Micky Dolenz Biography

(Vocalist and Drummer for the 1960s Pop-Rock Band ‘The Monkees’)

Birthday: March 8, 1945 (Pisces)

Born In: Los Angeles, California, United States

George Michael Dolenz Jr., popularly known as Micky Dolenz, is an American actor, television and theatre director, radio personality, and musician. He is famous as the vocalist and drummer of the pop/rock band ‘The Monkees.’ Starting his acting career with the stage name Micky Braddock, he starred in the adventure series ‘Circus Boy’, where he played an orphan adopted by a traveling circus. This role brought him to prominence. Passionate about music, he sang in two different groups—the Missing Links and the Micky and the One-Nighters. In 1965, he auditioned for a television series about a rock band called ‘The Monkees’ and was selected. A few days before the show ‘The Monkees’ was launched, the band released their first single, ‘Last Train to Clarksville’, which featured Dolenz as the lead singer. The song became a number 1 hit. The show was also a hit and won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series. He also directed of one of the episodes. Director Jack Nicholson made ‘The Monkees’ into a feature film called ‘Head’. Unfortunately, it flopped at the box office. After the series was canceled, the group eventually split. Dolenz then started performing on stage. He eventually moved to London to appear in a musical, ‘The Point,’ and stayed in England for 12 years, working as a director and producer in television series. He captured his experiences as a rock star in the book, ‘I'm a Believer: My Life of Monkees, Music, and Madness’.
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Quick Facts

Also Known As: George Michael Dolenz Jr.

Age: 79 Years, 79 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Donna Quinter (m. 2002), Samantha Juste (m. 1968–1975), Trina Dolenz (m. 1977–1991)

father: George Dolenz

mother: Janelle Johnson

siblings: Deborah Dolenz, Gemma Marie Dolenz, Kathleen Dolenz

children: Ami Dolenz, Charlotte Janelle Dolenz, Emily Claire Dolenz, Georgia Rose Dolenz

Musicians American Men

Height: 6'0" (183 cm), 6'0" Males

Notable Alumni: Open University

Ancestry: Slovenian American

U.S. State: California

City: Los Angeles

More Facts

education: Open University

  • 1

    What role did Micky Dolenz play in "The Monkees" TV show?

    Micky Dolenz played the role of the drummer, also named Micky, in "The Monkees" TV show.

  • 2

    Did Micky Dolenz write any songs for The Monkees?

    Yes, Micky Dolenz co-wrote several songs for The Monkees, including "Randy Scouse Git" and "Zor and Zam."

  • 3

    Has Micky Dolenz appeared in any other TV shows or movies besides The Monkees?

    Yes, Micky Dolenz has appeared in various TV shows and movies, including guest appearances on shows like "Adam-12" and "The Love Boat."

  • 4

    Did Micky Dolenz release any solo albums?

    Yes, Micky Dolenz has released several solo albums, including "Magical World" and "Remember."

  • 5

    Did Micky Dolenz participate in any Monkees reunion tours?

    Yes, Micky Dolenz has participated in various Monkees reunion tours over the years, reuniting with other band members for special concerts and events.

