Tom and Dick Smothers were a famous folk singing comedic duo. Their show, "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour," premiered on CBS in 1967. In many ways, the show was ahead of its time, as it often criticized the presidency and religion. In all its irreverence, the program appealed to a younger audience, often making a point of skewering American policies, including the Vietnam War, and hosting acts such as Jefferson Airplane and The Doors.
"The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" was the subject of much controversy due to its politics, and the duo was frequently embroiled in battles over censorship. In 1969, the show was suddenly yanked off the air because the network's president claimed that the brothers failed to submit a review tape of an upcoming show in a timely manner.
Controversy raged as the brothers accused CBS of infringing on their First Amendment rights and it would take 20 years before they appeared on television again. One interesting piece of trivia: Tom Smothers was an expert with the yo-yo and could perform highly complicated tricks, such as "around the world," involving numerous yo-yos at one time.
"Hee Haw" was a musical variety show hosted by Buck Owens and Roy Clark. The show had a long run; it premiered in 1969 and finally ended in 1993. "Hee Haw" featured country music acts and comedic skits. "Hee Haw" replaced "The Smothers Brothers Variety Show" after it was censored and taken off the air.
"Hee Haw" was known for its series of recurring sketches. Although it was generally considered a country music variety show featuring the likes of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn, it also hosted blues acts, including Ray Charles and crooners like Sammy Davis Jr.
Sonny and Cher were an enormously popular duo even before they hosted their own variety show. Before they appeared on television with "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour," they had top 10 hits with "I Got You Babe" and "The Beat Goes On." The Sonny and Cher show debuted on CBS in 1971 and was a comedy-variety series, known for Cher's wise-cracking and dry wit.
Their humor came from a decidedly domestic angle and much of it centered on Cher's caustic jokes about their marriage, for which Sonny was the perfect foil. The show featured comedic skits with popular comics including Freeman King and Murray Langston, who later became known as the Unknown Comic on "The Gong Show."
The Captain and Tennille are a married American pop duo that had a string of hits in the 1970s, including the chart topper, "Love Will Keep Us Together." They had a television variety show on ABC, which ran during the 1976 to 1977 season. "The Captain and Tennille Variety Show," focused less on comedy and more on performances by well-known and respected musicians like Ella Fitzgerald and B.B. King.
The duo also performed their own popular hits on the show, featuring Toni Tennille's sisters as backup singers. The Captain and Tennille continued to experience success in the late 1970s with their chart toppers, "Muskrat Love" and "Do That to Me One More Time." As of 2010, the couple remains happily married.