Best/worst episodes?
Monkee Lady
so I thought I would ask for everbody's opinions on the best and worst
Monkees episodes. I was watching "Monkees Race Again" last night -
I've been observing the 40th anniversary of every episode - and I was
struck by how bad this episode is, especially since two of the writers
were Elias Davis and David Pollack, who would go on to write for
MASH. There was nothing really amusing in this one, although I did
enjoy the gag with Micky pulling the tiger's tail out of the gas
tank.....for those of you too young to remember, Esso (now the dreaded
Mobil-Exxon) had the slogan, "Put a tiger in your tank." Everybody
seemed to be just walking through the episode....this was the next-to-
last episode produced and I suspect that everybody was just tired.
Anyway, "Monkees Race Again" is my pick for the worst episode.
The best? For me, it is a tie between "Fairy Tale" and "The Devil and
Peter Tork". "Fairy Tale" still makes me laugh out loud whenever I
watch it....Mike is simply hilarious in that as the princess. Micky
as Golilocks is pretty funny, too. "The Devil and Peter Tork" seems
(at least to me) to have the most heart of all the episodes....if
there is any real dramatic moment in a Monkees episode, I think it is
just after Zero appears at the pad with the contract and Peter says
that he is scared. Same goes for the courtroom scene exchange between
Peter and Mike. I guess I just appreciate the change of pace in the
second half of the episode.
These are just my own arrogant opinions (to paraphase Peter from the
MTV "I Was a Teenage Monkee" segments). Would anyone else care to
jump in?
Monkee Lady
Newsread...@gmail.com
> I don't think that this has been a subject on this ng in quite a while
> so I thought I would ask for everbody's opinions on the best and worst
> Monkees episodes.
Great discussion initiative.
> I was watching "Monkees Race Again" last night -
> I've been observing the 40th anniversary of every episode - and I was
> struck by how bad this episode is, especially since two of the writers
> were Elias Davis and David Pollack, who would go on to write for
> MASH. There was nothing really amusing in this one, although I did
> enjoy the gag with Micky pulling the tiger's tail out of the gas
> tank.....for those of you too young to remember, Esso (now the dreaded
> Mobil-Exxon) had the slogan, "Put a tiger in your tank." Everybody
> seemed to be just walking through the episode....this was the next-to-
> last episode produced and I suspect that everybody was just tired.
> Anyway, "Monkees Race Again" is my pick for the worst episode.
These are season 2? If I had to choose my least faves, I'd certainly
explore season 1. I appreciate the way the guys loosened up and let
their real, less scripted personalities show in season 2. Pity there
wasn't a season 3. It wasn't broke: why fix it? Completely changing
the format of the show to, say, something more variety show-esque,
would be a proper bait and switch to the audiences IMO.
> The best? For me, it is a tie between "Fairy Tale" and "The Devil and
> Peter Tork".
I love the Concert episode, I like Fairy Tale, too; I like Monkees Paw
("You mean there's no...magic...fingers...???" Cutie Micky!)... From
the first season I also like the one entitled "Monkees at The
Movies" (I now know this title thanks to THIS website {THANKS!!}:
http://members.aol.com/wildcattnt/monkees1.htm
> "The Devil and Peter Tork" seems
> (at least to me) to have the most heart of all the episodes....if
> there is any real dramatic moment in a Monkees episode, I think it is
> just after Zero appears at the pad with the contract and Peter says
> that he is scared. Same goes for the courtroom scene exchange between
> Peter and Mike.
There you go. I think if there is any episode to celebrate and
discuss on the occasion of Peter's SIXTY SIXTH (wha?? Where have the
years gone????) birthday, it would be this one. If you want drama in
this too short lived series, I think it is definitely Mike's speech
about the falsity of anyone being tone deaf! :)
The
for Mayor eppy too. There were no "worst" episodes for me, but the
choppiness of...what was it? "Monkees On The High Seas" or something
( I don't know all the names of the individual episodes) didn't make
for a very good time. I absolutely LOVED the episode where they went
back to save Mike's relatives and the ranch from the bad evil men.
That had some of the best lines in it that still make me laugh.
Newsread...@gmail.com
out? Did he really get seasick?
I also love the episode on Aunt Kate's ranch ("They're throwing
everything at us but the kitchen sink!").
Monkee Lady
> I love the Concert episode, I like Fairy Tale, too; I like Monkees Paw
> ("You mean there's no...magic...fingers...???" Cutie Micky!)... From
> the first season I also like the one entitled "Monkees at The
> Movies" (I now know this title thanks to THIS website {THANKS!!}:http://members.aol.com/wildcattnt/monkees1.htm
Oh, yes...the Concert episode is very good. Nice to see the guys as
themselves as opposed to their scripted characters. I really like
"The Monkees Paw" episode, too, but the "magic fingers" line come from
"Monkees on the Wheel" (the Vegas ep.). Two other Season 2 episodes
that I really enjoy are "Wild Monkees" and "Card Carrying Red Shoes".
("I don't wanna be a chicken, I don't wanna be a chicken...Ward, I
don't wanna be a chicken." Neat little reference to Ward Sylvester.)
As for other season 1 episodes, I rather like "Monkee vs.
Machine" (because I am a big Stan Freberg fan), "One Man Shy",
"Monkees at the Circus" (I love it when Micky sings a little of the
"Circus Boy" theme), "Captain Crocodile" (the "Batman" take-off is
priceless!) and "Monkees Get Out More Dirt" (the bit with Wally Cox
wrestling the arm that comes out of the washing machine cracks me up
every time...I remember the commercial that inspired it.).
> > "The Devil and Peter Tork" seems
> > (at least to me) to have the most heart of all the episodes....if
> > there is any real dramatic moment in a Monkees episode, I think it is
> > just after Zero appears at the pad with the contract and Peter says
> > that he is scared. Same goes for the courtroom scene exchange between
> > Peter and Mike.
>
> There you go. I think if there is any episode to celebrate and
> discuss on the occasion of Peter's SIXTY SIXTH (wha?? Where have the
> years gone????) birthday, it would be this one. If you want drama in
> this too short lived series, I think it is definitely Mike's speech
> about the falsity of anyone being tone deaf! :)
Definitely....Mike's speech is outstanding. To me, that may have been
the best-written episode.
Monkee Lady
Monkee Lady
"Hitting the High Seas" is the episode you refer to and I agree with
you on that one. Same with "Monkees in Texas"....that one *does* have
some very good lines.
Monkee Lady
The
>
> "Hitting the High Seas" is the episode you refer to and I agree with
> you on that one. Same with "Monkees in Texas"....that one *does* have
> some very good lines.
>
> Monkee Lady
Was that the episode where the guy asks Davy to take his horse and
Davy, slightly insulted, says " I'm not a stableboy" and the guy says
"I don't care about your mental health, just take the horse."? Was
that the Monkees In Texas episode? And Mike takes the jar of soil from
the ranch to be examined and asks the bartender/chemist to tell him
what it is. The man says " It's crude." Mike thinks about it, then
says "Tell me anyway."
I just crack up every single time.
Monkee Lady
That's the one!
Monkee Lady
catg...@aol.com
> out? �Did he really get seasick?
I think that was one story that was offered to explain Mike not being
there. Mike missed a couple more episodes during the second season and
I recall reading somewhere that all of the episodes he wasn't in was
due to artistic differences, which I think translate as he didn't like
the scripts and refused to take part in them. But, I don't think that
was the case on any of the episodes he missed out on. He was seen
briefly with comedian Pat Paulson at the beginning of "Monkees Watch
Their Feet." I think the real issue was that Phyliss was pregnant with
Jonathan and he may have been needed to be with her for some reason. I
don't know, just a guess.
> I also love the episode on Aunt Kate's ranch ("They're throwing
> everything at us but the kitchen sink!").
"Monkees In Texas" is one of my favorite episodes. The send up of the
westerns, the Monkees joining up with the bad guys, shooting at
themselves. And then, at the end, the audience applauds but actress
Bonnie J. Dewberry says sarcastically, "I don't know what you're
clappin' for. They'll be back!" Did she mean the Cartwheels or the
Monkees?
Among my favorite episodes: "Monkees Marooned," "Monkees Watch Their
Feet" ( favorite scene: robot Micky getting upset because Davy or
Peter pick up the phone to make or receive a phone call -- robot Micky
thinks the phone is a pet cat and that Davy or Peter are punishing the
cat by taking its head off), "Here Come The Monkees!" (pilot episode
with humor that approached the Marx Brothers, which the series was
supposed to have been inspired by on the comedy but fell short of
sometimes), "Monkee Vs. Machine" (the writers of "Star Trek" must've
taken their cue for enabling Captain Kirk's great ability to talk
talking computers into committing computer suicide with this episode,
in which Peter is defeated by the computer but Mike defeats the
computer), "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold," "The Chaperone" (Micky
in drag plus the gorgeous *teenager*, Sherry Alberoni), "Monkees A La
Mode," "Monkee Chow Mein," "The Devil and Peter Tork."
Among my least favorites: "The Prince and the Pauper" (one Davy is
enough, thank you), "Hillbilly Honeymoon," "Son of Gypsy," "Too Many
Girls" (second song needed), "Some Like It Lukewarm" (Monkees
intentionally goofing, especially Mike), "Monkees In the Ring."
Most of the episodes were good although sometimes the comedy was a
little too slow and in need of funnier lines and action. That's what
bothered me about "Too Many Girls." The comedy parts were just
w....a....y.... t....o....o.... s....l....o....w.... and an additional
song would've helped the episode move along at a quicker pace. That
episode was just pure torment.
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> Oh, yes...the Concert episode is very good. Nice to see the guys as
> themselves as opposed to their scripted characters.
Indeed. I mean, the rub is, when you're doing scripted material, but
you use your real name (versus that of a character), the perception is
that you really are that character, and though there may be
similarities, the Concert episode is a superb glimpse into that heady
summer of '67.
> I really like
> "The Monkees Paw" episode, too, but the "magic fingers" line come from
> "Monkees on the Wheel" (the Vegas ep.).
HEE HEE HEE! Thank you!!! Woops!
> Two other Season 2 episodes
> that I really enjoy are "Wild Monkees" and "Card Carrying Red Shoes".
