Hey, Hey It’s Micky Dolenz’s 80th Birthday! 5 Fun Facts About the ‘Monkees’ Star
Born in Los Angeles on March 8, 1945, Micky Dolenz is the last surviving member of beloved TV-band-turned-actual-band the Monkees. His dad, George Dolenz, was an established actor in film and appeared on the TV series The Count of Monte Cristo, so naturally, Dolenz took to the business at a young age. His first credit, at age 11, was the children’s TV show Circus Boy; Dolenz (then credited as “Mickey Braddock”) portrayed an orphaned boy named Corky, who fetches water for an elephant named Bimbo in a one-ring circus.
Dolenz soon moved on to commercials, learned how to play guitar and eventually went on to become one of the hottest stars of the ’60s.
Everett Collection
Here are seven other things you might not know about Micky Dolenz:
1 He recently released a coffee table book documenting decades of Monkee business
I’m Told I Had a Good Time: The Micky Dolenz Archives is a 500-page coffee table book that includes many personal and rare images Dolenz has collected over his lifetime. The 1,200-plus images in the book chronicle life on the set of The Monkees series, as well as their tours and the making of their 1968 feature film Head. The book even includes his very first check from being a part of the Monkees. A portion of the proceeds goes to Make-a-Wish. There are various versions available that you can purchase here.
2 Is the 1980 Toni Basil Hit “Hey Mickey” about Dolenz?
Basil worked with the Monkees while choreographing their 1968 movie Head, which happened to be written by Dolenz and Jack Nicholson (Basil and Nicholson both appeared in Easy Rider, and both popped up again in Five Easy Pieces). She also starred in the “Daddy’s Song” dancing scene with Davy Jones.
When once asked if the song “Mickey” was about Dolenz, she snapped that someone hacked her Wikipedia page to add that entry and that she didn’t really know him. “I choreographed the Head movie, but I didn’t really know Micky at all.” she told Vulture. “I knew Davy Jones much better.” In fact, “Mickey” was actually a cover song by British pop band Racey and had been originally named “Kitty.”
3 He was hired as a drummer … but he played guitar
Everett Collection
“I was cast as the wacky drummer; I played guitar. My audition piece was ‘Johnny B. Goode.’ You had to play and sing, and they cast us, and the rest is history,” he recently told Good Morning Britain. He explained that The Monkees producers told him they had enough guitar players and he would have to play the drums. So, he did. He took drum lessons just so he could learn to fake it well enough for the cameras, until he eventually learned to actually drum.
4 He’s friends with British royalty
Dolenz has played polo a few times with King Charles. The two may have become friendly when he moved to England for 15 years after the Monkees split and produced a show called Metal Mickey, about a metal robot.
5 He recorded an R.E.M. cover EP
In 2023, Dolenz released an EP called Dolenz Sings R.E.M. featuring four songs originally recorded by alt-rock legends R.E.M.: “Shiny Happy People,” “Radio Free Europe,” “Man on the Moon” and “Leaving New York.”
In fact, despite his advanced age, Dolenz has been releasing a lot of new material: In 2024, he put out his first solo album in seven years, a live album titled Micky Dolenz Live at the Troubadour, recorded at the iconic Troubadour in West Hollywood. On the album, he shares stories of his life with the Monkees, his time hanging with Jimi Hendrix and memories at Abbey Road Studios during the recording of the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The event was recorded during a sold-out show, which raised funds for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, and a portion of the album sales is also donated to the organization.
6 He was in a pornographic film
Micky played Lieutenant Fenwich in the 1975 sexy comedy film Linda Lovelace for President, which, naturally, starred Linda Lovelace. The film was released with both X and R ratings, yet achieved box office success.
7 He was the voice of Snuggle the Fabric Softener Bear
Dolenz has had a long voice-acting career, portraying characters in animated series including Batman: The Animated Series, Partridge Family 2200 A.D., The Scooby-Doo Show, Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kids, and The Tick. But perhaps most shockingly, in 2006, he revealed he was the current voice of famous commercial mascot Snuggle the Fabric Softener Bear.
These days, Dolenz is still keeping the Monkees’ music alive and performing around the country. Check out his website to see if he will be coming to a city near you.
Remind 
1965
February 2025
Flashback to 1965 and celebrate the very best of TV, Movies, Music, Fashion & more!
Buy This Issue