Aaron Handy III

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1966

“The Royal Flush” (prod. #4701) first aired @ 7:30/6:30 p.m. Central Time in Living Color on NBC Television as the premiere episode of The Monkees, a comedy-fantasy series from Raybert/Screen Gems TV Productions heavily influenced by The Beatles' A Hard Day's Night (United Artists, 1964) and Help! (United Artists, 1965), which reflected the misadventures of an unknown, young, longhaired, modern-dressed group and its dreams on the way to fame and fortune. Produced by Robert Rafelson and Bert Schneider, it starred David Jones, Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork, all of whom were chosen from a lot of 437 applicants who answered an ad in the September 8, 1965 issues of The Hollywood Reporter and Daily Variety.

The sponsor of the week was Kellogg’s™, and the songs were were Boyce & Hart's “This Just Doesn’t Seem To Be My Day” and Goffin & King's “Take A Giant Step.” The third Monkees episode to be filmed, “The Royal Flush” was the first to be helmed by James Frawley, an initial member of innovative NYC comedy troupe The Premise, who would go on to direct the bulk of The Monkees' 58 half-hour segments (32 to be exact). Frawley would soon be greatly rewarded for his efforts on “The Royal Flush”; it won the Emmy for Outstanding Directorial Achievement In A Comedy Series for 1966-67.

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The success of the TV series and the hit records it helped generate made The Monkees the rage of America, imitating and, at times, even eclipsing The Beatles' own success! The series cranked out 58 episodes for 2 seasons on NBC, finally ending in September 1968. But what a following The Monkees have had during the course of that run: 2 Emmy Awards, 4 #1 hit albums, 3 #1 hit singles, and 2 sold-out concert tours...not to mention the admiration and adulation of fans worldwide, something which continues to thrive to this very day!!

Aaron Handy III - ah07_1999@yahoo.com
My TV Web Shrine

Marty M

Re: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1966

I was an avid fan of that show. I was nearly 18 when the show premiered which probably made me one of the oldest Monkees fans. When I went to college the next year I would always go down to the TV room of my dorm and watch The Monkees. There were usually one two or three people from the dorm watching the show.

I'll have to pull out my DVD set of Season 1 of the show and watch it today to commemorate the occasion. Thanks for the heads-up.

Lawn Ranger Motto: You're only young once, but you can be always be immature.

Derek Miner

Re: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1966

I became a Monkees fan watching reruns as a kid. This was maybe 1982-83, just before the big 1986 resurgence. I have become more fascinated with the musical side of the project, and those who are keen on that side shouldn't hesitate to visit the Steve Hoffman forums, where some interesting conversations can be found.

Oh, you know who I just found out was a Monkees fan? Janeane Garofalo. I was listening to a "Guest DJ" podcast series from Santa Monica's KCRW, and on Janeane's segment, she talked about watching the Monkees as a kid (she said her mom let her stay up to watch it, but as she was born in 1964, this seems wrong, unless it was on late in syndication in the early 70s). She said she got to meet Mike Nesmith once and was so nervous. The song she chose was "What am I Doin' Hangin' Round" (which was awesome to hear back to back with "Ticket to Ride," her first choice).

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