> ("I don't wanna be a chicken, I don't wanna be a chicken...Ward, I
> don't wanna be a chicken." Neat little reference to Ward Sylvester.)
Ah, then he goes: "I'm a chicken, I'm a chicken..." Micky's a
brilliant comic. :)
> > > "The Devil and Peter Tork" seems
> > > (at least to me) to have the most heart of all the episodes....if
> > > there is any real dramatic moment in a Monkees episode, I think it is
> > > just after Zero appears at the pad with the contract and Peter says
> > > that he is scared. Same goes for the courtroom scene exchange between
> > > Peter and Mike.
>
> > There you go. I think if there is any episode to celebrate and
> > discuss on the occasion of Peter's SIXTY SIXTH (wha?? Where have the
> > years gone????) birthday, it would be this one. If you want drama in
> > this too short lived series, I think it is definitely Mike's speech
> > about the falsity of anyone being tone deaf! :)
>
> Definitely....Mike's speech is outstanding. To me, that may have been
> the best-written episode.
It was almost like Mike was truly speaking from the heart, w/o the
benefit of the script.
I used to have the script lying around somewhere. I wonder how much
improv was involved in that speech...
Ron Fowler
(everytime a cat screams they tear it's head off!) love seeing Pat
Paulsen, one of the funniest deadpan comics ever; The Devil and Peter
Tork - this one really gets to the heart of the Monkees as musicians,
also love the references to that fiery place they can't mention on
network tv!; and the Frodis Caper might be my top favorite, just because
it's so trippy and wierd - hey fellas, I got a cribbage! Worst? Don't
know, I find something to like in all of them - even 33 & 1/3
Revolutions Per Monkee has moments that redeem it, like the rock and
roll jam with Fats, Jerry Lee, and Little Richard, and the live band
performance of "Listen to the Band".
Monkee Lady
I have the script, too (it was 1 of 3 that I bought from Micky's site
in 2000...."Fairy Tale" and "The Frodis Caper" were the other 2), and
it is a "revised final draft". I don't know how many more revisions
were made to the script before shooting.....I have other tv scripts
that are actual studio scripts (as opposed to photocopies) and they
have a different colored page for each revision so some are very multi-
colored. The script for "TDAPT" does have some differences from the
aired script and Mike's speech was not fully developed. I does seem
like he did ad lib some of it, especially the "tone deaf" part, but
who knows? It was one of Mike's finest moments, for sure. Of course,
his shining comedic performance has to be when he was Princess
Gwen....in his commentary on the episode, Peter says that Mike should
have gotten an Emmy for that.
Monkee Lady
Monkee Lady
Monkee Lady
The line about the cat/telephone is my favorite from that episode and
I always found Pat Paulsen to be quite amusing.
"Worst" may have been a bit harsh when I started the post....perhaps
"least favorite" would have been a better choice. Most of the shows
are pretty enjoyable with a handful that are definitely below-
par.....but even those may be better that some of the stuff on tv
today! ;-))
Monkee Lady
Newsread...@gmail.com
<catgo...@aol.com> wrote:
> > Oh, I love Monkees On The High Seas, too: tons! Why did Mike bow
> > out? Did he really get seasick?
>
> I think that was one story that was offered to explain Mike not being
> there. Mike missed a couple more episodes during the second season and
> I recall reading somewhere that all of the episodes he wasn't in was
> due to artistic differences, which I think translate as he didn't like
> the scripts and refused to take part in them.
Wow! Bad ass!
We were speaking of the Vegas episode earlier; I love, love, love the
use of Day Into Summer (one of the most psychedelic songs EVER
written) in that show. Is that the original use of it? You know how
they re-dubbed shows later w/ different songs... Who knows? Do
tell. :)
> But, I don't think that
> was the case on any of the episodes he missed out on. He was seen
> briefly with comedian Pat Paulson at the beginning of "Monkees Watch
> Their Feet." I think the real issue was that Phyliss was pregnant with
> Jonathan and he may have been needed to be with her for some reason.
...I thought Nurit is Jonathan's mom? I can't believe Nez
was...erm...had a child out of wedlock? Ahem. 'Course, I don't know
what went on 'tween he (him?) & Phyliss...
> > I also love the episode on Aunt Kate's ranch ("They're throwing
> > everything at us but the kitchen sink!").
>
> "Monkees In Texas" is one of my favorite episodes.
I think that's when I fell in love with Papa Gene's Blues. That's the
song in the romp, right?
> The send up of the
> westerns, the Monkees joining up with the bad guys, shooting at
> themselves. And then, at the end, the audience applauds but actress
> Bonnie J. Dewberry says sarcastically, "I don't know what you're
> clappin' for. They'll be back!"
No, no, my dear, she notoriously said: "I wouldn't be too happy about
that; they'll be back."
> Did she mean the Cartwheels or the
> Monkees?
I think the Cartwheels?
Also love seeing the guys in the season 2 motorbike episode (I'm awful
with titles). Purple Flower Gang or some such...? Also, one of the
rare season 1 episodes I love (like 'em all; love? Not so much) is
the one where Micky is running for mayor or something...?
Great writing. So imaginative. Maybe it's not too late for a 3rd
season. Are current NBC brass still Monkee friendly?
> "The Chaperone" (Micky
> in drag plus the gorgeous *teenager*, Sherry Alberoni),
Yes, that's wacky fun.
I feel guilty if I don't say the swan episode, I think, Frodis Caper,
directed by our very own Sir Dolenzio... But what on earth that
script is about... Don't ask me! {shrug}
> "Monkees A La
> Mode," "Monkee Chow Mein," "The Devil and Peter Tork."
>
> Among my least favorites: "The Prince and the Pauper" (one Davy is
> enough, thank you),<snip>
Heyyyy, I resemble that statement! ;)
And everybody loves the Get Out More Soap episode, or whatever it's
called.
I'm also quite fond of the one with the actress... Rose Marie?
That's when I fell head over heels for Sometime In The Morning! Very
sweet episode. Love it!
Monkee Lady
> Also love seeing the guys in the season 2 motorbike episode (I'm awful
> with titles). Purple Flower Gang or some such...? Also, one of the
> rare season 1 episodes I love (like 'em all; love? Not so much) is
> the one where Micky is running for mayor or something...?
"Wild Monkees", which I really enjoy, is the motorcycle episode, the
Purple Flower Gang is in ""Monkees A La Carte" and "Monkee
Mayor" (season 2) had Mike running for mayor.
> Great writing. So imaginative. Maybe it's not too late for a 3rd
> season. Are current NBC brass still Monkee friendly?
> I feel guilty if I don't say the swan episode, I think, Frodis Caper,
> directed by our very own Sir Dolenzio... But what on earth that
> script is about... Don't ask me! {shrug}
Are you talking about the concert episode where Davy plays with the
swan (that was cute) or are you referring to "Frodis Caper" being the
swan song of the series?
> And everybody loves the Get Out More Soap episode, or whatever it's
> called.
You're close! "Monkees Get Out More Dirt".
> I'm also quite fond of the one with the actress... Rose Marie?
> That's when I fell head over heels for Sometime In The Morning! Very
> sweet episode. Love it!
"That would be "Monkee Mother" and I agree that it is a very sweet
episode. Rose Marie was also in the episode, "Monkees in a Ghost
Town". My favorite moment in that one is when Lenny (Lon Chaney, Jr.)
reaches into his pocket and takes out a mouse.....great reference to
his movie, "Of Mice and Men", in which he played Lenny and Burgess
Meredith played George.
Monkee Lady
Newsread...@gmail.com
> Worst? Don't
> know, I find something to like in all of them <snip>
Seconded.
>- even 33 & 1/3
> Revolutions Per Monkee has moments that redeem it, like the rock and
> roll jam with Fats, Jerry Lee, and Little Richard, and the live band
> performance of "Listen to the Band".
...I'm keen on the latter you mention and the marvelous I'm A Believer
duet! Julie Driscoll?? :)
Newsread...@gmail.com
> > > Definitely....Mike's speech is outstanding. To me, that may have been
> > > the best-written episode.
>
> > It was almost like Mike was truly speaking from the heart, w/o the
> > benefit of the script.
>
> > I used to have the script lying around somewhere. I wonder how much
> > improv was involved in that speech...
>
> I have the script, too (it was 1 of 3 that I bought from Micky's site
> in 2000...."Fairy Tale" and "The Frodis Caper" were the other 2), <snip>
I had Fairy Tale, too! But I didn't get 'em from Micky's site
directly. Are they autographed? Are they still available? Does
Frodis have his directorial notes?
> and
> it is a "revised final draft". I don't know how many more revisions
> were made to the script before shooting.....I have other tv scripts
> that are actual studio scripts (as opposed to photocopies) and they
> have a different colored page for each revision so some are very multi-
> colored. The script for "TDAPT" does have some differences from the
> aired script and Mike's speech was not fully developed. I does seem
> like he did ad lib some of it, especially the "tone deaf" part, but
> who knows?
Yes, yes, because he hesitated, seemingly searching his heart. :)
> It was one of Mike's finest moments, for sure. Of course,
> his shining comedic performance has to be when he was Princess
> Gwen....in his commentary on the episode, Peter says that Mike should
> have gotten an Emmy for that.
Awww... There were no individual performance Emmy noms, right? Just
the series, which of course, won! :)
Newsread...@gmail.com
> > Also love seeing the guys in the season 2 motorbike episode (I'm awful
> > with titles). Purple Flower Gang or some such...? Also, one of the
> > rare season 1 episodes I love (like 'em all; love? Not so much) is
> > the one where Micky is running for mayor or something...?
>
> "Wild Monkees", which I really enjoy, is the motorcycle episode, the
> Purple Flower Gang is in ""Monkees A La Carte" and "Monkee
> Mayor" (season 2) had Mike running for mayor.
BLUSH! OMG! Um... Ahem. Yes. I have heard of the series called The
Monkees. I *have* watched it...eons ago, apparently!
That is an impressive display of my dyslexia; got 'em all nicely mixed
up proper & even. :)
> > Great writing. So imaginative. Maybe it's not too late for a 3rd
> > season. Are current NBC brass still Monkee friendly?
