This Week's Monkees TV Milestones

[AaronHandy3]

DECEMBER 23, 1972

“The Royal Flush”, the premiere episode of The Monkees (prod. #4701, first aired on NBC September 12, 1966), was repeated @ 1:00 p.m. Eastern on ABC.

DECEMBER 25, 1967

"The Monkees Christmas Show" first aired @ 7:30 p.m. Eastern on NBC as the 47th episode of The Monkees.

The sponsor was Yardley Of London™, and the show featured Peter, Michael, David and Micky sing an a capella rendition of the Old Latin Christmas Carol, “Ríu, Chíu”.

Interesting note: this one Monkees Christmas episode was shot in the week of Thanksgiving!

DECEMBER 25, 1971

"The Monkees Christmas Show", Episode No. 47 of The Monkees (first aired on NBC December 25, 1967), was repeated @ noon Eastern on CBS.

DECEMBER 26, 1966

“The Son Of A Gypsy” (prod. #4724) first aired @ 7:30 p.m. Eastern on NBC as the 16th episode of The Monkees.

This episode was sponsored by Slicker and Black Label by Yardley Of London™ and featured “I’m A Believer”, written by Neil Diamond and produced by Jeff Barry. For those of you who tuned in and turned on this week, these are the original commercials you would've seen: Eyelighter by Yardley, Kellogg's Rice Krispies, Kellogg's Special K, Slicker Lip Polish by Yardley, Oh! De London by Yardley, and The Monkees for Yardley Black Label Aftershave.

Trivia Footnote: As this episode made its first-run telecast over NBC, The Monkees played their first gig on their 12-city U.S. tour at The Denver Coliseum in Colorado.

DECEMBER 26, 1970

"Some Like It Lukewarm" (a.k.a. "The Band Contest"), Episode No. 56 of The Monkees (prod. #4754, first aired on NBC March 4, 1967), was repeated @ 12:30 p.m. Eastern on CBS.

DECEMBER 27, 1969

“Monkee Mother”, Episode No. 27 of The Monkees (first aired on NBC March 20, 1967), was repeated @ noon Eastern on CBS.