TV We Loved - The Monkees
April 2nd 2011 20:50
Hopping from one outlandish, corny adventure to another, with overly bright colors, altered film speed, out-of-focus shots inspired by the Beatles "A Hard Day's Night" the Monkees were assembled in Los Angeles in the mid-60s for the American television and composed of former circus boy TV series actor, Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork, and Englishman Davy Jones.
Conceptualised by aspiring filmmakers Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider decided to develop a television series about a fictional rock 'n' roll group.
Placing an ad a couple of trade publications seeking suitable candidates for the role of four 'insane boys' as many as 400 hopefuls showed up. Fourteen actors from the audition pool were brought back for screen tests - and eventually four were chosen.
Micky Dolenz, son of screen actor George M. Dolenz, Sr., had prior screen experience (under the name "Mickey Braddock") as the 10-year-old star of the Circus Boy series in the 1950s.
Englishman Davy Jones was a former jockey, Michael Nesmith had served a brief stint in the U.S. Air Force and had also recorded under the name "Michael Blessing" while Peter Tork was recommended by friend Stephen Stills as a skilled multi-instrumentalist who was looking for work having resigned himself to be a dishhand at a local diner.
With songs provided by Don Kirshner from such writers as Neil Diamond and Carole King, among others, the Monkees were assured of pop success in spite the of the fact that the four were hired only as actors to front the band and to provide the vocals whilst studio musicians recorded the backing music.
The TV show The Monkees debuted in September 1966, and used many of the same sets and props from The Three Stooges short films including Peter Torks famous 'bunny design' pajamas which had been worn by Curly Howard.
The Monkees resided in a two-story beach house in Malibu, California and made famous a modified Pontiac GTO known as The Monkeemobile.
The show was pure fluff - and if anything over-achieved given its original intent.
The Monkees won two Emmy Awards in 1967: Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy beating programs such as The Andy Griffith Show, Bewitched, Get Smart and Hogan's Heroes.
It's cheorographed farce, the larrikin nature of its cast and the improvisation of the producers paid off in the eyes of not only viewers but also the musical public as history shows - thus earning The Monkees TV show a place in the annals of TV we loved.
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Comment by James Rickard
unlucky_ fishermen.com
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