Micky Dolenz
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Micky Dolenz was born in Los Angeles on March 8, 1945. His dad, George,
had starred in a number of films, and played the title character in the
mid-1950s television series The Count of Monte Cristo.
Micky first established himself as a performer at age ten when, under
the stage name of 'Mickey Braddock,' he starred in his first TV series,
Circus Boy, which aired from 1956 to 1958. In his teens, Micky
guest-starred on a number of television shows. He also learned to play
guitar and performed with a number of rock 'n roll bands, including one
called The Missing Links.
In autumn 1965, Micky was one of 400 applicants who responded to a
trade ad announcing auditions for a new TV show about a rock band.
Micky auditioned for The Monkees TV show playing Chuck Berry's "Johnny
B. Goode," and was chosen along with three other actors - Davy Jones,
Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork.
The Monkees' debut single, "Last Train to Clarksville," featuring Micky
on lead vocals, hit the charts September 10, 1966 and rocketed to
number one. Two days later,
The television show debuted on NBC to great success. The TV ratings
remained high for two seasons and Micky and the band starred in their
own feature film, Head, a 1968 psychedelic romp co-written by a young
Jack Nicholson. The movie is now considered a cult classic.
Ultimately, The Monkees achieved their greatest success as recording
artists selling in excess of 65 million units and achieving worldwide
success.
Their first four albums-The Monkees (1966); More of the Monkees (1967);
Headquarters (1967); and Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd.
(1967) reached number one on the charts and launched three number-one
singles: "Last Train to Clarksville," "I'm a Believer" (with lead
vocals by Micky), and "Daydream Believer." The group's first five
albums also went gold.
In 1977, Micky flew to London to star in Harry Nilsson's West End
Musical, The Point! He planned to stay three months but remained for
twelve years. During that time, Micky honed his behind-the-camera
skills (which he first practiced by directing several TV episodes of
The Monkees) as producer-director for the BBC and London Weekend
Television. He also directed a short feature film, The Box, written by
Michael Palin and Terry Jones of Monty Python, and helmed numerous
music videos.
In 1986, MTV broadcast episodes of The Monkees show and exposed a whole
new generation to 'Monkeemania.' Micky and Peter Tork recorded new
tracks for Arista Records and the single, "That Was Then, This Is Now,"
became their first Top 20 record since 1968. Micky, Peter and Davy
Jones subsequently reunited for a 1986 summer tour that was so
successful it sparked the reissue of all The Monkees' classic LPs as
well as Pool It! on Rhino Records. At one point in 1987, there were
seven Monkees' albums on Billboard's Top 200 LP's Chart. In 1996, The
Monkees again joined together, this time for a "30 Year Reunion" summer
tour around America. The response was so great that they also toured
the following year, this time finishing up in England.
When Micky returned to the United States, he went out on the road with
the National Touring Company of Grease. Micky enjoyed musical theater
so much that he accepted the lead role in a Canadian production of A
Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in 1993, and in 2004 he
starred in Elton John's Broadway musical Aida, as Zoser.
In 1993, Micky's autobiography I'm A Believer; My Life Of Monkees,
Music, And Madness (Hyperion/Disney) was released. In addition to
writing, Micky has divided his time between acting (The Drew Carey
Show, Days Of Our Lives, and General Hospital); directing (Boy Meets
World for ABC/Disney and Pacific Blue for USA Networks); and touring
with his own band featuring his sister, Coco Dolenz.
In 2005 Dolenz was also on WCBS FM as an on-air personality, and
released his first children's book Gakky Two-Feet (Penguin), as well as
Micky Dolenz' Rock & Riollin' Trivia (Square One Publishers). He also
appeared in the revival of Pippin'.
In March 2007, it was announced that Micky would appear in Rob Zombie's
Halloween remake as 'Derek Allen' - a gun-shop owner.
Also, Micky was featured in VH1's recent Rock Doc Monterey Pop At 40,
and in CMT's Gone Country, alongside George Clinton; Taylor Dane; and,
Sheila E.
Micky began 2010 with a run in the West End production of the play
Hairspray; playing the character of 'Wilbur Turnblad.'
Micky's album, King For A Day; is a tribute to the songs of Carole King
(Gigatone Records) was released August 31 2010.
The three Monkees (Micky, Davy and Peter) re-group for a worldwide tour
beginning in June of 2011. Spanning both England and the U.S., the
group garnered some of their best reviews ever - even from Rolling
Stone magazine. The reviews on Dolenz were particularly impressive- the
review in the Huffington Post compared his voice to a brilliant-cross
between Roy Orbison and Freddie Mercury. The close of the tour, held at
L.A.'s Greek Theatre was especially joyous; as fans and friends turned
out for the event. They also appeared in August on the nationally
broadcast talkfest The View, with Dolenz's old compatriot Whoopi
Goldberg as one of the hosts.
In 2012, word leaked out that Micky was beginning (or, finishing) a
yet, untitled solo album. The only concept revealed was that each of
the songs was to represent a particular moment in Dolenz's life. The
album Remember (Robo Records-Universal) will be released on September
25, 2012. Then, while in New York, preparing for a possible new role in
a musical called Garage Band, Davy Jones unexpectedly passed away. With
a series of tributes scheduled, one done in early April at B.B. King's
in New York, Micky spent the summer of 2012 on a series of solo shows
with his band and as part of the 2012 Happy Together Tour. Micky will
also record a live album on October 19, 2012, at B.B. King's in NYC;
and, will re-group in November with mates Micahel Nesmith and Peter
Tork for a series of Monkee-reunion shows.
had starred in a number of films, and played the title character in the
mid-1950s television series The Count of Monte Cristo.
