Video: 'The Smothers Brothers - Smothered (2002)' (show cancelled at 1:12:07)

(Friday, April 4, 1969) — The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, an American comedy and variety show television series hosted by the Smothers Brothers, was abruptly canceled today by the Columbia Broadcasting System, which cited the Smothers’ failure to meet the contractual pre-air delivery dates required for local affiliate screening.

Robert Wood, president of CBS, stated that it became evident that the brothers “were unwilling to accept the criteria of taste established by CBS.”

Despite show’s success, continual conflicts with network executives over content led to the show being abruptly pulled from the schedule in violation of the Smothers’ contract in 1969.

After four years of litigation, a federal court ruled in favor of the Smotherses and ordered CBS to pay them $776,300 (equivalent to $4.4 million in 2018).