“The Royal Flush” (prod. #4701) first aired @ 7:30/6:30 p.m. Central Time in Living Color on The NBC Television Network as the premiere episode of THE MONKEES, a comedy-fantasy series from Raybert/Screen Gems TV Productions heavily influenced by The Beatles' movies A Hard Day's Night (United Artists, 1964) and Help! (United Artists, 1965), which reflected the misadventures of an unknown, young, longhaired, modern-dressed group and its dreams on the way to fame and fortune. Produced by Robert Rafelson and Bert Schneider, it starred David Jones, Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork, all of whom were chosen from a lot of 437 applicants who answered an ad in the September 8, 1965 issues of The Hollywood Reporter and Daily Variety.

The sponsor of the week was Kellogg's, and the songs were were Boyce & Hart's "This Just Doesn't Seem To Be My Day" and Goffin & King's "Take A Giant Step." The third Monkees episode to be filmed, "The Royal Flush" was the first to be helmed by James Frawley, an initial member of innovative NYC comedy troupe The Premise, who would go on to direct the bulk of The Monkees' 58 half-hour segments (32 to be exact). Frawley would soon be greatly rewarded for his efforts on "The Royal Flush"; it won the Emmy for Outstanding Directorial Achievement In A Comedy Series for 1966-67.

The success of the TV series and the hit records it helped generate made The Monkees the rage of America, imitating and, at times, even eclipsing The Beatles' own success! The series cranked out 58 episodes for 2 seasons on NBC, finally ending in September 1968. But what a following The Monkees have had during the course of that run: 2 Emmy Awards, 4 #1 hit albums, 3 #1 hit singles, and 2 sold-out concert tours...not to mention the admiration and adulation of fans worldwide, something which continues to thrive to this very day!!

"It's A Nice Place To Visit..." (a.k.a. "The Monkees In Mexico") (prod. #4752) first aired at 7:30/6:30 Central Time on NBC as the 33rd episode of The Monkees. The sponsor of the week was Kellogg's, and the song featured was "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?" (Murphy / Castleman).

This episode introduced The Monkees TV series' second (and final) season on The NBC Television Network. Also on this day, 12 1/2 hours before "It's A Nice Place To Visit..." (a.k.a. "The Monkees In Mexico") was scheduled to air, The Monkees themselves, after a long, grueling summer of touring and recording (the upcoming 4th album, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd.), reported to Screen Gems Studio 7 in Hollywood to resume production on their television show; first on the agenda was episode #4768, "Hillbilly Honeymoon" (a.k.a. "Double Barrel Shotgun Wedding") (to air on NBC in late October as The Monkees' Episode No. 39), by Peter Meyerson.

In observance of the 57th Anniversary of The Monkees television series' World Premiere on The NBC Television Network this coming Pleasant Valley Tuesday, this week's Featured Monkees Episode is, appropriately, the very first, the Emmy Award-winning “The Royal Flush” (prod. #4701, aired on NBC September 12, 1966 and May 8, 1967). Also, added photos to "The Wild Monkees" and "The Monkees In Texas", added a new Trivia Note to "The Monkees Race Again" (a.k.a. "And Leave The Driving To Us"), and put a new pic onto MONKEE VIDEOS.

Usually, each year The Monkees television series' anniversary comes around, I feature “The Royal Flush” and it precipitates the entire cycle of Featured Monkees Episodes Of The Week over again, and many remaining episodes wind up not being featured. That being said, from this year on, “The Royal Flush” will be a special Featured Episode just during the week of The Monkees anniversary, and the regular spate of weekly Featured Monkees Episodes will resume the following week onward.

“The Case Of The Missing Monkee”, Episode No. 17 of The Monkees (prod. #4731, aired on NBC January 9 and July 24, 1967), was repeated at 1:00p.m. (EDT) on ABC.

This was the first repeat of The Monkees television series on ABC Saturday Morning.

"The Monkees Watch Their Feet" (a.k.a. "Micky And The Outer Space Creatures"), Episode No. 49 of The Monkees (prod. #4743, aired on NBC January 15, 1968), was repeated at 7:30p.m. (EDT) on NBC.

This rebroadcast marked the farewell appearance of The Monkees television series on NBC in prime time (not, as commonly believed, the August 19, 1968 repeat of Episode No. 56, "Some Like It Lukewarm" [a.k.a. "The Band Contest"]). It was replaced a week later in its 7:30 Monday stead by I Dream Of Jeannie, which, ironically, followed The Monkees in its first season.

"The Wild Monkees", Episode No. 42 of The Monkees (prod. #4742, aired on NBC November 13, 1967), was repeated @ Noon (ET) on CBS, with a new song added: "Looking For The Good Times," written by Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart.

This repeat wrapped up The Monkees TV show's first season of repeats on CBS Saturday Afternoons.

The Monkees was preempted on NBC by Major League Baseball on NBC (Indians Versus Twins).

The following week (September 11, 1967) would see the dawning of The Monkees telelvision series' second season on NBC!