The Wild Monkees

Written by Stanley Ralph Ross&Corey Upton

Directed by Jon C. Anderson

Produced by Robert Rafelson&Bert Schneider

Songs: “Goin’ Down” by Diane Hilderbrand, Peter Tork, Michael Nesmith & David Jones, “Star Collector” by Gerry Goffin& Carole King

Guest Appearances

Blauner                                   Henry Corden

Butch                             Norman Grabowski

Nan                                 Carol Worthington

Jan                                  Christine Williams

Ann                                             Ginny Gan

Premiered on November 13, 1967

Summary

This episode begins with Micky doing a hip performance of the song “Goin’ Down”.

The Monkees arrive in a town for a gig at a hotel when they are buzzed by a motorcycle gang twice causing Mike to cough so much that Peter gives him water to drink (from the Monkeemobile’s petrol tank!) driving Mike into a choking fit.  After seeing the sign “Henry Cabot Lodge and Cemetery (If You Are Dying To Have a Good Time, Come and See Us)”, the quartet arrive at the hotel to find it surrounded by senior citizens.  They are soon learn Mr. Blauner hired them as waiters, bellhops and gardeners instead of musicians and desperate for cash the guys accept.  Their first customers arrive in the form of four motorcycle gangs all hidden by helmets and each of the intimidated guys assists them only to be surprised when they take off their helmets to be four beautiful girls: Queeny, Jan, Nan and Ann.  After settling them in, each of the guys try to unsuccessfully woo the girls with Davy trying to wine and dine Queeny but unable to open the champagne bottle, Peter reading poetry to Jan who in turn calls him a sissy, Ann showing Mike a picture of the someone who he reminds her of which is cocker spaniel and Micky giving Nan a smooch on the neck only to receive a punch in the mouth in return. 

Convinced that they have to get really rough in order to win the girls over, the guys in a fantasy sequence, enter into the school of hard knocks and bruises dressed as bikers where Micky is the teacher.  Later the guys still now donned up as bikers learn that the girls are wearing ordinary clothes claiming they’re tired of the open road.  The Monkees still attempt to impress them with their tough guys act but the girls reject them claiming they are too tough which is the reason they left their boyfriends, Big Frank, Big Neal, Big Bruce and Big Butch, the leader of the Black Angels.  This scares the guys since these were the same gang responsible for the massacre at Pismo Beach.  As they head for the door, the Black Angels appear at the doorway and in fright the faint dead away.

Butch keeps shoving them about and tries to challenge them into a fight but the guys try to get out by claiming fighting is against their club rules as The Chickens.  The situation is made worse when Micky inadvertantly offend Quenny when she comes to their defense.  Butch then challenges them to an annual bike contest where the winner gets to destroy anything in sight including the opponents.  In their room that night, the guys hold a meeting discussing what they should do and Mike decides they should take immediate action to leave only to find Butch and another member are blocking the door.  They next morning, the Monkees and the Black Angels prepare for the motorcycle race in front of a crowd and soon the race begins to the song “Star Collector” except Peter who ends up left behind because of mechanical difficulties.  The Black Angels end up winning the race and are greeted in arms by the girls.  Soon Butch grabs Micky and plans to beat them one by one but is stopped by Queeny.  Tired of the open road, she tells him she wants to settle down, build illegal motorcycles and raise little scooters.  Blauner offers them room and board and a job if they promise not destroy anything and Butch accepts as everybody rejoices.

Trivia Notes

This episode was rip-off of the 1954 film “The Wild One” starring Marlon

Brando.

This was the first episode where Mike appears without his wool hat and

the first to be produced without the laugh track.

This would be last episode the late actor Henry Corden (Blauner) would

appear.  He had a recurring role as the mean landlord Mr. Babbitt during

its first season.

Monkees stand-ins David Price, David Pearl and Richard Klein once again

appear as cameos as a construction worker, a man with a feather duster and

a racing official.

Actress Corinne Cole(Queenie) is not credited in the end credits.

Actor Norman “Woo Woo” Grabowski (Butch) in addition to being an

actor was also a custom car designer.

Actress Carol Worthington (Nan) was regular in the “Red Skelton Show”

and portrayed Ethel, the babysitter in CBS’s “The Doris Day Show” as well

as appear in the 1967 feature film musical “How To Succeed In Business With-

out Really Trying”

Mike, Micky and Davy being experienced motorcyclists did their own

Motorcycle Stunts during the “Star Collector” musical romp.

In the original storyline of this episode had Queeny stop Butch from

pounding on Davy and proposing to him and the Monkees end up playing

at their wedding which ends with the bride and groom driving away on their

motorcycles still in their wedding gear.