HOW MIKI DORA BECAME SURFINGS MOST LOVED AND HATED
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- Опубликовано: 20 сен 2024
- Perhaps the most polarizing surfer of all time is Miki Dora.
Love him or hate him, his magnetic charisma and and dynamic surfing made him one of surfing's most talked about personalities, and his legend only seems to grow as the years go by.
SurfGuide magazine said in 1964 that "At the perfect surf spot on the perfect day, Miki Dora is probably the best surfer in the world."
Music: The Beechwoods
Guitars Unlimited
The Infernos
Hal Vincent
Addl' footage: SURFER, Surf Guide, Encyclopedia Of Surfing, Jamie Budge, Greg Noll, Quiksilver, Surf Styley, Bill Delaney, William Morrow
"All for a Few Perfect Waves: The Audacious Life and Legend of Rebel Surfer Miki Dora"
Book by David Rensin available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble
#realsurfstories #surfhistory #mikidora
Here is another one that displays the real Miki. Mid 60s I was surfing and photographing the POP pier Cove,the south side later made famous by the Dogtown boys. Mostly just my friends and myself but Miki would show up on occasion. I also worked at the amusement pier running rides and games. Surf the mornings and go to work after. So Miki knew I was taking pics and wanted to look at them. He came to my place to check them out,visited for a while and talked story. Before he left he told me he was working at the Pussycat theater in Hollywood,a well known nudie movie house. He said to come by and he'd let me and friends in for free. So we showed up one night, asked for Miki and of course they never heard of him. Classssic. Left for Kauai shortly after that and never saw him again. When I read the book and articles about his exploits, the Pussycat scam,joke made total sense. Can only laugh.
LOL. Vintage.
I lived in the south west of France for many years. I grew up surfing in Los Angeles. I met Miki Dora in Biarritz one fall. He came up to me and asked if I lived in Hossegor and he had seen my vw van around. I told him yes. He said Tom is your neighbor. I said yes. He walked away.
Next spring I was in a small beach town south of Bordeaux. I was in my VW van checking out the waves whn I hear someone call my name from a cafe. I was blow away. It was Dora. I parked got out and had a cafe with him.
We talked about Los Angeles for a while and about how he liked Europe. He said the water was starting to get cold for him. He was an older man by then.
He started to loose attention then got grumpy. He excused himself and left.
Waiter gave me his bill. LOL. Was for his breakfast, coffie, pastry. and a few drinks. About 75 bucks. lol
It was worth every penny because a year later in Hossegor he was walking by me in a cafe. I was surrounded by my surfing buddies. He looks at me and said. Hey Chris. Thanks for breakfast.
I felt honored and I still do.
Bizzare.
What a scoundrel! lol
Well he was good and ripping people off thats for sure, a natural born piece of dog sht
Classic miki.
He was a bit of an @Ss, a thief and a self entitled piece of sht but boy he could ride.
@@chrisnomad He took all he could get form everyone he met. But he had style.
All for a few perfect waves was the greatest biography I ever read. The guy is my hero to this day. He had the balls to live the way every man WISHES they had to live completely and utterly free. Free from rules, expectations, judgement, government, and society. RIP Dora. Your spirit still lives.
I was working at Natural Progression surfboards in Santa Monica CA 1986 .No one had seen Dora in ages .I was looking for Dean Edwards in the numerous rooms to show him what I had shaped .One door opened and Deans eyes were more red than I have ever seen anyones eyes ever . Why ? Dora showed up with a bag of Bud , a case of Bordeaux from france and poodle .The whole factory was LIT !!!!!
All time!
Great story. One of my favorite boards was an NP I had made in 1979, a 7'1 single fin double winger, $180. Worth every penny.
Miki was an excellent surfer who repaid kindness by ripping people off, including "friends".
Miki had no friends, but he sure could ride pretty.
True ! F****** thief.
Although Dora is often remembered as an arrogant SOB, meeting him remains one of my favorite memories. His childhood friend Steve Taussig brought him to my house for a visit one time and I remember he was friendly, witty and clearly erudite. RIP Steve and Miki.
Seems like the man had a few sides to his complex persona. Had to Google "erudite" 😂
My surfing era. So much fun. Took up motorcycling too. Those were 'the days', no doubt about it.
