Hey pallies,likes always loves to reads me a great review of some Dino-treasure...and today's Dino-gram from the pad "groovevolt.com" is indeed a extraordinary review of the recently released expanded edition of "DINO: The Essential Dean Martin."
Likes don't know the tagg of the writer of this Dino-review, but for sure dudes this pallie "gets Martin." From the tagg of the review "Dean Martin: Absolutely Essential" to the closin' words of the musical reflection..."Pour yourself a scotch on the rocks, put on your slippers, and sit back and luxuriate in this essential collection," these Dino-thoughts obviously flow outta deep deep Dino-devotion.
The scribe of this Dino-prose is obviously a Dino-holic of huge porportions..sayin' such wonderfully wise thin's of our Dino like..." the purity of Martin’s voice" and "Martin’s golden throat." Likes how enchantin' to know that there are others enchanted by our beloved Dino!
So enjoys readin' this review filled with likes total total Dino-admiration. Thanks to the pallies at "groovevolt.com" and 'specially to the dude who penned these awe-filled Dino-thoughts. To view this in it's original format, likes just clicks on the tagg of this Dino-message. Dino-hearted, DMP
Dean Martin: Absolutely Essential
Posted on 29 June 2011 by Groovevolt.com
Every generation discovers the Rat Pack at some point. Those who grew up in the 1950s and 1960s watched its formation in real time and grew up with the magical music of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dean Martin. In the mid-1990s, the film Swingers introduced a new generation to the joys of cocktail culture and the music that made that era famous. And on what would have been his 94th birthday, Capitol Records released a pair of collections: the 14-track Classic Dino: The Best of Dean Martin and an expanded release of Dino: The Essential Dean Martin, which has been expanded from its original release to include 36 of Martin’s top hits across two CDs. (This review will focus only on the latter.)
The new collection, includes a previously unreleased studio version of “Rock-A-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody,” which was recorded in 1950, and was believed lost until it was discovered in the Capitol vaults.
Fans of Dean Martin probably have the remainder of the tracks on the 36-track set; however, they likely do not have them in one convenient package and, for those who are unfamiliar with Martin’s catalog, this set is a must have. Upon first listen, new fans will be struck not only by how many of the songs that they know — even if they were not aware that Martin was the singer — but also by the purity of Martin’s voice and the craft that went into writing the songs that grace this set.
Every song is iconic and the digitally-remastered tracks pop, highlighting not only Martin’s golden throat, but also the talented musicians who backed Martin. Horns pop, pianos tinkle, and drums land with a crispness and discipline that you don’t hear anymore.
Sinatra’s place in the musical pantheon is unquestioned. Sammy Davis Jr., while a great singer, was something of a novelty — the African-American sidekick to a group of Caucasian guys. Martin, for all of the acclaim bestowed upon him, never seemed to get the proper respect for his talents; for his ability to croon as effortlessly in Italian as he could in English, and his ability to switch languages from verse to verse (as he does in “Volare (Nel Blu, Di Pinto Di Blu).”)
This is absolutely a nostalgic trip. Those expecting anything else will be disappointed. (Then again, if you’re considering this set, you’re probably not expecting Martin to bust out a Biz Markie cover.) It is also a wonderful artifact of a time when smoking was cool, and when great songs and a powerful voice to sing them were almost exclusively the only way to succeed in the music business. Pour yourself a scotch on the rocks, put on your slippers, and sit back and luxuriate in this essential collection.
Hey pallies, likes loves to find our Dino's name dropped in connection to other great entertainers....and sometimes in the coolest if likes most unusual ways. Case in point, from the blog "Sal's Sports, Health and More" blogger Sal compares our Dino to Queen rocker Freddie Mercury.
What does our King of Cool have in common with Queen's Freddie Mercury? Accordin' to Sal, both entertainers were totally totally full of insouciance..."the cheerful feeling you have when nothing is troubling you, carefreeness, lightheartedness, lightsomeness, blitheness."
I find it likes so refreshin' that Sal has recognized our Dino gift for bein' laid back and full of fun, and that he finds those same traits in rocker Freddie Mercury. Gotta 'fess up that I have never listened to Mercury's music, but Sal has got me intrigued by the Dino-comparison and so likes I am just gonna have to check Freddie's work out.