Childhood & Early Life
Micky Dolenz was born on March 8, 1945 in Los Angeles, California, to actors George Dolenz and Janelle Johnson.
He started acting at the age of 11 when he was featured in a children's TV series ‘Circus Boy’ in 1956. He played Corky, an orphaned boy who lived in a travelling circus. The series continued for two seasons, after which he made appearances on other television shows.
After ‘Circus Boy’ ended, he went to school and graduated in 1962 from Ulysses S. Grant High School in Valley Glen, Los Angeles. He then attended Valley College and the Los Angeles Technical Institute, where he studied architecture.
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Career
In 1964, Micky Dolenz appeared in one episode of the NBC education drama series ‘Mr. Novak’. He had also formed his own rock group called Micky and the One-Nighters in the 1960s, in which he was the lead singer. He also co-wrote some songs at that time.
In 1965, while he was still in college, he auditioned for NBC's series ‘The Monkees’ and was selected for the role of the drummer. In the band formed for the show, he was the drummer and the lead vocalist. He took lessons to play the drum, as he did not know how to play it.
Even before the series ‘The Monkees’ started airing, the band released a single ‘Last Train to Clarksville’, which became a number 1 hit. Dolenz wrote a few songs for ‘The Monkees’ band and sang the hit songs including ‘Last Train to Clarksville’, ‘Take a Giant Step’, and ‘I'm a Believer’. The series ran for two years and he directed and co-wrote the show's last episode.
After the series ‘The Monkees’ concluded in 1968 and the group split in 1969, Dolenz started providing voice-overs for cartoon series like ‘The Funky Phantom’, ‘Partridge Family 2200 A.D.’, ‘The Scooby-Doo Show’, ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kids’, and ‘The Tick.’
In 1971, he composed the song ‘Easy On You’ and recorded it in his home studio. After two songs were recorded, he contacted MGM Records and was immediately signed in.
He smoothly juggled his dual careers of making music and acting. In 1972, he appeared in a murder mystery film ‘Night of the Strangler’ and was also featured in an episode of ‘Adam 12’.
In the meantime, he continued recording and releasing songs for MGM for three years. However, he did not get any chartbusters. So he moved to England and with Tony Scotti, co-founder of Scotti Brothers Records, and recorded four songs for MGM—‘Splish Splash’, ‘Purple People Eater’, ‘I Hate Rock And Roll’, and ‘Wing Walker’. Soon after, he left MGM when its chief Mike Curb quit the label.
In 1975, he joined the former Monkees songwriters Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart and embarked on a tour for two years as the ‘Golden Hits of the Monkees’ show. Due to the rerun of the ‘The Monkees’ series, the album ‘The Monkees Greatest Hits’ reached the charts in 1976, which boosted his musical career further. In the same year, he performed in a Tom Sawyer play. In 1977, he went to London and appeared in the musical ‘The Point’.
From 1980 to 1983, he focused on his directorial talent. In 1980, he produced and directed the sitcom ‘Metal Mickey’. During this time, he directed the play ‘Bugsy Malone’ as well. In 1983, he created and produced ‘Luna’, a British children's television show, which continued for a year. He also directed a few episodes of the sitcom ‘Boy Meets World’.
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In 1986, after MTV aired the series ‘The Monkees’, the group reunited with fresh enthusiasm. They released a collection of hits ‘That Was Then, This Is Now’, which reached number 20 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. In 1987, they released a new album ‘Pool It!’ They also reissued all their original albums and all entered the record charts.
In 1993, he released his book ‘I'm a Believer: My Life of Monkees, Music, and Madness,’ in which he captured his pop and rock star experiences with the Monkees group.
In 1996, the Monkees released a new album, ‘Justus’, which did not enter the charts. Around this time, Dolenz made his Broadway debut in the musical ‘Grease’. In 2003, he performed in the Broadway musical ‘Aida’.
In January 2005, he joined the WCBS-FM radio station in New York as the morning disc jockey. On June 3, 2005, his tenure ended with his 100th show. In 2006, he published his first children's book, ‘Gakky Two-Feet’.
Major Works
Micky Dolenz’s role in the sitcom, ‘The Monkees’, brought him into prominence. The series premiered on September 12, 1966 and was well received by the viewers. He stood out in the show and was adored for his humor and the music numbers featuring his distinctive vocals.
‘Last Train to Clarksville’, the debut single by The Monkees, featured him as the lead singer. Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart co-wrote the single which was released on August 16, 1966. It was an immediate hit and peaked at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Personal Life
In 1968, Micky Dolenz married Samantha Juste, a co-presenter on BBC TV's pop music show. Their daughter Ami Dolenz was born on January 8, 1969. The couple divorced in 1975.
He married Trina Dow in 1977. The couple has three daughters—Charlotte Janelle, born on August 8, 1981; Emily Claire, born on July 25, 1983; and Georgia Rose, born on September 3, 1984. Dolenz and Dow divorced in 1991.
In 2001, he bought a house in Bell Canyon, California.
Dolenz married Donna Quinter in 2002.
Facts About Micky Dolenz

Micky Dolenz is an accomplished horseback rider and has competed in equestrian events.

He is a talented drummer and has played with various bands outside of The Monkees.

Micky Dolenz is a skilled magician and has performed magic tricks for friends and family.

He is known for his love of collecting vintage cars and has a passion for restoring them.

Micky Dolenz is a certified scuba diver and enjoys exploring underwater marine life in his free time.

Micky Dolenz Movies

1. Keep Off My Grass! (1975)

  (Comedy)

2. Head (1968)

  (Comedy, Musical, Fantasy)

3. Gateway to the South (1981)

  (Comedy, Short)

4. The Box (1981)

  (Comedy, Short)

5. Halloween (2007)

  (Horror)

6. The Night of the Strangler (1972)

  (Crime, Horror, Drama, Thriller)

7. Good Times (1967)

  (Comedy, Western, Musical)

8. Linda Lovelace for President (1975)

  (Comedy)

9. Deadfall (1993)

  (Crime, Drama)

See the events in life of Micky Dolenz in Chronological Order

How To Cite

Article Title
- Micky Dolenz Biography
Author
- Editors, TheFamousPeople.com
Website
- TheFamousPeople.com
URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/micky-dolenz-8368.php

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