Known as:

Robert Michael Nesmith
Michael Blessing
Mike Nesmith
Wool Hat
Nez
Papa Nez Is a:

Husband
Father
Monkee
musician
songwriter
actor
producer
novelist
businessman
philanthropist

Birthdate: December 30, 1942
Birthplace: Houston, Texas
Parents: Sergent Major W. A. Nesmith and Bette

* Bette left her husband when Mike was six. They moved to Farmer's Branch, Texas. They struggled to make it alone and were very poor when Mike was growing up.

* Mike was always interested in learning everything. He wanted to read imformative books and learn how things worked at a very young age.

* In high school Mike compensated for his unpopularity with eccentric behaviour.

* Bo Diddley, early Ike and Tina Turner were a couple of Mike's influences. Hearing black rythem and blues really got him interested in music.

* Mike once "borrowed" his mother's car and drove to California.

* At 18 Mike was sent to be in the U. S. Air Force to hopefully stop his bad behaviour.

* During his military career Mike tipped over a general's airplane while cleaning it. And that apparently wasn't a good thing to do.

* Got a guitar after leaving the airforce. He learned to play it by listening to records and playing what he heard.

* Attended San Antonio college. He studied drama, and got into Folk music.

* Mike's first recorded song was called "Go Somewhere and Cry"

* Mike asked Phyllis to marry him before they had even went out on a date. Her answer was no.

* After the second proposal she said yes, they were married on March 16, 1963.

* Their first son Christian Du Val was born on January 31, 1964.

* Mike referred to Phyllis as April.

* For a short time Mike was a part of the trio who called themselves "Mike, John, and Bill" Creative name.

* Mike hosted "Hoot night" the local talent night at The Troubador.

* Mike's song began getting noticed in the legitimate rock community at this time.

* Mike was the only Monkee that saw the add in Variety, but only after some friends had brought it to his attention.

* He thought that what the ad described seemed like the worst kind of show buisiness. But tried out anyway.

* He was cast in the Monkees in the role of a guitar player named Mike Nesmith. He thought that was a part he could do quite well.

* And yes, Mike's mom invented liquid paper. When she died, Nesmith inherited about half of her $50+ million estate.

* After the Monkees, with his First National Band, Mike was considered one of the pioneers of country-rock.

* Rolling Stone called Mike's solo work "the greatest music never heard."

* Mike pretty much invented MTV. Though he is not to blame for the state it is in now.

* The Tragically Hip took their name from a skit in Nesmith's long-form video Elephant Parts.

* Won the first Grammy Award (1981) given for Video of the Year for his hour-long Elephant Parts.

* Since 1990, Nesmith has hosted the Council on Ideas, a gathering of intellectuals from different fields who are asked to brainstorm solutions to world problems... But they don't tell anyone their ideas...

And tips he would give a girl who wanted him to like her?
"Don't wreck my car, be careful of slide rules, and don't like me."