Ken Fritz, was a private supervisor of Tom and Dick Smothers for the higher a part of 60 years. In 1964 and just lately out of school, Fritz began out as a form of advance man for his or her excursions earlier than turning into their full-time highway supervisor. Later, he co-managed them with Ken Kragen and finally assumed solo administration for all features of their careers. He was additionally an govt producer on lots of their tasks, together with the groundbreaking The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. His different shoppers have included Neil Diamond, Peter, Paul and Mary and George Benson. Right here, Fritz displays on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in addition to Tom Smothers as a comic, businessman and good friend.
In 1966 William Morris pitched CBS a brand new selection present starring The Smothers Brothers and CBS needed it. We have been very agency with the community that they weren’t going to purchase the stay variations of the nightclub exhibits, as Tommy was adamant that this may be totally different, with contemporary materials.
To start with, we had a minimum of a two-week delay from taping to air. Then there was a strike. Upon its settlement, CBS requested if we may produce a present for that Sunday, a mere one week from air. We agreed to tape the present on Friday for airing two days later in our traditional time slot. We might tape on Fridays, edit all evening after which air on Sundays.
Clearly this abbreviated delay afforded us the chance to ship extra present materials with a mere 48 hours delay. It additionally meant that the fabric was not solely extra well timed however to some, had extra of an edge.
Inventive management was at all times up there on Tom’s checklist of priorities. We grew to become an increasing number of decided to have as a lot management as we may get. As such, as soon as the strike was over, CBS needed us to return to the unique two week tape-to-air schedule however we refused.
There have been occasions (and there have been MANY) when the L.A. program practices censors raised points about sure components in a script which we couldn’t resolve at Tv Metropolis. I’d get on a airplane and fly to Black Rock [the CBS building] in New York. There, two conferences occurred.
First, I’d current my case to Frank Stanton, Chairman William S. Paley’s quantity two. Stanton at all times reminded us that there was stress from the FCC relating to broadcast requirements and licensing and that Washington, together with then-President Lyndon Johnson, was calling about our Anti-Vietnam Battle place.
Then I’d stroll down the corridor and pitch Paley, who delivered the identical arguments I heard from Stanton. It was like, within the 60 seconds earlier than I bought there, Stanton had already referred to as Paley. I generally questioned if Paley had Stanton’s workplace bugged so he knew what was coming.
It was a buying and selling session which I affectionately known as “Two Shits for a Fuck.” I’d go in there realizing what important component I needed. I’d at all times get one, generally two. By no means three. It felt like a recreation with Mr. Paley. Simply primary negotiation — everybody bought one thing.
However these outcomes weren’t at all times passable with Tom. Generally, there was friction between us, as he was at all times urgent for victory on all factors. He would say, “Why did you let Invoice Paley…why didn’t you get all three?” I maintained {that a} good negotiation is one wherein everybody bought one thing.
When it comes to being fired, the problems have been cumulative, involving years of confrontations till a supposed breach of contract relating to well timed supply of our remaining reduce. That was the triggering second however actually not the one purpose. That second had been constructing for the reason that first season. I used to say to Tommy, “Pay attention, these guys personal the shop. They’ve the keys. We have to do not forget that.”
We subsequently developed a present that was picked up by NBC. But it surely was a tougher challenge to get energized. There wasn’t the identical drive as we’d had at CBS. After the years of preventing with CBS each within the studio after which in court docket, Tommy was floor down, which years later he admitted. The Peacock challenge was a disappointment for all of us.
Regardless of what he and Dick went by way of as kids rising up after their father was killed as a prisoner in WWII and his mom turning into an alcoholic, which resulted in a profoundly dysfunctional surroundings, it at all times touched me that they have been capable of proof their core of kindness and generosity to these of their interior circle. Tom was a caring huge brother to Dick. Having been an older brother myself I understood among the dynamics between them. And as a straight man, Dick was the proper foil for Tom. His intuitive grasp of methods to form traces to be able to elicit the “Tommy-isms” was unparalleled.
In 1968, when my spouse and I purchased our first house up Doheny, we had a funds which was agency. We have been going forwards and backwards with the dealer. After presents and counter presents, we have been caught $5,000 aside. We had reached our ceiling and have been reluctantly able to stroll away. Two days later, the dealer referred to as and mentioned, “OK, you bought the home at your value.” Twenty years later she advised us the reality: Tommy had paid the opposite $5,000 however mentioned, “Don’t inform him I advised you.”
Just a few years in the past, I shared with Tommy that I knew about his silent help. He defined, “You and Brenda have been going to have a child and I needed to make you content.”
Humorous, feisty, form and clever…he challenged, he modified and enhanced my life. That was Tommy.
