Here Comes The Monkees

(Original 1965 Unaired Pilot Episode)

Summary

This unaired pilot episode begins with the black and white screen tests of Davy and Mike then switches to the scene of a T.V. reporter interviewing Dr. Lionel B. Turner regarding bystanders ignoring violence on streets in which the doc swears his duty to defend anyone in need. They're soon interrupted by Micky, Mike and Peter staging an assault on Davy who calls to doctor for help but he flees in fright.  To avoid the reporter, the doctor ends up helping an old lady across the street who then charges him $.15 in return.

At the Rudy’s Record Rack Record Store, Rudy Gunther, the Monkees manager and owner of the store tells the foursome about a gig at the Riverdale Country Club.  The owner, his old marine bubby Charlie Russell  is auditioning bands for his daughter’s sweet sixteen party for $150 in cash.  That night at the country club, Mr. Russell and his daughter Vanessa are dancing to music of Sven Helstrom and his Swedish Rhythm Kings although Vanessa isn't enjoying the music.  When the Monkees arrive, both Davy and Vanessa get stars in their eyes upon sigt as they become smitten with each other and Mike has to drag Davy to the stage.  Soon their performing the song “I Wanna Be Free” while Davy fantasizes about him Vanessa and the guys having fun in the park and at the Kiddieland amusement park. 

After they finish, Mr. Russell hires them and soon Davy and Vanessa start going out.  Vanessa is about to kiss Davy on her front porch at the end of their date when Mr. Russell interrupts.  The following night, Davy is preparing for his next date with her as the guys start teasing him and at the end of that date Davy and Vanessa do get to kiss before she enters her home.  Once inside, she’s confronted by her parents who complain of her neglecting her studies for her history final to spend time with Davy.  Vanessa swears she'll pass her final but ends up flunking it exam instead.  At the beach, Rudy’s daughter Jill and a friend of Vanessa’s tells the guys that Vanessa is getting a make-up exam but if she flunks that too they’ll lose their jobs.  She doubts that she’ll pass since the only thing she has are her mind is Davy.  Upon hearing this, an upset Davy walks off in the middle of their volleyball game and strolls along the beach to a slower rendition of “I Wanna Be Free”.  Back at their pad, Davy expresses is guilt about Vanessa flunking and wants to help her.  Mike declares a meeting and in a fantasy sequence, the guys are lawyers in a board meeting who select Davy to help Vanessa pass her make-up exam.

That night, the guys disguised as deliverymen sneak Vanessa out of the house in a big box.  The next morning, Mr. Russell complains toRudy about Vanessa’s disappearance and Jill explains that the Monkees are only helping her pass her final.  Meanwhile, the Monkees  help Vanessa by dramatizing historical events by a musical number at the beach and an reenactment of the Aaron Burr/Alexander Hamilton duel at the park that ends up scaring away picnickers when Mr. Russell arrives sending the guys fleeing.  Vanessa does wind up passing her make-up exam and at the country club, the teacher explains what the Monkees did for Vanessa, but her father still refuses to let them in while Sven Helstrom and the Swedish Rhythm Kings performs instead.  When the Monkees show up the guard sends the away while inside Vanessa and then Mrs. Russell start crying until Mr. Russell relents.  He goes outside and asks the guard about the Monkees who tells him he sent them away as ordered but they hear the sound of the Monkees jumping over the wall and as a flashlight shines on them there’s a fantasy sequence of them as fugitives dressed in black and white striped prison outfits which ends with Micky in a hysterical fit at the sound of police sirens.  As Mr. Russell is about to explain to the boys that they’re invited, they run off and he and the guard ends up giving them a wild comical chase all over the country club from the card room where they do another fantasy sequence as mavericks playing cards to the game room and a few times in the bar where they repeatedly knock a waiter carrying a tray of dishes down. 

When they enter the ball room Mr. Russell explains to the guard that they’re invited and the guard replies that he sold out his country club and himself and storms off.  To get Sven Helstrom and the Swedish Rhythm Kings off stage, Mike announces on the microphone that Norway just declared war on Sweden and that all Swedish nationals are to report to their embassy and with that the band marches off stage.  Then the Monkees gets the party rolling to the song “Let’s Dance On” and everyone from the drunk at the bar, Dr. Turner and the old lady, Vanessa with another boy and Vanessa’s parents are dancing.  Then Davy gets starry eyed on another girl he spots in the audience which angers the other guys(since this is how all the trouble started in the first place) and they grab Davy and exit the ball room while beating him with balloons with the crowd in pursuit. 

Trivia Notes

This orginal pilot had a different opening and closing credits

than the other episodes throughout the series.

Micky is credited as Micky Braddock, his pseudo name in this

episode which was a name he used while starring the old classic

"Circus Boy".

The black and white screen tests of Davy and Mikei n this pilot were

shown in the beginning of the episode as opposed to be shown at the

end during the cut version.

All the singing in this episode were was done by songwriters

Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart who dubbed the Monkees voices.

When the cut version aired, the Monkees redubbed the singing.

There were several scenes cut from this orginal pilot.  The first are few

scenes from the opening credits which includes of Peter surfing a wave

at the beach then upon carrying his surf board, takes off his wet suit in

which he's wearing a suit underneath.  People reacting to Mike as he's

travelling down the street in full speed on a motorsized skateboard.  Micky outside Rudy's Record Rack, pulling up in a Honda then quicky removes

a canvas bag out of the saddle bag on the cycle then hops over to the par-

king meter which reads "Violation" and places the bag which reads "Out

of Order" and places it over the top of the meter.  Davy  trying unsuc-

cessfully trying to cross the stree since there's no traffic light until

he spots the old lady at the bus stop and taking her arm walks her

across while waving his free arm high stopping traffic.  Then all four

of them in front of the record store cluster outside the doorway with

their heads close together after looking around lift their wrists to check

the time despite not wearing watches then nod in agreement as they storm

into the store dressed as trenchcoat gansters as using their guitar cases as machine guns.

Other deleted scenes consists of the Monkees on upon arrivng at

the Country Club for the audition being blocked from going inside

by 'the security guard because they don't have membership cards

to which a snare drum, a band bandage and a flute transforms them

into a reasonable facsimile of The Spirit of 76 and they march into

the club past the security guard who only salutes them.

Extra red title cards were also in this pilot as well as extra scenes du-

ring the dance sequence near the end and no sign of the interviewer

and different sound effects are heard durng the "I Wanna Be Free"

musical romp.

Early names considered for the band were The Creeps, The Impossibles,

The Inevitables and The Turltles(already used).  Also orginally the group

was going to have the names Biff, Dicky, Fred and Suds.

This trimmed down recut 16mm version of the unaired pilot now resides

as a personal collection of songwriter Bobby Hart and has been used for

the both the 1995 Deluxe Limited Edition Box Set and the 2003 Monkees

Season 1 DVD Set but the deleted scenes appear to be lost forever.