Thanks to Mr. Sal for sharin' his thoughts and honorin' our insouciant Dino...always digs to read other's take on our beloved Dino...and each Dino-mention is sure to bring more and more pallies to deep, pure, and true Dino-devotion. To read this in it's original format, likes clicks on the tagg of this here Dino-message. Dino-devotedly, DMP
Dean Martin, Freddie Mercury & Insouciance
Posted on June 27, 2011 by admin
Insouciance: the cheerful feeling you have when nothing is troubling you, carefreeness, lightheartedness, lightsomeness, blitheness
All the great singers have it, and then some, and then more. So much of Elvis’ stuff and Al Green’s interpretations are just so playful, light. You know it because you just kind of smile when that stuff comes on.
But no one was more insouciant than Dean Martin and Freddie Mercury. Dean’0 will even take very emotional, deep, darker songs and add a light touch to them. These include renditions of Walk on By (a cheatin’ song) or I Walk The Line (dark, fearful devotion).
Forget it if the songs were light to start with. Mambo Italiano and That’s Amore are beyond insouciant, into campy and hysterical.
As for Freddie, whatever band type Queen was hailed as, Mercury himself was more campy showman, who wrote and performed very light songs that should be seen as pop, show tunes and miscellaneous than Rock god.
From Bohemian Rhapsody to Bicycle Ride, it’s clear that Freddie was having fun and listening to Merc, you’ll have fun too.
Back to insouciance, I would maintain that you can’t be a great singer unless you got some, at least a little.
But if you got a lot, like Dean and Freddie, you will make listeners smile forever. What more could a performer ask for?
Hey pallies, likes I so so loves to search the blogspere for all sorts of homagin' of our beloved Dino. Today ilovedinomartin shares with all you dudes 'nother great Dino-reflection from 'nother great blog "Today Is Their Birthday-Musicians." As the blog suggests male blogger "Music Lover" shares posts on the life and times of various musical performers on their day of birth.
It likes comes as no surprise that "Music Lover" chose to put the accent on our Dino on June 7, and what follows is his word and photo essay on our King of Cool. The written content is quite standard Dino-history, and while the pictures are all pretty familiar as well, the mixin' of prose and pixs makes for a terrific tribute to our beloved Dino.
ilovedinomartin wants to honor bloggermeister "Music Lover" as he has honored our Dino. Likes I am always so so thrilled to share others efforts at Dino-devotion 'cause I find it always always refreshin' to find pallies of all ages and stages, all types and stripes, who invest good good quanities of time and effort to share the legend and legacy of our great man with their readership.
So thanks to our new pallie "Music Lover" for an outstandin' effort of honorin' our beloved Dino on his day of days..sure to help others to come to know, love, and honor our amazin' Dino. To read this in it's original format, just clicks on the tag of this here Dino-message. Dino-delightedly, DMP
June 7: Dean Martin, "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime," That's Amore," was born on this date in 1917.
... "Dino" was 78 years old when he passed away on Christmas Day in 1995.
Born Dino Paul Crocetti on June 7, 1917 in Steubenville, Ohio, Dean Martin's nickname was the "King of Cool." he was a major star in four areas of show business: concerts, night clubs, recordings, motion pictures, and television, and a member of the "Rat Pack" along with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Peter Lawford.
Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This," "That's Amore," "Everybody Loves Somebody," "Mambo Italiano," "Sway," "Volare" and smash hit "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"
Martin spoke only Italian until he started school. He took up the drums as a hobby as a teenager. He was the target of much ridicule for his broken English and ultimately dropped out of Steubenville High School in the 10th grade. He delivered bootleg liquor, served as a speakeasy croupier, was a blackjack dealer, worked in a steel mill and boxed as welterweight. He grew up a neighbor to Jimmy the Greek.
At the age of 15, he was a boxer who billed himself as "Kid Crochet." Of his twelve bouts, he would later say "I won all but eleven."
Wisely, Martin gave up boxing. He worked as a roulette stickman and croupier in an illegal casino behind a tobacco shop where he had started as a stock boy. At the same time, he sang with local bands. Calling himself "Dino Martini," he got his first break working for the Ernie McKay Orchestra. He sang in a crooning style influenced by Harry Mills of the Mills Brothers, and other popular singers of the time. In the early 1940s, he started singing for bandleader Sammy Watkins, who suggested he change his name to Dean Martin.
