"The Monkees" (1966) TV series 1966-1968

Writers:

Dee Caruso (writer) (21 episodes)
Gerald Gardner (writer) (21 episodes)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

12 September 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music

Plot:

The misadventures of a struggling rock band.

Plot Keywords:

The Monkees | Famous Opening Theme | Unemployment | Struggling Music Group | Actor Playing Himself

Awards:

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Davy Jones	...	Davy / ... (58 episodes, 1966-1968)
Micky Dolenz	...	Micky / ... (58 episodes, 1966-1968)
Peter Tork	...	Peter / ... (58 episodes, 1966-1968)
Michael Nesmith	...	Mike / ... (57 episodes, 1966-1968)

Runtime:

30 min (58 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Columbia/Sunset Gower Studios - 1438 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

National Broadcasting Company (NBC)

Trivia:

The four Monkees were each paid $450 per episode, raised to $750 for the second season. They received standard royalty rates for their recordings (and publishing, when they wrote the songs), but received virtually nothing for their merchandising. Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones sued Columbia Pictures in the late 1970s, but had to settle for a payment of only $10,000.

Goofs:

Continuity: In a number of second-season episodes, Micky's hairstyle changes back and forth from a straight hairdo to a curly "permed" look. This was due to the fact that second-season episodes were filmed at two different times, the spring of 1967 (when a number of the actual episode storylines were filmed) and then later that fall (during which time all the song performances were filmed). During the summer break, Micky let his hair grow out. The difference is perhaps most notable in the episode "It's a Nice Place to Visit," when at one moment Micky is performing a song with his hair curled, and is then seen leaving the stage with his hair straight.

Quotes:

Peter: [as the rigged blimp carrying the muscle man floats away] Well, there he goes.
Davy: Yeah, where's that uh der-uh... der-uh blimp headed for?
Peter: [almost comically] Bayonne, New Jersey.
Davy: Bayon-Bayonne, New Jer-? You know, I used to have a girlfriend in Bayonne, New Jersey.
Peter: Anything like the Secaucus girls?
Davy: [nonchalantly] No, I don't know, her name was MaryAnn.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Gilmore Girls: Will You Be My Lorelai Gilmore? (#7.16)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Riu Chiu

Why aren't these guys in the Hall of Fame?

I was 9 or 10 years old when The Monkees debuted on NBC. I have been a fan ever since. I even saw them in concert during the summer of 1967. I was very peeved at not being able to hear them due to the screaming girls. I thought girls must be the dumbest creatures on earth, but of course I changed my feelings before long. They were still dumb as far as I could tell, but they were cute, too. I saw the Monkees again when three of them (minus Nesmith) reunited in the mid-eighties and late nineties. The Monkees have been unfairly ostracized for decades. "They don't play their own instruments", their critics complained. They were not allowed to play on their first two albums. Don Kirshner, their egomaniacal producer, wanted total control. This ultimately got him fired by the band. He released More of The Monkees without permission from the band. If that weren't bad enough, the album's liner notes were pure Kirshner. Kirshner's egomania is all too apparent. He shamelessly name drops and barely mentions The Monkees at all. Michael Nesmith put his fist through a wall when the band met with Kirshner later. According to Micky Dolenz, Nez snarled, "That coulda been your face, motherf-----!" In any event, that was it for Kirshner as far as The Monkees were concerned. They finally had creative control of the music. For their third album, The Monkees Headquarters, they played on every song with minimal outside accompaniment. They credited the extra 2 or 3 musicians in the liner notes, something other bands (Beatles included) were not so forthcoming about. Micky Dolenz has never gotten the credit he deserves as a great rock vocalist. Just listen to No Time, Randy Scouse Git, Going' Down, Words, Pleasant Valley Sunday, etc. Each Monkey had talent. Micky had a great voice, Mike Nesmith was a good singer and musician, Peter Tork played about a dozen instruments, and Davy Jones was a superb showman and a pretty good singer. About 20 years ago, there was talk of a Monkees TV special. Davy was explaining how it would be set up. "Mike would produce, Micky would direct, and Peter would be in charge of the music." "But what would you do?" Davy was asked. "I would be the star, of course, and get all the girls!" When I see some of the acts who have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (the Sex Pistols?!) there is no doubt The Monkees deserve to be enshrined. They certainly are more deserving than many who are already in.