#17, Case of the Missing Monkee

Teaser:  "War is war.  Peace is peace.  And Science is Science."  See the full episode here.

This random typical vaudeville setup actually contains a deep tribute to writers of classic tv. Peter  says: "Funny thing happened on the way to the bandstand".  It's a play on the Broadway show (1963) and film (1966) called "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" -Or as Broadway people say it, "Forum".  Written by Stephen Sondheim & Larry Gelbart, who had also written a bunch of episodes for M*A*S*H* among a ton of other TV shows.  Gelbart worked with Larry Tucker and Paul Mazursky (The "Developed By" credit on each Monkee episode) on Danny Kaye Show.

Mike's joke about Peter, (who takes a lot of looking after, "Not any more than the average aircraft carrier") might be a self referential joke about the General's aircraft that Mike had turned over when he was in the Service?  (See Mike's audition piece.  I'd love to hear the fuller story, especially if it IS true!)

They go to the clinic, and the Evil Guy w/ goatee is there.
Return to restaurant, which has suddenly changed into a Chinese place, Evil Guy w/Goatee is there too (in a Chinese getup, which somehow includes prominent cheekbones).  The room suddenly resembles Chan's "Egg Rolls and Jazz" in Woonsocket, Rhode Island.  It's a place where Shoe Suede Blues (aka SSB) been known to play, basically a bandstand surrounded by Chinese decor.

"One hour after you eat there, you disappear" is a takeoff on the Western "joke", that one hour after eating there, you are hungry again.  Mostly because the belief is that the food is mostly rice, which digests quickly vs the American diet of steak & potatoes, which takes forever to digest.  It is less of a Politically Incorrect joke than just a misunderstanding of diet.

After the miracle cough drop, Davy begins to sing "Old Folks at Home" (aka "Swanee River"), a minstrel song written by Stephen Foster in 1851.  (He later regretted the association, supporting the North in the Civil War) Commissioned by the Christy Minstrels, which were a blackface group.  They were considered the most popular and set the style for blackface as a tradition. Edwin P. Christy, the founder left the group and committed suicide in 1862 over the Civil War.

Barry McGuire sang lead on "Green, Green" a hit for the New Christy Minstrels nearly 100 years later. That group was formed by Randy Sparks (who had spent 40 years writing Burl Ives' act) and who was committed to the idea of the chorus existing to allow people "to forget their troubles".  This did not bode well for the emerging political movement of folk music.  Other members would include Kenny Rogers, Kim Carnes, Karen Black and Gene Clark.  Know him?  He would later be in the Byrds with Roger McGuinn and David Crosby.  In 1966  he formed Gene Clark & the Group which included Joel Larson, Bill Rhineheart and Chip Douglas-who would be the Monkee's producer!

Alright, back to our story.

After the Nurse takes the miracle cough drops, (at 8:10 into the episode), there is some stock footage of a rocket. I want to call it Sputnik, but I'm probably wrong (because it is in color).  She is Nancy Fish, who has had a prolific career, appearing in a wide range of tv shows, including Roseanne.  Also on board this episode are Vito Scotti and Vince Gardenia, amazing character actors who are easy to recognize but hard to place.

Note the mention of a "Bathook" (from Batman and other cat burglar-type superheros who need to break into places every now and again).

Also note all the *cute* old-fashioned bits of *exercise* equipment in use in the late 1960's.  A sweatbox, an exercise bike you can row and a "rubber tire" getter-rid-of Davy has a joke where he is being shaken by this absurd rubber band and a "spare tire" magically appears. Not that he had one to begin with.

Mention of "Ben Casey, Act 1" which was a Medical Drama tv series, which ran from 1961-1966. (In Vietnam, the name was slang for a medic) Hearing "Act 1", I had always thought it was a play.  Then PT looks into a mirror and says "Shazam!" and name drops Captain Marvel (which was ranked as the 55th most popular comic book character by Wizard magazine).

