Micky Dolenz, the drummer for The Monkees, a 1960s TV band that became a pop music staple and won an Emmy, used Twitter on Sunday to remember Bob Rafelson, who helped make the show.
Rafelson, who made movies and TV shows and was nominated for an Oscar for directing Five Easy Pieces with Jack Nicholson in 1970, died on Saturday at the age of 89.
Write Dolenz: “One day in the spring of 1966, I skipped my architecture classes at LA Trade Tech to try out for a new TV show called “The Monkees.” Bob Rafelson helped make the show and was one of its producers. I thought at first that he was another actor who was also at the audition. Obviously, I got the part, and it changed my whole life.”
He also said, “Bob died last night, which is sad, but I was able to send him a message telling him how grateful I will always be that he saw something in me.” “From the bottom of my heart, thank you, my friend.”
1) One day in the spring of 1966, I cut my classes in architecture at LA Trade Tech to take an audition for a new TV show called, “The Monkees”.The co-creator/producer of the show was Bob Rafelson. At first I mistook him for another actor there for the audition. pic.twitter.com/X5XKxATqPt
— Micky Dolenz (@TheMickyDolenz1) July 24, 2022
2) Needless-to-say, I got the part and it completely altered my life. Regrettably, Bob passed away last night but I did get a chance to send him a message telling him how eternally grateful I was that he saw something in me.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart my friend. pic.twitter.com/LHzi15BhMi— Micky Dolenz (@TheMickyDolenz1) July 24, 2022
Rafelson and Bert Schneider made The Monkees. After more than 400 people tried out for the NBC show, it first aired in 1966, when Beatlemania was at its height. The show won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1967 and made stars Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork. At the same time, the four of them went on tour as The Monkees in the United States and the United Kingdom.
The Monkees’ first four albums all went to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album charts. Their first single, “Last Train to Clarksville,” was a top 10 hit, as were “I’m a Believer,” “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” and “Daydream Believer,” which Jones sang lead on.
In addition to the show and the music, Rafelson’s first job as a director was the 1968 movie Head, which starred the Monkees and was written by Jack Nicholson.
Jones died in 2012, Tork in 2019, and Nesmith in December 2021. Dolenz is still going on tour and is the only member of the band still alive.
This report was helped by Bruce Haring.
