Directors: Bob Rafelson, Bert Schneider
Cast: David Jones (Guitar), Peter Tork (Guitar), Mickey Dolenz (Drums), Mike Nesmith (Guitar)
Guest stars: Lon Cahney, Hans Conried, Vincent Gardenia, Richard Kiel, Burgess Meredith, Julie Newmar, Roobert Strauss
Producers: Bob Rafelson, Bert Schneider
Distribution: Columbia Tristar
Distribution Germany: Taurus Film, München
First Broadcast: 12.9.1966, NBC
First Broadcast Germany: 16.9.1967, ZDF
Selected Filmography Bob Rafelson: Five easy pieces, 1970; The King of Marvin Gardens, 1972; The Postman always rings twice, 1981; Man trouble, 1991.
Hey, hey we're the Monkees, and people say we monkee around. "Looking back, we can see that this show was inevitable. The Beatles had two hit movies. Rock'n'roll was becoming a total way of life for millions of young Americans. How could television not do a series about a rock band? Of course, nobody knew at first that the Monkees weren't making their own music. But that was the case. The four mop-tops (Davy Jonesm Peter Tork, Michael Nesmith and Mickey Dolenz) were faking their way through songs recorded by anonimous studio musicians. The records pumped up TV ratings. The series, in turn, promoted record sales. A flawless - if sneaky - marketing scheme. By the time viewers caught on, no one cared. What's remarkable about the Monkees is not that it was made but that it turned out to be good in spite of itself. Today The Monkees is recognized as one of the most original and refreshing series of the '60s (often cited as the first rock video)". ("Cult TV" by John Javna, N.Y. 1985)