45 Years Ago Today: Last Episode of “The Monkees” [VIDEO]

The insanity started on September 12, 1966. A brand new show about four struggling musicians, not so loosely based on The Beatles, made it's debut on NBC. The show was, of course, The Monkees. About two weeks after the debut of the TV show, their first single "Last Train to Clarksville", started up the charts on it's way to #1.

What a time it was!

In the 18 months that followed the debut of the hit show, The Monkess went from hero to goat to reviled phonies. Such is the life of any pop star that gets too successful.

At first it was all fun. The show was , again not so loosely based, on "A Hard Days Night." The pacing, the jokes the songs all carried the pace of the Beatles first movie. The show was funny, it was very camp. The songs were not earth shaking masterpieces but, they were fun. And the hits just kept on coming!

Following "Last Train to Clarksville", the Monkees had 11 more top 40 hits. 3 of those songs went to #1.Several of their records were double sided hits and they had 6 million sellers. Since 1966, the Monkees have sold over 65 million records. That's not bad for a group that was actually active for only about 18 months.

It was on March 26, 1968 that the producers and the network decided the show had run it's course and the plug was pulled on "The Monkees"

The Monkees' Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 Hits

Rank, Title - (Year) - Hot 100 Peak Position (weeks spent at No. 1)

1, "I'm a Believer" - (1966) - No. 1 (seven weeks at No. 1)

2, "Daydream Believer" - (1967) - No. 1 (four weeks at No. 1)

3, "Last Train to Clarksville" - (1966) - No. 1

4, "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" - (1967) - No. 2

5, "Pleasant Valley Sunday" - (1967) - No. 3

6, "Valleri" - (1968) - No. 3

7, "That Was Then, This Is Now" - (1986) - No. 20

8, "Words" - (1967) - No. 11

9, "D.W. Washburn" - (1968) - No. 19