Amid lots of mildly funny gags (Mike singing with a banjo on the rowing machine to Valerie Kairys), there is a sudden call from TV Guide, in which Mike helps them to fact check the events of the episode.  When the show runs low on plot, it runs high on clever gags to cover.  Mike begins singing "Dem Bones" done originally by the Delta Rhythm Boys, he sings it incorrectly, of course.  Asking for scalpel & sponge, is a very indirect reference to  Elaine May and Mike Nichols' comedy routine. "A Little More Gauze".  Menu for the Vincent van Gogh Gogh.  Wrist slapping from the American Medical Association and it all ends like an episode from old time radio dramas (note Micky's funny voice and pronunciation of "evil").

Now, what countries was everybody from again?  The Italian actor putting on a vaguely Russian/Boris Badenuf (Rocky & Bullwinkle character who looks very close) accent.  Does it matter?

#35, Everywhere a Sheik Sheik

Title references "Old Macdonald" children's song, which epitomizes the idea of the American farm and is taught in every preschool in America, at least from the post war-period (think pre-Howdy Doody) to probably the modern day. It is the opposite of the Middle Eastern setting of this show, but consistency was never a main selling point.

We are introduced to Monty Landis, who brings in the idea of arranged marriages (also a common practice in the country of Harmonica and countries which have princes & paupers). The princess, who had raided the "I Dream of Jeannie" wardrobe closet, points to a "fan" magazine and picks Davy. (If the Monkees within the show are so poor, how come they are in fan magazines? And how did they work that camera technique where a static image suddenly comes to life?)

Note here Hollywood's version of the Middle East: bellydancing costumes for women (see also what the girls wore in the film, "Head") and Nehru jackets & headscarves (Keffiyeh, of the Lawrence of Arabia style)for men. Monty Landis doing an accent which seems to come from India and "strange customs", such as the villain wearing one half of a beard. There is so little consistency that the word "stereotype" doesn't even come to mind. "Do not question the strange ways of our people" because we can't be bothered to do real research or even get past the first of "1001 Nights".

VAUDEVILLIAN GEMS:
"Why does the camel sleep with one eye toward the desert moon?"
"To keep his pants up?"
(Cf: Why does a fireman wear red suspenders?)

Pay special attention to the scene where Peter is dressed in a lab coat, supposedly holding a Geiger counter, which clicks when it approaches radiation. (Is he holding a microphone and some sort of primitive recording device?) He, of course, has a hand held clicker in his pocket. Listen as Mike gives the cue, "What's that I hear?", which P intentionally muffs up. Peter is directly quoting Harpo Marx (using a sound instead of voice). Mike was quoting Phil Ochs, a protest songwriter (whether he realized it or not).

Micky & Mike are dressed in button down uniforms. Mike with a Bicorne hat, with white feathers stapled to it. During WW1, this was a practice of indicating someone who had pleaded "Conscientious Objector" and didn't fight. In other words, a chicken. Here, perhaps, it was done as a protest against the war in Vietnam. Or just because it was a funny sight gag, like Micky's helmet which is so small, the chinstrap goes through his mouth like a horse's bit. It's also fun just to watch Micky knocking off Mike's hat every time he salutes.

"This king, he wants me to marry his daughter"
"Nice looking?"
"Well, he's not bad . . ."
(Vaudeville technique of using surprise and vague nominative referent (using Syntax to make a funny!) to turn it into a question about the attractiveness of the king, not the potential fiancee)

Note how the boys harmonize, like a barbershop quartet (on the "Hello/Hello/Hello" bit) and Monty Landis conducts. Compare this to Hans Conreid's reaction in a blooper off the "Monkee's Paw"

Pun: "Secretary of Defense. /I'll be sure to keep it mended." (The fence) Linguistically and for non-native speakers of English, [The] and [Da] and [De] are close enough phonetically to be mistaken for each other, and close enough to be misinterpreted, to rare comedic effect, as seen here. In songs, the mistaking of one word for another is called a "Mondegreen". In speech, it is just called a mistake.