Martin worked for various bands throughout the early 1940s, mostly on looks and personality until he developed his own singing style. Martin famously flopped at the Riobamba, a high class nightclub in New York, when he succeeded Frank Sinatra in 1943, but it was the setting for their meeting.
By 1946, Martin was doing relatively well, but was still little more than an East Coast nightclub singer with a common style, similar to that of Bing Crosby. He drew audiences to the clubs he played, but he inspired none of the fanatic popularity enjoyed by Sinatra.
Martin seemed destined to remain on the nightclub circuit until he met a comic named Jerry Lewis at the Glass Hat Club in New York, where both men were performing. Martin and Lewis formed a fast friendship which led to their participation in each other's acts and the ultimate formation of a music-comedy team. More than a few people dubbed them "The Organ Grinder and the Monkey."
Martin and Lewis's official debut together occurred at Atlantic City's 500 Club on July 24, 1946. Their success, each said, was that they essentially ignored the audience and played to one another.
The team made its TV debut on the very first broadcast of CBS-TV network's Toast of the Town Program (later called the Ed Sullivan Show.) In 1949, Martin and Lewis were signed by Paramount producer Hal B. Wallis as comedy relief for the movie My Friend Irma.
Martin and Lewis were the hottest act in America during the early 1950s, but the pace and the pressure took its toll. Most critics underestimated Martin's contribution to the team, as he had the thankless job of the straight man, and his singing had yet to develop into the unique style of his later years.
Critics praised Lewis, and while they admitted that Martin was the best partner he could have, most claimed Lewis was the real talent and could succeed with anyone. However, Lewis always praised his partner, and while he appreciated the attention he was getting, he has always said the act would never have worked without Martin. The act broke up in 1956, 10 years to the day from the first official teaming.
Splitting up their partnership was not easy. It took months for lawyers to work out the details of terminating many of their club bookings, their television contracts, and the dissolution of York Productions. There was intense public pressure for them to stay together.
Lewis had no trouble maintaining his film popularity alone, but Martin, unfairly regarded by much of the public and the motion picture industry as something of a spare tire, found the going hard. His first solo film, Ten Thousand Bedrooms in 1957, was a box office failure. He was still popular as a singer, but with rock and roll gaining in popularity, the era of the pop crooner was waning. It looked like Martin's fate was to be limited to nightclubs and to be remembered as Lewis's former partner.
Never totally comfortable in films, Martin wanted to be known as a real actor. Though offered a fraction of his former salary to co-star in a war drama, The Young Lions. Martin the starred alongside Frank Sinatra for the first time in a highly acclaimed Vincente Minnelli drama, Some Came Running. Martin was acclaimed for his performance as Dude in Rio Bravo.
As a singer, he recorded more than 100 albums and 600 songs. His signature tune, "Everybody Loves Somebody," knocked The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" out of the number-one spot in the United States in 1964. This was followed by the similarly-styled "The Door is Still Open to My Heart," which reached number six later that year. Elvis Presley was said to have been influenced by Martin, and patterned "Love Me Tender" after his style.
For three decades, Martin was among the most popular acts in Las Vegas. Martin sang and was one of the smoothest comics in the business, benefiting from the decade of raucous comedy with Lewis.
As Martin's solo career grew, he and Frank Sinatra became close friends. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Martin and Sinatra, along with friends Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, and Sammy Davis, Jr. formed the legendary Rat Pack. The Martin-Sinatra-Davis-Lawford-Bishop group referred to themselves as "The Summit" or "The Clan"(except for Sammy Davis) and never as "The Rat Pack," although this has remained their identity in the popular imagination. The men made films together and formed an important part of the Hollywood social scene in those years.
In 1965, Martin launched his weekly NBC comedy-variety series, The Dean Martin Show, which exploited his public image as a lazy, carefree boozer. There he perfected his famous laid-back persona of the half-drunk crooner suavely hitting on beautiful women with hilarious remarks that would get anyone else slapped, and making snappy if slurred remarks about fellow celebrities during his famous roasts.
In December 1990, he congratulated Frank Sinatra on his 75th birthday special. By 1991, Martin had unofficially retired from performing.
