The Smothers Brothers’ story is one of comedy, tragedy, and groundbreaking television; their relationship deepened during challenging times as they performed 72 episodes of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, a show CBS monitored closely, reviewing every second and every word.

Yet on September 17, 1967, during a performance by The Who, something unexpected slipped past the censors and cameras—an accidental shot in the background that later confirmed long-suspected truths. The brothers’ journey began with heartbreak: their father, Major Thomas B. Smothers Jr., an Army officer stationed in the Philippines during World War II, was captured during the Japanese invasion, survived the brutal Bataan Death March, and was later moved from the Fukuoka No.