Follow us
Join us
Showbiz Analysis with The Monkees’ Micky Dolenz
BY @nancyberk
Childhood crushes can be difficult to extinguish, especially when they involve television stars and rock bands. So it was no surprise that when musician, actor, and director Micky Dolenz joined me for my iTunes podcast Whine At 9, I had to phone my sister and my childhood BFF to squeal about my Monkees-related encounter. For a brief moment, I was that first grader clutching my precious white vinyl Monkees’ lunchbox like my life depended on it. Then, I grew up, calmed down, and caught up with the talented Dolenz and the fascinating multi-faceted career that has taken him around the world.
Long before anyone had heard of the Jonas Brothers and One Direction, there was a make-believe boy band that rocked a sitcom. When Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, Michael Nesmith, and the late Davy Jones were cast as four struggling band members trying to break into the rock and roll scene in the quirky sitcom The Monkees (1966-1968), no one anticipated that, decades later, they’d still be recognized and revered for their work on the show.
Although Dolenz and his co-stars were musicians, they weren’t a band at the time of the show’s creation. Says Dolenz, “The closest thing I think that’s come along since The Monkees—with the same sort of paradigm—is Glee. Which is this TV show about an imaginary glee club, but they actually can all sing and dance and act and do it. And The Monkees was a TV show about an imaginary band that actually—we could actually do it.” Adds Dolenz, “The Monkees was like musical theater on TV, and it was cast in much the same way that you would cast a musical.” Not surprisingly, Micky Dolenz’s successful and prolific career after The Monkees has included long runs in musicals on Broadway and London’s West End.
Dolenz admits that part of his ability to embrace the never-ending Monkee connection might lie in the fact that he enjoyed success as a television producer/director and musical theater star after the show ended. “After The Monkees, I moved to England… producing, directing, and writing television shows and films,” notes Dolenz. “I didn’t do any singing, no Monkee business, no recording, no acting…”
One Dolenz career twist might surprise you, but probably shouldn’t, because the actor/musician has always been a creator. Says Dolenz, “During The Monkees, I built a gyrocopter while I was working on the series and flew it.” Since then, he’s acquired quite a few major power tools and, along with his daughter Georgia, started Dolenz & Daughters Fine Furniture.
While Dolenz has a busy solo career and has just released an exciting new album, Micky Dolenz Live at B.B. Kings, he’s still a frequent team player. From Monkees reunion tours and Teen Idols tours with David Cassidy and Peter Noone, to an upcoming performance with Rita Wilson and Friends, Micky Dolenz continues to prove that he really does play well with others. Now that’s a good person to have a crush on.
Listen to Nancy’s interview with Micky Dolenz here or on iTunes.
Nancy Berk, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, author, comic and entertainment analyst. The host of the showbiz podcast Whine At 9, Nancy digs a little deeper as she chats with fascinating celebrities and industry insiders. Her book College Bound and Gagged: How to Help Your Kid Get into a Great College Without Losing Your Savings, Your Relationship, or Your Mind can be seen in the feature film Admission starring Tina Fey and Paul Rudd.