> > I feel guilty if I don't say the swan episode, I think, Frodis Caper,
> > directed by our very own Sir Dolenzio... But what on earth that
> > script is about... Don't ask me! {shrug}
>
> Are you talking about the concert episode where Davy plays with the
> swan (that was cute) or are you referring to "Frodis Caper" being the
> swan song of the series?
Oh, I love the swan bit in the concert episode (adorable), and I was
indeed referring to Frodis as the swan song, yes. :)
> > And everybody loves the Get Out More Soap episode, or whatever it's
> > called.
>
> You're close! "Monkees Get Out More Dirt".
Getting closer! Ahahahaha! Thanks!! :)
> > I'm also quite fond of the one with the actress... Rose Marie?
> > That's when I fell head over heels for Sometime In The Morning! Very
> > sweet episode. Love it!
>
> "That would be "Monkee Mother" and I agree that it is a very sweet
> episode.
Verrrrry sweet.
Monkee Lady
> Re.: Devil & Peter Tork episodic
>
> > > > Definitely....Mike's speech is outstanding. To me, that may have been
> > > > the best-written episode.
>
> > > It was almost like Mike was truly speaking from the heart, w/o the
> > > benefit of the script.
>
> > > I used to have the script lying around somewhere. I wonder how much
> > > improv was involved in that speech...
>
> > I have the script, too (it was 1 of 3 that I bought from Micky's site
> > in 2000...."Fairy Tale" and "The Frodis Caper" were the other 2), <snip>
>
> I had Fairy Tale, too! But I didn't get 'em from Micky's site
> directly. Are they autographed? Are they still available? Does
> Frodis have his directorial notes?
Yes, they are all autographed with Micky's scrawl! LOL! I got his
autograph in person back in 1991 and it wasn't any better! No, Micky
isn't selling the scripts anymore....if my experience is what was the
norm, it took forever for orders to be filled. I waited so long for
my merchandise (3 scripts, the Our Favorite Episodes tape and Micky's
"Demoiselle" cd) that when the stuff fianally arrived, there was an
extra autographed goodie (a mousepad of a picture of Micky from
"Circus Boy") and the video tape had been upgraded to the lunchbox
that included the VHS! (The lunchbox was also autographed, as was the
cd....so that was 6 Micky autographs!) Yes, the "Frodis" script has
Micky's directorial notes....I'd love to see the script that Peter
directed!
> > and
> > it is a "revised final draft". I don't know how many more revisions
> > were made to the script before shooting.....I have other tv scripts
> > that are actual studio scripts (as opposed to photocopies) and they
> > have a different colored page for each revision so some are very multi-
> > colored. The script for "TDAPT" does have some differences from the
> > aired script and Mike's speech was not fully developed. I does seem
> > like he did ad lib some of it, especially the "tone deaf" part, but
> > who knows?
>
> Yes, yes, because he hesitated, seemingly searching his heart. :)
>
> > It was one of Mike's finest moments, for sure. Of course,
> > his shining comedic performance has to be when he was Princess
> > Gwen....in his commentary on the episode, Peter says that Mike should
> > have gotten an Emmy for that.
>
> Awww... There were no individual performance Emmy noms, right? Just
> the series, which of course, won! :)
Right.....plus the Emmy that James Frawley won for directing. The
series only won the awards in the first season.
Monkee Lady
Newsread...@gmail.com
> > I had Fairy Tale, too! But I didn't get 'em from Micky's site
> > directly. Are they autographed? Are they still available? Does
> > Frodis have his directorial notes?
>
> Yes, they are all autographed with Micky's scrawl! LOL! I got his
> autograph in person back in 1991 and it wasn't any better! No, Micky
> isn't selling the scripts anymore....if my experience is what was the
> norm, it took forever for orders to be filled. I waited so long for
> my merchandise (3 scripts, the Our Favorite Episodes tape and Micky's
> "Demoiselle" cd) that when the stuff fianally arrived, there was an
> extra autographed goodie (a mousepad of a picture of Micky from
That sounds SO CUTE.
> and the video tape had been upgraded to the lunchbox
> that included the VHS! (The lunchbox was also autographed, as was the
> cd....so that was 6 Micky autographs!) Yes, the "Frodis" script has
> Micky's directorial notes....I'd love to see the script that Peter
> directed!
Sounds like it was worth the wait, then.
All 4 of the guys have such great websites, but if I had to rank them,
according to eye candy & interactivity, I'd go: Micky (I'm a sucker
for cartoons), Nez (of course), Davy (his girl of the month thing is
so funny), and Peter's (informative & factual).
:)
Newsread...@gmail.com
> > > Of course,
> > > his shining comedic performance has to be when he was Princess
> > > Gwen....in his commentary on the episode, Peter says that Mike should
> > > have gotten an Emmy for that.
>
> > Awww... There were no individual performance Emmy noms, right? Just
> > the series, which of course, won! :)
>
> Right.....plus the Emmy that James Frawley won for directing. The
> series only won the awards in the first season.
I got Mr. Frawley on the phone, once, for a work thing, and I was a
stammering, and I mean stammering fool. :)
Monkee Lady
Cool! When and why? Details?
Aside from directing more Monkees episodes that anyone else, I admire
James Frawley because he directed "The Muppet Movie". In fact, I was
out of my first Monkees phase long before "The Muppet Movie" came out
so that's what stayed in my mind about him....when MTV started showing
The Monkees in 1986, my first thought when I was his name on the
directing credit, my reaction was, "Hey! That's the guy who directed
'The Muppet Movie'!"
Monkee Lady
catg...@aol.com
> > there. Mike missed a couple more episodes during the second season and
> > I recall reading somewhere that all of the episodes he wasn't in was
> > due to artistic differences, which I think translate as he didn't like
> > the scripts and refused to take part in them.
>
> Wow! �Bad ass!
Possibly although Mike could've gotten seasick during the filming of
the "Hitting the High Seas" episode, although it's a question as to
how much of the episode was shot on a ship and how much was shot on
the studio stage. I could see getting seasick while on board could've
put Mike out of commission for the time the episode was filmed on the
ship but all of the episode? They could've shot his parts around
that.
> We were speaking of the Vegas episode earlier; I love, love, love the
> use of Day Into Summer (one of the most psychedelic songs EVER
> written) in that show. �Is that the original use of it? �You know how
> they re-dubbed shows later w/ different songs... �Who knows? �Do
> tell. �:)
"The Door Into Summer" was the original song used for the Vegas
episode. The Vegas episode is the one I remember featuring TDIS with
an echoed vocal, at least in the syndication version. The original run
version may have been the original.
For the second season, all of the songs used in the second season
episodes came from the "Headquarters," "Pisces...," and "The Birds..."
albums. There is a question as to what the original song was that was
used in the "Hillbilly Honeymoon" episode. "Papa Gene's Blues" or
"Tapioca Tundra?" Maggie's book "The Monkees: A Manufactured Image" as
well as Andrew's book "The Monkees: Day by Day" indicate the episode
aired October 23, 1967 but I don't remember seeing the episode until
April or May of 1968. I'm thinking the October 23rd date in 1967 was
pre-empted by some news bulletin concerning the war or President
Johnson or something else. I know the episode of HH that's included in
syndication and in the Rhino sets have PGB as the featured song but
"Tapioca Tundra" is the song that I remember being used. The song
started from the drums instead of the guitar intro. I'd also guess
that if HH didn't air in October 1967, that Raybert may have
reconsidered their decision to use PGB and replaced it with TT. There
were no other midseason song replacements during the second season as
there had been during the first season.
> ...I thought Nurit is Jonathan's mom? �I can't believe Nez
> was...erm...had a child out of wedlock? �Ahem. �'Course, I don't know
> what went on 'tween he (him?) & Phyliss...
Nurit's and Michael's son is Jason. Phyliss was pregnant with
Jonathan. Mike has three sons and one daughter that I'm aware of...any
other kids? Eh, can't say.
> > > I also love the episode on Aunt Kate's ranch ("They're throwing
> > > everything at us but the kitchen sink!").
>
> > "Monkees In Texas" is one of my favorite episodes.
>
> I think that's when I fell in love with Papa Gene's Blues. �That's the
> song in the romp, right?
"Monkees In Texas" featured the songs "Words" (as the Monkees and the
Cartwheels tangle with each other) and "Goin' Down" (in a live vocal
from Micky set to the backing track). PGB was only used in the above
mentioned "Hillbilly Honeymoon" episode, which I thought was very odd
for Raybert to be using a first season song that was produced under
the Donfather's thumb.
> > The send up of the
> > westerns, the Monkees joining up with the bad guys, shooting at
> > themselves. And then, at the end, the audience applauds but actress
> > Bonnie J. Dewberry says sarcastically, "I don't know what you're
> > clappin' for. They'll be back!"
>
> No, no, my dear, she notoriously said: �"I wouldn't be too happy about
> that; they'll be back."
>
> > Did she mean the Cartwheels or the
> > Monkees?
>
> I think the Cartwheels?
Well, considering the Cartwheels didn't return but the Monkees
returned with Micky singing "Goin' Down" live, I think the line was an
inside joke or swipe at the Monkees. Btw, although it appeared Mike,
Davy and Peter were nowhere to be seen during "Goin' Down," Mike's
guitar and Peter's bass could be seen briefly and I remember seeing
three black hooded figures playing saxophones -- Davy, Peter and Mike?
It was very unusual to see a Micky solo. And the video for "Star
Collector," which showed Micky on drums and Davy on tambourine but
Mike and Peter playing oversized drums ticks, what was up with that?
Why not their usual guitar and bass or keyboards? But, I liked both
videos, very unique compared to other performances or videos.
> Also love seeing the guys in the season 2 motorbike episode (I'm awful
> with titles). �Purple Flower Gang or some such...? �Also, one of the
> rare season 1 episodes I love (like 'em all; love? �Not so much) is
> the one where Micky is running for mayor or something...?
"Wild Monkees" and "Monkee Mayor," both season 2. "Wild Monkees"
featured a shortened version of "Star Collector" without the tack
piano heard on the version heard on the "Pisces..." album and various
reissues.
> Great writing. �So imaginative. �Maybe it's not too late for a 3rd
> season. �Are current NBC brass still Monkee friendly?
