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Micky Dolenz

Micky Dolenz

The Monkees were awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6675 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.

After "The Point!" Dolenz found work in England producing television programs for the BBC (using "The Monkees" (1966) final episode, which he'd directed and co-written, as his demo reel). Aside from the occasional business or family trip back (and also a few celebrity tennis matches), Dolenz didn't return to the U.S. for the next 15 years.

Auditioned for the role of Fonzie on "Happy Days" (1974).

Born in the same hospital as Liza Minnelli, Natalie Cole, and Desi Arnaz Jr..

Continued singing on records after "The Monkees" (1966) ended, with a series of singles contracts for labels like MGM; many of the records were made at his own home studio. While they usually found critical praise, none became hits. Dolenz also found work doing voiceovers for cartoons, like "The Funky Phantom" (1971) and "Devlin" (1974).



Dolenz and first wife Samantha Juste became famous for their large, sometimes wild house parties with lots of celebrities attending; Dolenz' occasional excesses with alcohol and drugs (during his early '70s career slump) was a factor in their marriage breaking up, as she wanted their daughter Ami Dolenz to have a stable home life.

Dolenz's hair was naturally wavy. On "Circus Boy" (1956), his hair was chemically straightened and dyed blond. During the first season of "The Monkees" (1966), he would straighten his hair by brushing it while damp until dry, and would wear a hair net in between takes. By the second season, he let his hair go natural, and shortly into the second season filming, when the group adopted a hippie look, had a permanent to get a curly "Afro" look.

Enjoyed crafts, hobbies and building things - including a Gyrocopter (sold as a kit in the 1960s and 70s) in his living room, but had to have a wall torn out to take it outside.

Fared best of all The Monkees when it came to their royalty payments. While Peter Tork gave most of his money away, Davy Jones lost most of his in bad investments and Michael Nesmith spent his on family luxuries and artistic projects, Dolenz trusted his mother Janelle Johnson Dolenz to handle his money, which she invested carefully in "safe" stocks and holdings.

Father of Ami Dolenz.

Grew up playing guitar; had taken some lessons at the suggestion of "Circus Boy" (1956)'s producers in the 1950s. In his teens, Dolenz played guitar and sang in a series of cover bands, with names like "Micky and the One-Nighters" and "The Missing Links" (!). One of these bands was signed to a record company and made some demos, which were released as singles (under his own name) after The Monkees became popular.

He and Samantha Juste remain extremely close friends.

He appeared in the music video and sang in the choir on the song "Voices That Care."

He was released with all the other disc jockeys in June 2005 from New York City's WCBS-FM, due to a format change.

He was the morning radio deejay on New York City's Oldies Station WCBS FM.

In early pre-production of Batman Forever (1995), when Tim Burton was still attached to direct, Dolenz was considered to play the Riddler. The Monkee Business Fanzine headed up a petition drive to support the choice, and reported Dolenz had a screen test before Burton left the project.

Married Samantha Juste of Britain's "Top of the Pops" (1964) fame in the summer of 1968, after she became pregnant with their daughter Ami Dolenz. His stepfather, Dr. Robert Scott, a minister, conducted the ceremony at their Los Angeles home. Unlike Davy Jones, who had to keep his marriage a secret, he decided to share the news of his wedding with the public.

Member of The Monkees.

Owned the third Moog Synthesizer ever commercially sold (the first two belonged to Wendy Carlos and Buck Owens); his performance on The Monkees song "Daily Nightly" (written by Michael Nesmith) was the first use of a synthesizer on a rock recording. He eventually sold his instrument to Bobby Sherman.

Owns and rides a 1967 Triumph Bonneville motorcycle.

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