Monkees See, Monkees Die
Written by Teva Silverman
Directed by James Frawley
Produced by Robert Rafelson & Bert Schneider
Songs: “Take The Last Train To Clarksville” by Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart
“Tomorrow’s Gonna Be Another Day” by Tommy Boyce & Steve Venet
Guest Appearances
Mr. Babbitt Henry Corden
Ellie Reynolds Stacey Maxwell
Ralph, The Butler Milton Parsons
Madame Roselle Lea Marmer
Harris Kingsley Mark Harris
McQuinney Oliver McGowan
Premiered September, 19, 1966
Summary
Mr. Babbitt, the Monkees’ mean landlord, arrives at their apartment to throw them out, due to the rent being late. The Monkees claim the place is in disrepair. He informs them that his lawyer is coming over with dispossessing papers and then they’re out. Afraid they’ll lose their home, the Monkees come up with quick idea and when the lawyer McQuinney arrives, the foursome are all in disguises with Mike as an old deaf man, Davy as an old lady in a rocker, Micky as a 23-hour doorman(He was once the 24-hour dorman but couldn't work the long hours), and Peter, a TV repairman. They manage to fool the lawyer who tells them that the Monkees are to arrive at Cunningham’s Island at 9:00p.m. because they were left in the legacy of a millionaire and upon hearing this, the Monkees take off their disguises and present themselves within a few seconds. However, the lawyer doesn’t seem to be convinced of who they are and tells them to give the Monkees his message.
Later that night, the Monkees arrive at a big, mysterious mansion on a foggy island that spooks them. They’re greeted by Ralph the butler who tells them they’re to be part of the reading of the will of the late John Cunningham. The group is still con-fused since they don’t recall him but the butler explains that late owner remembered them back when they returned his wallet containing $600 and was very grateful since the wallet wasn’t his. He leads them into a room where he introduces them to Madame Roselle, the late Cunningham’s spiritualist, Harris Kingsley, his traveling companion who then starts harassing Peter about having read his travel books and Ellie Reynolds, the late owner’s pretty young grandniece. When Davy sees her stars are in his eyes as well as hers (literally) as he falls in love for the first time that night. The butler plays Cunningham’s will on a phonograph record in which the deceased states he’s left the Monkees the library organ provided that they play one song on it. He left the mansion and everything else to Ellie provided that she spend one night in the house before deciding if she’ll live there which surprises the others who had expected to be left in his will. The Monkees then play on the organ performing the song “Last Train to Clarksville”. Afterwards, they prepare to leave when Ralph tells them that the ferry is cancelled due to the fog since it’s the foggy season so they will have to spend the night.
Later that night, the foursome prepare for bed on a large bed that they all share. However, still spooked by their surroundings, Mike suggests that one them stand watch. To select that person, they play fingers when a big hairy animal‘s paw ap-pears in the middle of their game and they race out of the room in fright. Walking through the dark hall, Madame Roselle appears who tells them of her vision that Ralph will either take a long journey or will be dead. Then they hear two gunshots and everybody heads downstairs where they see bullet holes and a knife in the walls plus the butler is missing. Mike tries to use to phone to call the police but the phone line is cut and tied in a bow. Mme. Roselle tells Ellie there’s evil in the house before Kingsley escorts back to her room. In a fantasy sequence with Micky as Sherlock Holmes and Davy as Dr. Watson, Micky analyses a knife that’s embedded in the wall and gives his theory about the identity of the killer. Suddenly they hear Ellie cry out and rush out the door only to find Kingsley just harassing Ellie in the hall about having read his travel books. Back in their room, Mike puts bread crumbs on the window sill of an opened window to lure a carrier pigeon in order to send a message and in a few seconds a pigeon flies in. But Mike discovers the pigeon already has a message strapped to its leg which states: “Please don’t strap a message to my leg, I’m not a carrier pigeon”. Next, Mike puts a row of bones on the floor that he found in the closet in hopes of attracting a St. Bernard so he can he deliver a message on his neck and suddenly a St. Bernard appears but he already has a message on tied to it’s neck which states: “There’s a message for you on the pigeon”.
With nothing else to do, they all decide just to retire for the night but they’re soon awakened by the sounds of a car backfiring in the next room and more gunshots. Then Mme. Roselle shows up telling them of her next vision of Kingsley going to murdered by gunshots. Back downstairs, the remaining party tries to figure out what to do next now that Ralph and Kingsley are missing. Just then, Micky comes up an idea to hook the microphones of the phone to be a receiver for the radio and sets to work. While using the phone, he succeeds in contacting a naval officer on a sub-marine, however the officer doesn’t appear to understand English. Madame Roselle then decides to give a séance to contact the late John Cunningham’s spirit and they all gather around a table, but she ends up contacting his answering service and the ghost of Christmas Past instead when suddenly the lights go out. When Mike lights a match, they discover that she has vanished!
The next morning, the group are ready to leave along with Ellie who decides against moving in. They all go outside and to cheer themselves up decide to play the song “Tomorrow’s Gonna Be Another Day” and romp around in scary mask, dressed as Indians, in scuba diving suits but it doesn’t work. Then they hear laughter from inside the house and Mike, Micky and Davy enter and spy through a keyhole of a door to see Kingsley, Madame Roselle and Ralph wearing that scary animal’s paw on his hand, toasting to their success of scaring Ellie away and getting the mansion for themselves. Realizing it was all just a scheme, Davy asks Micky for his experimental knockout pills and sneaks in and drops the pills in the wine decanter while hiding in an armor suit. Peter gives himself away with his voice when he enters with Ellie and each of the schemers come out of the room with a gun. Peter winds up shooting them with his finger in which they collapse(actually from the knockout pills). The Monkees are re-lieved that it was just a trick, that they have nothing to fear until they hear the ghost of Christmas Past which sends them out of the house in a frenzy.
Back at the mansion, the police arrive and everybody finally prepares to leave as Kingsley awakens and harasses the police about having read his travel books.
Trivia Notes:
This was the first appearance of the Monkees landlord
Mr. Babbitt. The recently deceased actor Henry Corden played the
role on several of the episodes the first season. He also is best remembered
as the voice of Fred Flintstone on "The Flintstones" having replaced the late
Alan Reed as well as done voices of numerous cartoon series and starring in
many TV and films.
Actress Lea Marmer who played Madame Roselle
appeared on another episode “The Monkees On The Line”. She also
appeared in the feature film "Easy Rider"(1969) which starred actor Jack
Nicholson who co-wrote the Monkees feature film "Head"(1968) along with
Monkees co-creator and executive producer Robert Rafelson. Monkees other
co-creator and executive producer Bert Schneider served as executive
producer for both films.
The late actor Oliver McGowan(McQuinney) also appeared in another Monkees
episode "Captain Crocodile".
Actors Vincent Howard(Captain) and George Perina(Policeman) had uncredited
roles.
Director Jim Frawley provides the voice of the spirit of the late John Cunningham
and the Ghost of Christmas Past. He also provided the voice of the spy Sigmund
talked on the phone in the episode "The Royal Flush" and as the computers DJ61
and DJ69 in "Monkee Versus Machine".