A better time would've been 1968, followed by season four in 1969 and
season five in 1970. Now, if the Monkees could be persuaded to get
back together one more time, it could probably only happen with a new
movie. If Steven Spielberg and George Lucas can bring 60-ish Harrison
Ford back for another "Indiana Jones" feature (thank you Steven and
George; I've seen the trailer and looking forward to seeing the movie
when it opens -- looks like a winner!), there's nothing wrong with
bringing 60-ish year old Monkees back one more time. Nobody says a
damned word about McCartney or the Stones or any other artist or actor
from the 60s, so I see no reason why the Monkees shouldn't be
available for a new project.
> > "The Chaperone" (Micky
> > in drag plus the gorgeous *teenager*, Sherry Alberoni),
>
> Yes, that's wacky fun.
I always wondered if Sherry was the cute blonde Micky referred to in
his book as trying to beat Davy at getting her phone number? She
looked 16 but she was (and is) the same age as Micky and Davy (unless
the imdb website has the wrong info on her). She did a lot of cartoon
voices in the 60s and 70s including the voice of "Daphne" on the
original "Scooby Doo" series.
> I feel guilty if I don't say the swan episode, I think, Frodis Caper,
> directed by our very own Sir Dolenzio... �But what on earth that
> script is about... �Don't ask me! {shrug}
"Mijacgeo" was the proper title and was cowritten by Micky as well as
directed by him. About an alien football with a hypnotic eye that
enabled the evil wizard Glick (crazy insane comic funnyman Rip Taylor)
to cast his evil spell on the public, make the people his personal
slaves. It was about the power of television supposedly although one
could also say it was about the power of football, whether college or
pro. But, there were some funny moments in the episode, such as Mike
or Peter noting it was 7:30/6:30 central time and time for "The
Monkees" and wondering if anyone had a television set. Then, a few
minutes later as the police tried to put a stop to the Monkees trying
to put a stop to the Frodis and Glick, one of the cops remarked that
it was time for "Dragnet" (dum de dum dum) and they promptly forgot
about the Monkees. But, just as the Monkees were about to put the
Frodis out of its misery, it persuades the Monkees that Glick is
responsible and he's just a poor defenseless alien football and if it
can recharge its powers, it can put a stop to Glick. One wild and
crazy episode, easily equal to the Marx brothers's inspired pilot
episode from 1965 as well as the lunacy of "Monty Python" and "The
Goodies," which must've been the BBC's answer to "The Monkees" --
although that show featured a wacky trio instead of a wacky quartet.
Fun stuff with one member who sort of resembled Peter and another who
resembled Issac Asimov.
> > Among my least favorites: "The Prince and the Pauper" (one Davy is
> > enough, thank you),<snip>
>
> Heyyyy, I resemble that statement! �;)
What? You resemble Davy?
> And everybody loves the Get Out More Soap episode, or whatever it's
> called.
Any show that featured Julie Newmar couldn't be all bad. (And fish
swim!)
> I'm also quite fond of the one with the actress... �Rose Marie?
> That's when I fell head over heels for Sometime In The Morning! �Very
> sweet episode. �Love it!
Rose Marie was in two episodes: "Monkee Mother" (which featured
"Sometime In the Morning" and "Look Out") and "Monkees In A Ghost
Town." I'm not sure why but TV Guide reported in 1967 the Monkees were
losing Rose Marie but signing on fifth Monkee Monte Landis. Rose Marie
only guest starred on the two episodes and she couldn't be considered
a semi-regular on that basis. Arlene Martel did two episodes, one in
the first season and one in the second season but she wasn't a semi-
regula either. Monte Landis, I believe was signed for seven episodes
although I don't know what his final tally was but it almost could've
been enough for him to be considered a semi-regular. He worked well
with the Monkees and it might have been fun to have seen him during a
third season as their manager.
catg...@aol.com
> directly. �Are they autographed? �Are they still available? �Does
> Frodis have his directorial notes?
Just out of curiosity, did Micky's website offer any unproduced
scripts or story ideas? There was a company that about ten years ago
was offering the script of what would've been a first season episode
titled "Monkees Toy Around." Based on what I read in the 70s, most
producers bought more stories or scripts than was actually produced
for TV series, sort of a safety feature just in case a script given
the green light didn't end up getting produced. Pity TV producers
didn't do that with the recent TV writers strike.
> > It was one of Mike's finest moments, for sure. �Of course,
> > his shining comedic performance has to be when he was Princess
> > Gwen....in his commentary on the episode, Peter says that Mike should
> > have gotten an Emmy for that.
>
> Awww... �There were no individual performance Emmy noms, right? �Just
> the series, which of course, won! �:)
Mike could've been nominated for best actor in a comedy series, but
that probably wouldn't have set very well with Davy. The one thing
I've noticed about the Emmys for best actors in the 60s was that
usually, the same actors were being nominated and/or winning every
year. Worthy to be sure but when an actor was doing the same comedy
bit he always did, it seemed a bit cracked in the head to keep
nominating the actor.
catg...@aol.com
> James Frawley because he directed "The Muppet Movie". �In fact, I was
> out of my first Monkees phase long before "The Muppet Movie" came out
> so that's what stayed in my mind about him....when MTV started showing
> The Monkees in 1986, my first thought when I was his name on the
> directing credit, my reaction was, "Hey! �That's the guy who directed
> 'The Muppet Movie'!"
Wow! I didn't know that he had directed "The Muppet Movie." Now,
you've given me an excuse to watch it! I remember seeing James Frawley
in a lot of TV shows when he worked in front of the camera. I didn't
know he was the same guy who had directed a lot of the Monkee episodes
-- I didn't always see the closing credits on other shows.
Btw, have you seen Mike's uncredited appearance during the first
season of "That Girl?" That was something else I didn't know about.
The episode was the sixth episode of the first season , title "Rich
Little Rich Kid" and he played the "Director of an Avant Garde Play."
I'm not sure if he had any lines although the episode aired in October
1966, so "The Monkees" were already on the air and already scoring hit
records. It must've been filmed before the supernova phenomenon that
the Monkees became. I could've seen Bert or Bob demanding Mike's name
be in the credits if they had known. I loathe the idea of buying the
first season of TG on dvd, never one of my favorite shows but that may
be the only way to see the episode with Nez in it!
Newsread...@gmail.com
> > I got Mr. Frawley on the phone, once, for a work thing, and I was a
> > stammering, and I mean stammering fool. :)
>
> Cool! When and why? Details?
Well he's an episodic director, and I've been in the literary field.
I think he was working on Judging Amy at the time. Wonder what he's
up to, now... He acted in the series, too, right? He's got a
distinct, character-y look, if I'm thinking of the right guy.
> Aside from directing more Monkees episodes that anyone else, I admire
> James Frawley because he directed "The Muppet Movie".
Oh, heck yeah!! :)
> In fact, I was
> out of my first Monkees phase long before "The Muppet Movie" came out
> so that's what stayed in my mind about him....when MTV started showing
> The Monkees in 1986, my first thought when I was his name on the
> directing credit, my reaction was, "Hey! That's the guy who directed
> 'The Muppet Movie'!"
Wow! How many Monkees phases have you been in and out of? I don't
think I've ever left, though the degree of intensity, of course,
varies. :)
Monkee Lady
<catgo...@aol.com> wrote:
> Just out of curiosity, did Micky's website offer any unproduced
> scripts or story ideas? There was a company that about ten years ago
> was offering the script of what would've been a first season episode
> titled "Monkees Toy Around." Based on what I read in the 70s, most
> producers bought more stories or scripts than was actually produced
> for TV series, sort of a safety feature just in case a script given
> the green light didn't end up getting produced. Pity TV producers
> didn't do that with the recent TV writers strike.
Not that I can recall...I don't even remember the other scripts that
were available but there were just a handful offered. I would love to
see that "Monkees Toy Around" script.
Monkee Lady
Monkee Lady
<catgo...@aol.com> wrote:
> > > I think that was one story that was offered to explain Mike not being
> > > there. Mike missed a couple more episodes during the second season and
> > > I recall reading somewhere that all of the episodes he wasn't in was
> > > due to artistic differences, which I think translate as he didn't like
> > > the scripts and refused to take part in them.
>
> > Wow! �Bad ass!
>
> Possibly although Mike could've gotten seasick during the filming of
> the "Hitting the High Seas" episode, although it's a question as to
> how much of the episode was shot on a ship and how much was shot on
> the studio stage. I could see getting seasick while on board could've
> put Mike out of commission for the time the episode was filmed on the
> ship but all of the episode? They could've shot his parts around
> that.
I watched that episode after reading this post and the majority of it
takes place on the boat. I listened to Davy's commentary track and he
suggested that Mike just didn't want to be in the episode, but didn't
offer any specifics.
>
> For the second season, all of the songs used in the second season
> episodes came from the "Headquarters," "Pisces...," and "The Birds..."
> albums. There is a question as to what the original song was that was
> used in the "Hillbilly Honeymoon" episode. "Papa Gene's Blues" or
> "Tapioca Tundra?" Maggie's book "The Monkees: A Manufactured Image" as
> well as Andrew's book "The Monkees: Day by Day" indicate the episode
> aired October 23, 1967 but I don't remember seeing the episode until
> April or May of 1968. I'm thinking the October 23rd date in 1967 was
> pre-empted by some news bulletin concerning the war or President
> Johnson or something else. I know the episode of HH that's included in
> syndication and in the Rhino sets have PGB as the featured song but
> "Tapioca Tundra" is the song that I remember being used. The song
> started from the drums instead of the guitar intro. I'd also guess
> that if HH didn't air in October 1967, that Raybert may have
> reconsidered their decision to use PGB and replaced it with TT. There
> were no other midseason song replacements during the second season as
> there had been during the first season.
Maybe TT was substituted in the rerun during spring/summer? I have
found no evidence that the episode did *not* air on October 23,
1967.....assuming this date is indeed correct, it would have been
impossible for TT to be in the original broadcast, as the recording
dates for that song are November 11, 1967 and March 13, 1968 (the date
of athe stereo mix)..
> Well, considering the Cartwheels didn't return but the Monkees
> returned with Micky singing "Goin' Down" live, I think the line was an
> inside joke or swipe at the Monkees. Btw, although it appeared Mike,
> Davy and Peter were nowhere to be seen during "Goin' Down," Mike's
> guitar and Peter's bass could be seen briefly and I remember seeing
> three black hooded figures playing saxophones -- Davy, Peter and Mike?