This man was one with the waves. Every bump, and ripple. Rarely do you see someone like this.
He rode more waves than anybody according to himself, and gave his life to the act of riding waves like a monk. He did everything he could, legal or illegal, to keep up with his wave riding mission. Many legends had documentaries on their lives but strangely nobody made a good one about him, so many thanks to Tony Roberts for this video.
The original suburban surf punk.
1963 huge rainstorm caused my Santa Monica High School to be closed due to flooding during the week. WooHoo! A day to surf when everyone else was in school. I came through the Santa Monica canyon to the PCH,stopped at the light, and what the....I look out at State Beach and it's 8-10ft breaking off the outer reef! One guy out. Quickly forgot about going north,pulled into the parking lot and paddled out. When I get outside it's Miki all alone. We knew each other mainly from Malibu. It was just the two of us for hours,no one showed up. Totally a memorable day. He was fun to surf with,with no crowd involved. And a joy to watch the freedom with which he surfed those empty walls.
Radical.
Thank you for making this video enjoyed, love every minute of it. Great job Tony Roberts. Long live Da Cat.
unexpected treat! Grew up with you in the mags.
Z-Boys in da house
This is so sweet! Can't believe I haven't fully watched him sur until now. Thanks for sharing.
These surf folks are some real characters. Fascinating.
Thank you for this documentaries! 🙌
That was put together very well. Bravo!🤙
I.
Could remember when I was a kid. I was sitting on this little wall across the street from the point and there's a hotel called a surfer hotel and if you know what I'm talking about, you know what I'm talking about? It's right across the street from the point 1 day. I was sitting there after coming through the mountains from the valley. I literally got to see Dora hanging out in the hotel room with binoculars, judging a contest. I need reason why it's because women were after him. A few women, because something about it, I'm treating them nicely. Yet we all know what women wanted from Dora. Without being said it was awesome, I was asked to come up to the hotel room but I was too scared to because of all the guys. I knew that were hanging out there. That was a whole entire group that you had to be. Strong enough to be with and intelligent, not just smart intelligent. I love Dora. I'll never forget him when I saw him sticking his head out of the bathroom window with binoculars classic times growing up. Once, I got the chance to serve at a certain age of my life, I got to do a few things that Dora did one of them was grabbing people by the ankles and throw them off the board. If they were dropped in in front of me, I saw Dora do that once and it was the most difficult thing to ever do. Because you gotta be careful. The board might the other person's board might hit you. Yeah, difficult moves and beautiful moves by Dora. I would say you influenced me quite a lot. Like a few others in a certain community world never forget Dora.Dcat🐈⬛
He used to come into the head office of Quiksilver Europe, specifically into our office, and ask if he could use the fax/printer/whatever. I am not a surfer, I'm a skater. I never knew anything about him. But I saw my surfer colleagues who regarded him with reverence and respect. Many of them went to his funeral.
His person aside, that's some excellent surfing, first class. The music here is great.
Thanks for the upload on the OG legend! He didn’t give a shit to any BS
Tarantino should make a movie about this misfit. Somebody tell him.
At 5:58 I think Miki is talking with Mike Purpus, Miki would have respected Mike's surfing. On a very stormy rainy day I was sitting up on the highway in my van checking out the waves at Rincon, nobody out There were a few other cars with people doing the same, but nobody was wanting to go out. The waves were big and storm ugly looking. A car drives up with a board on top and the south bay's Mike Purpus jumps out and quickly paddles out fast through the incoming waves. He really charged and ripped the place in those conditions, a great surfer. Many many years ago now, but the impression of Mike's surfing remains.
the world of surf is amazing especially the golden years and the very special years that came before that. awesome youtube channel!!!
The most fameous hungarian surfer surely!
Great documentary... Met Miki in Biarritz back in the earlier 80S thanks for the memories ....
This video is the best documentary of Da Cat on the internet. Well done. My compliments. Did Micky ever shoot the pier?
Great question.
Today would have been Miki’s 90th birthday 🤙🏼
Best Dora film I have ever scene.🎉🎉As a kid in the eighties, I saw a film on him. I collected every log and old 50 -60ish era I could get my hands on. For me ,wave riding on a long board , I was Miki Dora. When I was on my short board , I was Tom Curren.😂 funny thing is I’m a goofy foot.😂😂
Lile the cat said be you bra... 😅 Just katting stay loose in haole
@@nonow1353 good advice 🔥🌊🏄♂️🙂
met him at Biarritz..what a legend
Omg. Thanks it was unbelievable.
