Deadline has reported that Tom Smothers (The Smothers Brothers Show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour), who was a part of the legendary musical comedy duo The Smothers Brothers with his brother Dick Smothers (Fitz and Bones, Speed Zone), passed away at the age of 86 on Tuesday following a battle with cancer. His passing was announced on behalf of his family by the National Comedy Center.

In a statement, Dick Smothers said, “Tom was not only the loving older brother that everyone would want in their life, he was a one-of-a-kind creative partner. I am forever grateful to have spent a lifetime together with him, on and off stage, for over 60 years. Our relationship was like a good marriage – the longer we were together, the more we loved and respected one another. We were truly blessed,” according to Deadline.

The Smothers Brothers began in the early ’60s as folk musicians. However, they decided they were not going to succeed as professional musicians, and started incorporating comedy into their work.

According to Deadline, Tom Smothers appeared on The Steve Allen Show as a regular in 1961 and was on The Danny Thomas Show in 1962. The duo’s sitcom, The Smothers Brothers Show, aired on CBS from 1965 to 1966. Tom wanted more creative control over their next project, which they were given on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. The series aired on CBS in 1967.

“Tom was a true pioneer who changed the face of television and transformed our culture with The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, which satirized politics, combated racism, protested the Vietnam War, and led the way for Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show, today’s network late night shows, and so much more,” said National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson in a statement, reports Deadline.

The brothers appeared on television multiple times after the series, with the 60-minute special The Return of the Smothers Brothers airing in 1970, The Smothers Brothers Show airing in 1975, and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour airing in 1988-1989.

Deadline reports Tom won a special Emmy award in 2008 presented by Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building, The Pink Panther), who once performed on the Smothers Brothers, and in 2010, the Smothers Brothers were inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.

According to Deadline, Smothers is preceded by his sister, Sherry Smothers, and his son, Tom. He is survived by his children Bo and Riley Rose Smothers, Marcy Carriker Smothers, his grandson Phoenix, his brother Dick and his sister-in-law Marie Smothers, as well as a niece and several nephews.

Marie and Dick Smothers request that donations in memorial of Tom are made to the National Comedy Center, according to Deadline. The National Comedy Center is the official comedy cultural institution in the U.S. and preserved the legacy of the Smothers Brothers.