The Monkees In The Ring
Written by Gerald Gardner&Dee Caruso
Directed by James Frawley
Produced by Robert Rafelson&Bert Schneider
Songs: "Laugh" by H. Medress, P. Margo, M. Margo& J. Siegal, “I’ll Be Back Up On My Feet Again” by Sandy Linzer& Denny Randall
Guest Appearances
Sholto Ned Glass
Vernon Joseph Perry
Smasher Robert Lyons
The Champ D'Urville Martin
Bully Peter Canon
Fight Announcer Jerry Hausner
Ring Announcer Jimmy Lennon
Reporter#1 George Cisar
Reporter#2 Richard R. Ramos
Premiered on January 30, 1967
Summary
While Davy and Peter are walking down the street, Davy fusses with Peter about leaving a trail of pistachio nuts across the city(afterall if you commit a crime the police will find you in two minutes). As Peter goes back to pick up the nuts, he accidentally bumps into a bully who tries to pick a fight with him until Davy intervenes. Then the bully swings at Davy and misses but Davy manages to inadvertently knock him down with a light tap. Witnessed by Joey Sholto, a fight racketeer who seems impressed by Davy and tells him he can be a world champion.
Back at the pad, Davy makes plans on seeing Joey Sholto since they need the money but the guys are skeptical about the whole thing since Davy has no experience in boxing. Meanwhile, Sholto informs his sidekick Vernon, a scatter-brained former boxer turned hood about his plans to fix fights so Davy can win then when he fights against the champ, bet against him when he loses. When the Monkees show up at his gym, Sholto decides to test Davy by first have him use a punching bag that Vernon had loosened. Then have him go up against a boxer called the Smasher, who fakes a beating when Davy taps him on the chin. When Micky tries a go at the Smasher to prove it's easy he finds he can't injure him. Back at his office, Sholto gives Davy a robe that says "Dynamite Davy" on the back which is now Davy's title. When the others are still skeptical, he promises them that if Davy doesn't win the first three fights through knockouts they can have him back. At the pad, Davy is packing for his boxing tour and Mike gives him a talk about going to into a strange city where there'll be one hotel that has a lot of gambling, fast women, drinking and loose talk and tells Davy he'll know what to do when he gets to the city to which Davy replies "find that hotel!" Then to the song "Laugh" Davy goes through a lot of boxing training and is winning every match unaware that the fights are all fixed. During a press conference, Davy convinced of his boxing talent, takes in the glory as he's being surrounded by reporters while the others guys unhappily watch on. When Mike answers the phone, it's the Smasher who expresses his anger over only getting $500 to take a dive while Tiger Hedley got $800 and Mike realizes the truth. He tries to explain this to Davy who doesn't listen since the thinks he's a champ and to further that belief Vernon fakes a thumping when Davy accidentally punches him(although it was only a tap).
Dressed as employees at the gym, Mike and Micky approach Davy's next opponent, the champ, a boxer who only speaks in rhymes and try to discourage him not to fight Davy while Peter impersonates a bandaged and casted opponent but soon the champ sees through them and runs them off. Vernon who overheard it all warns Sholto who tells him to keep Davy's friends out of sight while he plans to bet against Davy at his next match. To ensure Davy doesn't win by luck, he decides to slip a sleeping pill in his drink. Sholto unsuccessfully tries to give Davy the drugged glass of water but when the champ enters he he drinks it instead. Meanwhile, Mike, Micky and Peter plan to head to the arena to stop the fight only to find Vernon is at the doorstep with a gun. Then as the match begins, Davy goes up against the groggy champ who's unable to fight. At the pad, the other guys are forced to watch at gunpoint the match on TV when Mike tricks Vernon by goading him into a round with him and they all manage to lure him into the closet. While back in the arena, now into the fourth round a now awake Champ seems to be winning the fight as Mike, Micky and Peter arrive trailed by Vernon and soon he and Sholto chase the trio into the ring. At the song "I"ll Be Back Upon My Feet Again", the fight is now against Mike and Sholto, Micky and Vernon and Davy and the Champ with Peter as the timekeeper in which the Monkees win. Then the police arrive to take Sholto and Vernon away as Sholto shouts to Davy that he's the most harmless boxer in the business.
Davy now realizes that the fights were all fix but Mike cheers him up by praising him. Soon Peter announces the national anthem and as Davy salutes he inadvertently knocks himself out and collapses.
Trivia Notes
The production of this episode startd three days after their first live concert in
Honolulu.
The song "Laugh" in this episode with an alternate mix with no back-up vocals for the first verse.
When this episode re-aired on during the CBS Saturday afternoon repeat, it's soundtrack was altered to include Boyce& Hart's "Looking For the Good Times"
The late actor D'Urville Martin(the rhyming champ) character is based on Cassius Clay aka Muhammad Ali. He even uses Ali's famous quote "I am the greatest!"
He would also portray Frankie in the 1967 classic film "Guess Who's Coming To
Dinner" and several Blaxploitation films during the 1970s.
The late actor Ned Glass(Sholto) later portrayed landlord Sol Cooper in NBC's
"Julia" and the late Joseph V. Perry(Vernon) appeared in numerous shows
including a recurring role as Nemo in CBS's "Everybody Loves Raymond" just
before his demise.
