Bob Rafelson is dead. The screenwriter, director and producer died on July 23, 2022 at the age of 89. The “Hollywood Reporter” reports, citing his wife Gabrielle. He died of natural causes at his home in Aspen, Colorado.
In 1966, Bob Rafelson landed a real TV hit with Bert Schneider: Based on the Beatles film “A Hard Day’s Night”, they created a series about a fictional band – “The Monkees” was born. Rafelson served as an executive producer on the series and also directed a few episodes. Two seasons were produced for “The Monkees” until 1968 – a year before the end of the show it even won an Emmy for best comedy series. The Monkees consisted of Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and Davy Jones. Dolenz is 77 today, Nesmith died last December at the age of 78, Tork died in 2019 at the age of 77. Jones died in 2012 at the age of 66.
Bob Rafelson: Successful collaboration with Jack Nicholson
In 1968, Bob Rafelson wrote and produced the Monkees motion picture Head with Jack Nicholson. The two worked together on a total of seven films, including Easy Rider and Nicholson’s breakthrough film Five Easy Pieces.
Rafelson continued as a filmmaker until 2002. His last project was No Good Deed, a thriller starring Samuel L. Jackson and Milla Jovovich.