Mickey Dora was the Jack Kerouac of surfing, so to speak. What a character!
Or was Mickey Dora the Neal Cassidy ?
Micky the #asshole Dora.
I grew up surfing Malibu and saw Miki many times in and out of the water.
Miklos was very welcomed to hide away in France and thank's we had a lot of fun moving along the coast in his green mercedes van , screwing Lafiténia , Guéthary and others spots ; time went by ... mais ce gars n'était pas qu'un devin , il savait que l'industrie du surf viendrait derrière lui aussi car il avait déjà vécu la même chose en Californie mais aussi parce , pour avoir traîné dans les rues de L-A , il connaissait bien les intentions des marchands du surf ...
Sounds like a good bit of fun with a bunch of #assholes.
My friends, I surfed with Miki more than once and had a couple of conversations with him out in the water and on the beach when i was a late teen. His sarcasm was epic, but his surfing was off the charts! Greg's Da Cat model was awesome, I would have killed for one back then! Dora was one of surfing's greatest characters. Rest in perfect trim my brother!
Excellent ❤
more Dora and more Dora riding than any other film I've seen
many more shall see these special images and listen to him, should be a viral vid in surf community
dude cruises!
Outdid yourself with this one, TR. I hope you somehow do a 2-4 hour (mostly) modern history of surfing, maybe 1 hour parts. Starting late 50's, but really crunching down on 60s, 70s, 80s, and 1990s, then encapsulating what's easily available now (the 2000s on). For kooks and actual cool people learning nowadays. So many people have no idea about the culture. You would get it right, I know. I've loved surfing history since the 1st Frederick St. skatepark days with Kevin and Bo. Dumping 5 gal. buckets of water in the dark at the 1st peak mud steps before a contest then watching everyone kookslide on their ass before a heat! Hahaha! You could be the one to get it right for the whole next generation. Passing the culture on, like you do with this channel. Well done on everything.
This is a great youtube channel I am very grateful to have found it
Thank you very much.
......Great video, a wonderful surprise...I never met Miki Dora & to be totally honest, never heard of him till I clicked into this video a few moments ago...The jerk in the beginning of this video annualizing Miki Dora`s foundation as an abused child is a typical phycological analyses of very creative people from the 50`s & 60`s......Just enjoy the freedom of life... If you have the freedom & opportunity to express yourself... ...Artist, Old Naples Florida🌴🎨
Style and finesse personified… surfings lost art!
He really was that guy.
Say what you will about the criminal, that last speech is pretty epic about smelling lobsters.
So many epic surfers from San Diego emulated his legacy, along with Mike Hynson, their personal realizations helped produce 100's of "Soul Surfers" in the 80's that never thought of entering a surf contest.
Hynson also had an amazing style in the water, and the dude looked like a movie star.
@@fernandomaron87 his son Mike is a chip off the old block as well.
Met a few who used to surf with him. Non of them really liked him. He was too wild
Miki told me that the first time he got 'surf stoked' riding waves was on a piece of styrofoam/flotsam that had been part of a target for practice by Navy fighter pilots.
Louis Zamperini use to visit my hangar at Torrance airport named after Louis. He would bring his movie projector and some home surf movies which Miki was in. I guess they were neighbors. Louis mentioned Miki had no motivation for regular life. Louis set up a few jobs for Miki, which Miki was a no show. He did appear in a few beach movies though.
Every high school had one we all knew who was that talented. Just like Dog Town happened everywhere. Most died young. Miki looked loose at the end.
"The world is full of idiots, which is why I don't live there." Micky Dora quote.
epic! Surf Splendor has some unreleased footage coming soon...Luv #dora! Epic podcast!
They have some audio can't wait to hear it.
At a loss for words..Iykyk 😎💯🤙
He does have a casual way of hogging the waves …not my kind of hero .
God broke the mold when Miki was brought to earth. RIP
Thank god
Saw him once alone sunrise checking the surf a very long time ago I was bout 11 12 maybe I was on my bike went bout 20 yards to check out other side of cove looked back .he just disappeared wanna say 69 70 . The legend . Back when I refer to as California soul . U have to have lived it no explaining it .
