The Monkees: The Real Reason Only 2 of Its Stars Appeared in Every Episode of the Series – Showbiz Cheat Sheet

The Monkees viewers were used to seeing all four of the shows stars battling bad guys, singing songs, and participating in the general lunacy of their TV series every week on the NBC network. However, there were several instances where this was not so. Only two of the cast members appeared in each episode of the series.

The Monkees starred Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, and Davy Jones. The series aired on NBC from 1966 through 1968. At that time, the series broke down barriers in television as the first to lack parental figures. Viewers were used to shows with a nuclear family, with a figurehead leading the antics of the shows younger cast members. The Monkees characters lived and worked independently, tried to make ends meet, and navigated life as they sought success in the music business.

Subsequently,The Monkeesseries would break other barriers on television. Its actors were the first to say the censored word hellon television [the network bleeped it out during post-production] and also the first to feature four young hippie men as their stars.

The Monkees alsobroke the fourth wall, where performers act as if the audience is not there. During the series, Micky walked off set to visit the writers room, Davy stopped midscene to ask to take a line over again, and the actors looked directly at the camera to speak to the viewer.

According to MeTV, only two cast members appeared in all 58 episodes and two seasons of The Monkees. Every installment of the series featured only Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz.

Jones missed an episode of season one titled Alias Micky Dolenz. He appeared duringthe bands performance of the tune Mary, Mary and in an interview at the end where he explained his absence. Jones was written out of the episode so he could attend his sisters wedding in England.

Despite rumors, Nesmith did not appear in several episodes due to his clashes with the cast and producers. He missed the season two episodes I Was a 99 Pound Weakling, The Card Carrying Red Shoes, The Monkees Watch Their Feet, and appeared briefly in Hitting the High Seas due to a tonsillectomy, the birth of his son Jonathan and a family trip to Texas.

It has long been part of The Monkees lore that the foursome wasnt as close as they appeared on stage and the set of their television series. Rolling Stoneasked Nesmith if the rumors he couldnt get along with Jones were true.

He replied, Well, some people would say that one or both of us were fractious and couldnt get along with anybody. Ill leave that somewhere on the doorstep or the threshold of the Davy and Mike friendship, but I dont know. We were all friends on some level, very casual work-space partners. We enjoyed, to a degree, playing music.

In a separateRolling Stoneinterview, Nesmith said this about bandmate Tork. We didnt have too many civil words to say to each other, but we also didnt fight all the time. We didnt say much.

There wasnt a lot to say. Peter would play me the songs that he thought were good and I didnt. And I would play him the songs I thought were good, and he wouldnt. Then we just left it at that. Partners in silence, he concluded.

However, Nesmith remained friendly with Micky Dolenz. The former bandmates reunited in 2018 for The Monkees Present: The Mike and Micky Show. This tour was followed by The Monkees Farewell Tour Featuring Michael Nesmith and Micky Dolenz.

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The Monkees: The Real Reason Only 2 of Its Stars Appeared in Every Episode of the Series - Showbiz Cheat Sheet