The Smothers Brothers have never really penetrated over to this side of the pond, but their comedy antics in the 60s have made them legends in the US. Now Deadline reports that George Clooney wants to make a movie about them. It actually fits his style more than you might think, as the brothers’ story has a political edge.
Clooney and his production parter, Grant Heslov, have acquired the rights to David Bianculli’s book, Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story Of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, for a biopic about the infamous comedy duo. Brian Hecker and Craig Sherman hwill write the script, which will follow brothers and 60s comedians Tom and Dicky Smothers, who went from family-friendly merrymakers to counterculture rabble-rousers. They were the first to introduce hippie ideals into the mainstream, and their act eventually got them on Richard Nixon’s enemy list, which saw their popular CBS variety show being canceled.
At the moment Clooney is only down to produce, but it’s believed he’s eyeing the movie as a directing project.
Not only will Tom Smothers and Dicky Smothers need to be cast, but actors will also be needed to portray a young Steve Martin and a young Rob Reiner, who were both writers for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour .
General movie news courtesy of Movie Muser