My mom surfed the Bu in his era, and said he was always an asshole.
Lol
Because he had it before your momma had it, and thousands of other clones he called it
@@jkm3297Excuses.
He's probably your dad !
never argue with Mom.
When we grew up in the 70s kids, we all had our own style but who we looked up to Mickey Dora, Mike Hinson Phil Edward skip Frye
Skip Frye for sure another legendary dude ; in the 70's he railed PB point .. I was there
Phil Edwards also had the flair, psychic wave knowledge, impeccable surfing.
Thank you Mr Roberts for a fine film about Da Cat Mikolos Dora
I do recall seeing miki throughout the southland rolling in a VW bus
11:23 how can you drop in on someone and then get mad at them for it.
Simply great!
🤙
Agree that was fantastic. I would've liked to have known more about the players, maybe subtitles with names? Thank you for posting.
@@bradhosmer6668 Players? as in Music?
@@RealSurfStories The gentleman interviewed, surfers in the lot 6:05, surfer @ 6:55 as well surfers @ 22:16? Awesome.
@@bradhosmer6668 Greg Noll was the one interviewed and the rest are random dudes.
Experience
Wave knowledge
Skills
Dedication
RIP everything
Everyone is behind me going over the falls head first into the reef
Tony Roberts = Surf Historian
He’s got a good voice and tempo for the documentary
Fine skate historian also.
EPIC
I wonder if you could tell me what surf band this is being played. Cool song.
The Beechwoods
The author that spoke about him about 3/4 into the video and definitive book:
All for a Few Perfect Waves: The Audacious Life and Legend of Rebel Surfer Miki Dora
Book by David Rensin
He used to let us kids surf in front of him on 1st point, it was just the older kooks he pushed off.
Watching his tricks let me rule 3rd point in the early 80s, granted the short board era.
Felt honored when peers started calling me "Cat" whether they knew Dora or maybe I just emulated his style.
Aka Scott Bryson
Is that Mike Purpus' little brother with him at 5:48? He looks just like Mike but way smaller.
This is a great time machine! Thanks!
Someone mentioned in the comments that is Mike.
refreshing old goodness here thanks heaps great vid. BAN COMP SURFING WANK NOW PEEPS!
Craig stecyk said Miki Dora was the template for the first real skateboarder.
EPIC!
Miki got it right - the individual is dead - nothing but clones on clones on clones. Long live Da Cat !
I believe his prophecies were spot on. What he could never have imagined however, is the amount of true prominent surfing individuals he would inspire for future generations.
He is a kook!!
@@Gsheei3h37he sounded like a complete knob
I knew miki. He was the cruelest person I’d ever met
I was hoping he’d be forgotten but doesn’t look like it with videos like this
Very true
I reckon he's spot on surfing needs it's individuals and the clones have taken over.
True. Miki inspired a lot of true individuals still going strong though.
Awesome video. I had no idea most of this footage even existed. I just wish the makers of this vi didn’t play music over his interview so you could actually hear what he’s saying.
Dora, no doubt a legend, is the OG of assholes in the lineup. 😂
I
Most Excellent ¿
I met Mickey at last Chance when I lived in Mahia when he was on the run from the FBI. Had a Combi his girl and 2 small fluffy dogs in tow. I regret not havn a beer with him. Dylan of surf culture. The real thing
Cope harder. Should be pre requisite viewing for professional "extreme" athletes, I'm looking at you skateboarding community.
Wild man
con man
Jim Neece was Wildman.
Aloha
Looked like he was talking to a young Mike Purpus in the parking lot (5:58)?
I thought the same
Ya, I posted about it too.
DA CAT IS THE KING!!!! DORA RULES! DORA LIVES!!!!!!
Miki never called it 'surfing' always called it 'wave riding'.
There's one interview where he uses the word 'surfing' when says: 'chaotic surfing, nervous surfin intrests me'
@@fernandomaron87 That's what he told me anyways..
Looked like he and Dewey Weber were real close buds!
Greg Noll also was a good buddy of his, even if they argued all the time, Greg spoke to him the day before he died, they had a bromance moment on the phone and said 'i love you' to each other.
@@fernandomaron87 He haated Johnny Fain.
