They graduated from Redondo Union High School in Redondo Beach, California, and attended San Jose State University. After a brief time in a folk group called the Casual Quintet, the brothers made their first professional appearance as a duo in February 1959 at The Purple Onion in San Francisco. They were a popular act in clubs and released several successful top 40 albums for Mercury Records, the most successful being "Curb Your Tongue, Knave!" in 1964. Their first national television appearance was on "The Jack Paar Show" on January 28, 1961. On Sunday night, October 4, 1963 at 9:00 P.M. E.S.T., the Smothers Brothers made an appearance on the CBS variety series "The Judy Garland Show" which also showcased Barbra Streisand. Tom and Dick inherited Garland's time slot when their own variety series began in early 1967.