂

[@stephenwoehr6500]

Wow! Tommy hasn't changed a bit!

[@nancycurtis488]

I met Dick Smothers at Green Valley Raceway in Smithfield, Tex. soon after this as Dick was very into racing formula cars. He was nice but his new second wife was SO stuck up in her leather mini- skirt and full length mink coat walking around in the pit area. He was shorter then I thought he was, very good looking but very thin. It was a fun time.

[@ianman1516]

I had the pleasure of meeting the Smothers Brothers. Two classy guys. And the same offstage as they are when they are performing.

[@neilmcdonald9164]

Here in the UK,if remembered at all,the brothers are remembered for the Who's infamous appearance 🎩

[@princeharming8963]

Ms Merril is now 92, and lives within walking distance of me. And just as lovely and gracious as ever!

[@michaelbarnhart2593]

So sad that she died in May. :-(

[@poetcomic1]

Immensely wealthy and if she acted and did TV shows etc. it is because she ENJOYED it. Classy lady.

[@jess4metoo]

She seemed like such a classy lady. Lucky to have been neighbors.

[@fenwaypark1725]

Prince Harming going on your post 3 years ago, my god the Clintons have to live close. You have my sympathy

[@fenwaypark1725]

s g you better put some ice on that, Juanita.

[@VahanNisanian]

The last time it was Twins' night was July 3, 1960. I still think the best gimmick they did was all the contestants as famous Mystery Guests (October 24, 1965).

[@davidsanderson5918]

Vahan Nisanian I like the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker episode.

[@richatlarge462]

@@davidsanderson5918 especially because Bennett had made such a comment previously, but then wasn't able to guess it when it actually happened. I remember the frustrated look on his face.

[@Rodin99]

Loved them and as others wrote, also had a ground breaking show, cancelled for calling up the ire of the CBS executives.

[@karlschwinbarger105]

Clever, clever John Charles Daly. That publisher was always jealous.

[@davidsanderson5918]

Karl Schwinbarger I've watched hundreds of episodes and not seen 'the publisher' being 'jealous' of Daly at all. In fact they are even stevens with the upper hand as far as teasing each other goes.

[@donnawoodford6641]

The two wordsmiths seemed to taunt each other in ways that felt like a friendly challenge. Bennett tried novel ways to introduce Daly. John, as a host, arguably had a golden tongue when explaining guests' responses.

[@kali8188]

Bennett: "Do you ever get 'smothered' by the fans around you?" Bad pun, Bennett!!

[@serpentines6356]

I live the puns, and word play.

[@lynettepalecek3141]

@Kali. I liked that pun.

[@Luvyourfam4ever]

Arline’s dress is gorgeous!!!

[@gregmoorhead7203]

A fun episode!!!

[@Beson-SE]

When the second twins enter you can hear Bennett say "Oh no!". :) 9:54

[@cluny]

I was in 8th grade in PHX when I saw this. Ten years later I was in Denver working for EF Hutton. The father of Dina Merrill.

[@loissimmons6558]

Did everyone listen to you?

[@wholeNwon]

But "where are the customers' yachts?"

[@519djw6]

I think this was the most ingenious and delightful of the WML post-Kilgallen episodes: to have siblings--and with the exception of the Smothers Brothers---twins as contestants! I was especially taken with the the Ryba sisters: Not only were they gorgeous, but, as someone especially interested in the origin of surnames, I will add here that "Ryba," or some variation thereof, means "fish" in most slavic languages. (By the way, the Smothers Brothers spent part of their boyhood in my hometown of Tujunga, California; and even made mention of that suburb of Los Angeles in one of their skits on their own show.)

[@savethetpc6406]

519DJW I thought this was a great and cleverly conceived episode, too! I don't know if you saw the article linked elsewhere on this page by nandofigueira2005 or not, but if you'd like to know more about the Ryba twins, I highly recommend it! (ricehistoricalsociety.org/images/cornerstones/Cornerstone_S09.pdf)

[@WhatsMyLine]

SaveThe TPC The thing is, this was a recycled idea they had done before with identical twins (which is actually a lot more interesting). In finally watching this last season which I mostly missed in reruns, I'm finding that they were relying very heavily on repeating lines they had used many times already, much more so than ever before. One of the few "new" gimmicks they tried was the Frank Sinatra-Mia Farrow episode, and I don't think anyone had a good reaction to that one. They reused a contestant, too.

