Tidbits
Broadcast Premiere: December 25, 1967
Director: Jon Anderson
Producers: Robert Rafelson & Bert Schneider
Associate Producer: Gerald S. Shepard
Production Executive: Ward Sylvester
Writers: Dave Evans & Neil Burstyn
Filmed 11/67 at Screen Gems Studio 7, Hollywood, CA
Ratings: 12.7 rating/28.3 share (7,110,000 viewers)
The Video
Studio: Rhino Video (R3 2325)
ASIN: 1566053641
Running Time: 30 Minutes
Release Date: September 16, 1997
Rating: Not Rated
Type: VHS
Also available on "The Monkees: Season Two" DVD set here
The Story
In this special Christmas episode of "The Monkees" TV series, the guys, with the lure of $400, get convinced to baby-sit a cold-hearted, cynical youngster named Milton (Butch Patrick; known as Eddie from "The Munsters"), who doesn't have the Christmas spirit and does not know how to laugh. So, The Monkees take action to show him the true meanings of Christmas and take him to a department store and end up getting into some of their trademark "Monkee-trouble." They then set off to find a Christmas tree for Milton, and after getting into a tug-of-war with an old lady, the guys head to the woods. At one point The Monkees give up on Milton. Soon they find that they've tried everything but love to get him in the holiday spirit. Finally, Milton discovers the true meaning and enjoyment of Christmas as his parents come back home.
Historical Notes
- The version of "Ríu, Chíu" (Latin Christmas song) that appears in this episode was recorded live on the set of their TV show by The Monkees with no additional vocals. This version hasn't appeared on any official Monkees album, but a studio-recorded version that includes vocals by producer Chip Douglas can be found on "Missing Links, Volume II."
- During the last few minutes of this episode, the crew and office staff of "The Monkees" join the guys on-camera to send holiday greetings to family and friends.
- For the fantasy montage featuring Melvin sharing the Christmas spirit with The Monkees, the show's background music composer-conductor, Stu Phillips, adapts the following Christmas carols into the musical cue accompanying the scene: "Ríu, Chíu," "The 12 Days Of Christmas," "We Wish You A Merry Christmas," "Deck The Halls," and "Jingle Bells." Stu even manages to sneak in a non-Christmas-oriented tune, "Pop Goes The Weasel" (as Melvin is seen playing with a jack-in-the-box). The Monkees, of course, can also be seen singing "Deck The Halls" and "Ríu, Chíu" in this segment, and Stu Phillips' "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" dirge can be heard towards the end of the closing credits.
Cast:
The Monkees - The Monkees
Melvin - Butch Patrick
Mrs. Vandersnoot - Jeanne Soret
Salesman - Larry Gelman
Butler - Burt Mustin
Salesgirl - Jill Chandler
Page URL: http://www.monkeesrule43.com/
christmas_show.html
Site Best Viewed With:
Internet Explorer / Medium text size / 800x600 screen resolution / Javascript enabled / Flash installed
Disclaimer:
All photos are property of their respective owners / All content is © Monkeesrule43 Online unless otherwise noted.
Every year, Monkeesrule43 Online celebrates the holidays by opening this page, which
features information on the TV show's episode that is simply titled "The Christmas Show." This year, we're also including full-length mp3s of three Christmas songs that The Monkees have recorded, solo or collectively, over the years!
