History Trivia / TheMonkees

* WordOfGod: "Mijacogeo" is a ShoutOut to the first names of Micky's immediate family: '''Mi'''cky, his mother '''Ja'''nelle, sister '''Co'''co and father '''Geo'''rge. The name "Frodis" came to him in a dream.

** Music/NickLowe was the first choice to produce ''Pool It!'' but he was too busy and had to turn down the offer.

** Music/NickLowe was the first choice to produce ''Pool It!'' but he was too busy and had to turn it down.

* Music/NickLowe was the first choice to produce ''Pool It!'' but he was too busy and had to turn it down.

*** Another auditionee who received serious consideration was Van Dyke Parks. Who would [[Music/TheBeachBoys Brian Wilson]] have collaborated with on ''Smile'' if Parks had become a Monkee? And how would Don Kirshner have reacted to Parks' unique singing and songwriting style?

* AdoredByTheNetwork[=/=]ScrewedByTheNetwork: The series was unavoidable on Creator/{{MTV}} in 1986, running several times a day, plus weekend marathons every couple of months. Davy, Micky and Peter did lots of on-camera work, and even starred in the annual MTV Christmas video (with a surprise cameo by Mike). Then they pulled out of an appearance on an MTV Super Bowl Sunday special.[[note]]There are lots of conflicting stories on why this happened, but it boils down to lack of communication between the guys, their then-manager, and MTV executives.[[/note]] After that, The Monkees suddenly became [[GratuitousLatin ''personae non gratae'']] on MTV. They refused to play the video for "Heart and Soul" despite it being among the most requested, which played a big role in both the single and the reunion album ''Pool It!'' tanking. In the 1989 ''The Decade in Rock'' special, MTV voted The Monkees as "Most Unnecessary Comeback of The 80s", blissfully ignoring their important role in that comeback.

* AdoredByTheNetwork[=/=]ScrewedByTheNetwork: The series was unavoidable on Creator/{{MTV}} in 1986, running several times a day, plus weekend marathons every couple of months. Davy, Micky and Peter did lots of on-camera work, and even starred in the annual MTV Christmas video (with a surprise cameo by Mike). Then they turned down an offer to appear on MTV's Super Bowl Sunday special. Big mistake. MTV suddenly snubbed them, refusing to play the video for "Heart and Soul" despite it being among the most requested, which played a big role in both the single and the reunion album ''Pool It!'' tanking. In the 1989 ''The Decade in Rock'' special, MTV voted The Monkees as "Most Unnecessary Comeback of The 80s", blissfully ignoring their important role in that comeback.

* AdoredByTheNetwork / ScrewedByTheNetwork: The series was unavoidable on {{MTV}} in 1986, running several times a day, plus weekend marathons every couple of months. Davy, Micky and Peter did lots of on-camera work, and even starred in the annual MTV Christmas video (with a surprise cameo by Mike). Then they turned down an offer to appear on MTV's Super Bowl Sunday special. Big mistake. MTV suddenly snubbed them, refusing to play the video for "Heart and Soul" despite it being among the most requested, which played a big role in both the single and the reunion album ''Pool It!'' tanking. In the 1989 ''The Decade in Rock'' special, MTV voted The Monkees as "Most Unnecessary Comeback of The 80s", blissfully ignoring their important role in that comeback.

* CreatorBacklash: None of the four were pleased with the album ''More of the Monkees'', and Mike Nesmith especially has never had a kind word to say about it. The album was compiled without any input from the group and released behind their back; reportedly, the band didn't find out about its existence until one of them saw it in the record store. Additionally, the album contained a few tracks which they felt were substandard. They also hated the cover shot, which featured them in what they considered to be extremely tacky JC Penney clothing.

* ExecutiveMeddling: Largely the story behind the assembling of the group's second album ''More of the Monkees''. Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, producers of the first album, recorded what they believed was to be the follow-up to the group's debut, not knowing that Don Kirshner was having the boys record lots of tracks with other writers and producers as well. Kirshner then assembled his own version of the album and released it behind everyone's backs. Only two of the tracks Boyce and Hart recorded were included.

** The Monkees visit a ghost town and get captured by [[Series/{{Seinfeld}} Uncle Leo]] and Film/TheWolfMan1941, whose boss turns out to be [[TheDickVanDykeShow Sally Rogers]].
** Burgess Meredith showed up one episode as [[Series/{{Batman}} The Penguin]] for no other reason but to make an awesome cameo.
** In "Monkees Get Out More Dirt", the four boys all fall in love with [[{{Series.Batman}} Catwoman]].
** Sir Twiggly Toppin-Middlebottom from "Monkees Mind Their Manor" is played by [[Series/{{Bewitched}} Dr. Bombay]].
** [[Series/{{Mash}} B.J. Hunnicutt]] is a C.I.A. agent!
** Creator/HamiltonCamp played Philo in "Monkees at the Movies".
* HeyItsThatVoice: Henry Corden, who had a recurring role as the boys' landlord, was also the second voice of [[TheFlintstones Fred Flintstone]], among many other roles.

** One of musicians who unsuccessfully auditioned for the group was Stephen Stills. Had he gotten the gig, there would have been no Buffalo Springfield or Crosby, Stills & Nash. As it happened, Stills wound up recommending his then-roommate, Peter Tork, for the gig, and the rest is history.

** One of the reasons the show was canceled was a disagreement with the network over the show's format. The bad felt the sitcom format had grown stale and tried to sell Creator/{{NBC}} on a variety show, with skits and special musical guests. Considering that they'd already managed to work appearances by TimBuckley and Music/FrankZappa into the second season, the latter could have been especially interesting.
** The series was originally going to feature the real band, The Lovin' Spoonful, but lead singer and songwriter, John Sebastian, had already signed the band to another label, which meant the producers couldn't distribute their music.

** One of the reasons the show was canceled was a disagreement with the network over the show's format. The bad felt the sitcom format had grown stale and tried to sell NBC on a variety show, with skits and special musical guests. Considering that they'd already managed to work appearances by TimBuckley and FrankZappa into the second season, the latter could have been especially interesting.

** The Monkees visit a ghost town and get captured by [[{{Seinfeld}} Uncle Leo]] and Film/TheWolfMan1941, whose boss turns out to be [[TheDickVanDykeShow Sally Rogers]].

** The Monkees visit a ghost town and get captured by [[{{Seinfeld}} Uncle Leo]] and Film/TheWolfMan, whose boss turns out to be [[TheDickVanDykeShow Sally Rogers]].

** The Monkees visit a ghost town and get captured by [[{{Seinfeld}} Uncle Leo]] and TheWolfMan, whose boss turns out to be [[TheDickVanDykeShow Sally Rogers]].

** Sir Twiggly Toppin-Middlebottom from "Monkees Mind Their Manor" is played by [[{{Bewitched}} Dr. Bombay]].
** [[{{Mash}} B.J. Hunnicutt]] is a C.I.A. agent!

* HeyItsThatGuy: The cynical boy whom the Monkees try to teach about the spirit of Christmas is none other than [[TheMunsters Eddie Munster]].

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: One of musicians who unsuccessfully auditioned for the group was Stephen Stills. Had he gotten the gig, there would have been no Buffalo Springfield or Crosby, Stills & Nash. As it happened, Stills wound up recommending his then-roommate, Peter Tork, for the gig, and the rest is history.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: One of musicians who unsuccessfully auditioned for the group was Stephen Stills. Had he gotten the gig, there would have been no Buffalo Springfield or Crosby, Stills & Nash. As it happened, Stills wound up recommending his then-roomate, Peter Tork, for the gig, and the rest is history.