Martin, a life-long smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer at Cedars Sinai Medical Center on 16 September 1993. He died of acute respiratory failure resulting from emphysema at his Beverly Hills home on Christmas morning 1995, at the age of 78.
Martin's family was presented a gold record in 2004 for Dino: The Essential Dean Martin, his fastest-selling album ever, which also hit the iTunes Top 10. For the week ending December 23, 2006, the Dean Martin and Martina McBride duet of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" reached #7 on the R&R AC chart. It also went to #36 on the R&R Country chart - the last time Martin had a song this high in the charts was in 1965, with the song "I Will," which reached #10 on the Pop chart.
In February 2009, Martin was honored with a post-humous Grammy award for Lifetime Achievement.
Hey pallies, likes better late then never, here is 'nother great trib to our great man in remembrance of his 94th B-day. From the blog pad Prêt-à-Porter:Not-Made-To-Measure, comes a very nice little Dino-remembrance by a youthful chick tagged "Prêt-à-Porter." Included are classic Dino-vids of our beloved Dino singin' "That's Amore" and "Return To Me" with Mr. Perry Como. Add a quartet of quintessential Dino-poses and a bit of Dino-prosin' and you have one first-class Dino-reflection.
Loves how "Prêt-à-Porter" speaks oh so so freely and fondly of our beloved Dino..."He would have swooned with his sinsual voice and his mysteriosity. Us youngsters may be beguiled by his charming good looks but don't let this fool you. Dean Martin's past is as gritty as today's hip hop artists. He was a bootlegger, a speakseasy croupier, blackjack dealer, and boxer!"
Likes what a great word..."mysteriosity" to describe our egnimatic man! Likes how totally refreshin' to find 'nother of today's youth likes this young mod lady turnin' her readership onto our charmin' Dino. ilovedinomartin sez our thanks to Miss "Prêt-à-Porter" for sharin' her Dino-passion with others...celebratin' the life, times, and teachin's of our masterful Dino! To view this in it's original format, likes just clicks on the tag of this Dino-gram. Dino-devotedly, DMP
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
The Music: Happy Birthday Dean Martin!
"The coolest man who ever lived."
-Playboy
To Stevie Van Zandt said he was "simply perfect." While Elvis Prestley worshipped him. Who is this man? Dean Martin.
Born Dino Crocetti, today Dean Martin would have celebrated his 94th birthday. He would have swooned with his sinsual voice and his mysteriosity. Us youngsters may be beguiled by his charming good looks but don't let this fool you. Dean Martin's past is as gritty as today's hip hop artists. He was a bootlegger, a speakseasy croupier, blackjack dealer, and boxer!
A true musician and a wonderful artist to be remembered.
Happy Birthday! Dean Martin!
This is what Bruno Mars will look like when he gets older.
Posted by Prêt-à-Porter: Not Made to Measure at 7:09 PM
Hey pals! Welcome back for nother' Sunday Serenade! This week I figured I would let wifey, Mrs. Michelle G., have a go at it. I asked her to pick one of her favorite favs of Dino tunes for this week's blog. It only took a couple secs til she decided unquestionably on "For the Good Times."
This country themed number was actually written by Kris Kristofferson. It really boosted his career and became the title track to Dean's 1971 album. These country/western styled songs became Dino's niche during the 70's. Kind of a reinvention of himself from the Italian crooner to the cattle ranchin' cowboy.
I love all these songs! I think it was a great change of pace for Dean. This album appealed not only to your everyday Dean Martin fan but also opened up a whole new fan base of country western enthusiasts. Smart smart move Dino ol' pal! Now, let's get to that smooth smooth country styled croonin'!!!
Danny G.
For The Good Times
Don't look so sad, I know it's over But life goes on and this old world will keep on turning Let's just be glad we had some time to spend together There's no need to watch the bridges that we're burning
Lay your head upon my pillow Hold your warm and tender body close to mine Hear the whisper of the raindrops blowing soft across the window And make believe you love me one more time For the good times
I'll get along, you'll find another And I'll be here if you should find you ever need me Don't say a word about tomorrow or forever There'll be time enough for sadness when you leave me
Lay your head upon my pillow Hold your warm and tender body close to mine Hear the whisper of the raindrops blowing soft across the window And make believe you love me one more time For the good times
Hey pallies, likes I went to the official Stu-ville Dean-fest cyber pad to see if by chance any pixs from the recent Dino-weekend had been posted. Didn't find any pixs, but likes did come 'cross this totally totally impressive pix of our Dino with a hotline number for Target to call to order Dino-merchandise.