Micky first established himself as a performer at age ten when, under
the stage name of 'Mickey Braddock,' he starred in his first TV series,
Circus Boy, which aired from 1956 to 1958. In his teens, Micky
guest-starred on a number of television shows. He also learned to play
guitar and performed with a number of rock 'n roll bands, including one
called The Missing Links.
In autumn 1965, Micky was one of 400 applicants who responded to a
trade ad announcing auditions for a new TV show about a rock band.
Micky auditioned for The Monkees TV show playing Chuck Berry's "Johnny
B. Goode," and was chosen along with three other actors - Davy Jones,
Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork.
The Monkees' debut single, "Last Train to Clarksville," featuring Micky
on lead vocals, hit the charts September 10, 1966 and rocketed to
number one. Two days later,
The television show debuted on NBC to great success. The TV ratings
remained high for two seasons and Micky and the band starred in their
own feature film, Head, a 1968 psychedelic romp co-written by a young
Jack Nicholson. The movie is now considered a cult classic.
Ultimately, The Monkees achieved their greatest success as recording
artists selling in excess of 65 million units and achieving worldwide
success.
Their first four albums-The Monkees (1966); More of the Monkees (1967);
Headquarters (1967); and Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd.
(1967) reached number one on the charts and launched three number-one
singles: "Last Train to Clarksville," "I'm a Believer" (with lead
vocals by Micky), and "Daydream Believer." The group's first five
albums also went gold.
In 1977, Micky flew to London to star in Harry Nilsson's West End
Musical, The Point! He planned to stay three months but remained for
twelve years. During that time, Micky honed his behind-the-camera
skills (which he first practiced by directing several TV episodes of
The Monkees) as producer-director for the BBC and London Weekend
Television. He also directed a short feature film, The Box, written by
Michael Palin and Terry Jones of Monty Python, and helmed numerous
music videos.
In 1986, MTV broadcast episodes of The Monkees show and exposed a whole
new generation to 'Monkeemania.' Micky and Peter Tork recorded new
tracks for Arista Records and the single, "That Was Then, This Is Now,"
became their first Top 20 record since 1968. Micky, Peter and Davy
Jones subsequently reunited for a 1986 summer tour that was so
successful it sparked the reissue of all The Monkees' classic LPs as
well as Pool It! on Rhino Records. At one point in 1987, there were
seven Monkees' albums on Billboard's Top 200 LP's Chart. In 1996, The
Monkees again joined together, this time for a "30 Year Reunion" summer
tour around America. The response was so great that they also toured
the following year, this time finishing up in England.
When Micky returned to the United States, he went out on the road with
the National Touring Company of Grease. Micky enjoyed musical theater
so much that he accepted the lead role in a Canadian production of A
Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in 1993, and in 2004 he
starred in Elton John's Broadway musical Aida, as Zoser.
In 1993, Micky's autobiography I'm A Believer; My Life Of Monkees,
Music, And Madness (Hyperion/Disney) was released. In addition to
writing, Micky has divided his time between acting (The Drew Carey
Show, Days Of Our Lives, and General Hospital); directing (Boy Meets
World for ABC/Disney and Pacific Blue for USA Networks); and touring
with his own band featuring his sister, Coco Dolenz.
In 2005 Dolenz was also on WCBS FM as an on-air personality, and
released his first children's book Gakky Two-Feet (Penguin), as well as
Micky Dolenz' Rock & Riollin' Trivia (Square One Publishers). He also
appeared in the revival of Pippin'.
In March 2007, it was announced that Micky would appear in Rob Zombie's
Halloween remake as 'Derek Allen' - a gun-shop owner.
Also, Micky was featured in VH1's recent Rock Doc Monterey Pop At 40,
and in CMT's Gone Country, alongside George Clinton; Taylor Dane; and,
Sheila E.
Micky began 2010 with a run in the West End production of the play
Hairspray; playing the character of 'Wilbur Turnblad.'
Micky's album, King For A Day; is a tribute to the songs of Carole King
(Gigatone Records) was released August 31 2010.
The three Monkees (Micky, Davy and Peter) re-group for a worldwide tour
beginning in June of 2011. Spanning both England and the U.S., the
group garnered some of their best reviews ever - even from Rolling
Stone magazine. The reviews on Dolenz were particularly impressive- the
review in the Huffington Post compared his voice to a brilliant-cross
between Roy Orbison and Freddie Mercury. The close of the tour, held at
L.A.'s Greek Theatre was especially joyous; as fans and friends turned
out for the event. They also appeared in August on the nationally
broadcast talkfest The View, with Dolenz's old compatriot Whoopi
Goldberg as one of the hosts.
In 2012, word leaked out that Micky was beginning (or, finishing) a
yet, untitled solo album. The only concept revealed was that each of
the songs was to represent a particular moment in Dolenz's life. The
album Remember (Robo Records-Universal) will be released on September
25, 2012. Then, while in New York, preparing for a possible new role in
a musical called Garage Band, Davy Jones unexpectedly passed away. With
a series of tributes scheduled, one done in early April at B.B. King's
in New York, Micky spent the summer of 2012 on a series of solo shows
with his band and as part of the 2012 Happy Together Tour. Micky will
also record a live album on October 19, 2012, at B.B. King's in NYC;
and, will re-group in November with mates Micahel Nesmith and Peter
Tork for a series of Monkee-reunion shows.