> It was very unusual to see a Micky solo. And the video for "Star
> Collector," which showed Micky on drums and Davy on tambourine but
> Mike and Peter playing oversized drums ticks, what was up with that?
> Why not their usual guitar and bass or keyboards? But, I liked both
> videos, very unique compared to other performances or videos.
There is only one person (unknown) playing the sax...the image is
multiplied in the same way that we see 5 Mickys onscreen. Don't know
if Mike and Peter were actually the ones playing guitar and bass in
the video. As for "Star Collector", Micky is standing *next* to the
drum kit, but not playing the drums......he originally has the 2 drum
sticks until Mike takes one from him after Micky does his machine gun
bit with it. Davy does play the tambourine but Peter plays air
guitar, as does Mike before he takes the drum stick.
Monkee Lady
Monkee Lady
I was an original fan who absolutely adored Micky! After losing
interest in the guys around 1970 (I "grew out" of it!), I became a
"born-again" fan in February 1986, now inding myself absolutely
adoring Peter! (I'm still very fond of Micky!) I don't think I'll
"grow out" of this obsession anytime soon! ;-))
Monkee Lady
Newsread...@gmail.com
> "The Door Into Summer" was the original song used for the Vegas
> episode.
YES!!!
It works so perfectly. I don't want it ever re-dubbed. Never, ever,
ever. 'Course, if it hasn't happened by now, it ain't bound to.
> The Vegas episode is the one I remember featuring TDIS with
> an echoed vocal, at least in the syndication version. The original run
> version may have been the original.
>
> For the second season, all of the songs used in the second season
> episodes came from the "Headquarters," "Pisces...," and "The Birds..."
> albums. There is a question as to what the original song was that was
> used in the "Hillbilly Honeymoon" episode. "Papa Gene's Blues" or
> "Tapioca Tundra?"
Wow! I love the use of Papa Gene's Blues (that is when Cupid struck),
but an alt version with Tapioca would also surely float me boat!
> Maggie's book "The Monkees: A Manufactured Image" as
> well as Andrew's book "The Monkees: Day by Day" indicate the episode
> aired October 23, 1967 but I don't remember seeing the episode until
> April or May of 1968.
I know Maggie, don't I? Please remind me her last name...
> I'm thinking the October 23rd date in 1967 was
> pre-empted by some news bulletin concerning the war or President
> Johnson or something else. I know the episode of HH that's included in
> syndication and in the Rhino sets have PGB as the featured song but
> "Tapioca Tundra" is the song that I remember being used. The song
> started from the drums instead of the guitar intro.
Ooooo, Micky played 'em? Or Davy? I think Tapioca is on par with,
pardon me if I repeat myself, A Day In The Life insofar as its
psychedelic perfection. Same thing goes for Daily Nightly.
> I'd also guess
> that if HH didn't air in October 1967, that Raybert may have
> reconsidered their decision to use PGB and replaced it with TT. There
> were no other midseason song replacements during the second season as
> there had been during the first season.
Good! Quit messin' with perfection! Plus, it throws me off
chronologically, in my musical scholarly endeavors, when something
from, say, '68 is in an episode from '66! Sacrosanct IMO.
> > ...I thought Nurit is Jonathan's mom? I can't believe Nez
> > was...erm...had a child out of wedlock? Ahem. 'Course, I don't know
> > what went on 'tween he (him?) & Phyliss...
>
> Nurit's and Michael's son is Jason.
Thank you.
> Phyliss was pregnant with
> Jonathan. Mike has three sons and one daughter that I'm aware of...any
> other kids? Eh, can't say.
I thought religion encourages monogamy. I'm not judgin'; I'm just
sayin'!! And I mean no disrespect. I don't know what went on in the
house of Nez and Phyliss. She seemed like a wonderful woman.
Probably still is.
> "Monkees In Texas" featured the songs "Words" (as the Monkees and the
> Cartwheels tangle with each other) <snip>
OK, OK, I vaguely remember. Is the entire series out on DVD? I
CLEARLY need a refresher! {blush}
> and "Goin' Down" (in a live vocal
> from Micky set to the backing track). PGB was only used in the above
> mentioned "Hillbilly Honeymoon" episode, which I thought was very odd
> for Raybert to be using a first season song that was produced under
> the Donfather's thumb.
Hillbilly & Texas: guess I mix 'em up. :(
> Well, considering the Cartwheels didn't return but the Monkees
> returned with Micky singing "Goin' Down" live, I think the line was an
> inside joke or swipe at the Monkees. Btw, although it appeared Mike,
> Davy and Peter were nowhere to be seen during "Goin' Down," Mike's
> guitar and Peter's bass could be seen briefly and I remember seeing
> three black hooded figures playing saxophones -- Davy, Peter and Mike?
Are you talking about the brilliant (seemingly, according to you'se)
solo performance...? Micky's in white? He's singing his flat bum
off? The performance that closes the episode? Easily found on
YouTube?
> It was very unusual to see a Micky solo. And the video for "Star
> Collector," which showed Micky on drums and Davy on tambourine but
> Mike and Peter playing oversized drums ticks, what was up with that?
Oh, because the video is a goof! You know...!
> Why not their usual guitar and bass or keyboards? But, I liked both
> videos, very unique compared to other performances or videos.
Yeah. I once felt Star Collector could send me screaming from the
room, and I think I've gone on record for such, but as I contemplate
it in my mind's ear in this very moment, I think, shucks! It ain't so
bad! "Give her my autograph & tell her it's been nice knowing
you..." Kind of a prophetic song, don't you think, given this age of
stalkerazzi?
They did something to Davy's voice on that track, didn't they?
Whazzat? It was hard on me earlier on, but, like Jimi Hendrix, and
even the heavenly Beatles, some things grow on me with time. Like
Dylan: acquired taste.
> > Also love seeing the guys in the season 2 motorbike episode (I'm awful
> > with titles). Purple Flower Gang or some such...? Also, one of the
> > rare season 1 episodes I love (like 'em all; love? Not so much) is
> > the one where Micky is running for mayor or something...?
>
> "Wild Monkees" and "Monkee Mayor," both season 2.
Monkee Mayor: season 2??????????????????????? Musta been episode 2
or 3 or 4, right? Tell me I'm right? My whole concept of being an
"all things Monkees" expert is being SHATTERED! :) Oh, well, any
excuse to re-visit this excellent, excellent, and too shortly lived
series! :)
> > Great writing. So imaginative. Maybe it's not too late for a 3rd
> > season. Are current NBC brass still Monkee friendly?
>
> A better time would've been 1968, followed by season four in 1969 and
> season five in 1970.
Well, granted, sure, but...now that those days are gone...
> Now, if the Monkees could be persuaded to get
> back together one more time, it could probably only happen with a new
> movie.
Oh, that again...!?
> If Steven Spielberg and George Lucas can bring 60-ish Harrison
> Ford back for another "Indiana Jones" feature (thank you Steven and
> George; I've seen the trailer and looking forward to seeing the movie
> when it opens -- looks like a winner!), there's nothing wrong with
> bringing 60-ish year old Monkees back one more time.
OK, OK, I hear you... But Ford has a franchise behind him. Our only
movie, sadly, was a box office flop but a cult success! I may take
the latter over the former, I sometimes think.
> Nobody says a
> damned word about McCartney or the Stones or any other artist or actor
> from the 60s, so I see no reason why the Monkees shouldn't be
> available for a new project.
Well, now you're crossing genres. I haven't seen Paul or Mick and the
gang involved in film projects of late (though Mick did transform
himself around...10 years ago...? For a role which garnered critical
acclaim... I think he was in drag.).
> > > "The Chaperone" (Micky
> > > in drag plus the gorgeous *teenager*, Sherry Alberoni),
> I always wondered if Sherry was the cute blonde Micky referred to in
> his book as trying to beat Davy at getting her phone number?
Probably.
> > I feel guilty if I don't say the swan episode, I think, Frodis Caper,
> > directed by our very own Sir Dolenzio... But what on earth that
> > script is about... Don't ask me! {shrug}
>
> "Mijacgeo" was the proper title and was cowritten by Micky as well as
> directed by him.
Thank you! And what on EARTH is an Mijacgeo? Is it an acronym?
> About an alien football with a hypnotic eye that
> enabled the evil wizard Glick (crazy insane comic funnyman Rip Taylor)
> to cast his evil spell on the public, make the people his personal
> slaves.
I love that name: Wizard Glick! It is almost as good as: "I gleeb
you." :)
> It was about the power of television supposedly although one
> could also say it was about the power of football, whether college or
> pro. But, there were some funny moments in the episode, such as Mike
> or Peter noting it was 7:30/6:30 central time and time for "The
> Monkees" and wondering if anyone had a television set.
Classic. Must. Rewatch. :)
> Then, a few
> minutes later as the police tried to put a stop to the Monkees trying
> to put a stop to the Frodis and Glick, one of the cops remarked that
> it was time for "Dragnet" (dum de dum dum) and they promptly forgot
> about the Monkees. But, just as the Monkees were about to put the
> Frodis out of its misery, it persuades the Monkees that Glick is
> responsible and he's just a poor defenseless alien football and if it
> can recharge its powers, it can put a stop to Glick. One wild and
> crazy episode, easily equal to the Marx brothers's inspired pilot
> episode from 1965 as well as the lunacy of "Monty Python" and "The
> Goodies," which must've been the BBC's answer to "The Monkees" --
> although that show featured a wacky trio instead of a wacky quartet.
Sounds a little far-fetched to me {shrug}.
> > > Among my least favorites: "The Prince and the Pauper" (one Davy is
> > > enough, thank you),<snip>
>
> > Heyyyy, I resemble that statement! �;)
>
> What? You resemble Davy?
Not in the least! He's cuter! :)
> > And everybody loves the Get Out More Soap episode, or whatever it's
> > called.
>
> Any show that featured Julie Newmar couldn't be all bad.
So goes the popular sentiment. {shrug} A bit...tall, isn't she? And
her acting was... Oh, I dunno. That scene where the guys are all
bandy'ing (sp?) about her, and her head is all a'spin...? Maybe I'm
just jealous. Har har.
