Background:

Daughter of The Monkees' Micky Dolenz and granddaughter of late actor George Dolenz, actress Ami Dolenz received applause while portraying Melissa McKee (1987-1989) in the long-running drama series “General Hospital.” Another notable TV works includes playing character Sloan Peterson (1990-1991) in the brief-lived sitcom "Ferris Bueller."

On the silver screen, blonde-haired, 5' 3'' tall Ami Dolenz is best recognized for starring as Tony Danza's teenage daughter Katie Simpson in the comedy hit She's Out of Control (1989). She later played roles in such films as Children of the Night (1991), Miracle Beach (1992), White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II (1993), Witchboard Two: The Devil's Doorway (1993), Rescue Me (1993) and Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings (1994). Dolenz was last seen in the 2003 independent film Mr. Id, playing Heather Dombrowski.


The Monkees' Daughter

Childhood and Family:

To a family well rehearsed in the show biz, Ami Bluebell Dolenz was born on January 8, 1969 in Burbank, California. Her father is actor George Michael Dolenz Jr. (a.k.a. Micky Dolenz, born on 8 March 1945, the drummer of The Monkees) and her mother is British television presenter Samantha Juste (born on May 31, 1944). Ami Dolenz is the granddaughter of late actor George Dolenz (born on 5 January 1908, died on 8 February 1963 of heart attack) and late actress Janelle Johnson Dolenz (born on 2 December 1923, died on 2 December 1995 of cancer), and the niece of actress Coco Dolenz (born on 5 April 1949). Although Ami is an only child, she has three younger half-sisters on Micky's side of the family.

Ami Dolenz dropped out of high school at age 17. On 10 August 2002, she tied the knot with kickboxer turned actor Jerry Trimble.


Rescue Me

Career:

15-year-old Ami Dolenz declared to her parents about her desire to be an actress. She then presented a tape to Junior Star Search and eventually triumphed in the Junior Acting division for the year. Subsequently, she appeared on television, playing a reoccurring role in the Golden Globe nominated family comedy, "Growing Pains." At age 17, Dolenz won a bit part in her debut TV movie, the crime drama The Children of Times Square (1986, a.k.a. Street Wise). The following year, she landed on her first big screen role in Steve Rash’ romantic comedy Can't Buy Me Love (a.k.a. Boy Rents Girl, starring Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson).

Ami Dolenz was highly praised at Young Artist Award, thanks for her portrayal of Melissa McKee (1987-1989) in the acclaimed daytime drama "General Hospital." When her stint in the series ended in 1989, Dolenz nabbed her probably the most memorable role to date. She portrayed Katie Simpson, Tony Danza’s teenage daughter who wears braces and thick glasses but transformed into a stunning bombshell, in Stan Dragoti’s comedy She's Out of Control.

The early 1990s saw Dolenz played the regular role of Sloan Peterson (1990-1991) in the sitcom "Ferris Bueller," based on the popular feature film "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." Moviegoers watched her costarring with Sylvia Seidel and Richard Maldone in Ted Mather’s Faith and with Karen Black and Maya McLaughlin in Tony Randel’s suspense horror Children of the Night, playing a college student who becomes a vampire’s target. She also starred as a genie that makes Dean Cameron’s wishes comes true in Skott Snider’s romantic comedy Miracle Beach (1992) and teamed with Mark-Paul Gosselaar, David Moscow, Amy O'Neill and Matt McCoy as a group of inexperienced teenagers struggle to find their way out of the wilderness in Catherine Cyran’s White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II (1993).

After an appearance in Jeremy Stanford’s comedy Stepmonster, Dolenz starred as a new tenant who drawn deeper into the mystery through a ouija board in Kevin S. Tenney’s horror Witchboard 2: The Devil's Doorway (both in 1993). In that same year, she also played Michael Dudikoff and Stephen Dorff’s kidnapped high school sweetheart in Arthur Allan Seidelman’s action comedy Rescue Me and costarred with Paul Coufos and Noah Hathaway in Brianne Murphy’s drama To Die, to Sleep (a.k.a. Mortal Danger) in the next year.

Jeff Burr cast her to star opposite Andrew Robinson in his 1994 horror film Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings and Redge Mahaffey paired her with Corey Haim in his 1995 drama comedy Life 101. On the small screen, Dolenz teamed with Jeff Fahey in the thriller telemovie Virtual Seduction (1995, a.k.a. Addicted to Love) and provided her voice in the animated series "The Secret Files of the SpyDogs" (1998-1999).

After a four-year hiatus, Dolenz returned to the wide screen in John Stecenko’s independent film Mr. Id (2003), playing Steve Parlavecchio's street-walking administrative assistant, Heather Dombrowski. As for her off-screen works, Dolenz is the founder of Theatricks for Kids, co-founder of KidPix Productions and member of the Write Act Repertory Company.


Awards:
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