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New Monkees

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New Monkees
Title card
GenreSituation comedy
Written byR.B. Armstrong
Jeremy Bate
StarringJared Chandler
Dino Kovas
Marty Ross
Larry Saltis
Gordon Oas-Heim
Lynnie Godfrey
Bess Motta
Edie Robinette-Petrachi
Music byEdie Robinette-Petrachi
ComposerPeter D. Kaye
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13
Production
Executive producerSteve Blauner
ProducersMatt Fassberg
Victor Fresco
CinematographyRobert Knouse
EditorsRobert DeMaio
David Helfand
Edie Robinette-Petrachi
Running time22 minutes
Production companiesColumbia Pictures Television
Straybert Productions
Original release
ReleaseSeptember 14 (1987-09-14) –
December 7, 1987 (1987-12-07)

New Monkees is the name of both a U.S. pop rock music group and a 1987 syndicated television show featuring the group.

Overview

Background

The 20th anniversary of The Monkees TV series in 1986 generated enough interest that New Monkees, a full reboot of the earlier series with none of the original members of The Monkees involved, was conceived later that year, and launched the following year. The show was produced by Columbia Pictures Television and distributed by Coca-Cola Telecommunications. Straybert Productions, headed by Steve Blauner (a former partner of original Monkees producers Robert Rafelson and Bert Schneider), served as the project's producers.

The group's members were Jared Chandler (guitar and vocals), Dino Kovas (drums and vocals), Marty Ross (bass and vocals), and Larry Saltis (lead guitar and vocals). As it had been with the original Monkees, each had to pass a grueling set of auditions.[1] Unlike the previous series, however, musical ability was a key factor in the selection process. Ross, a multi-instrumentalist, had earlier been signed to CBS Records, with his former band The Wigs.

Album and TV series

The band released one self-titled album, distributed by Warner Bros. Records. The synthpop sound of the New Monkees was largely the work of producers Carol Carmichael Parks and Dean Parks, and was similar to that of contemporaries Mr. Mister and Glass Tiger. Other New Monkees producers were Steve Barri and Tony Peluso, Matt Wallace, Joe Curiale, and Mike Slamer, who co-wrote a song for the album with Larry Saltis.

Other than being centered around a four-person boy band, New Monkees had very little in common plot-wise with The Monkees. Instead of Baby Boomers trying to find acceptance and success in society, the Generation X New Monkees seldom left their house, a large mansion resembling a giant boombox that had numerous unexplored rooms. The New Monkees also lived a far wealthier life than their predecessors: instead of a normal kitchen and dining room, the house featured a diner with a waitress named Rita, played by Bess Motta. A butler named Manford (Gordon Oas-Heim) was also present, as was a talking computer called Helen (voiced by Lynnie Godfrey); Helen was a decommissioned Defense Department supercomputer that spoke in a pronounced black accent and developed a taste for rock music instead of world destruction. Helen was almost always portrayed solely by a pair of talking lips set on a black, static background.

Notable guest performers were few; however, they included boxer Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, Archie Hahn, Russell Johnson (reprising his role as "The Professor" from Gilligan's Island), and Billy Beck, whose appearances made him the only actor to have appeared in episodes of both the original Monkees as well as New Monkees (but playing different characters). The Del Rubio Triplets appeared on the episode "New Monkee Mail," which initiated a wave of TV appearances by the trio.

Failure and subsequent revived interest

Originally slated for a 22-episode season, the show earned ratings lower than expected and New Monkees left the air after 13 episodes. The album also did not catch on, and failed to yield a hit record single. The producers hoped that the TV show would serve as promotion for their record, and vice versa, but this did not occur. A lawsuit was filed by the original Monkees for use of the name. However, the case was settled out of court.

Interest in the band has continued on internet newsgroups. In 2007, all four New Monkees reunited for a meet-and-greet with fans in Los Angeles, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the band's formation. The gathering featured an acoustic performance—their first since the dissolution of the show, and their first-ever live appearance. This performance was filmed, and portions of the show have been released in late 2009 on YouTube. Among those in attendance that night were comedian Tim Powers, as well as producers Steve Blauner, Victor Fresco and Matt Fassberg. In 2014, the Monkees podcast Zilch aired an interview with Marty Ross of the New Monkees, which discussed the making of the show and its reception.

