Sony Pictures is teaming with George Clooney and his Smokehouse partner Grant Hesloy to adapt the story of Tom and Dicky Smothers into a feature film, Deadline is reporting. ‘Atari’ screenwriters Brian Hecker and Craig Sherman have been hired to script the story of the 1960s television comedian brothers. Clooney and Hesloy are on board to produce the movie, but there’s no word yet whether the actor will star in and/or direct the biography.
The film comes after Sony, Glooney and Hesloy optioned David Bianculli’s book ‘Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story Of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.’ The brother’s show ran from 1967-69 on CBS, and it made headlines for their constant fighting on and off screen. The Smothers are remembered for being negatively transformed by the period’s social rights movement.
The Smoothers were also remembered for having a writing staff that included Steve Martin and Rob Reiner. The two were also the first to introduce liberal hippie politics into America’s mainstream, as well as such famous rock musicians as The Who and The Doors. Their television show helped earn them a spot on President Nixon’s enemies list, and were eventually fired by CBS.
Written by: Karen Benardello