[@519djw6]

SaveThe TPC Thank you very much for the link. The interesting thing to me was that "selling barbells" was only a job they did for a very short time. It seems that they used this short-term work as a pretext for getting them on the show with the other twins (and of course the Smothers Brothers).

[@savethetpc6406]

519DJW It could also be that of all the things they did, the barbell-selling was the line that the WML producers chose to focus on, since it was more interesting and challenging than "showgirl," dancer, or actress. nandofigueira2005 really deserves the credit for finding and linking the article. I just copied and pasted the link from his earlier post. What's My Line? I'd have to re-watch the other twins episode before make any definitive comparisons between this episode and that one, but I don't think that reusing a successful gimmick that was used only once before, more than 5 years earlier, is such a bad thing. And for that matter, I think reusing the same contestant (i.e., saddlemaker Helen Corwin) used 8 years earlier is pretty darn clever! I seem to remember that there was one show that I either saw or read about (either the last episode or maybe an anniversary episode?) in which they deliberately used the same contestants who had been on the very first WML episode! I think that's quite a good gimmick, so I don't fault them for it at all. Yeah, they've reused several occupations we've seen multiple times before too, but many of them still managed to stump the panel, so even that's not so bad, in my opinion.

[@WhatsMyLine]

SaveThe TPC Well, they're stumping the panel cause the panel isn't playing the game all that well in these shows, in my opinion. There's a whole lot of haphazard random guessing one after another eating up many no's in quick succession, and very little teamwork where the panelists are picking up well on the lines of questioning of those preceding them. The show just feels a bit tired to me at this point. I thought perhaps this was just due to the overexposure of having my life centered around WML for a year and a half, but I went back this week and watched a handful of totally randomly selected episodes from the 1950s, and every one of them made me laugh out loud. Most of them had at least one contestant with a really surprising/interesting line, too, which I don't find to be the case in these final season shows. It doesn't exactly serve my selfish interests as a channel owner to be airing these opinions, but I don't care. :) I've had it pretty strongly confirmed in this rewatch that I wasn't mistaken in my memory that I drifted out of the reruns on GSN around these episodes because I wasn't enjoying them nearly as much. But I'm not saying it wasn't still a good show, of course.

[@ruthiemay423]

After the Sullivan brothers, siblings are not permitted to serve on the same ship.

[@cate4310]

I was 11 years old when this episode came out. My gosh, time as flown by.

[@randysills4418]

Cate Don't feel bad, I was 14! Where does time go? It's frightening!

[@SteveCarras]

I was (it's 1967 in this clip) 6.

[@davidsanderson5918]

I was only four months old in January 67.

[@TheCosmicVagabond]

I was born in 1956 also. Too bad I've been dead for five years. 😵

[@kentetalman9008]

I was already 21.

[@spudwas]

Wow, less than 5 months away from Tommy hosting "Monterey Pop Festival."

[@joecaroselli5858]

If you notice, in these later episodes, John Daly started to say "would you ENTER and sign in, please?" This is what I remembered hearing when I watched it in the '60's as a kid. I like this invitation by J.D. better than the earlier "would you COME IN, and sign in, please?" I feel that it's somewhat redundant with the word "in" being said twice in the earlier shows. I think the word "enter" instead of "come in" flowed more smoothly. I am glad that he changed it, but whichever way that he said it... John Dailey was a fantastic moderator!

[@bneale]

The Smother's Brothers being hip while the panel tells "Dad" jokes.

[@lindaroper2654]

I use to wear the flip hair do in high school in 68 .

[@annakaminski4406]

What a fun show to watch.

[@kristabrewer6736]

I love the top of Arlene's Dess!

[@marcsonnenberg623]

Fill my eyes with that double vision No disguise for that double vision Ooh, when it gets through to me, it's always new to me My double vision gets the best of me Foreigner

[@leannsherman6723]

Those girl twins were adorable - and what fun to have a twins theme!

[@edmundpower1250]

Which ones ?