On November 11, 2017, the New Monkees had a 30-year reunion which all four original members attended, organized by Amy Collen. They were interviewed for the podcast Deep Dish Radio with Tim Powers,[2] and performed a short concert. On February 16, 2019, the New Monkees held a sold-out concert at the Pig 'n Whistle in Los Angeles, organized by Jodi Ritzen; the concert featured the original Monkees' Micky Dolenz.[citation needed]

Episodes

No.TitleDirected by [3]Written byOriginal air date [3]
1"Weather the Storm"E. Von KelsoUnknownSeptember 14, 1987 (1987-09-14)
A personal storm cloud follows Dino. It's raining, it's snowing, it's hailing—but only on him.
2"All My Martys"Bob RadlerUnknownSeptember 21, 1987 (1987-09-21)
When Marty takes a nap on the copy machine, numerous duplicate Martys are set loose in the mansion.
3"Test Tube Tube"E. Von KelsoUnknownSeptember 28, 1987 (1987-09-28)
Dino, Marty, and Larry, dressed in ridiculous fruit costumes, are rehearsing for a children's party. Meanwhile, Jared discovers a strange room with only a TV and remote control inside. He zaps himself and a girl from the TV world in and out of various TV programs as the other boys wonder why he has yet to show up for practice in his Amazon costume.
4"Minister Bob"Bob RadlerUnknownOctober 5, 1987 (1987-10-05)
The boys meet two sumo wrestlers who also want to start a singing group. Meanwhile, Larry's Uncle Bob (a televangelist) causes trouble around the neighborhood.
5"Ruff Day"C. D. TaylorUnknownOctober 12, 1987 (1987-10-12)
It's a dog eat dog world, and Jared knows all about it. While walking his pet, Jared has a mind exchange with his dog.
6"Don't Touch That Dial"Ed GreenbergUnknownOctober 19, 1987 (1987-10-19)
Larry and Dino are catapulted into an evil parallel universe when Dino disobeys Jared's warning not to touch a certain red dial in the lab. Their plans to return home are complicated when Larry falls in love with the alternate universe version of their maid.
7"Monkee Mail"David WildUnknownOctober 26, 1987 (1987-10-26)
The boys decide to answer some fan mail. The result? They meet some interesting fans.
8"Larry Leaves"Victor FrescoUnknownNovember 2, 1987 (1987-11-02)
Larry takes it upon himself to cast the role of his girlfriend on the show.
9"King of Space and Time"Victor FrescoUnknownNovember 9, 1987 (1987-11-09)
Jared steps through a forbidden doorway in the mansion and enters a "video world", where space and time are controlled by a TV-channel selector.
10"Meet the Pope"Bob RadlerUnknownNovember 16, 1987 (1987-11-16)
Pope John Paul II is in town, and the boys are caught up in the Pope-mania. They discover that the Pope has left his guitar at their diner, so they must run downtown to return it to him. Along the way, they begin to wonder if anyone really realizes the significance of the Pope's visit as they encounter shady characters who are exploiting the Pope's image to make a fast buck. Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini portrays a street huckster.
11"Helen Goes Shopping"George BloomUnknownNovember 23, 1987 (1987-11-23)
The guys' super computer is addicted to shopping. Unfortunately, she has no money of her own and uses the band's credit cards.
12"The Game of Games Show"Rocky SchenckUnknownNovember 30, 1987 (1987-11-30)
The boys are contestants on a game show. Unfortunately, they get caught up in the excitement and wager all of their possessions.
13"My Three Sons"Victor FrescoUnknownDecember 7, 1987 (1987-12-07)
When the show gets a new soundtrack, the boys dream the whole show is changing. In this version, Jared and Helen are the parents of three naughty boys.

Stations

The New Monkees was be distributed to independent stations and network affiliates by COLEX Enterprises,[4] a joint venture of Columbia Pictures Television and LBS Communications.[5][6]

City Station
Asheville WLOS 13[7][better source needed]
Atlanta WATL 36[8][better source needed]
Cleveland WOIO 19[9][10][11][better source needed]
Detroit WXON 20[12]
Greeneville WETO 39[13][better source needed]
Los Angeles KTLA 2[14][15][better source needed][16][17]
Milwaukee WVTV 24[18]
Oakland KTVU 2[19]
Philadelphia WTAF 29[20]
Portland, Maine WPXT 51[21][better source needed]
Portland, Oregon KPDX 49[22][better source needed][23]
Spokane KAYU 28[24][better source needed]
Tacoma KSTW 11[25][better source needed]
Toledo WUPW 36[26]

Album

Warner Bros. Records (Released 1987)

Track listing: Side 1:

  1. "What I Want" (Eddie Schwartz/David Tyson)
  2. "Do It Again" (Julia Downs/John Parr)
  3. "I Don't Know" (Michael Cruz)
  4. "The Way She Moves" (Denis Keldie)
  5. "Boy Inside the Man" (Tom Cochrane)

