Mike Nesmith Dies at Age 78 [Archive] - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

stevearino

12-10-2021, 04:38 PM

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/michael-nesmith-monkees-singer-songwriter-dies-78-rcna8395

It's with great sadness I announce with a Heavy Heart that Mike Nesmith, age 78, died today, December 10, 2021 in Carmel Valley, California of Natural Causes.

Robert Michael "Mike" Nesmith was born on December 30, 1942 in Houston, Texas, the only child of Warren & Bette Nesmith, who divorced when Mike was very young (this according to "The Monkees' E! True Hollywood Story" episode).

After his Parents' Divorce, Mike was raised by his mom, Bette, the future Inventor of Liquid Paper, and his Maternal Aunt and Maternal Grandmother.

Per his Wikipedia entry, Mike dropped out of Thomas Jefferson High School at age 17, after which he Voluntarily Enlisted in the U.S. Air Force for 2 years, during which time he got his GED and later enrolled at San Antonio State College in Texas, during which time he got then 17-year-old Phyllis Barbour Pregnant and Married Her--their first of 3 children, Christian DuVal Nesmith, was born on January 31, 1964.

After his Air Force stint, Mike began a Career in Earnest as a Songwriter, with one of his earliest Song Compositions being "Until It's Time For You To Go," Written for Buffy Sainte Marie, who had a hit with the Song; he also would later write Linda Ronstadt's first big hit, "Different Drum," as well as his own hit, "Joanne," during the early 1970s.

On September 8, 1965, 437 young-adult Men auditioned for a new situation comedy pilot called "The Monkees." Mike was the only one who auditioned who answered the ad, and at his Audition, he noticed the series' Producers playing Chess with Coke Bottles, thus earning his role on "The Monkees."

Also auditioning and cast were 23-year-old Peter Halsten Thorkelson (born on February 13, 1942 in Washington, D.C.), soon renamed Peter Tork; 20-year-old George Michael "Micky" Dolenz, Jr. (born on March 8, 1945 in Los Angeles, California), a former Child Actor who'd already had a series, "Circus Boy," under his belt; and 19-year-old David Thomas "Davy" Jones (born on December 30, 1945 in Manchester, England), the only star of "The Monkees" hired without EVER auditioning for the show (per "E! True Hollywood Story").

Several of the 437 Men who auditioned (but were passed over) went on to greater fame and success--among them Danny Hutton (futurely of the Pop Trio "Three Dog Night"), Steve Stills (futurely of Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, & Nash), Harry Nilsson (future Singer/Musician/Songwriter) and Paul Williams (future Actor/Songwriter who wrote a number of songs for Muppets).

Contrary to Urban Myth, one person who DID NOT audition for "The Monkees" was Charlie Manson, due to Charlie being Incarcerated at the time for Kiting Checks; he eventually would be Paroled in 1967, 2 years before the Manson Family Murder of Sharon Tate resulting in being Imprisoned for Life.

Micky Dolenz claimed to have started the Myth as a Joke, stating that Everybody auditioned for "The Monkees," including Charlie Manson, and the Charlie Manson portion of the Joke made it to the point of Urban Myth.

The Pilot Episode, "Here Come The Monkees," was filmed in November 1965 at Warner Bros. Studios (then officially known as Columbia Ranch) in Burbank, California on the set of "The Farmer's Daughter." After an initial test screening Bombed, show creators Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider put Black-and-White interviews of Mike and Davy done the Prior October 1965, a month ahead of the Pilot Filming, thus the show earning a 26-episode Commitment from NBC.

On September 12, 1966, "The Monkees" made its Network TV debut on NBC.

The uniqueness of the show was about the Struggle for Success, and likewise though each of the Stars provided their own Singing Vocals, none of them (except for the 1967 Headquarters album) played their own Instruments on Records--as duly noted, the lone exception was the Headquarters album.

After the release of the first 2 Albums, Don Kirshner, the series' Music Supervisor, was fired by Columbia Screen Gems, which produced the series.

In August 1966, well over a month before the official Series' Debut, The Monkees as a Group released their debut single, "Last Train to Clarksville," which immediately became a Chart-Topping Hit, the first of 3 #1 Hit Songs.

Over the next 2 years, they'd have 11 Top 40 Hits on the Record Charts.

Of the stars of the show, Mike was the lone one who always Wrote Songs from the Get-Go. Among Mike's "Monkees" Songwriting Compositions included "Papa Gene's Blues," "Love Is Only Sleeping," & "You Just May Be the One."

Many of Mike's "Monkees" Songwriting Compositions featured Micky Dolenz on Harmony Vocals with Peter Tork & Davy Jones on backing vocals each.

Despite the success on both TV and the Record Charts, both cases were short-lived, as NBC canceled "The Monkees" in February 1968 due to Mike Nesmith's Insistence on Refusing to do a 3rd Season in the Sitcom Format.

The Series Finale, "Mijacogeo," aired on NBC on March 25, 1968.

The following November, the Monkees' Movie, "Head," was released Theatrically--and BOMBED. After 2 years, 58 TV episodes, 6 albums (including the "Head" Soundtrack) and a Movie, Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones faded into Oblivion until February 23, 1986, when MTV began airing occasional reruns of "The Monkees" with a 45-Episode "Pleasant Valley Sunday" Marathon, after which reruns moved Permanently to sister network Nickelodeon on September 1, 1986 and continuing through September 9, 1988, during which time reruns continued to occasionally air on MTV.

In 1996, Mike, Peter, Micky and Davy all reunited as The Monkees to Record the First Group album in nearly 3 decades, "JustUs," for Rhino Records.

This album would be the Final Time the 4 stars of "The Monkees" would Reunite: on February 29, 2012, Davy Jones, age 66, a Life-Long Vegetarian, Avid Exerciser, Marathon Runner who Ran Miles Every Morning, and was a Trained Athlete, having been a British Jockey from 1960-1965 before becoming a TV Monkee (he also had an off-season Broadway career in America from 1963-1965 as the Artful Dodger in Broadway's "Oliver!"), had a Massive Heart Attack at the Indiantown, Florida ranch he shared with his widow, Jessie Pacheco, originally from Miami, and was pronounced Dead on Arrival at the Nearest Hospital an Hour Away, in rural Stuart, Florida. The then-Surviving Monkees trio (including Mike Nesmith) reunited for a 2012 Tour.

8 days after his 77th Birthday, on February 21, 2019, Peter Tork became the 2nd Star of The Monkees to Pass Away--after a 10-year battle with Cancer, including a Long Remission before his Cancer returned in late 2018.

With Mike's passing today, at approximately 2:30 P.M. ET over an Hour Ago as of this Writing, as KTLA proclaimed, "Micky Dolenz is the Only One Left."

A little-known fact about Mike I'm not sure HE knew in his lifetime: in June 1949, Mike had a half-sister, Deborah Ann "Debbie" Nesmith, who lived 2 days from June 11, 1949 - June 13, 1949 per the Find a Grave Website; Debbie was the Product of Mike's dad Warren's 2nd marriage after his Parents' Divorce.

In 2016, Mike survived Quadruple Bypass Surgery, per Rolling Stone.

On a personal note, before I conclude this Heavy-Hearted Obit for Mike, I must tell you all that I was looking forward to going to Savannah, Georgia earlier this Fall to see Mike and Micky perform as The Monkees at the local Johnny Mercer Theater--only for ****ing COVID-19 to cause the event to be Postponed to April 1, 2022; whether Micky will still do a Show as The Monkees is unclear to me, but I DO know that Mike Nesmith will be Dearly Missed.

12/30/1942 - 12/10/2021