I’m 59 years old and spent my youth surfing Southern California and I never heard of this guy. And I’ve surfed alongside some pretty big names just by virtue of being out there. I wasn’t anywhere near as good as them but I lined up with them at popular spots like Trestles.
I never heard of this dude. Interesting story though.
59, from Southern California and never heard of Miki Dora? That is bizzare.
No shit
You cannot know all history before your time.
Malibu's greatest of all time! I took off on him many times... when I was a young kook!
Lots if jealous cmmentors. Almost as many as those who know nothing about surfing in the 50's and60's! Lol. Btw, youre welcome on my lawn! Aloha from a boomer from Hawaii.... Ha ha ha
He hooked up with a friend of mine and a few others in Cost a Rica in the 90s and was so obnoxious and disruptive that they kicked him out of the group.
I’m sure he cared 😂
Probably because they were kooks
@@jkm3297 no just the contrary. They were all guys with years of surfing experience and the same in CR. He was a total jerk. Why do you think they were kooks?
First point Malibu is a complete 💩show. Way, way, way too many people. And it's a free for all these days. Etiquette and respect are out the door.
I'm just glad that I know a place that's not like that. Somewhere in that "27 miles of scenic beauty," that is still cool. Makes me glad I'm goofy footed.
Read one guy said wave hog but he was always deeper on the wave 😂
Mimi Dora the Jim Morrison of Surfers. If you ever have a chance watch the movie “ Ride The Wild Surf” 1964. Mimi doubled for Singer/ Actor Fabian there is some great big wave footage from Waimea Bay,no leashes or cords. Greg Noll doubled Robert Mitchum s son James. A plausible plot and Shelley Fabares,and Barabara Eden parading around in bikini s what’s not to love. Tab Hunter and Peter Brown who could surf round out the cast.Sorry Miki this phone sucks. Miki not Mimi.
I have this movie, love the Dora and Noll footage. According to Greg it was Miki's first time on big Waimea, and he made it look like his homebreak, dropping in at the big monsters and stylin it out. It's uncanny how James Mitchum and Greg looked like each other, almost like brothers.
Dora shows up a lot in the first AIP beach movie, "Beach Party" from 1963. He shows up in the background in the scenes in Cappy's surf shack, dancing and acting goofy; you can totally pick him out, over the top and taking the piss. I think he doubled for Frankie Avalon in the surfing scenes, but it ain't hard to pick him out on the waves cuz his style is all his own. It's just so feckin him.
@@phillipphinney206 Miki also had a larger role in “Muscle Beach Party” appears in several scenes at the Club, dancing and clapping. He did double Frankie Avalon in several films, Beach Party Muscle Beach, Beach Blanket Bingo, If you like the early Bond films with Connery Sean Connery. The main actress in Muscle Beach was Italian Actress Luciana Paluzzi!!!! She battled Annette for Frankie’s attention. 1 Year later she co- starred in Bond film 4 Thunderball. She played spectre assassin Fiona Volpe. Some great scenes with Connery. She “ Fiona” didn’t fall for Bonds charms. For 1965 fairly risqué love scenes. Long way from Muscle Beach.
Is that a real fight in the first clip
you covered the love part well
Pretty sick!
Miki is the king of the contrary a hole surfers and hes right, there are a lot of clones
I've got a real life Miki "da Cat" Dora story if anyone wants me to share it, let me know.
What do you want for it
Who is the big guy narrating this doc ? Is it Greg knoll? 🤷🏻♂️
Yes, Greg Noll.
🤙🏼
Typical Malibu , 50 yrs later . Everyone is still burning every one on waves.. lol
That man must have hurt a lot of people
MeatBaLL , Da Cat , the SuperSonicGypsie !
I've got his old photo albums
How'd you get em?
@@Larry-bu1eq dad purchased them from an auction in Gisborn, nz.
@@lyall52 cool man would you be open to selling the album?
@Larry-bu1eq I think there are 3 albums. Yes dad has them and yes he wants to do something with them
@@lyall52 cool how can I contact you?
The dudes been taking to much acid
In 64 he was paddling away from PB point in SanDiego. He was scared of the San Diego boys from OB. He got called out. He was not comfortable in the San Diego area. Good surfer. A poser + a thief.
In 64 he was probably doing the most progressive surfing in the world according to Phil Edwards.