> > I'm also quite fond of the one with the actress... Rose Marie?
> > That's when I fell head over heels for Sometime In The Morning! Very
> > sweet episode. Love it!
>
> Rose Marie was in two episodes: "Monkee Mother" (which featured
> "Sometime In the Morning" and "Look Out") and "Monkees In A Ghost
> Town." I'm not sure why but TV Guide reported in 1967 the Monkees were
> losing Rose Marie but signing on fifth Monkee Monte Landis. Rose Marie
> only guest starred on the two episodes and she couldn't be considered
> a semi-regular on that basis.
That *is* odd.
> Arlene Martel did two episodes, one in
> the first season and one in the second season but she wasn't a semi-
> regula either. Monte Landis, I believe was signed for seven episodes
> although I don't know what his final tally was but it almost could've
> been enough for him to be considered a semi-regular. He worked well
> with the Monkees and it might have been fun to have seen him during a
> third season as their manager.
Sigh. Yes. T'would have.
Newsread...@gmail.com
> Mike could've been nominated for best actor in a comedy series, but
> that probably wouldn't have set very well with Davy.
You don't know that!!! >:(
> The one thing
> I've noticed about the Emmys for best actors in the 60s was that
> usually, the same actors were being nominated and/or winning every
> year. Worthy to be sure but when an actor was doing the same comedy
> bit he always did, it seemed a bit cracked in the head to keep
> nominating the actor.
That I can agree upon. Here's a smiley face to counteract the above
frown: :)
catg...@aol.com
> takes place on the boat. �I listened to Davy's commentary track and he
> suggested that Mike just didn't want to be in the episode, but didn't
> offer any specifics.
I sometimes think one has to take a grain of salt with the things Davy
has said regarding any of the others, particularly Mike. It seems
unusual that Mike would've intentionally have bowed out of an episode
as the three he bowed out of were not that much different from the
other episodes. It's possible Mike could've indeed been seasick or had
something come up that prevented his participation.
> > For the second season, all of the songs used in the second season
> > episodes came from the "Headquarters," "Pisces...," and "The Birds..."
> > albums. There is a question as to what the original song was that was
> > used in the "Hillbilly Honeymoon" episode. "Papa Gene's Blues" or
> Maybe TT was substituted in the rerun during �spring/summer? �I have
> found no evidence that the episode did *not* air on October 23,
> 1967.....assuming this date is indeed correct, it would have been
> impossible for TT to be in the original broadcast, as the recording
> dates for that song are November 11, 1967 and March 13, 1968 (the date
> of athe stereo mix)..
Anything is a possibility but I remember there were a few times when
the TV series was interrupted for "This very important news bulletin
from NBC News!" As if one didn't know the network they were watching.
As far as not airing, my guess is that NBC may have continued running
the episode while the breaking news story was on the air with the
intent that the show would be joined in progress once the news
coverage was done. But, all the times I remember NBC interrupting "The
Monkees," it seemed like the news coverage took up all of the half
hour, so there was no time left for "The Monkees." Most of the
interruptions took place during the second season reruns. It's also a
possibility that people in other time zones may have been able to have
seen the episode without the news interruption.
> There is only one person (unknown) playing the sax...the image is
> multiplied in the same way that we see 5 Mickys onscreen. �Don't know
> if Mike and Peter were actually the ones playing guitar and bass in
> the video. �
Are you sure the image of the sax player was multiplied? I haven't
seen the video in a while but I don't remember that. Mike, by the way,
played sax in high school, so I've heard but never on a Monkees
recording. I still wonder about Andrew's musician credits listing Mike
as playing every instrument but drums on a couple of his 1968-9 songs.
He was credited in fan club bios in the 60s with lead guitar, electric
organ and pedal steel guitar and nothing else. Not to say that he
couldn't have played other instruments. The fan club bio didn't credit
him with harmonica or sax -- course, maybe they were just limiting the
instruments to what he played on recordings. But, piano and bass
seemed a stretch.
>As for "Star Collector", Micky is standing *next* to the
> drum kit, but not playing the drums......he originally has the 2 drum
> sticks until Mike takes one from him after Micky does his machine gun
> bit with it. �
Look at those drumsticks again. They were pretty large drumsticks,
more like oversized props than the sticks a drummer would normally
use.
>Davy does play the tambourine but Peter plays air
> guitar, as does Mike before he takes the drum stick.
I'll have to have another look at that one myself. I seem to remember
Peter having one of the drumsticks playing the air guitar. But, my
memory may not be what it used to be. As for Peter or Mike playing air
guitar with or without oversized drumsticks, shouldn't they get the
first credit for playing air guitar? Lot of guys in the 60s played air
guitar but that phrase was never in use then. But, just as they may
have made the first rap recording with "Zilch," why not credit them
with the first use of air guitar? No, scratch that idea; that's
probably something the anti-Monkee crowd in the Rock and Roll Hall of
Sham could use against them.
catg...@aol.com
>
> It works so perfectly. �I don't want it ever re-dubbed. �Never, ever,
> ever. �'Course, if it hasn't happened by now, it ain't bound to.
I still believe the song would've been the better choice for "The
Devil and Peter Tork" although they could've used "Salesman" as the
end song.
> Wow! �I love the use of Papa Gene's Blues (that is when Cupid struck),
> but an alt version with Tapioca would also surely float me boat!
>
There wasn't anything particularly different about "Tapioca Tundra"
that I recall, other than missing the first twenty seconds or so (the
slow, lazy guitar, bass, whistling, count down, etc.), although it may
have covered over sound effects that I remember hearing on PGB
(although not an actual part of the song).
> I know Maggie, don't I? �Please remind me her last name...
Maggie McManus, as well as Ed Reilly and Bill Chadwick.
> Ooooo, Micky played 'em? �Or Davy? �I think Tapioca is on par with,
> pardon me if I repeat myself, A Day In The Life insofar as its
> psychedelic perfection. �Same thing goes for Daily Nightly.
>
With perfectionist Mike? My guess is Eddie Hoh drummed for Mike. If
Micky and Davy were on any Mike productions in which he was the lead
singer, it's likely their contributions (if any) would've been backing
vocals. Most of Mike's songs on which he had the lead vocal from 1968
onwards were solo vocals with no backing vocals whatsoever from the
others.
> Good! �Quit messin' with perfection! �Plus, it throws me off
> chronologically, in my musical scholarly endeavors, when something
> from, say, '68 is in an episode from '66! �Sacrosanct IMO.
>
My guess is everyone was too busy with the movie to worry about
substituting songs into the second season episodes. Might have helped
their cause if they had replaced some of the older songs with newer
tunes.
> > Phyliss was pregnant with
> > Jonathan. Mike has three sons and one daughter that I'm aware of...any
> > other kids? Eh, can't say.
>
> I thought religion encourages monogamy. �I'm not judgin'; I'm just
> sayin'!! �And I mean no disrespect. �I don't know what went on in the
> house of Nez and Phyliss. �She seemed like a wonderful woman.
> Probably still is.
From the very little I've read on her, she seems to be a classy act of
the highest degree. All the Monkees's first ex's seem to be classy
acts.
> OK, OK, I vaguely remember. �Is the entire series out on DVD? �I
> CLEARLY need a refresher! �{blush}
Both seasons are still available on DVD from Rhino but cheap they're
not. Expect to pay around $180 for both seasons if ordered direct from
Rhino. I still need to get a set myself although I'm wondering if
Rhino has any plans to make the series available in Blu-Ray with extra
goodies? (Such as offering episodes with alternate songs or offering
the complete unaired performance of "Salesman" if it exists? I want
more goodies if I buy the curent DVDs but then they reissue on Blu
Ray...and at a cheaper price.)
> Are you talking about the brilliant (seemingly, according to you'se)
> solo performance...? �Micky's in white? �He's singing his flat bum
> off? �The performance that closes the episode? Easily found on
> YouTube?
Think Micky was wearing a dark shirt in the "Goin' Down" video. Micky
and the other Monkees were all in white on the video for the "Daily
Nightly" video.
> > It was very unusual to see a Micky solo. And the video for "Star
> > Collector," which showed Micky on drums and Davy on tambourine but
> > Mike and Peter playing oversized drums ticks, what was up with that?
>
> Oh, because the video is a goof! �You know...!
Maybe but I thought it was an attempt to go psychedelic, which it kind
of was. Still could've been a little different.
> > Why not their usual guitar and bass or keyboards? But, I liked both
> > videos, very unique compared to other performances or videos.
>
> Yeah. �I once felt Star Collector could send me screaming from the
> room, and I think I've gone on record for such, but as I contemplate
> it in my mind's ear in this very moment, I think, shucks! �It ain't so
> bad! �"Give her my autograph & tell her it's been nice knowing
> you..." �Kind of a prophetic song, don't you think, given this age of
> stalkerazzi?
It did have that alien landing outside your yard feel to it. Stuff
like that scared my oldest niece when she was a kid. She'd run from
the room when I put on "Star Collector," Emerson, Lake and Palmer's
"Lucky Man" or the Bee Gees's "Sweet Song of Summer" (two other Moog-
driven tunes). She'd just get scared right out of her wits with those
songs.
> They did something to Davy's voice on that track, didn't they?
> Whazzat? �It was hard on me earlier on, but, like Jimi Hendrix, and
> even the heavenly Beatles, some things grow on me with time. �Like
> Dylan: acquired taste.
Nothing but having him sing an octave or so higher than what he
normally could sing. He complained about having to sing that high but
it was a great performance from him.
> Monkee Mayor: �season 2??????????????????????? �Musta been episode 2
> or 3 or 4, right? �Tell me I'm right? �My whole concept of being an
> "all things Monkees" expert is being SHATTERED! � :) �Oh, well, any
> excuse to re-visit this excellent, excellent, and too shortly lived
> series! �:)
I'd have to look it up. I'm out of the house at the moment.
> > A better time would've been 1968, followed by season four in 1969 and
> > season five in 1970.
>
> Well, granted, sure, but...now that those days are gone...
And if NBC had had their way, there would've been a third season of
"The Monkees." They were perfectly willing to commit to a third season
but the Monkees were the ones who wanted to change everything up.
