Born in New York City; educated at Dartmouth (philosophy) and the University of Benares, India (philosophy). Began his career as a TV story editor, script writer and producer. Rafelson scored an early commercial success in 1966 when, with partner Bert Schneider, he created the popular series, "The Monkees" (1966-68), featuring a pop group manufactured especially for the show. Together with Schneider and Steve Blauner he then formed the BBS production company to produce his first film as a director, HEAD (1968), which also starred the Monkees and was co-written by Jack Nicholson. The film has been widely praised as a madcap, almost surrealistic satire of the process by which pop icons such as the Monkees are created and marketed. After BBS had enjoyed further success with 1969's EASY RIDER, Rafelson went on to direct FIVE EASY PIECES (1970), still considered by many to be his finest work. An absorbing study in contemporary alienation featuring fine central performances by Nicholson and Karen Black, the movie stands as a landmark of the American filmmaking renaissance of the late 1960s and 70s. Rafelson received mixed reviews for THE KING OF MARVIN GARDENS (1972), another exposé of pop culture, which again starred Nicholson. Rafelson's output since the mid-70s has been sporadic, partly due to his reputation as a "difficult" director. (He was fired from the set of 1979's BRUBAKER after allegedly attacking a visiting studio executive.) The 80s saw two glossy, if unexceptional, thrillers (THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE, 1981, BLACK WIDOW, 1986) and a more personally inspired project -- 1990's MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON, based on the life of 19th-century explorer Sir Richard Burton -- which generated limited critical enthusiasm. More recent directing and writing credits include MAN TROUBLE (1992, director only), WET (1995), BLOOD AND WINE (1997), and EROTIC TALES - PORN.COM and THE HOUSE ON TURK STREET (director only) (both 2002). Rafelson is the nephew of playwright-screenwriter Samson Raphaelson (1894-1983) (THE JAZZ SINGER, 1927; ONE HOUR WITH YOU, 1932; THE MERRY WIDDOW, 1934; SUSPICION, 1941; HEAVEN CAN WAIT, 1943; THE HARVEY GIRLS, 1946; et al.).  Nominated for Best Picture 1970: FIVE EASY PIECES - Producer at BBS Productions (w. Richard Wechsler)  Nominated for Writing (Best Story and Screenplay based on factual material or material not previously published or produced) 1970: FIVE EASY PIECES (w. Adrien Joyce) 2 nominations