@chai2,
Davey Jones was semi famous over here anyway, before he was picked to join the Monkees. He was in Oliver! (Artful dodger) and appeared in various small parts on TV.
The Monkees was a massive thing for him though ,and when he came home to Manchester, he was usually mobbed like the Beatles were.
There was a tale he told about having to dress up as an old woman in order to go and visit his dad.