I'm assumin' that if pallies call that number to gets themselves some Dino-treasures that a bit of the sale will go back to the Dean Martin Festival Committee...pretty cool indeed.
Likes I thinks it is likes so awesome to know that a huge merchandiser likes the Target Corporation is helpin' Dino-holics likes you and me to access ourselves some Dino-treasures while helpin' the Stu-ville Dino-cause at the same time.
Gotta 'fess up that I simply loves the idear of a Dino-hotline...a special number just for pallies likes you and me to call in and order us some amazin' Dino-merchandise.
To view this in it's original format, likes just clicks on the tag of this Dino-post to goes to the original website for the Dean Martin Festival in Dino-mecca, Steubenville, Ohio. Dino-lovin', DMP
Hey pallies, likes dudes likes this may the shortest Dino-post ever..at least when it comes to words! From the Palm Beach Post's "pbpulse" amd the pen of correspondant Mr. Scott Eyman comes a outstandin' interview of Frank Sinatra's wife Barbara on the release of her memoirs, "Lady Blue Eyes."
Likes in this here interview, Barbara Sinatra makes an oh so brief, but oh so significant references to our beloved Dino. Mrs. Sinatra refers to our great man's relationship to Frank in brotherly terms...."And Dean Martin was like a brother."
And, she quotes Sinatra sayin' 'bout our Dino's amazin' talent for makin' funny..."Dean thinks funny." Now, likes faithful readers of ilovedinomartin know that personally I ain't no fan of Sinatra, but it this case, likes I can truly say that likes I totally totally resonate with Frank's assessment of our Dino's talent.
Included here are a few fav pixs of mine showin' the brotherly affection that Sinatra had for our amazin' Dino. To read the whole review, just clicks on the tag of this Dino-message. ilovedinomartin thanks Mr. Scott Eyman and the pallies at the Palm Beach Post's pbpulse for interviewin' Miss Barbara and helpin' to spread the Dino-message of cool! Dino-loved, DMP
And Dean Martin was like a brother – he always said that "Dean thinks funny"
Hey pallies, his name is Robert Stacy McCain and he holds forth at his blog pad "The Other McCain and his is our Dino-proser this very Dino-day. Accordin' to his blog bio, "Robert Stacy McCain is a veteran journalist and conservative commentator who is also a public speaker, author and communications consultant."
Well this master of the written and spoken word can now add Dino-commentator to his list of achieved accomplishments. Likes as you pallies will note below, Mr. McCain has woven his words into a little review of our Dino's first big screen feature sans the Jer..."Ten Thousand Bedrooms."
The patter, 'though oh so brief, is poetically perfect. Simply simply loves when McCain opines..."Some might look askance at the pairing of Martin, who was 40 when the film was made, with the 21-year-old Alberghetti, but c’mon: It’s Dean Martin. What 21-year-old could object to being wooed by that romantic crooner?"
And, likes to add to the fun Robert adds a cool vid clip from this Dino-flick for our viewin' Dino-pleasure! The clip is the romancin' duet between our Dino and Miss Alberghetti of "You I Love."
Thanks to Robert Stacy McCain for sharin' his Dino-reflections on this lesser known Dino-classic sure to draw many of his faithful readers into the faithful Dino-fold! To view this in it's original format, likes just clicks on the tag of this Dino-message. Dino-loved, DMP
Up Late With Anna Maria Alberghetti
Insomnia struck last night. It was one of those rare nights when I’d gone to bed early, before my wife did, and when Mrs. Other McCain came to bed, she woke me up by trying to pry the TV remote out of my hand.
So then I was awake, and although I drifted off a couple of times, I ended up flipping around the channels until I found myself watching part of the 1957 romantic comedy Ten Thousand Bedrooms with Dean Martin and Anna Maria Alberghetti.
The plot is a silly trifle: Dean Martin is Ray Hunter, the owner of a worldwide hotel empire (thus the “bedrooms” of the title) who comes to Rome and falls in love with his young secretary Nina, played by Alberghetti. Alas, custom requires that the youngest daughter can’t marry until her older sisters are married, so Ray must find husbands for each of Nina’s three older sisters.