Didn't happen and so now, critics believe "The Monkees" was a victim
of Marshal Dillon and "Gunsmoke." Just didn't happen that way.
> OK, OK, I hear you... �But Ford has a franchise behind him. �Our only
> movie, sadly, was a box office flop but a cult success! �I may take
> the latter over the former, I sometimes think.
The Monkees have always been mismanaged. I think had they been done
right after the movie bombed, by putting together another movie for
them, I think the guys plus Bert and Bob would've realized what they
needed to do differently. That next movie could've been a hit. Not
every movie that was made by any of the major stars in the 60s were
tremendous hits; all the majors had flops at every point of their
career but that didn't stop their movie studio from having them star
in other movies, including further flops.
> > Nobody says a
> > damned word about McCartney or the Stones or any other artist or actor
> > from the 60s, so I see no reason why the Monkees shouldn't be
> > available for a new project.
>
> Well, now you're crossing genres. �I haven't seen Paul or Mick and the
> gang involved in film projects of late (though Mick did transform
> himself around...10 years ago...? �For a role which garnered critical
> acclaim... �I think he was in drag.).
Whether it's in music or in movies, someone will knock the Monkees as
being too old. It's somehing I've come to expect of the anti-Monkee
crowd. If I can cheer them on into doing something new much to the
dismay of their critics, I'll do whatever I can to make it happen.
> > "Mijacgeo" was the proper title and was cowritten by Micky as well as
> > directed by him.
>
> Thank you! �And what on EARTH is an Mijacgeo? �Is it an acronym?
Correction:I think it was Mijacogeo, an amalgam of Micky's name, his
mother Janelle, his sister Coco and their dad George. Micky has two
other younger sisters who didn't figure in the name.
> I love that name: �Wizard Glick! �It is almost as good as: �"I gleeb
> you." �:)
I wonder why Monte Landis didn't play evil wizard Glick? Oh well, Rip
Taylor was as insane as one could get and handled the Monkee lunacy
pretty darned well.
> > It was about the power of television supposedly although one
> > could also say it was about the power of football, whether college or
> > pro. But, there were some funny moments in the episode, such as Mike
> > or Peter noting it was 7:30/6:30 central time and time for "The
> > Monkees" and wondering if anyone had a television set.
>
> Classic. �Must. �Rewatch. �:)
>
Definitely.
> Sounds a little far-fetched to me {shrug}.
>
You would just had to have seen it. Each episode featured music from
Goodies member Michael Oddie (and that was his name) but the episodes
sometimes touched on things the Monkees never would've done.
> So goes the popular sentiment. �{shrug} �A bit...tall, isn't she? �And
> her acting was... �Oh, I dunno. �That scene where the guys are all
> bandy'ing (sp?) about her, and her head is all a'spin...? �Maybe I'm
> just jealous. �Har har.
I think she's about Micky's height. And with all apologies to Eartha
Kitt and Lee Meriweather, Julie was the purrrrfect Catwoman on
"Batman."
catg...@aol.com
> were available but there were just a handful offered. �I would love to
> see that "Monkees Toy Around" script.
Just going by the title, my guess is "Monkees Toy Around" might have
been reworked as "Monkee vs, Machine." Another thing I remember about
the script for that episode was that it was intended to be the first
episode produced following the pilot. But, there was nothing to say
why it was cancelled or that it even was rewritten and retitled. Just
conjecture on my part; I'd like to find a copy of the script myself
but that appears to be as hard as finding tapes of the Monkees's first
attempt at being a band pre-Kirshner or Nez's original follow-up to
"Tantamount to Treason, Vol. 1."
modern
> On Feb 13, 6:08 am, Monkee Lady <mlwallace...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> I don't think that this has been a subject on this ng in quite a while
>> so I thought I would ask for everbody's opinions on the best and worst
>> Monkees episodes.
>
> Great discussion initiative.
>
>> I was watching "Monkees Race Again" last night -
>> I've been observing the 40th anniversary of every episode - and I was
>> struck by how bad this episode is, especially since two of the writers
>> were Elias Davis and David Pollack, who would go on to write for
>> MASH. There was nothing really amusing in this one, although I did
>> enjoy the gag with Micky pulling the tiger's tail out of the gas
>> tank.....for those of you too young to remember, Esso (now the dreaded
>> Mobil-Exxon) had the slogan, "Put a tiger in your tank." Everybody
>> seemed to be just walking through the episode....this was the next-to-
>> last episode produced and I suspect that everybody was just tired.
>> Anyway, "Monkees Race Again" is my pick for the worst episode.
>
> These are season 2? If I had to choose my least faves, I'd certainly
> explore season 1. I appreciate the way the guys loosened up and let
> their real, less scripted personalities show in season 2. Pity there
> wasn't a season 3. It wasn't broke: why fix it? Completely changing
> the format of the show to, say, something more variety show-esque,
> would be a proper bait and switch to the audiences IMO.
>
I don't know, a lot of season 2 becomes more tedious and predictable, as
they pointed out in the Paris episode. There's more variety of music in
the first season, I particularly like the clip for I'm A Believer in the
first season episode that first features that song.
They probably would barely have pursued at all sitcom type scenarios in
another season.
catg...@aol.com
> they pointed out in the Paris episode. �There's more variety of music in
> the first season, I particularly like the clip for I'm A Believer in the
> first season episode that first features that song.
> They probably would barely have pursued at all sitcom type scenarios in
> another season.
They had a lot of time during the filming of the first season to come
up with more songs for the series. During the filming for the second
season, they (principally Mike and Peter) were making much of the
music as well as providing the vocals and they were touring, so they
didn't have the time to record a lot of music. What's amazing is that
they managed to do as much as they did and that they didn't always get
along under such circumstances is understandable. Their time could've
been better managed so that they didn't have to be in the studio
working on the songs and working on the TV series on the same days and
have some days off from each other. That was a rough existence for
anyone.
As for the music from the first season, they had a lot of songs to
pick and choose from. It still irritates the hell out of me at the
overexposure of "Clarksville" and "I'm A Believer," although it was
the smart thing to do in way of promoting the songs. And there were 32
episodes during the first season, many with a minimum of two songs.
Still, I would like to have seen songs "So Goes Love" or "I Don't
Think You Know Me" or any of the other unreleased gems as a featured
song rather than the overkill of LTTC or IAB.
modern
They don't seem that overexposed in the first season. In reruns they
may have changed the songs. I was surprised at the variety of songs,
when I had remembered hearing Clarksville episode after episode.
On the other hand, some songs seem to come back again and again in the
second season.
Newsread...@gmail.com
> > house of Nez and Phyliss. She seemed like a wonderful woman.
> > Probably still is.
>
> From the very little I've read on her, she seems to be a classy act of
> the highest degree. All the Monkees's first ex's seem to be classy
> acts.
My first thought was of Linda Haines. Boy, she sure was pretty! I
want to see a recent photo of her.
Then, I thought about Samantha. SHE AND MICKY WERE SO CUTE!!!
So, yeah, I agree with you: classy ladies!
catg...@aol.com
> may have changed the songs. �I was surprised at the variety of songs,
> when I had remembered hearing Clarksville episode after episode.
I took a look at the song listings for the episodes in "The Monkees: A
Manufactured Image," just to see how many times "Clarksville" and "I'm
A Believer" were featured. "Clarksville" was listed in six episodes
although on one of the episodes, it may have only been a snippet of
the song. There were five entries for "I'm A Believer." Both songs had
been included in episodes that aired mostly back to back although IAB
was featured in two back to back episodes as the only song. Of the 32
first season episodes, there were five episodes in which there was
only one episode. Most episodes featured two songs although one
episode featured four songs: "The Spy Who Came In From The Cool,"
which featured mostly Nesmith-written and produced songs although
"Clarksville" was listed as the fourth although the episode that was
available for syndication had "Saturday's Child" (featuring an
alternate lead vocal from Micky) and not "Clarksville."
I don't think they replaced Kirshner-supervised songs during the first
season with other Kirshner-supervised songs with the exception of "A
Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You." The first season song replacements
came from the songs recorded for "Headquarters." There is the
possibility that first season episodes shown in syndication may have
included songs that may have been considered for an episode when it
aired originally on NBC, but which were replaced by Raybert before the
original air date. That's what I think happened with the episode
"Monkees In A Ghost Town," as I've seen that episode (in syndication
at different points in time) with the original first song, "Tomorrow's
Gonna Be Another Day" and also with "Take A Giant Step" as the first
song. I remember hearing the former in the episode that aired in the
60s in both original run and rerunned episodes but thought my memory
was faulty when TAGS was heard in one of the syndicated versions.
Another syndicated version that I watched featured a shortened
"Pleasant Valley Sunday" replacing TGBAD.
> On the other hand, some songs seem to come back again and again in the
> second season.
Again, there you have to look to the fact that during their season,
the Monkees only had to film their series and record the vocals for
their songs. Kirshner opened up the flood gates to so many of his
songwriters, who at first had written off the project (according to
the Donfather) but changed their collective minds in the wake of the
Monkees's subsequent supernova success.
Second season was basically a repeat of the first but with the Monkees
taking on extra duties in the form of touring and making the music
after having taken down Kirshner. Whatever time they may have had
during the first season to film an episode and record, they didn't
have during the second season. With Kirshner gone and the Monkees in
charge of what songs they'd consider recording, the doors were
basically closed to all, save for Boyce and Hart, and Goffin and King.
Lester Sill, who replaced Kirshner as head of Colgems, was the one who
always made sure the Monkees would record Boyce and Hart tunes. He was
likely also responsible for making sure Goffin and King were
represented. Otherwise, the Monkees could record what they wanted,
whether the songs were written by themselves or their friends or some
songwriter they happened to like.
The second season episodes probably could've featured a few more tunes
from the "Headquarters" album and the sessions for "The Birds, the
Bees and the Monkees;" it's surprising that "For Pete's Sake" was
never featured in a second season episode in its entirety. Also, kind
of surprising that "Shades of Gray" and "Early Morning Blues and
Greens," both good songs, were never featured in a second season
episode.