Side 2:

  1. "Burnin' Desire" (Rob Elvis)
  2. "Whatever It Takes" (Alan Roy Scott/Arnie Roman)
  3. "Affection" (Ken Brown)
  4. "Carlene" (Greg Barnhill/Gene Houston/Johnny Hozey/Derrell Brown)
  5. "Corner of My Eye" (Larry Saltis/Mike Slamer/Charlie Mitchell)
  6. "Turn It Up" (Joe Curiale/Jimmy Haddox)

Single (45 RPM)

Warner Bros. Records (Released 1987)

Track listing:

  1. "What I Want" (Side A)
  2. "Turn It Up" (Side B)

Other songs

In addition to the songs featured on the album, the New Monkees recorded several songs for the TV series that ultimately did not see an official release:

  • "Clone of My Own"
  • "One of the Boys"
  • "Affection" (acoustic version)
  • "Late Night"
  • "I Can't Forget"
  • "Follow Your Heart"
  • "Maybe Tonight"
  • "Won't Let You Lose Me"
  • "Catch 22"
  • "Someday Someway"
  • "Crazy"
  • "Searchin'"
  • "Squeeze Play"
  • "If I Needed Someone"
  • "You Say You Will (And You Mean You Won't)"
  • "If You Don't Go Away"
  • "I'm Gonna Miss You This Summer"

Despite not being officially released, most of these songs can be found on YouTube.

Additionally, "What I Want (For Christmas)", a version of "What I Want" featuring Christmas-themed lyrics, was included on the 1987 Warner Bros. Christmas compilation album Yulesville.

References

  1. ^ "Hey, Hey, It's the New Monkees, Four Young Men Who Long to Be the Prime Primates of Prime Time". People. November 3, 1986. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  2. ^ acast (2017-11-14). "The NEW Monkees | Deep Dish Radio with Tim Powers on acast". acast. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
  3. ^ a b From the United States Copyright Office catalog: "Public Catalog - Copyright Catalog (1978 to present) - Basic Search [search: "New Monkees"]". United States Copyright Office. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  4. ^ Werlla, Becky. "The New Monkees ad". Pintrest.
  5. ^ Gendel, Morgan (May 26, 1986). "'New Monkees' to Be Produced". Los Angeles Times.
  6. ^ Rabkin, William (September 7, 1986). "Syndication: 'new' Shows for Old the 'pot of Gold' in Producing Network Television Shows is in Selling the Reruns. But Independent Stations Are Hoping to Cash in With New Shows Made Specifically for Syndication". South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
  7. ^ "Retro: Harlan, KY, Saturday, September 26, 1987". Radio Discussions. December 19, 2017.
  8. ^ "Who aired what where: Lesser-known syndicated shows". Radio Discussions. August 23, 2014.
  9. ^ "Re: Self-made VHS tapes at Thrift Stores". Radio Discussions. April 8, 2012.
  10. ^ November 1987 WOIO Local Commercials on YouTube
  11. ^ Larry Saltis on WOIO Nineteen on YouTube
  12. ^ WXON TV-20 The New Monkees promo (Late 80s) on YouTube
  13. ^ "Retro: Harlan, KY, Saturday, September 26, 1987". Radio Discussions. December 19, 2017.
  14. ^ "New Fall Tv Season : Syndication in Prime of Its Life". Los Angeles Time. September 14, 1987.
  15. ^ "Retro: Los Angeles, CA, Friday October 9, 1987 3 Independents". Radio Discussions. October 31, 2014.
  16. ^ KTLA syndicated commercials from 1987 Part Three on YouTube
  17. ^ KTLA Comedy Preview Promo #2 9/14/87 on YouTube
  18. ^ The New Monkees Promo (1987) on YouTube
  19. ^ New Monkees Television Commercial on YouTube
  20. ^ WTAF commercial breaks from DuckTales (October 1987) on YouTube
  21. ^ "RETRO: New Hampshire, Today in 1987 (Oct. 3)". Radio Discussions. October 3, 2007.
  22. ^ "Retro: Portland, OR, Sat. October 24th, 1987". Radio Discussions. September 15, 2012.
  23. ^ "1987 TV Guide Ad". Sitcoms Online Photo Galleries.
  24. ^ "BY REQUEST: Spokane, Washington — Sunday, September 27, 1987". Radio Discussions. February 13, 2019.
  25. ^ "Retro: Yakima, WA; Sat. September 19th, 1987". Radio Discussions. June 30, 2016.
  26. ^ "Sunday is Fun Day!". THE VINTAGE TOLEDO TV SITE.