Were the Monkees singing band ever found guilty of lipsynching?
In the early 1960s, producer Bob Rafelson came up with an idea for a TV series centered on the exploits of a fictitious band. Unimaginative television executives scorned the idea, however, until the Beatles films came along and proved that there was a massive audience hungry for a new form of entertainment. In 1965, ads were placed in trade magazines announcing auditions for the series, and hundreds of hopefuls showed up for a shot at fame, including, legend has it, Charles Manson. The producers ultimately chose Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork. As a child, Dolenz had starred in the TV series Circus Boy, but at this point was preparing for life after acting. Jones was a former jockey who had found some success on the Broadway stage in Oliver! Nesmith and Tork were both musicians in the “folk rock” mold. Together, they became The Monkees, and the TV series of the same name, which had its NBC premiere on September 12, 1966, became a Monday night staple for two se
