The Son of A Gypsy

Written by Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso&Treva Silverman

Directed by James Frawley

Produced by Robert Rafelson& Bert Schneider

Songs: "I'm A Believer" by Neil Diamond

Guest Appearances

           Maria                            Jeanne Arnold

           Marco                              Vincent Beck

           Rocco                                Vic Tayback

           Zeppo                          Mario Roccuzzo

           Kiko                               Gene Dynarski

           Madame Rantha           Elisabeth Camp

Premiered on December 26, 1966

Summary

The Monkees audition to perform at a ball for the wealthy Madame Rantha along with a a group of gypsies, Maria and her four sons Marco, Rocco, Zeppo and Kiko. When the Mme. Rantha chooses the Monkees over the gypsies they are angered since it ruins their plans to steal the socialite's Maltese Vulture, a jeweled statuette. However, Maria invites the band to their gypsy camp ot prove their's no hard feelings but the Monkees are less than thrilled.

The Monkees reluctantly arrive at the camp and soon the gypsies have them dressed in gypsy outfits and gives them each a good luck charm.   Afterwards, the gypsies take them around to entertain them but unbeknownst to them, Maria tells her plans to Marco to capture the Monkees through all kind of means in order to use them to help them steal the Maltese vulture.  So Rocco shows Micky how to predict his future through drugged tea leaves which makes him pass out.  Marco shows Davy how to fight with switchblades and winds up using him for target practice.  Kiko shows Peter gypsy dancing by dancing around with with a gypsy woman until he’s all wrapped up in laces.  Zeppo shows Mike about how to read one’s bumps on their head by knocking him out with a mallet.  After they are all are tied up, Maria threatens them to either help them steal the Maltese vulture or be tortured giving them five minutes to decide.  The guys facing the fear of being tortured, imagine Davy being tortured on a rack which makes him ten feet tall!  Back to reality Maria gives the one last chance to reconsider and to orders Marco use a poker on them when they finally agree.  However, the gypsies decide to hold Peter as a hostage to make sure they deliver the vulture by midnight and sends Marco in his place. 

After their performance at the party, the Monkees try unsuccessfully to warn Mme. Rantha.  Then Micky reavels the gypies dastardly plans to one of the guest but he is Yugoslavian and doesn't understand English.  Mike and Davy throw a message inside a bottle out of the window but end up getting two cents deposit.  Marco then sends them to get rid of the two guards standing outside the bedroom where the vulture is hidden.  Mike and Micky try to distract the guards first with a phony mugging at gunpoint, then an staged assault but to no avail since the stubborn guards won’t leave their post until after Mike and Micky staged a phony arson(lighting two matches) but for littering.  Davy manages to sneak into the room and using his bag of tools which consists of explosive devices, clamps, stetho-scope, sledgehammer and a rabbit!  He tries to blow up the safe with dynamite but ends up blowing up the lamp instead.  Then using the stethoscope, he tries use the combination only to hear the tune of “Last Train To Clarksville”.  Davy quickly hides when Mme. Rantha enters to room with a friend and opens up the safe which turns out to be unlocked to show off the jeweled statuette. 

Mike and Micky suddenly enter pretending to be a couple of drunks and both realize it’s almost midnight .  Outsideas, Peter is just about to be stabbed by the gypsies when Davy comes out and grabs the vulture and throws it out of the window as Peter catches it and his life is spared.  Mme. Rantha spots Peter with Maltese vulture outside her window and orders the gypsies to grab him.  Later the Monkees are being apprehended for stealing the vulture and Mme. Rantha having thanking the gypsies for stopping the thieves, tells Maria to take whatever she wants and she grabs the Maltese vulture from out of her hands.  Then with the Monkees in pursuit a chase begins in the ball room to the tune of “I’m A Believer” while Maria is busy pick pocketing from party guests and the guys manage to apprehend the gypsies with a mock football game. 

After the vulture is returned to Mme. Rantha and the cops arrive, Maria vows that she and her boys will reform since the Monkees helped them realize they can make a faster buck in show business with little talent and bids them a farewell.  But after the gypsies are taken away, Mike and Davy discover their watches are missing, Micky discovers his wallet is missing and they all discover that Peter is missing leading them in pursuit of the gypsies!

Trivia Notes

Director James Frawley makes a cameo appearance as the

Yugoslavian guest at the party.  He also appears in three other

Monkees episodes during the second season “Monkees Marooned”,

“Monkees in Paris”, and “Monkees Blow Their Minds”.

Actor Gene Dynarski(Kiko) appeared on another Monkees episode

“Monkees Chow Mein” as Toto, the Dragoman’s chief Asian Triad

henchman.

Late actor Ralph Roberts(Security Guard) is not credited.

When this episode aired, the Monkees began their twelve city U.S.

Tour at the Denver Coliseum in Colorado.