And despite some TBTB&TM tracks having some lengthy run times, it's
somewhat mystifying the only songs featured from that album were
"Daydream Believer" and "Valleri," the singles plus the b-side
"Tapioca Tundra." Mike's (and Keith Allison's) "Auntie's Municipal
Court" should've been considered as well as "P.O. Box 9847" and Davy's
pretty ballads. The song selection wasn't the greatest but the whole
idea behind the first season song replacements was using the
replacemen songs to remind the fans there were new recordings by the
Monkees. Raybert could even have helped the Monkees out on "D.W.
Washburn" by including that song in an episode. But, I think that all
parties concerned from Bert and Bob to the Monkees themselves had lost
any interest in using the series to promote their music. And that was
a mistake.
catg...@aol.com
> want to see a recent photo of her.
>
> Then, I thought about Samantha. �SHE AND MICKY WERE SO CUTE!!!
In my early, early teens, I was smitten with Samantha and thought
Micky was the luckiest guy in the world. All of the others were okay
but Samantha was always the girl with something extra!
modern
But in the original run before reruns it would have been different, as
in the DVD boxed set. I remember hearing Clarkesville a lot years ago,
but in watching the DVDs it was on a lot less.
catg...@aol.com
> in the DVD boxed set. �I remember hearing Clarkesville a lot years ago,
> but in watching the DVDs it was on a lot less.
It probably doesn't seem like a lot when watching the dvds because one
can pick their time and choose which episode they want to watch. But,
when the series was available in wide syndication, some stations aired
"The Monkees" seven days a week. I think there were even a few
stations that aired it twice per day but five days a week or on the
weekends. A series with 58 episodes running seven days per week will
begin a new repeat cycle eight weeks and one day later.
Someone watching the show every day might have felt as if the songs
were used a lot, assuming they hadn't grown bored from constantly
watching the series. I don't remember thinking LTTC or IAB were being
overused back when I was 12 and 13 -- they were a couple of my
favorite tunes of the time --and the strategy made for some pretty
darned smart promotion of the music. Now, in retrospect, five or six
episodes seems like a lot although the fact most episodes that
featured LTTC or IAB also featured other songs made up for that
usage.
modern
I think.
Thomas Stillabower
was the song in Hillbilly Honeymoon from the beginning. I thought it was
unusual for them to use a first season song in the second season. Think
about it, why would they do a remix of the song for a re-run? On a
different note, does anybody remember the View-Master packet they did on
the Monkees. (A lot of you have seen the View-Masters and the reels in
your local Wal-Marts and Targets. They are packaged with three reels,
when viewed, has a 3-D image. Back in the 50's-70's, they used to come
packaged in a little pouch with inner sleeves and a booklet to go along
with the subject. They did a lot of travelogues, kids fairy tales,
cartoons and television shows.). For the tv shows, they sometimes would
add or subtract something. In the case of the Monkees, they re-wrote the
story entirely. I don't remember the particulars, but the story in the
booklet was not the story in the tv episode.
And I've been yelling since I first commenced it, I'm against it.
Groucho Marx, Horsefeathers (1932)
catg...@aol.com
> was the song in Hillbilly Honeymoon from the beginning. I thought it was
> unusual for them to use a first season song in the second season. Think
> about it, why would they do a remix of the song for a re-run?
The song wasn't remixed so much as re-edited to make the song last for
about two and a half minutes. The original airdate for "Hillbilly
Honeymoon" was October 23, 1967, but that date is in dispute for me as
I don't remember seeing that episode on that particular date. I
remember the series was pre-empted by NBC on a few occasions for
breaking news stories regarding the Vietnam war, President Johnson,
the college riots, what have you...
We were in the central time zone, which meant "The Monkees" aired at
6:30 p.m. every Monday night -- 7:30 p.m. in the eastern time zone. If
"The Monkees" aired in the eastern time zone, it's possible the
breaking news story was a local matter although the local TV station
always made it a point to reschedule whatever TV show they interrupted
and announce on the local news when the episode could be seen. Usually
late night on Saturdays or Sundays and following the 10 p.m. news.
But, I don't recall hearing the local news carrying any announcement
that "The Monkees" episode would be seen at all and the reason for
that was the program was interrupted by NBC News.
When the episode aired in April 1968, the featured song on the episode
I remember watching was "Tapioca Tundra" and not "Papa Gene's Blues,"
which was still credited in the end credits as the song that was used.
Someone had brought one of those crappy portable record players and
the Monkees's newly released single "Valleri" to school to play the
song for everyone who didn't already have the single. Someone looked
at the B-side and wondered what kind of title "Tapioca Tundra" was.
They were initially thrown off by the rather long intro but the moment
the drums kicked in and the music picked up speed and Nez's vocal
kicked in, someone (other than me) recognized the song as the one that
had played on the episode from the night before.
I thought Raybert had made a mistake in their song credits and it
wasn't until the episode was shown during the Saturday morning reruns
by CBS, that I was aware that "Papa Gene's Blues" had been used as the
featured song. It didn't make sense to me then or now why PGB had been
used instead of a song from "Headquarters" or "Pisces...." The Monkees
had at least three songs that could've fit the two and a half minute
time frame without need of having to edit the song to fit the musical
romp. Those songs were "Salesman," "Early Morning Blues and Greens"
and "Randy Scouse Git." (The run times listed for the first two songs
on their respective albums were in error; both ran closer to the run
time for RSG, give or take a few seconds or a stereo copy vs. a mono
copy.)
>On a
> different note, does anybody remember the View-Master packet they did on
> the Monkees. (A lot of you have seen the View-Masters and the reels in
> your local Wal-Marts and Targets. They are packaged with three reels,
> when viewed, has a 3-D image. Back in the 50's-70's, they used to come
> packaged in a little pouch with inner sleeves and a booklet to go along
> with the subject. They did a lot of travelogues, kids fairy tales,
> cartoons and television shows.). For the tv shows, they sometimes would
> add or subtract something. In the case of the Monkees, they re-wrote the
> story entirely. I don't remember the particulars, but the story in the
> booklet was not the story in the tv episode.
I remember the View Masters. We had them as kids but we never acquired
any of the reels featuring a Monkees episode. I remember having a
"Lost In Space" reeler and a "Lone Ranger" reeler. Those story lines
were rewritten as well from the original episodes. As a kid, I met Jay
Silverheels from the "Lone Ranger" series, when he appeared at the
local movie theater promoting the opening of a movie he was in. I
don't remember what the movie was other than he wasn't the star but he
was a first rate gentleman and a class act. He had to deal with about
2000 kids, mostly boys, all around 8 to 10 years of age. He took the
time to meet as many of the kids as he could, shaking their hands,
offering autographs and personally talking with them. How many actors
do that today?
Newsread...@gmail.com
> Now this is a 40 year old memory, but I'm pretty sure Papa Genes Blues
> was the song in Hillbilly Honeymoon from the beginning.
I think so, too. I...think.
> I thought it was
> unusual for them to use a first season song in the second season. Think
> about it, why would they do a remix of the song for a re-run?
Maybe it was a creative choice. It is the perfect fit.
> On a
> different note, does anybody remember the View-Master packet they did on
> the Monkees. (A lot of you have seen the View-Masters and the reels in
> your local Wal-Marts and Targets. They are packaged with three reels,
> when viewed, has a 3-D image. Back in the 50's-70's, they used to come
> packaged in a little pouch with inner sleeves and a booklet to go along
> with the subject. They did a lot of travelogues, kids fairy tales,
> cartoons and television shows.). For the tv shows, they sometimes would
> add or subtract something. In the case of the Monkees, they re-wrote the
> story entirely. I don't remember the particulars, but the story in the
> booklet was not the story in the tv episode.
FABULOUS!!
leno...@gmail.com
I think they really got it down in season two best. I think my least
fave is the Paris episode from season two. It just doesn't hold my
interest. My two all time favorite episodes are Monkees on the Wheel &
Frodis Caper. When I saw the 'frodis' episode when I was a kid a
thought it was scary. The overall mood of the episode just seems very
off. I always wondered what the quick flash of what looks like someone
laying on a stretcher or something during the 'Zor & Zam' scene is
too.
On Feb 15, 12:23 am, "catgod29@home_on_the_range.com"
catg...@aol.com
> I think they really got it down in season two best. I think my least
> fave is the Paris episode from season two. It just doesn't hold my
> interest. My two all time favorite episodes are Monkees on the Wheel &
> Frodis Caper. When I saw the 'frodis' episode when I was a kid a
> thought it was scary. The overall mood of the episode just seems very
> off. I always wondered what the quick flash of what looks like someone
> laying on a stretcher or something during the 'Zor & Zam' scene is
> too.
They got a little more *out there* during season two, more closer to
the spirit of being part Marx brothers, part Beatles. But, I also
thought they dated themselves to the era with the clothing they wore
in their effort to look hip. Some of the clothing fashions of the 60s
were far worse than anything that came along during the 70s. I
remember bugging my mom to buy me a Nehru-styled shirt from J.C.
Penneys, which didn't look too bad for the time. But, that time
quickly faded after about a year and I stopped wearing it completely
and lost it during the few times we moved.
There were some episodes during the first season where they were like
that but even so, they were still light years ahead of other sit-coms.
The Paris episode isn't one of my favorites either but I wondered why
they just didn't fill the whole episode up with Monkee tunes instead
of the four tunes they used along with the instrumental music?
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> I have to say I was never a fan of some of the shows from season one.
> I think they really got it down in season two best.
Agreed.
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don't care; I don't care..."
JanB
<Newsread...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:08f8521a-3f3b-4b7a...@p25g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> What's the episode where a guest star repeats (heavy Brit accent): "I
> don't care; I don't care..."
I still, to this day, use that phrase. I that accent. Of course, now that
I'm older, I sound more like Queen Elizabeth...
JanB
JanB
"JanB" <janb0...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:Zbmxj.370$bc1...@newsfe06.lga...
JanB
Newsread...@gmail.com
> > What's the episode where a guest star repeats (heavy Brit accent): "I
> > don't care; I don't care..."
>
> I still, to this day, use that phrase. I that accent.
I DON'T CARE. I DON'T CARE. I DON'T...CARE.
Classic stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
Ron Fowler
shouldn't care :)
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> I don't remember that episode, anyone know the title? Or maybe I
> shouldn't care :)
LOL; how do you spell "care" the way she says it? CLASSIC! I DON'T
CARE... ;)