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"It almost feels like the business is, in a weird way, a member of the family. Who are these guys? Instead, the Smithe sisters Colleen, director of advertising; Maureen, a buyer; Caitie, a designer; and Meghan, the marketing director help a Chicago couple with tastes that sometimes clash give their town home a new look before relatives show up for a visit. An added factor in the commercials' success are the brothers, who come across as regular guys. It's not included in a shorter version now airing on TV. Three generations are involved in the family-run Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design, including Walter Smithe Jr. (far right); his sons Walter III (far left) and Mark; and his four granddaughters, from left, Maureen, Caitie, Colleen and Meghan. The first change I noticed was it became all about the sons. So is there a `Wally and the Sofa Factory' in our future?". Get 5 free searches. The Bob's puppet is a far better actor than the Smithe girls though. The best commercial -- at least the one viewers relished -- featured this grating kid getting hit in the face with a pie. Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design has an overall rating of 4.0 out of 5, based on over 92 reviews left anonymously by employees. They've spruced up their styles, selling more contemporary pieces among their traditional designs. "People really did love seeing them on their TVs.". Then the commercial came on. Then he and Thorson meet with his brothers and throw ideas around. And they're not showbiz types. The journey from Point A to Point B started with an all-blooper and outtakes reel that O'Neil and Tim Smithe put together as a birthday gift for mom Florence. "We're kind of strategically positioned in different departments," Meghan said. For decades, the public faces of the privately owned company have been the sisters father, Walter E. Smithe IIIthe 59-year-old grandson of the businesss namesakeand the sisters uncles, Mark and Tim. Be sure to visit Sawbridge Studios, which will showcase sustainably harvested, live-edge furniture by David Stine. A wake will be held at Ryan-Parke Funeral Home in Park Ridge on Friday, Oct. 21, and a funeral mass will follow on Saturday, Oct. 22, and St. Paul of the Cross Church in Park Ridge. So much misogyny in these comments, their commercials have always been cheesy and annoying. Dont burden yourself with the boredom of a matching wood set. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . This article originally appeared in the April 2019 issue of Chicago Parent. Now, there are 12, a 115,000-square-foot headquarters in Itasca and more than 550 employees, and this year Walter E. Smithe Furniture will do $100 million in sales. Main Telephone (630) 285-8000. "We were kind of like dorks, geeks, growing up," Mark says. - Nick Celozzi and Maury Ettleson: Starting in the early '70s, they waved fistfuls of cash at TV viewers and reminded everyone that Celozzi-Ettleson Chevrolet in Elmhurst was "Where you always save more money!". It said he passed away peacef There are so many cool and unique materials being used to manufacture furniture these dayssuch as capiz shells, bone inlay, faux shagreen, concrete, rope and slate. CHICAGO (CBS) -- Walter Edward Smithe Jr., the founder of Chicago's Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86. The announcement was merely an early April Fools' Day prank, although the Smithe brothers said they had received about one hundred emails from viewers who were not sure what to think. Someone really needs a new marketing director/CMO/agency because they do not know what they are doing. However, Lewis Lazare, the Chicago Sun-Times' advertising critic, has defended the commercials. I presented my ideas for this two weeks ago and it will be out on the floor in three weeks. When I first came on board, our industry was very much a good old boys club, says Maureen, who regularly travels to marketplaces around the country to buy merchandise. Favorite design style: Clean and neutral. formId: "acc781a7-d0b4-433d-bc7f-c5bac12f3766" Trendwise, Caitie says the color gurus at Pantone were right on when they selected a bright shade of green as Color of the Year. Now, the fourth-generation leaders of Walter E. Smithe are learning to balance their busy personal lives with the big responsibility of carrying out the legacy of their family-run business. Newlyweds can now register for exclusive honeymoon stays and experiences at 23 of Auberge Resorts Collections luxury hotels and resorts worldwide More, With two movies out this winter, the actress and producer Salma Hayek Pinault is at the top of her game More, The star of A Beautiful Noise, which just opened at the Broadhurst Theatre, is a big Neil Diamond fan More, The writer and actor makes his Broadway debut in his just-opened play Aint No Mo More, After flying high in the