Tom Smothers, half of American comedy duo the Smothers Brothers, dies at 86

FILE PHOTO: Comedians and brothers, Tom (L) and Dick Smothers, star of the television series "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Show" accept the Favorite Singing Siblings award at the 3rd annual TV Land Awards in Santa Monica, California March 13, 2005. The awards show honors classic television shows and performers. REUTERS/Fred Prouser FSP/File Photo

(Reuters) - American comic Tom Smothers, one-half of the musical-comedy duo the Smothers Brothers, died on Tuesday at 86 at home in California after being diagnosed with cancer, his family said in a statement released by the National Comedy Center.

Smothers and his younger brother, Dick, started out wanting to be folk singers but found success weaving comedy into their act, a formula they perfected in 1967 with the CBS show "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour," a precursor of "Saturday Night Live" and other satirical television shows.