Micky Dolenz facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Micky Dolenz
Dolenz in 2022 on the Beach Boys cruise
Born	George Michael Dolenz Jr. (1945-03-08) March 8, 1945 (age 80) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other names	Mickey Braddock
Occupation	Musician actor singer TV producer businessman
Years active	1956–present
Spouse(s)	Samantha Juste ​ ​ (m. 1968; div. 1975)​ Trina Dow ​ ​ (m. 1977; div. 1991)​ Donna Quinter ​ (m. 2002)​
Children	4, including Ami Bluebell Dolenz
Parent(s)	George Dolenz Janelle Johnson
Musical career
Genres	Rock pop pop rock psychedelic rock
Instruments	Vocals drums guitar keyboards

George Michael Dolenz Jr. (born March 8, 1945), known as Micky Dolenz, is an American musician and actor. He is famous for being the drummer and one of the main singers for the pop rock band the Monkees. He also starred in the band's popular TV show, The Monkees, from 1966 to 1968. Today, Micky Dolenz is the last surviving member of the band.

Early Life and Acting

Micky Dolenz was born in Hollywood, California, to two actors, George Dolenz and Janelle Johnson. He has three sisters named Gemma Marie (Coco), Deborah, and Kathleen (Gina). His sister Coco often sang with him on Monkees records and performs in his band during his concerts.

When he was a child, Dolenz had a condition called Perthes disease. This affected his hip and made his right leg weaker and shorter than his left. Because of this, he learned to play the drums in a unique way, using his right hand and left foot.

Star of Circus Boy

Dolenz as Corky in the TV show Circus Boy

Dolenz started his career in show business in 1956. He starred in a children's TV show called Circus Boy using the stage name Mickey Braddock. He played Corky, an orphan who took care of elephants in a circus.

The show was on for two seasons. After it ended, Dolenz focused on school and sometimes appeared on other TV shows. He graduated from high school in 1962 and was in college when he got the role of the drummer in The Monkees.

Music Career

Before The Monkees, Dolenz had his own rock band in the early 1960s called "Micky and the One-Nighters." He was the lead singer and wrote some of his own songs. He loved singing Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" and even sang it at his audition for The Monkees, which helped him get the part.

Joining The Monkees

Dolenz during a photoshoot for The Monkees in 1966

In 1965, Dolenz was cast in the TV show The Monkees. He became the drummer and a lead singer for the band created for the show. The four members of the band loved to joke around and make each other laugh in the recording studio. This made it hard to record, so the songwriters often had each member come in one at a time to sing their parts.

Dolenz sang lead vocals on many of the band's biggest hits. These included "Last Train to Clarksville", "Pleasant Valley Sunday", and "I'm a Believer". He also wrote some of their songs, like "Randy Scouse Git" from the album Headquarters.

Dolenz was one of the first rock musicians to use a Moog synthesizer on a recording. You can hear it on the song "Daily Nightly," which was written by his bandmate Michael Nesmith.

As the last surviving member of The Monkees, Dolenz is the only one who was part of every lineup of the band. His voice is on every studio album they ever made.

After The Monkees

After the band first broke up, Dolenz continued to make music. In the mid-1970s, he teamed up with fellow Monkee Davy Jones and the songwriters Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. They toured together as "Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart," performing the classic Monkees songs.

In 1986, MTV began showing reruns of The Monkees TV series. This created a new wave of popularity for the band, often called "Monkee Mania." The band got back together for a 20th-anniversary tour and released new music.

Dolenz has continued to tour and record music, both with The Monkees and as a solo artist. In 2021, he and Michael Nesmith went on "The Monkees Farewell Tour." The final show was on November 14, 2021, in Los Angeles.

Acting and Directing Career

Dolenz played King Charlemagne in the musical Pippin.

After The Monkees TV show ended, Dolenz worked as a voice actor for many cartoons. He was the voice of characters in shows like The Funky Phantom and The Scooby-Doo Show. He was also the voice of Arthur, the sidekick in the cartoon series The Tick.

He also acted in TV shows and movies. He appeared in an episode of Adam-12 and had a role in the 2007 movie Halloween.

In the 1980s, Dolenz lived in England and began directing TV shows and stage plays. He directed the British TV show Metal Mickey and a stage version of the musical Bugsy Malone.

Dolenz has also performed in many stage musicals. He played the role of Zoser in the Broadway show Aida and King Charlemagne in a tour of the musical Pippin.

Personal Life

Dolenz performing in 2013

Dolenz has been married three times and has four daughters. He met his first wife, Samantha Juste, in 1967 while on tour in the United Kingdom. Their daughter, Ami Bluebell Dolenz, also became an actress.

He married Trina Dow in 1977, and they had three daughters. In 2002, he married his third wife, Donna Quinter.

Selected Discography

• Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart (1976)
• Micky Dolenz Puts You to Sleep (1991)
• Broadway Micky (1994)
• King for a Day (2010)
• Remember (2012)
• A Little Bit Broadway, a Little Bit Rock and Roll (2015) – live album
• Out of Nowhere (2017)
• Live in Japan (2020)
• Dolenz Sings Nesmith (2021)
• Dolenz Sings R.E.M. (2023) - EP

Selected Film and TV Roles

Images for kids

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  Dolenz in Central Park, New York City, 2007

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  Dolenz performing in 2019

See also

In Spanish: Micky Dolenz para niños