Friday, December 13, 2013

“Dean took me under his wing so to speak....."



Hey pallies, likes gotta 'fess up dudes that likes today's Dino-devotion ain't quite in the Dino-wintery mode, but likes we just couldn't wait to January to share this wonderfully Dino-hearted prose with all you Dino-addicted pallies.  Likes we all knows that all true Dino-holics can never ever gets 'nough of our Dino's life, times, and teachin's, and we are all 'specially delighted when we gets to indulge in 'nother true life Dino-encounter.

Likes it is always always thrillin' to hear 'bout 'nother average Joe who's run-of-the mill life has been bountifully  blessed by their path havin' been crossed by our most beloved Dino!  Such is the case with Mr. Richard Ballerini from Sparks, Nevada, whose Dino-tale was shared recently by Miss  Emily Umphrey as a special to the on-line presence of the local newspad, the  "Daily Sparks Tribune."

Ballerini has been an entertainer most of his life, and the reflection below speaks of how when Richard, as a young man playin' in our Dino's playground, 'Vegas---baby---'Vegas, was "discovered on stage" by our most beloved Dino.  As you will thrills to read below, Mr. Ballerini was so so blessed to have our Dino take him "under his wing," which eventually led to Richard workin' for great great man "for the entire nine-year run of the original Dean Martin Show."

Can't tells you simply how delighted ilovedinomartin is to have found this breath-takin' and life-changin' story of how our most beloved Dino transformed the life of fellow Italiano Mr. Richard Ballerini.  We salute Miss Emily Umphrey  and all the pallies at the "Daily Sparks Tribune" for sharin' this story with their readership.
To read the entire printed prose and to learn much more 'bout Mr. Ballerini, simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-gram to be transported to the original post.

As we move closer and closer to Dino-winter-day how wonderful to share the wonderous works of our Dino   with all youse Dino-philes 'cause our Dino is not only the greatest entertainer to ever live, he was the primo model of generosity and grace as well.  Dino-awed, DMP

Rail City resident has seen, made music history
by Emily Umphrey — Special to the Tribune

Richard Ballerini

 Ballerini was playing Las Vegas in his early 20’s when Dean Martin discovered him on stage.

“Dean took me under his wing so to speak much in the same way Frank (Sinatra) did with Sam (Davis Jr.),” he said. “Dean was very instrumental in helping me move from the small clubs on the Las Vegas strip into the casinos and later working with him and Frank, Sammy, Bing Crosby ... When Dean started the Dean Martin Show, he asked if I would come work for him.”

Dean Martin’s contract with NBC stipulated that he only work one day a week — on Fridays because that was the day they would tape. Rehearsals with the band and the guest stars, however, happened Monday-Thursday with Ballerini acting as a stand in for Martin during rehearsals, singing with some of the biggest names in music at the time, for the entire nine-year run of the original Dean Martin Show.


 

5 comments:

Always On Watch said...

Our Dino was a generous man. Also, he counted himself lucky to have a show biz career and was grateful to those who had helped him out along the way. Our Dino's early days in entertainment were certainly not lucrative, and, if I recall correctly, he was 110% bankrupt at one point.

As for this post not being in the Dino-wintery mode, I respectfully differ with that assessment. Christmas is a time for warmth, good will, and giving. Remember O. Henry's short story "The Gift of the Magi"?

dino martin peters said...

Hey pallie, likes Miss AOW, thanks for those words of deep devotion to our Dino, and, of course, they are simply the Dino-truth. Thanks also for your insights into this post, personally I love "The Gift Of The Magi" and indeed, you are most correct that indeed this post is very much accentin' the spirit of givin' that was always so much the mark of our Dino! Keeps lovin' our most beloved Dino!

Anonymous said...

The most interesting thing about this is that Lee Hale was Deans rehersal stand in on the show. You gotta be really ballsy or really stupid to make this up. Google this guy and youll find he wad born way too late to have been on Deans show anyways. He would have been 13 or 14 years old in 1965. He graduated high school in 1970. Diddnt the newspaper think to check up on this guys claims before printing the story?

Anonymous said...

The most interesting thing about this is that Lee Hale was Deans rehersal stand in on the show. You gotta be really ballsy or really stupid to make this up. Google this guy and youll find he wad born way too late to have been on Deans show anyways. He would have been 13 or 14 years old in 1965. He graduated high school in 1970. Diddnt the newspaper think to check up on this guys claims before printing the story?

dino martin peters said...

Hey pallie, likes Mike thanks for your patter. Might we ask how you happened to come 'cross this post over three years old and decide to do the investigatin'. Not that we are disputin' your observations, just intrigued by why this post, why now.... Keeps lovin' our most beloved Dino!