hit sequel Top Gun: Maverick, Glen Powell stars in the new film Devotion, out now More, It's not enough to just be smart. "I was at Dulles Airport in Washington, waiting for a 9:30 flight at night," Mark says. with Maureen Smithe Brusznicki and Caitie Smithe Jisa at Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design. As teens, the four sisters worked only part time in their fathers showroom or outlet store, selling furniture and earning their first paychecks along with other eager, cash-strapped teens. This is useful in estimating the financial strength and credit risk of the company. Its unjust to think that women can somehow balance it all, Colleen adds. "And a woman was there with her daughter, and she nudged her and I heard her say, 'That's the Walter E. Smithe guy.' So as long as strangers keep serenading them with the company jingle instead of pelting them with "Hardrock, Coco and Joe" DVDs, and as long as the business continues to grow, they'll keep doing the ads. Compare how recession-proof Walter E Smithe Furniture is relative to the industry overall. They look hungry. Then they brought in the wives. Personally, I dont want to stare at ugly furniture for all those years, Meghan says. With a 71-year history and 11 stores sprinkled throughout Chicago and the suburbs, Walter E. Smithe is a local furniture icon. "And there's 10 televisions, all tuned to the same station. "What about you and your sisters?". Walter E. Smithe, Jr. joined the business in the 1960s with his brothers Gary and Tomm, and began phasing out appliances to focus on custom upholstery. The Smithe sisters have heard it all before, and they've set out to dispel those misperceptions. "If we'd done that with a large agency, it would have been flying people in from New York and storyboards and approvals along the way," he says. For instance, finding that perfect piece of decorative furniture that creatively doubles as a toy box for kids games, toys and video devices. With a 71-year history and 11 stores sprinkled throughout Chicago and the suburbs Walter E. Maureen in 2002 Meghan in 2014 Caitie in 2015 and Colleen in 2016. But now a new generationsisters Meghan, Colleen, Maureen, and Caitie . About. We feel like we can now speak to the multitude of generations who shop with us, she says. Were now getting calls from all over the world., Under Colleen and Meghans direction, Smithe now has a beautiful new lookbook in its marketing toolbox and a stable full of breathtaking photography, as they become the exclusive distributor for Ellen DeGeneres new furniture collection from Thomasville. "But these are guys who you'd go to dinner with, you know? "KFC dances to beat of familiar drummers". Furniture Stores. Caitie Smithe, Designer and Stylist. My sisters and I represent the viewpoint of our younger clientele, Meghan says. You can send your sympathy in the guestbook provided and share it with the family. I love the one where they are drinking what looks like Tang out of wine glasses. "We have wonderful clients who are my generation or older, but we have to figure out how we cater to this new generation that's setting up households now. The company began in 1945 as Tone Appliances and Furniture, a single store on Belmont Avenue in Chicago. "They were loved," said Colleen Smithe, the youngest daughter of Walter Smithe III. Tim recalls Walt trying to smother him -- repeatedly, apparently -- with a bean bag chair. Reaching a younger demographic and expanding their clientele has required some creativity, the sisters said. Shop the clearance. They got on each other's nerves and learned to talk quickly at the dinner table if they wanted to get a word in. officially retires, although he still enjoys visiting showrooms and meeting clients. If you grew up in Chicago, you can probably hum it. Chicago, IL. The 4th generation (Walter III's daughters) join the business after careers in their respective fields; Maureen in 2002, Meghan in 2014, Caitie in 2015, and Colleen in 2016. Walter E. Smithe Jr. also earned a master's degree in Anthropology at Loyola University Chicago in 1980. As mothers, all of us have cleaned up a childs spill, or even their vomit, from our furniture, Colleen jokes. I love incorporating an unexpected element into a room. I'm so annoyed that I won't buy anything from there. There's a preconceived notion that furniture stores are stuffy and tired, run by men in suits and catering to older generations. To see these serious, stuffy guys laughing and having fun someone yelled out, `You should use that as a commercial. This is not how you attract a premium buyer or build a premium brand. Regarded as top performer within the account and the Agency, as a result of consistent over-delivery, passion to grow the business . A new collection at Holly Hunt, discounts at EuroFurniture, a First Friday event at Hubbard Woods Design District, and more. The chemistry among this familial foursome is something parents can only hope for from their children. Like their brothers, the four Smithe sisters were all in the business when they were in high school. Walter E. Smithe is a furniture company based in Itasca, Illinois. The implication was that he was doing/looking at something inappropriate. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Walter E. Smithe, Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86, his family said. Chicagoans came to know and appreciate the three Smithe brothers who starred for years in quirky TV commercials touting their family-run furniture company. We get that question all the time, and that was to be expected," Colleen said. Introduced to the family business at an early ageI can recall pigtails in my hair, getting a penny or nickel for every clearance tag we pulled, says Meghanthe four daughters of Walter Smithe III have embraced their own roles for the Itasca, Illinois-based company; Meghan is director of marketing, Colleen is director of advertising, Maureen is a buyer, and Caitie is a designer. The new campaign, dubbed Smithe Family Makeovers, showcases Smithe furniture in the homes of actual clients, revealing the handiwork of the companys designers in HGTV-esque episodes. [7], Chicagoans have had mixed reactions to the Walter E. Smithe commercials. In a new seven-minute "Smithe Family Makeover" video, you'll only see one Smithe brother and you'll only hear the new version of the familiar jingle if you watch all the way through to the credits. "Smithes have fun at the old ballpark". Walter E. Smithe Furniture, Inc. Marketing Contacts Contacts (5/9) Name Title State; Walter S. President & Chief Executive Officer . Smithe was born in 1936 to Margaret Slifka and Walter E. Smithe Sr., and grew up on the Northwest Side in Belmont Central. Relevant. It worked really well for a long time, but post-recession, we saw peoples sensibilities had changed, says Meghan. Even with little ones underfoot, the Smithe sisters make balancing their family furniture business and their growing broods look effortless. So I'm speaking, and they're half listening, you know. "It's always positive, and it's nice to be part of it. During a stint in the Army, Smithe attained the rank of captain and became an expert in the field of computers. McCarthy was married to grandson of Walter E. Smithe, Timothy Smithe Jr. in Paris, France in June of 2013. . Ellen is very serious about design and had a definite voice in what this modern-rustic-meets-farmhouse collection would be. Others have been parodies of reality television shows, such as The Apprentice and The Bachelor. By last year, though, each had returned to the company their great-grandfather founded. How could they ensure the 75-year-old brand would be sustainable for decades to come? Calkins says that by minimizing production costs and media costs and doing those quick turnarounds, Smithe gets a bigger bang for its advertising buck. Spoken like the daughter of a true "shop owner," as her father Walter E. Smithe III, president of the eponymous furniture retailer calls himself. We not only respect this, we embrace it.. The answer -- and the sisters' secret to success -- can be summed up in three key words: Fresh. Lewis teamed up with Smithes merchandising team to create in-store vignettes, and also featured the store on his show. Rocketreach finds email, phone & social media for 450M+ professionals. "It's a big responsibility. Whether bringing in color as an accent or making a big statement with a lot of color, your home will feel instantly transformed and personalized. The process starts with Tim Smithe, Pam Thorson (the company's director of advertising) and director/editor Bill O'Neil of O'Neil Productions of Wilmette. He began working in the . Were often building on what we see resonating in the market and what is interesting and beautiful at the moment., Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design is coming off a successful year of strategic partnerships with Bravo TVs Jeff Lewis and interior designer Cynthia Rowley. And Mark, 40, is Smithe's general counsel; he and his partner live in Lincoln Park with Petey, a 4-year-old bulldog. [4], Many of Walter E. Smithe's commercials have been pop culture parodies. The sisters get together at least twice a week, traveling from their homes in Chicago, Barrington and Riverside, leaving behind their children, husbands and home duties. Tomorrow, Hubbard Woods Design District (Green Bay Rd. The 4th generation (the Smithe Sisters), all daughters of Walter III, are Maureen Smithe (buyer), Meghan Smithe (director of marketing), Caitie Smithe (designer, design coordinator and stylist) and Colleen Smithe (director of . - Timmy: Dressed as an old-time newspaper boy, 10-year-old Timmy appeared in dozens of commercials in the '70s for his uncle's Long Chevrolet dealership in Elmhurst. The boys' first ventures