[@ddruxman3579]

Well, I join so many commenters who have seen the Smothers Brothers in person. I was 9 or 10 and went for a family trip to the Ohio State Fair, a fantastic event and tradition for the native Ohioans, as I was then. There was an enclosed outdoor stage for entertainment acts, but if I remember correctly, you had to buy an admission ticket even though you were already in the Fair. Our whole family were already Smothers Brothers on TV fans, and what luck! They were appearing at the Fair (among other known celebrities, but I'll leave them out here). We bought tickets, viewed the rather short act, and laughed uproariously, all ages. Then, my brother and I discovered it was super easy to sit behind the gaps in the very makeshift wooden partition right up behind the stage they were on, and we stuck around to sneak-view the next at least 3 rounds of their acts. Though each one was essentially the same, none were verbatim, and full of original ad libs. Fun and laughs over and over!

[@bobcrestwood740]

John Daly gave it away when he said "mystery guests" before the Smothers Brothers came on.

[@secondstring]

Since the panel had already seen two sets of twins in a row, it's pretty certain that they got the theme. I don't think he gave away too much.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Tommy was almost 3 years older than Dickie....("Tom" - born February 2, 1937) and Richard ("Dick" - born November 20, 1939),

[@Beson-SE]

+Joe Postove And what about Harry?

[@if6was929]

I see what you did there!

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Next Sunday "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" would premiere on CBS at 9PM.

[@TacomaPaul]

At 4:24... the twins both blinked at the same time ! ;-)

[@stephenmichalski2643]

Why did I at first keep thinking of and have a craving for Doublemint gum? This show really should be resurrected....... its entertaining as hell.

[@faithtvonline]

Nothing entertaining about hell, but I agree this show is wonderful. 😀😆

[@richatlarge462]

Ooh thanks for reminding me about the Doublemint twins, I haven't thought of them (or the gum) in decades. Off to Google I go!

[@motnosniv]

Two people, one personality.

[@karengummer6657]

I love the dress of Arlene Francis. She is so elegant

[@soulierinvestments]

Dina Merill was popular with G-T through the years. She appears in the fifties, and in the sixties, and in syndication.

[@Beson-SE]

Barbara Hutton was her cousin.

[@bigwilson8794]

+soulierinvestments Hate to say it, but she was remarkably boring

[@joycejean-baptiste4355]

It's fascinating how the twins speak in unison most of the time. Also it was kinda scary to me when I was about 6 years when my grandpa died and his identical twin brother was at the funeral, it really scared the living daylights out of me because, I never noticed that they were identical. My mom calmed me down and reminded me that was Grandpa's identical twin. Fascinating phenomena and the science behind it. Thanks for the video.

[@karenleemallonee684]

I am a huge Smothers Brothers fan! 🌼

[@nankerphelge3771]

The twins who sold barbells were delightful.

[@GodsFavoriteBassPlyr]

My God, what a great come-back by John - Almost over the top for these times, But Bennett had it coming! Dina Merrill, daughter of Marjorie Merriwhether Post and E.F. Hutton, turning 92 in December, 2015 - still alive and well on Palm Beach.

[@beadyeyedbrat]

She passed away in 2017

[@michellepost3098]

When I was a child I watched the Smothers Brothers show when it was new.

[@soulierinvestments]

"A Warm Body." In Gil Fates's fictitious example of a WML introduction for his book, Steve Allen announces that Arlene will soon star in a play entitled "The Body in Bed," to which fictitious Arlene's responds, "I want to assure our friends that the body to which it refers is not mine." Somehow thought of that when Steve Allen announced Dina Merill's new play.

[@gavinjohns1953]

The Smothers on the eve of their first Comedy Hour

[@13loomisst]

Thanks very much.

[@AndrewMacLaine]

Was Tommy Smothers low-key throwing shade on Bennet's "habit" of correctly guessing celebrities too quickly? He looked at him dead in the eye and said "How did you- did you just come up with it out of the top of your head?" I wanted to run into the screen and high five him for that!

[@loissimmons6558]

It also sounded like Tommy could have done a fair job of imitating John's convoluted obfuscating answers.

[@DarkLight753]

While I'm a big (British) fan of WML...it's intriguing going through the episodes, looking at the air dates and knowing some of the news events that were going on at the same time. For instance, this aired just a couple of days after the Apollo 1 fire on January 27.

