The Monkees On Tour
Written and Directed by Robert Rafelson
Produced by Robert Rafelson&Bert Schneider
Songs: "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" by Michael Nesmith, "I'm A Believer" by Neil Diamond
Premiered on April 24, 1967
Summary
This episode opens with Davy announcing this to be the final episode for the season and gives a special thanks and appreciation to loyal Monkee fans as Micky dressed in police gear and Peter also dressed up both wearing fake beards clown around and Mike dressed up as an old man playfully grabs Davy to help an "old man" across the street. Davy continues to tell the audience about this episode of what happens to them on a night of a concert just before being dragged off by the other three.
Then this episode follows with a documentary of a January 21, 1967 Monkees concert in Phoenix, AZ at the Sky Harbor Airport where a mob of excited Monkees fans await behind the gate for their arrival some giving interviews to the camera. Then the Monkees arrive via Lear Jet and the mob begins screaming as the foursome start greeting some of the fans by pressing the hands on the gate and Davy actually climbs up the gate and throws his cowboy hat just before they take off in a limo with a police escort on motocyles. get into a limo. The next morning as Micky sleeps on, Mike, Peter and Davy are clowning around at the restaurant as Peter pretends to snap pictures of Davy eating a sandwich and Mike pours orange juice in the tea cup witnessed by two young women. Then Peter calls Micky at his hotel who's still asleep in bed. Later, Davy is outside playing around with a swan and Micky signing autographs to teenagers playfully imitates a robot. Then Davy, Micky and Peter at a corral, ride horses on horseback joking around with them. Afterwards, there's a scene of Micky putting bandages on his bare feet in front of a tired looking dog laying about then we see the guys driving around in their Monkeemobile heading for the KRUX-AM 1360 radio station as the DJ excitedly announces of their arrival. Soon the Monkees take over the station leaving the DJ tied and gagged. Mike as the DJ goofs around pretending to read a crazy mail leaving them all in stitches. Then the scene switches to Micky on roller skates attracting a crowd, Mike monkeying around in the mall kissing mannequins and walking up the escalator the wrong way and Davy riding on a motorcycle to the song "The Girl I Knew Somewhere". Back at the radio station, Mike interviews a pretty eighteen-year girl by asking what she would think if she learned they didn’t play their own music. Then jokingly announces to anyone who doesn’t believe that they play their own music that he’ll get them in the concert free so they can see for themselves.
When the big night arrives, screaming fans await as the Monkees arrive in a limo to the Coliseum Theatre with police escort and one fan is seen being dragged away by two cops. Then the guys are on stage in front of a mob of the screaming fans as they perform “Last Train To Clarksville”, “Sweet Young Thing”, and “Mary, Mary” even though none can hardly be heard due to the loud screaming. Then each of guys takes turns doing solos which are briefly interrupted by a short interview of them. First with Peter playing the banjo singing “Cripple Creek” then cuts to him walking along the park as he expresses his need for piece and quiet. Next, Mike is performing “You Can’t Judge A Book By It’s Cover” playing maracas befpre cuts to him in a car reminiscing about his pretense of stardom in his youth and dreaming of making it big. Davy does his rendition of “I Wanna Be Free” then cuts to him outside a hotel discussing about earlier that day. Finally, Micky gives a hip rendition of “I Got A Woman" which ends with Mike in James Brown fashion placing a cape or an excited Micky on the floor and trying to escort him of stage and a brief cut shows Micky walking along some old half built buildings somewhere as he discusses about his goals for the future of wanting to make something that he can call his own last. Then all for guys give a performance of “I’m Not Your Stepping Stone” before running off stage and next they are seen leaving the theatre being rushed into their limo as a mob surrounds the limo before driving off.
As “I’m a Believer” plays, footages of earlier scenes with the Monkees are shown which end with Mike in the radio station giving thanks to different artists from the Rolling Stones to the Mamas and Papas and finally the Beatles for starting it all up for them.
Trivia Notes
The Monkees’ teaser was filmed in March 1967 during the time they were
filming their third album “Headquarters”.
In the August 21, 1967 repeat new songs “Randy Scouse Git” replaced“The Girl
I Knew Somewhere” and “Words” replaced “I’m A Believer” and on the CBS
December 18, 1971’s Saturday noon repeat, “Steam Engine” byChip Douglass
replaced “Randy Scouse Git”. This version continues to run in syndicated repeats.
The song “The Girl I Knew Somewhere” is the only one credited during the closing credits.
Bob Shannon aka R.J. Adams appears as the D.J. at the radio station who winds up
tied and gagged. He later becomes L.A.’s top radio personalities during the 1970’s-80s.
Peter is missing during the radio station scene due to coming down with an illness.
In this episode's teaser, Davy is shown sporting his new hair cut for the first time which
he wears during the second season.
Some footages of the concert are used in the opening credits of the second season.
Roadie David Pearl and associate producer Ward Sylvester appear in two scenes of this episode.