into the working world included Walt's daily paper route -- 70 Tribunes, three or four Sun-Times and a couple of Wall Street Journals -- that Tim helped him with ("I got 1 cent per paper, and I'd give Tim 10 cents for helping me"), and collecting beer cans that they resold at a Park Ridge flea market. "Staying fresh, young . Tim offered Walt brotherly support after a just-completed scene. The four women have been taking on bigger roles at the company and star in its new ad. Most recently, she was at . Its no longer that way.. Our dad always put an emphasis on hard work, and it stuck with us.. She is a celebrity who is genuinely interested in how her furniture will do and be perceived, Maureen says. Updating your home theater? "The brothers have no acting talent," Tim says. Around the same time, Caitie was ready to return to the workforce as a designer and stylist, a skill she had honed early in her career. But it wasn't long before he approached his youngest daughter with a proposition. But they do have a business. With 16 1/2 children among them (Colleen is due with her third baby this month), the sisters also find work as a time to be togethersans children. We take that very seriously, and we have so much passion for it.". Weird. Industry: Home Furniture & Housewares Stores. There's a certain time and simplicity factor, so from the time of the idea to the time we shoot it can be as short as a week.". The fourth generation of Smithe leadership is hoping that this young, fresh approach to advertising and marketing will resonate with a consumer base that hasnt yet shopped with Smithe before. Nothing is left unchanged, Meghan notes. Sometimes we present to our dad as a united front and other times we need him to be a tie breaker. Sisters Colleen, Caitie, Maureen and Meghan Smithe, from left, are breaking the mold as fourth-generation leaders of the 75-year-old Walter E. Smithe Furniture and Design. Shop now. It's fun to be part of Chicago in that way.". "They've done a wonderful job building a distinctive brand," says Tim Calkins, a professor of marketing at Northwestern University. While we still have traditional pieces, our showroom appeals to a number of different lifestyles. portalId: "6766057", It was a natural fit, she said. But even as likable as the brothers are, do they run the risk of oversaturation or going to the well too often? What she does: I make spaces beautiful for clients homes, our catalogs and showrooms, and play couples therapist for clients who cant agree on a sofa.. Walter E. Smithe is a furniture company based in Itasca, Illinois. We all trickled back in, and it happened really organically, says Meghan of the industrious quartet, who collectively has 17 children. Plus, they seem like nice guys. As the fourth generation to run their family-owned Chicago furniture store, Walter. Bob's proudly proclaims that it sells cheap garbage, Walter E looks like they're trying to sell you viagra and Penny Mustard radio commercials are justweird.. He cites the U2 music video takeoff. "It was kind of a neat way to kick off our involvement in the business as a group.". The Smithe sisters Walter III's daughters Maureen, Meghan, Caitie, and Colleen are also now executives at Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design and appear in the ads. The Itasca-based company has 10 locations across Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, where the sisters ply their fourth-generation talents. He was still spending weekends at Smithe furniture showrooms until recently and he volunteered for many years for Habitat for Humanity, building houses in the U.S. and Central America. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune). Timothy Smithe Jr. (m. 2013-2018) Kyla Lynn McCarthy (born October 8, 1986) is the daughter of politician and former Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy. [1] The 4th generation (the Smithe Sisters), all daughters of Walter III, are Maureen Smithe (buyer), Meghan Smithe (director of marketing), Caitie Smithe (designer, design coordinator and stylist) and Colleen Smithe (director of advertising). You have this sense of passion and responsibility for it. Itasca, IL 60143. Find locations. "The majority of what we run is informational and tells about the company, but those aren't the ones people are talking about at the water cooler. Or "Hardrock, Coco and Joe." The campaign was inspired in part by a partnership with designer/house-flipper Jeff Lewis of the Bravo show Flipping Out. It turned out so well that Tim carried along a copy to a speaking engagement. The company offer of a free DVD generated a huge response, and more than 60,000 were given away.). Three years later, she recruited Colleen to become advertising director -- a position she accepted without hesitation. This has been our priority since we first began serving the Chicago area back in 1945. Their interactions were