After the success of the movie A Hard Day's Night, producers Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider were hired to develop a television series to mimic the Beatles. Their first thoughts were to hire the Dave Clark Five, but they were too famous and weren't interested. Next they considered the Lovin' Spoonful, whose band persona was perfect for the show. But they ended up using four unknowns, who would be easier to control and would be much cheaper.
Convicted mass murderer Charles Manson had been rumored to have been one of the musicians who had tried out for the Monkees, but this rumor was probably started by Manson himself, considering he was in jail while the auditions were going on.
Davy Jones: The Monkees episodes went out for $75,000 [each]. I mean that's all they cost. That was unheard of. And that was because of the co-operation and the excitement and because of the originality and the enthusiasm from all the different areas.
Davy Jones: People always expect you to be jumping out of a Rolls Royce and being in the papers for drunk and disorderly or sleeping around. I'm a family man with [four] kids. I own property in a quiet little town of Pennsylvania. I've got an apartment in Hollywood. I own a place in Australia. I've got a farm in England where I breed horses. It's very difficult over the years when people say. "Oh, you're making a comeback." When you say comeback, it sounds like you've been somewhere. I've been so active.
Peter Tork: My favorite Monkees' music is Riu Chiu, an a capella song, done live for the 1966 Christmas Special, which was never done before because filming time is twenty fives times more expensive than recording time. The vocal work is wonderful, the best thing the Monkees ever did. My favorite single is Pleasant Valley Sunday and my favorite album is Head.