At age 15, Dolenz won a junior talent contest and decided to become an actress. She dropped out of high school and began appearing in roles on various television series. One of her first acting roles was in the television movie "The Children of Times Square", followed by a two-episode stint on "Growing Pains". In 1987 she had a small role in the comedy "Can't Buy Me Love"; later that year she landed the role of Melissa McKee in the long-running soap opera "General Hospital". The role garnered Dolenz attention, earning her two nominations (in 1988 and 1989) for a Young Artist Award.