The Monkees

The Monkees were a four-man band who appeared in an American television series of the same name, which ran on NBC from 1966 to 1968. The Monkees were formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California and disbanded in 1970. At their peak they were one of the most popular musical acts of their time.

History of the series

The television show first aired on September 12,1966 on the NBC television network and lasted for two seasons (58 episodes); its final primetime episode ran on September 9, 1968 (see List of The Monkees episodes). Modeled on The Beatles' 1964 film A Hard Day's Night, The Monkees featured the antics and music of a fictional pop-rock group which, due to the necessities of the program and the massive success of the records, became a real pop-rock group.

Related Topics:
September 12 - 1966 - September 9 - 1968 - List of The Monkees episodes - The Beatles - 1964 - A Hard Day's Night - Fictional pop-rock group

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The four young men who became The Monkees were British-born David Thomas ("Davy") Jones (percussion/vocals), George Michael ("Micky") Dolenz (drums/vocals), Robert Michael ("Mike") Nesmith (guitar/vocals), and Peter Halsten ("Peter Tork") Thorkelson (bass/keyboards/vocals). They were cast after ads were placed in trade publications like Variety calling for "folk & rock musicians" to play "4 insane boys" on a new television series. 437 hopeful actors and musicians auditioned for the parts; a then relatively unknown Stephen Stills was shortlisted for a role, but was eventually knocked out because of his bad teeth and thinning hair, with friend Peter Tork finally winning the role Stills had hoped to get. (False rumors have circulated that Charles Manson also auditioned. He was incarcerated at the time.)

Related Topics:
David Thomas ("Davy") Jones - George Michael ("Micky") Dolenz - Robert Michael ("Mike") Nesmith - Peter Halsten ("Peter Tork") Thorkelson - Variety - Stephen Stills - Charles Manson

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Nesmith (releasing pre-Monkees singles as "Michael Blessing") and Tork (part of the folk music scene in Greenwich Village) were both already professional musicians. Dolenz (who starred in the 1950s television comedy Circus Boy) and Jones (who appeared with the cast of Oliver! on The Ed Sullivan Show the night The Beatles debuted) were better known as actors but also had musical experience, with Jones performing in musical theatre in England and in Broadway theatre in New York, and releasing a solo album, and Dolenz singing and playing guitar in Los Angeles area bar bands.

Related Topics:
Greenwich Village - Oliver! - The Ed Sullivan Show - Broadway theatre

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All four were trained in both improvisational comedy and stage presence as a group before the pilot episode was filmed, so that they could look and act like a cohesive band even though it was only their voices being used on the initial recordings. Each was given a different personality to portray: Dolenz the funny one, Nesmith the smart and serious one, Tork the dumb one, and Jones the cute one. Their characters were loosely based on their real selves, with the exception of Tork, who was a quiet intellectual that played dumb for amusement, leading to his getting so cast. Choosing someone to play the drummer proved tough; Nesmith and Tork didn't want to give up their guitars, and Jones nearly vanished behind the drums. Dolenz ultimately took the job, and began drum lessons.

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As a television show, The Monkees used techniques rarely seen on television—characters breaking the fourth wall and talking to the camera and sometimes even to people off-camera in the studio, fantasy sequences, jump cuts, and at least once a week a musical romp which might have nothing to do with the story line. In fact, many of the episodes included what now look very much like music videos: short, self-contained films featuring one of the songs from a Monkees album.

Related Topics:
Fourth wall - Music video

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The Monkees were put together by a number of people who went on to later success. The show was produced by Bert Schneider and Bob Rafelson, who later produced the film Easy Rider ; Rafelson went on to direct such films as Five Easy Pieces and The King of Marvin Gardens. The 1965 pilot episode was co-written by Paul Mazursky and the late Larry Tucker, who later co-wrote the movie Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, which Mazursky directed; he went on to direct such films as Harry and Tonto and Down and Out in Beverly Hills.

Related Topics:
Bert Schneider - Bob Rafelson - Easy Rider - Five Easy Pieces - Paul Mazursky

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The Monkees won two Emmy Awards in 1967: Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy (James Frawley).

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