Like Where the Boys Are (1960), Ten Thousand Bedrooms is sort of a cultural time-capsule giving us a glimpse at the attitudes toward romance that prevailed in the Eisenhower era. Some might look askance at the pairing of Martin, who was 40 when the film was made, with the 21-year-old Alberghetti, but c’mon: It’s Dean Martin. What 21-year-old could object to being wooed by that romantic crooner?
I’d never heard of Alberghetti, who was perfectly lovely as the ingenue Nina. Curiosity got the better of me — “Who is that girl?” – and so I got out of bed and logged on to find out. She’s now 74, and Dean Martin’s been dead for more than 15 years, but weren’t they wonderful in 1957?
Hey pallies, likes here is what will probably be the final report from Dino-fest 2011in Steubenville, Ohio. If likes you clicks on the tag of this Dino-gram you will be transported to a printed news release as well as a vid by the staff of televison station WRTF, channel 7.
Featured on both the vid and print reports are owner of the Spot Bar, Mr. JoJo Diarbert and Stu-ville's Mayor Mr. Dominic Mucci among others. So great to hear the deep, pure, and true love that pallies express for our beloved Dino....and the huge huge impact that the life and times, the legacy of our great man has had, and likes continues to have on this Ohio Valley area.
Indeed how blessed the town of Steubenville is to call Dino their Dino! What a thrill it woulda be to be able to say that one came from the hometown of the King of Cool!
So clicks on that link and read and view for yourself this lovin' report from Dino-fest 2011. Thanks to the pallies at WRFT for liftin' up the name of our Dino in this way! Dino-sharin', DMP
Hey pallies, likes just can't pass up sharin' this outstandin' pix of our Dino playin' Daddy-o to some of his children. From the great blog tagged "Fedoras And High Heels...Classic Movies, Television, Fashion, and Culture" and their Father's Day post, "Famous Fathers," comes a delightful pix of our beloved Dino playin' horsey with who I believe are his three oldest children...Craig, Claudia, and Gail.
Likes I loves this pix of our Dino so much...showin' him bein' a family man..but likes I don't think that I have ever seen this one before.
ilovedinomartin sez our thanks to blogger Miss Audrey for sharin' such a totally totally delightful pix of Daddy-o Dino! To view this in it's original format,and to see many many more pixs of famous fathers and their prodigy, just clicks on the tag of this here Dino-message. Dino-loved, DMP
Hey pallies, likes from Gibson's Lifestyle pad featurin' cool info on this day in music history comes the amazin' Dino-remembrance that likes it was on this day in 1948 that Mr. Ed Sullivan's "Toast Of The Town" debuted on CBS. Headlinin' the new show was none other then Martin and Lewis. Sez below that of the $375 spent on talent, our great man and the kid got likes $200. Now how cool is that dudes!
Simply loves tryin' to memorize all these important dates in the life and times of our legendary Dino! To view this in it's original format, likes just clicks on the tag of this Dino-gram. Dino-loved, DMP
1948, Toast of the Town, which would later be called The Ed Sullivan Show, premiered on CBS-TV. The first show was produced on a budget of $1,375. Only $375 was allocated for talent, $200 of which was shared by two of the young stars that evening, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.
Hey pals, welcome to this special Father's Day Sunday Serenade. I can't think of a cool cooler daddy-o than our great great man! And what better way to celebrate all of our great great Daddy-o's than watchin' and learnin' from Mr. Dean Martin!
I found a perfect father/son video that most of you Dino-holics have probably seen many times over, but to me, this little 2 minute clip is what bein' a dad is ALL about! A father spendin' time with his child. That's it pallies! It's that simple!
As busy as Dino was, he was said to always be home for dinner with the fam. You can see the pure pure Dino-love between father & son in this vid.
This Father's day, as I'm spendin' time with my wee ones, I'll be thinkin' bout' the wonderful days that I spent with my Pop. I've told you all bout' my introduction to Martin & Lewis with my dear ol' dad! Those were truly great days! He definately did his part by steerin' me towards the incredible talent of Dean Martin! Thanks Pop!
I want to wish all you dads out there the very best Father's day! And take a lesson from Dino and always always be the best dad you can be!
Danny G.
Small frye, always goin' fishin' Small frye, sittin' here wishin', that each day and nothin' else to do but sit around and chew the fat with you.