"Peel me a grape!" This is a reference to a terrific jazz song, written by Dave Frishberg in 1962, recorded by Dusty Springfield, Anita O'Day, Blossom Dearie, and Diana Krall. ALL are recommended (Blossom is my favorite, in general, but Dusty's video was the best of this song)

Paperweight. Mike is actually terrific with predictable dialogue! "What is this number with the concrete block?" Breaking 4th wall!! He knows the dialogue and plot are silly, so he overacts. We know that he knows that it's all fake, and so he turns to us and breaks the illusion fully, essentially addressing the guys who put him up to it as an actor. He's talking to the camera, and the literal people behind the camera (director, writers, prop guys, etc) as well as the audience.

"Golden Grecian Goblets Guarantee Graves!" Refer back to the post about Danny Kaye and the "Pestle" routine

Suddenly, the villain rips off his half beard and claims he is American (much more evil) and is a wildcatter from Oklahoma, only there to steal the oil. Prescient, indeed, about America's greed for oil in other countries. Not that we go to war over it or anything.

Danny Kaye Connection

The team on Facebook behind "The Real Peter Tork (Official)" page posted this clip as

"This past week saw what would have been the centennial birthday of Danny Kaye, an amazing actor, singer, musician and humanitarian. Peter was once asked about some of his influences as a performer and he listed Danny Kaye high among them. His movie, The Court Jester, is a particular favorite of Peter's (check out the "Vessel with the Pestle" routine!). We found this clip below that really shows some of the comedic timing our boss learned from marvelous man. Stick with this clip to the end and also learn about what a sweet, gentle, caring soul he also possessed. RIP and thank you, Danny! ~ptfb team"


Danny Kaye (January 18, 1913 – March 3, 1987) reminded me of Gene Wilder ("Young Frankenstein", it must have been the hair).  My favorite songs of his is "Russian Composers" and "Tongue Twisters".  The "Vessel with the Pestle" routine is a direct forefather of "Grecian Goblets Guarantee Graves!"  There's also a great guest turn he does on "The Cosby Show" (the audience doesn't seem to recognize him when he first appears, but they warm up quickly, even if he is doing a silly German accent).

There's a story (often told by Jonathan Schwartz) about Kaye and an autograph seeker. Kaye was in the middle of a spaghetti dinner and after much careful business, managed to twirl a perfect forkful.  Just as  he opened his mouth, the eager fan shoved an autograph book onto the table and begged for him to sign it. He took one look at the fan and then one look at his spaghetti.  Without missing a beat, he then handed the fan his forkful and asked them to hold it while he signed.

MONKEE TV:
Peter was not the only one influenced by Kaye; his humor was big for the Developers of the show-Paul Mazursky and Larry Tucker (the reporter and "Man on the Street" in the Pilot).  They had both worked on "The Danny Kaye Show" as writers in 1963.  After 2 years as "Developers" on the entire Monkees series, they went on to do movies together.  "I Love You, Alice B. Toklas" (1968) and "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice"(1969).

SIDE NOTE:
Alice B Toklas' name was borrowed on several occasions.  In literature circles, "The Autobiography of Alice B.Toklas" by Gertrude Stein (her lesbian partner), was Stein's bestselling book.  Even though Toklas was willed Stein's estate, including many paintings by their mutual friend Picasso, as a lesbian couple their partnership had no legal standing (even in Paris in the late 1940's!!).  To make money, Toklas eventually published "The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook", which contained a recipe for "Haschich Fudge", which is presumably why everyone (Tucker, Mazursky and even the star, Peter Sellars) is in love with her.


Full Links:

PTFB: Danny Kaye at the NYPhilharmonic, 1981, sincere speech about orchestras
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P_5TG_DZpI

Danny Kaye's Radio Show, "Tschaikowsky (and other Russians)"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkJdmTrlTYk

"Vessel with the Pestle"
http://movieclips.com/F8HW2-the-court-jester-movie-the-pellet-with-the-poisons-in-the-vessel-with-the-pestle/

On the Cosby Show
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1GbKQuVP0I