Hillbilly Honeymoon

(a.k.a. Double Barrell Shotgun Wedding)

Written by Peter Meyerson

Directed by James Frawley

Produced by Robert Rafelson&Bert Schneider

Song: “Papa’s Blue Genes” by Michael Nesmith

Guest Appearances

Ella Mae                                  Melody Patterson

Paw                                                   Dub Taylor

Maw                                                  Billy Hayes

Jud                                                  Lou Antonio

Preacher                                            Jim Boles

Premiered on October 23, 1967

Summary

The Monkees drive to a hick town called Swinesville where there is a white line on the

road dividing the Chubbers and the Wesketts who have been feuding for generations.  As the guys get out of their car to ask where highway 101 is, (they actually missed it by only two blocks) the feuding clans pull out their guns ordering the Monkees to step on the white line.  Each clan swears they’ll shoot member of the other who crosses the white line.  Hearing this the guys think they’ll off the hook since neither are a member of the Chubbers or Wesketts until both parties announce they both hate strangers.  Mike sends Davy to find some help so Davy walks nervously down the street on the white line as guns are on him.  Then Ella Mae Chubber, a pretty boy-crazy teenager quickly grabs Davy and pulls him into a stack of hay and starts kissing him.  Davy fears the townsfolk will kill him if he doesn’t get back on the line but Ella Mae explains that if boyfriend Judd Weskett catches them together he’ll kill him anyway.  Just then Paw Chubber, Ella Mae’s father points a gun to Davy’s head declaring him his future son-in-law.  Davy’s refuses and heads back on the white line where Judd Weskett points a gun at him too for kissing Ella Mae. 

As Both Paw and Judd begin to quarrel, Davy cries for help and Micky coming to his aid tries to convince the two men to end their feuding but when both points their guns at him he backs off and soon guns starts blazing from each side and the Monkees take cover.  Maw Weskett, an elderly lady asks Davy to help her cross the street and asks he escorts her across the white line, Judd appears holding him at gunpoint pleased with his Maw for helping him capture him.  Davy tries to explain that he’s just an innocent bystander but they tell him they’re the ones they kill first just before taking him back with them.  Meanwhile, Ella Mae grabs Micky and starts kissing him now as Paw catches him and declares him his future son-in-law.  Mike and Peter come to Micky’s aid and Paw Chubber explains he doesn’t care who Ella Mae marries because she’s going to be sixteen tomorrow and he doesn’t want anyone calling her an old maid.  When they ask about Davy’s whereabouts, he tells them he’s been taking by Judd and Maw Wesketts but they needn't worry since he’s probably dead already just as he marches them off at gunpoint.  At the Weskett’s shack, Judd still pointing a gun at Davy starts berating him for being a city slicker and when Davy tries to explain he’s British, Maw accuses the redcoats of returning since she’s born in 1812 the year the war started and hate is the reason why she’s lived so long as Judd make plans to have Davy put in a vat to grind in sour mash. 

While at the Chubber’s shack, Paw asks the guys which one of them will marry Ella Mae and the guys  select Davy and are prepared to risk their lives getting him back from the Wesketts.  Paw allows Micky and Mike to go and retrieve him leaving Peter as a last minute groom-to-be just in case they don’t return.  Now dressed as hill folks, Mike and Micky head for the Wesketts’ place with a pig as Judd having placed Davy in a gunnysack is prepared to throw him in a vat.  When they hear someone coming, Judd hides Davy in the sack and confronts Mike and Micky who claim they’re cousins who come with a pig for dinner.  Meanwhile at the Chubbers' place, Ella Mae starts flirting with Peter at the Chubbers place.  The Wesketts wanting to be sure they’re kinsfolk ask the guys to play their noses and soon the song "Papa's  Blue Genes, they play noses, washboards, and the pig.  After the song, Mike explains  how he plays his nose and then signals Micky to divert attention by setting the pig loose.  Maw and Judd go after it, as Mike and Micky search for Davy.  They end up with the wrong sack filled with flour and convinced it’s Davy they start crying when Davy appears still in his sack cries along with them.  They quickly stop their act as Mike takes out the script for this episode reads their next plan which is to return to the Chubbers for Peter and as they read their lines. 

All three of them return to Chubbers and in order to distract Paw, Micky uses the suey suey call leading both Paw and Ella Mae outside as Mike and Micky enter the shack but Davy can’t move since his pants are caught on a nail.  When Paw sees him he holds him at gunpoint orders him to on his knees forces him propose to Ella Mae by the time Mike and Micky return outside with Peter.  While Paw is prepares Davy for the wedding Mike, Micky and Peter head tor the Wesketts and inform Judd that Davy is marrying Ella Mae.  When judd grabs tor the his gun to kill Davy, Mike calms him down and convinces him in order to win Ella Mae he’ll have to behave like a gentlemen and Micky announces Peter as Uncle Raccoon dressed in a Davy Crockett type get up  who starts giving Judd lessons in etiquette, good manners and the proper way to eat.  Meanwhile the wedding as Paw holds Davy at gunpoint with Ella Mae before the minister.  Luckily the ceremony his interrupted by Judd now in a suit declaring his intentions to marry Ella Mae along with the rest of the Chubbers clan carrying shotguns with Mike, Micky and Peter in tow.  Paw threatens Judd and when Micky tries to again be the voice of reason and declare peacee he’s threatened by Paw’s shotgun into backing off again and soon gunfire erupts between the two clans.  Davy taking cover asks Ella Mae which one of them she loved the best and when she tells him Judd, he calls Judd over and gets the minister for them giving Judd two bucks (seventeen shillings and six pence in English money) and they marry on the spot.

Paw shows up with a gun but upon learning they’ve married he proudly welcomes his son-in-law and stops the feud announcing that the houses of Chubbers and Wesketts are now joined.  Then everybody stops fighting and starts rejoicing along with the Monkees.

Trivia Notes

This episode was filmed fourteen days after the Monkees summer

tour in Spokane, WA on August 27, 1967 amd one full year after the

series debuted.

This was also the first episode where the Monkees had their new

look with Peter’s hippy wardrobe and Micky’s new curly afro.

There was a deleted scene of Davy being led to his wedding in handcuffs

and an alternate ending which had Judd being angered of Ella Mae kissing

the Monkees farewell which started another feud.

Actress Melody Patterson (Ella Mae) is also well remembered as Wrangling Jane Angelica Thrift in the ABC’s 1965 sitcom “F-Troop”.

Actor Lou Antonio (Judd) became known as Koko in the 1967 feature film

“Cool Hand Luke”.  He also directed many TV shows including “The Flying Nun”,

“Party of Five”, “Dawson’s Creek”, “CSI” and "The Guardian".

Actress Billy Hays (Maw) is best remembered as Witchipoo in Sid and Marty Croft’s

“H.R Punfstuff” and as Weenie Genie on ABC’s Lidville also by the Croft Bros.

which co-starred fellow Monkee guest star Butch Patrick.