zany, their dialogue lighthearted, their catchy jingle -- "you dream it, we build it" -- recognizable throughout the region. walter e smithe furniture inc. We don't take that lightly.". Draftfcb. "It's never gone completely crazy -- no one can say that one commercial will bring customers in -- but we kind of thought it re-established us in the marketplace. Colleen loved being able to point out that her dad and uncles, Mark and Tim, brainstormed and executed the ideas themselves. "You think a huge corporation is going to have pencil pushers and button touchers," says Lynn Hamilton, vice president of the Shirley Hamilton Agency, a Chicago talent agency. Walter E. Smithe, Jr., founder of Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design, has died at the age of 86, his family said. Press J to jump to the feed. I only hear them on the radio. Explore more of the publications in our portfolio here. The seven pieces featured in the Quincy Master Bedroom vignette below (chair, trunk . That's why when she and her three sisters -- Maureen, Meghan and Caitie -- were asked a few years ago to transition into the role their father and uncles held for so long, they weren't immediately receptive. Now, the fourth-generation leaders of Walter E. Smithe are learning to balance their busy personal lives with the big responsibility of carrying out the legacy of their family-run business. To make up for it, she woke up early to make heart-shaped pancakes. Shop the Sofa Sale. Getting the Smithes in front of the camera wasn't easy. The girls got the bedrooms; the three boys shared a room in the basement. "We take that very seriously, and we have so much passion for it.". Start shopping. You may have noticed a change lately in those Walter E. Smithe . 9's "Garfield Goose" and "Ray Rayner" shows. But always start from a place where we love each other and enjoy working together., Between the ages of 10 and 18, former Barrington High School soccer, For Olympian Patrick Gasienica, ski jumping has been a part of his, Dr. Rekha S. Rajan has devoted her personal and professional life to, One of the most prestigious dance companies in the world, The Joffrey, Saint Anne Catholic Community Churchs Project Hope ministry, A night of sequin-studded disco fever, the 5th Annual Hoosier Ball was. Hotel Mousai Puerto Vallarta, Room Request: Four Seasons Hotel Bogota Casa Medina, New Restaurants and Bars in New York City, Clare V., Mulberry and More New Retail Openings in NYC, Tony Robbins Challenge to Provide 1 Billion Meals Nears its Goal, Get behind-the-scenes pictures on Instagram. "Staying fresh, young and relevant is how we're going to sustain the brand into the next 75 years," Meghan said. Tags: Design Controls - Facebook Instant Article, Home & Garden, Interior Design. Anyone got a link to the current commercial? Create Comparison. In 2002 they brought in director Bill O'Neil to help them. "We're custom, so we can create everything, but we need to get the right mix out there to give people ideas," said Meghan Smithe, the company's director of marketing. Or using a new high-tech application to keep couch fabric truly worry free from childrens spills, everything from spaghetti sauce to Kool-Aid. / CBS Chicago. Kneen & Co. (399 W. Fullerton Pkwy., Ste. Later, both Tim and Mark were night managers at competing convenience stores, Tim at a 7-Eleven in Niles and Mark at a Park Ridge White Hen. Meghan was hired in 2013 and now serves as director of sales strategy. Walter E. Smithe is a family business in every sense of the word, the sisters say. Its unnerving. And they wanted a way to build the brand. She also sees more demand for curation: Rather than walking into a store and getting an entire matching bedroom or dining set, people are mixing and matching and getting a look thats uniquely theirs., The new ED Ellen DeGeneres furniture collection (now available at all 11 Walter E. Smithe showrooms) allows for just thatand it includes versatile pieces that transcend their typical use. If you are ready to get grown-up furniture, this place has a very nice selection, with helpful staff who can guide you toward the proper colors, scale, and what looks nice together. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. And I thought, `makeup and lighting. He attended the University of Notre Dame and earned a bachelor 's . '", "The business steadily increased since we started the commercials," Walt says. Till your hair grows back."). In recent years, Smithe enjoyed his time with extended family. That cartoon of Bob has BDE and you can't deny it. She has a few ideas for how to add a little spring to your home. Then when I plugged it in, the place went up for grabs. Along the way, they got married, had children (17 in all!) Were really excited about this program, explains Meghan. Please enter valid email address to continue. As Caitie puts it, Theres no reason you cant use an entertainment console as a buffet in the dining room.. He entertained the youngest generation of the family playing banjo and singing folk songs such as "The Rock Island Line," and telling stories of Tiny Tim and the Magic Gumball Machine, his obit said. 2023 Zoe Communications Group | 332 S. Michigan Ave., Suite #LL-M974, Chicago, IL 60604 | 708.386.5555 | Website by Web Publisher PRO, ParentEd Talks: Free Virtual Speaker Series, A Concerned Parents Guide to Gun Violence and Gun Safety. The commercial included the tagline "Change the Name, Change the Luck", a reference to the Cubs' decades-long struggle to reach the World Series. My sisters and I loved being a part of it.. "And they've been able to personalize a retail chain through the use of the brothers. The founder of well-known Chicago-area furniture company Walter E. Smithe has died, his family announced Wednesday. Walter was the first of the third generation to join the family business in 1981 . Jeff Lewis's collection of vignettes is available at Walter E. Smithe's 11 showrooms in Chicago, and online. This initiative calls for all hands on deck. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. It took the mother of six children a few years to figure out how to juggle her demanding career and busy home life. Over the last 13 years, one by one, Walters daughters have been hired on at Smithe as the jobs became available. Indian Trail, High Street intersection work approved in Aurora, Suspect in high-speed chase crashes into, kills veteran Indiana State Trooper trying to stop him: officials, Educators get peek at Paramount play about artificial intelligence which is set to tour schools, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The Smithe boys started out in a tiny ranch house in Des Plaines, the children of Walter Jr. and Florence. Chicago's Best Furniture and Expert Design. Walter E. Smithe Jr. Obituary. They've transitioned into the spotlight. Tim, 41, is the vice president of sales; he and his wife have four kids and live in Winnetka. Opening Day is March 30. They were each only a year apart, at one point covering all four grade levels at Barrington High School. The company makes, sells, and repairs furniture, . The daughters took over the company. That can help Walter E. Smithe differentiate itself from the growing number of lower-priced furniture retailers that have moved into the Chicago area in the past couple of years, Walter Smithe said. ("Did you notice he used the wide-angle lens when he shot your [rear end]?"). Now, a lot more people know about us than knew a few years ago.". Margie, who used to be a buyer for Smithe, moved to St. Louis with her husband, who worked for Anheuser-Busch's ad agency. Its a constant toggle between work and family talk, notes Colleen, but at the end of the day theyre focused on creating a furniture company that helps clients truly curate a home. We take inspiration from the world of interior design to curate customized . Feb 20, 2022 - The 4th generation of Walter E. Smithe family stops by to visit Bob and Marianne. My hope is to inspire people to slow down enough to talk with a designer and hopefully buy something.. If you find the right furniture, it will last even through your kids, Colleen says. They brought in real clients, worked with real designers and demonstrated each sister's essential role within the business. College was a turning point for the sisters, who now call one another their best friends. The Chicago native attended Fenwick High School and the University of Notre Dame. And now with the company's 75th anniversary approaching in August, they're ready to push forward plans to expand and evolve. The Smithe brothers used good-natured humor on countless TV commercials selling furniture. But he soon returned to the family furniture business that his father first started in 1945, and pioneered the concept of custom-order furniture in the Chicago area. 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"It's been about reworking how we approach visually what we want to convey about the product that we're selling," Meghan said. 1428, hollyhunt.com) has expanded its Great Plains textile offering with the Foreign Affair collection, which has a mix of warm and cool neutrals. Over the past 76 years, the company has grown to include 10 Chicago area showrooms. Smithe then went into the computer industry working for General Electric and IBM in 1967, according to his obit. I havent seen the Tile Outlet lady in a while!! Sometimes its the only quiet I get.. Today, they help oversee 10 showrooms, the warehouse and headquarters, working together (generally) perfectly. walter e smithe furniture & design. 443 were here. Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design advertising has featured everything from parodies of "The Price Is Right" to a 2013 classic in which the Smithe brothers got into a wrestling ring with Billy Corgan.