Small frye, you'd never get a haircut, Small frye, it's better than that square-cut. Geez Dad, how corny can you get I ain't no psychedelic hippie yet.
You practicin' all all day long to some ol' rock n' roll song oh yea, oh yea If that's the only thing I do and I'm a little like you then I can be a real success.
Small frye, that's no great ambition. Small frye, you better stick to fishin'. Looks like the two of us agree, the simple life is just the thing for me.
Away from misery as strife I say that this is their life, oh me, oh my Small frye.
Hey pallies, likes if you clicks on the tag of this Dino-gram you'll be transported to the on-line presence of Wheeling, West Virgina's newspaper "The Intelligencer." Once there you will be able to read quite the informative article, ‘Dino’s’ Daughter Meets Dad’s Devoted Fans, by Mr. Dave Gossett 'bout yesterday's openin' festivites at the 2011 Dean Martin Festival in our beloved Dino's hometown of Stubenville, Ohio.
Likes my fav part of this particular Dino-prose is hearin' the heartwarmin' stories of pallies like newbie Dino-devotee Nancy Stock of Woodsfield and long-time Dino-holic Dieter Schonbuchaer of Passau, Germany. Always likes am so so thrilled to read others Dino-testimonies!
Simply makes me yearn more and more to gets myself to Dino-mecca to share my Dino-passion with others of the truly truly Dino-devoted. Thanks to the pallies at ""The Intelligencer" and particularly Mr. Gossett for keep us posted on all the Dino-happenin' durin' Dino-fest. Dino-sharin', DMP
Hey pallies, likes Wheeling, W.V. television station WBOY recently did an interview with our Dino's girlpallie Deana 'bout the Stu-ville Dino-fest this weekend.
Likes included in the live interveiw is some info on the filmin' of Miss Martin's Dino-bio, "Memories Are Made Of This." As you view you will learn who is writin' the screen play....Miss Bonnie Hunt, who is directin'..... Mr.Joe Mantegna....and who is playin' Deana.... Miss Jennifer Love Hewitt. Still no word on who is goin' to take on the part of playin' our beloved Dino.
Will be very interestin' to see if those parts of Miss Martin's book that speak unfavorably 'bout our beloved Dino will be included in the film. And, likes of course of all the books written by our great man, I woulda most loves to see Nick Tosches' stellar Dino-bio makes it first to the big screen.
To view the interview, just clicks on the tag of this Dino-report to goes to the original postin'. Dino-sharin', DMP
Hey pallies, likes Dino-fest 2011 is comin' up this weekend in Dino-mecca....Stubenville, Ohio. From the blog pad "Media Man International" comes word that the Dean Martin Parade will return as part of the weekend festivities.
While this might appear to be good news, I simply have to ponder whether that be the case or not, when the pallies who run the Dino-fest have chosen "The 'Living Legend' of professional wrestling"...."Bruno Sammartino of Pittsburgh" as the marshall of the parade. Now, no disrespect to Mr. Sammartino, but what the you know what does this wrestler have to do with our beloved Dino? Seems to me that in the past, those chosen as parade marshalls have had some connection to our great man...his life, his time, his legacy. Seems that Sammartino, accordin' to the article below, was chosen because of his popularity....since when is our Dino not a great 'nough draw for the event held in his honor?
On 'nother note, likes a local Stu-ville television station has reported that our Dino's girlpallie Deana has had her Thursday night concert at the Capitol Theater in Wheeling, West Virginia cancelled due to extremely poor ticket sales. Accordin' to Miss Rose Angelica, Dino-fest chairwoman, less then 50-count-'em-50 tickets had been sold by Monday afternoon for Miss Martin's performance.
Makes one wonder what the future of Dino-fest is when they have to pick a long-retired wrestler to try and draw a crowd to the Dino-parade..which also the article below notes includes the "Off Key Kazoo Band." And certainly the poor poor ticket sales for Deana Martin says somethin' 'bout her long tenure with bein' front and center at Dino-fest.