[@TheJMascis666]

DarkLight753 and the same day as Bobby Baker was found guilty of corruption.

[@caremell]

I wonder if you buy into that Army went to moon two years later ?

[@willer3399]

@@caremell I thought it was the Navy.

[@catherinezoller4451]

Oh, my gosh, Tommy is funny!

[@maynardsmoreland]

"The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" wasn't expected to be a success. It replaced Garry Moore's comeback show and was opposite top-rated "Bonanza." But younger viewers were attracted to the humor and social satire, and the show became a hit until CBS had had enough of the controversy surrounding the show.

[@rebeccaquartieri3564]

maynardsmoreland As a 4/5 yr old, I enjoyed the routine between Tom and Dick Smothers and was oblivious to any controversity!

[@SteveCarras]

@@rebeccaquartieri3564 I did,too, but they had less of political and also a very good mix of other elements, too on those Mercury Records albums, like CURB YOUR TONGUE, KNAVE, SIBLING RIVALRY, AESOP'S FABLES THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS WAY (the on that I'm most familiar with and one of the best), MOM ALWAYS LIKED YOU BEST (LOL! NATURAL choice for the TITLE! :)), TWO SIDES OF THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS (Where the boys sing partly comic and partly straight..which brings us to....), THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS PLAY IT STRAIGHT, and others (largely pre-SMOTHERS BROTHERS HOUR) records. Oh. Casting directors always seemed to like Tommy best during the 1970s, as shown by his appearances in specials like ZIGGY,1970s.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

John has been working with three of these panelists between 13 and 16 or so years, and HE KNOWS that their little wheels are always spinning. So when he says "Thinking we'll have you seeing double before we're through" I can hear the clickity clack of the panel's minds turning this over. Of course John is giving a giant clue that the MG will be a duo. How many are there, and how many questions will it take before they narrow it down (particularly since they are CBS' new darlings)? Gee wiz, John!

[@jacquelinebell6201]

The naval twins were almost taller than Steve! And thats saying somethi g.

[@vickisawyer7405]

Jif, the hotel that I work at still has Jiff. Can't say the same for "Stoppette"

[@bowtoyoursensei554]

RIP Tommy. ❤❤❤

[@kevindeibert3369]

Very pretty too ! They must be in their 70’s by now !

[@MrJoeybabe25]

SA DOES seem to be on during his wings to the east to host "Secret", every other week for a live show and a taping on Monday night.

[@ddmck1972]

RIP Tom!

[@soulierinvestments]

Bennett probably [mis]quoted Ecclesiastes 10:14 -- English Standard Version. " A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him?" Thanx Bennett.

[@savethetpc6406]

soulierinvestments Or, perhaps, Job 35.16: "He multiplieth words without knowledge." (At first I thought your numerical reference, above, was a link to Bennett's quote, but when it took me to the wrong spot, I figured out you must have been citing chapter and verse!)

[@soulierinvestments]

I think you have found it.

[@loissimmons6558]

Ah yes, the homily of young Elihu who sat and waited patiently while his elders, Job and his "miserable comforters" (Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar) bandied charges and counter charges back and forth to no avail until they were exhausted.

[@notvalidcharacters]

I didn't know Dick Smothers was lefthanded

[@jrm8899]

Dina Merrill was gorgeous woman!

[@marlachristensen2076]

LOL! John Daily - "This is one of those Sunday nights when I don't look like two to you" LOL! Right prior to 5:29.

[@joemartines3545]

When I was a young boy I thought Tom Smothers had the funniest face in the world... now I have great respect for his work and the Smothers Brothers Show...

[@Walterwhiterocks]

Well, he did it yet again. Just after the Smothers Brothers left and before the third set of twins' spot, John tells the panel "you've done rather well tonight." NO THEY HAD NOT ! They were stumped on both the barbell salesladies and the Navy teachers. He says something similar quite often when it clearly isn't the case.

[@richatlarge462]

I have the same beef with him.

[@LancetFencing]

best john daily clap back EVER!

[@markcornish2519]

Interesting to see them write their names. Some people now couldn't read it!

[@galileocan]

Dina Merrill - one word? Stunning

[@SteveCarras]

GORGEOUS.