The Monkees: Son of a Gypsy (1966)
Season 1, Episode 16
10/10
HOW TO GYP THE GYPIES IN ONE EZ LESSON
21 August 2023
Off the wall salute to the MALTESE FALCON (in a slight way)... as the guys get mixed up with a band of thieving gypsies, who have their greedy eyes on the Maltese Vulture. Get it?

Peter is held hostage by the gypsies, and will only be returned ALIVE, provided Micky, Davy and Mike crash the Rantha mansion (where there's an swank party going on) and smuggle out the jewel-encrusted statue. The gypsie boss is Maria, well played by stage actress Jeanne Arnold. She is the queen of mean, but with a soft spot? If you play her game, that is. Her two henchmen are nonother than Vincent Beck and Vic Tayback, who appeared several times on the show. Beck began his career in the camp sci fi SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS, and many other cult films and tv shows. Tayback, of course played heavies for years, a fixture on cop shows in the 70s.

The party scene is nicely staged, and you can tell the cast was having a real deal blast. The guys do their best to zig and zag through the mansion; a wacky scene has Davy trying to crack a safe and out booms... THE LAST TRAIN TO CLARKSVILLE, the Monkee's first no. 1 hit!

Also listen for I'M A BELIEVER, without fail.

Crazy stuff that runs fast, co-written by Dee Caruso, who was behind so many classic tv comedies.

SEASON 1 EPISODE 16 restored dvd box set.
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