Dance Monkee Dance
Written by Bernie Orenstein
Directed by James Frawley
Produced by Robert Rafelson&Bert Schneider
Songs: "I'll Be Back On My Feet" by Sandy Linzer&Denny Randall "I'm A Believer" by Neil Diamond
Guest Appearances
Renaldo Hal March
Miss Buntwell Karen James
Timid Man Stephen Coit
Woman Elizabeth Camp
Smoothie Derrick Lewis
Premiered on December 12, 1966
Summary
When Peter answers the phone at the Monkees pad, he's given free dance lessons(valued $12.98). After several answers, he eventually gives the correct answer to who’s the eighth president of the United States(Martin Van Buren). Upon arriving at the Renaldo’s Dance Au Go Go school, Peter is soon given waltz lessons by Renaldo’s assistant Miss Buntwell and after some coaxing by Renaldo, the owner and his lovely assistant, he signs a contract . Renaldo and Miss Buntwell gloat in their accomplishment of tricking another sucker into signing a lifetime contract.
Back at the pad, Peter explains what happened which worries the guys especially when he tells them about the contract he signed. Mike views the contract and after explaining to him that he signed a lifetime contract, Peter offers to simply tear up the contract. Then they try to explain to him that he can’t tear up a contract because it’s a legal document but Peter’s convinced he won’t get convicted in court. In a fantasy sequence, the guys take part of a court trial where Davy, Micky and Mike are all dressed in robes in wigs with Davy and Micky as the lawyers and Mike as the judge. Micky and Davy cross examine Peter, while Mike repeatedly hits Davy and Peter on the head with the gavel and in the end Peter is found guilty. Back in reality, the guys not wanting Peter to dance his way to the poorhouse, each come up with an idea to help him. First, Micky impersonates Peter’s solicitor, George Michael Dolenz and arrives at Renaldo’s claiming Peter has ballpointitis(a need to sign contracts). In his attempt to break Peter’s contract, he ends up inadvertently signing a contract himself. Then Mike heads to the dance school but his seduced by Miss Buntwell into signing a contract too. Davy deciding they need help from inside, goes to the dance school and auditions as a dance instructor and gets the job. He then sends Davy to the studio for his first class in a half an hour and as Davy prepares to go, the latest winner arrives for his dance lesson who turns out to be Martin Van Buren himself! Later at the studio, Davy tries to teach the other guys every dance step from the Charleston, the hula, the Mexican dance and tap dancing to the song “I’ll Be Back Up On My Feet”.
Back at their pad, Micky deciding they need a brilliant idea to break Renaldo’s contact, walks off the Monkees studio set to talk to the writers about an idea and heads to a room full of Chinese men. After giving him one, Micky returns to the set but crumbles the idea up claiming it a terrible and that those guys are really overpaid. Davy already has an idea after reading an ad in the newspaper promising love and adventure at the dance school. Later at the studio, Davy plans to give the clients a pep talk while Mike stalls Miss Buntwell by expressing his affection for her and chasing her around the office. Meanwhile, Davy talking to a crowd of elderly women promising them patience, learning the latest and dancing with perfect gentlemen. However Peter and Micky donned in disguises to the show the exact opposite with their stints which sends the women leaving. Renaldo then enters the office as Mike is still forcing himself on Miss Buntwell who’s now on top of a desk. He then excuses Davy and takes over ruining his plans. When Miss Buntwell prepares The Dancing Smoothies to dance with the ladies, the foursome get another idea and tricking the dancers, they pull out guns announcing a stick-up. As Renaldo announces The Dancing Smoothies, the Monkees having mugged the dancers and now wearing their costumes arrive in their place and soon along with the elderly women, Renaldo, and the Dancing Smoothies in undergarments are dancing and romping around to the song “I’m A Believer” which ends with the Monkees wrapping Renaldo and The Dancing Smoothies in their banner as the elderly women start fleeing.
The next day, the Monkees arrive for their dancing lessons to a distressed Renaldo who is more then willing to tear up their contracts after they drove his customers away but the guys promise to keep coming back unless he tears up all the other contracts too which he agrees and soon the guys are tearing up all the contracts he has. Afterwards, they all leave except Peter who asks Renaldo to show him the box step again just before Mike comes back and drags him out.
Trivia Notes
On the CBS Saturday afternoon repeats, March 21, 1970 and November 21, 1971
The song “I’ll Be Back Up On My Feet” was replaced with Bill Chadwick’s un-
released If You Had The Time”.
The late actor Hal March(Renaldo) appeared as a host one game show “The $64,000 Question” as well as Harry Morton on the classic sitcom “Burns& Allen” and briefly hosting “The Tonight Show”. He also partnered with actor Boby Sweeney and they
were known as March&Sweeney.
Actress Elizabeth Camp(Woman) appeared in another Monkees episode “The Son
of A Gypsy” as Madame Rantha.
Although actor Stephen Coit was credited as the timid man it was never filmed.
Micky uses his full name George Michael Dolenz when he’s duisguised
as Peter’s solicitor.
Mike's mother Bette Graham made a cameo as one of the ladies. During
the romp she is seen dancing with Mike.
There was a deleted idea in this episode which had the Monkees waxing the floor
so that Renaldo and the Dancing Smoothies would end up in a huge pileon the
floor.
The Monkees first album "The Monkees " was released on the first day of produc-
tion on this episode.