Will be interestin' to read more 'bout this year's event and how it fares...but right now pallies, thin's don't appear to be lookin' all that fine on this Dino-front.
ilovedinomartin thanks the pallies at "Media Man International" for sharin' news of the Dino-parade. To view this in it's original format, likes just clicks on the tag of this Dino-gram. Dino-wonderin', DMP
6/05/2011
Dean Martin parade is back - 4th June 2011
STEUBENVILLE - The "Living Legend" of professional wrestling will be the grand marshal of the revived Dean Martin Parade scheduled for June 18.
Bruno Sammartino of Pittsburgh will highlight a parade that stopped two years ago because of a lack of funds.
Now Beth Wood, executive director of the Steubenville Convention and Visitors Bureau, is looking for people, organizations and businesses to join the parade that will start at noon in front of Steubenville High School.
"The cost for a parade entry is only $10 and that is to cover expenses. Anyone interested in being a part of the Dean Martin parade can pick up an application at my office in the Historic Fort Steuben Visitors Center or can go online at www.visitsteubenville.com," explained Wood.
"In addition to Bruno Sammartino, the Dean Martin festival organizers have lined up six vehicles with different celebrities, including Deana Martin and her husband and also the Off Key Kazoo Band," said Wood.
"At this point we have approximately 25 entries in the parade including the Big Red marching band. And we are now looking for more people interested in participating in the parade and joining Bruno Sammartino in the parade on Fourth Street," added Wood.
"We are expecting a large crowd for the parade because Bruno Sammartino remains a very popular athlete even years after he retired from professional wrestling," noted Wood.
She noted questions can be answered by calling her office at (800) 510-4442.
The Dean Martin festival, slated June 17-10, is part of the annual Traditions Festival in Steubenville.
Hey pallies, likes how cool is it that there has been so so much Dino-action takin' place 'round the 94th anniversary of our Dino enterin' our planet. Recently the Leonard Lopate Show airin' on New York Public Radio Station WNYC did a interview with our Dino's girlpallie Deana Martin 'bout all thin's Dino.
Miss Martin again does a lively and informative interview with Mr. Lopate, but again the Dino she presents in the interview is much different than the Dino she has portraited in her Dino-bio, "Memories Are Made Of This."
The reason for the interview of course is 'cause of all the great Dino-treasures released 'round the time of our Dino's birthday...the Time-Live DVDs of the Dino-show, the amazin' two disc and Dino-pix-book "Cool Then, Cool Now," the re-release and now double disc updated version of "Dino: The Essential Dean Martin," and the new single CD, "Classic Dino: The Best Of Dean Martin."
To listen to the interview, likes just clicks on the tag of this here Dino-gram to goes to the original site. Also, loves so much the great Dino-shots that Mr. Lopate includes....trustin' that these are just a few of the Dino-glorious pixs found in the "Cool Then, Cool Now" Dino-pix collection.
Thanks to Mr. Leonard Lopate and the pallies at WNYC for spreadin' the Dino-message in this way...sure to bring other pallies to knowin', lovin, and amorin' our beloved Dino. Dino-loved, DMP
The Leonard Lopate Show
Deana Martin on the Legendary Dean Martin
Wednesday, June 08, 2011 Listen
WNYC audio player code:
CloseStream m3u
Deana Martin talks about her father, the legendary entertainer Dean Martin. The newly released DVD box set “The Best of the Dean Martin Variety Show” features hundreds of guest segments, sketches and musical performances from the show, which ran on NBC from 1965 to 1974, and included guests such as: Orson Welles, Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Duke Ellington, Rodney Dangerfield, George Burns, Tony Bennett, The Andrews Sisters, and Woody Allen. A hardcover book and 2-CD collection titled Cool Then, Cool Now and two collections of Dean Martin’s music, “Classic Dino: The Best Of Dean Martin” and a re-release of the Platinum-certified “Dino: The Essential Dean Martin” are forthcoming.
La Familia: Claudia, Gail, Craig, Jeanne, Dean, Gina, Ricci, Dean Paul & Deana.
Hey pallies, likes the reviews of "Cool Then, Cool Now" keeps pourin' in. Today we hear from the pallies at the music blog "Jazz Times" where reviewer Christopher Loudon speaks his piece on this newest edition of Dino-collectability.
Likes loves Mr. Loudon's candid Dino-thoughts...."For true Martin-philes, Cool Then, Cool Now is little more than a fun, cleverly concocted novelty. But for this just discovering Dino’s über-coolness, it makes for a dandy intro."
Totally totally digs the way that Christopher mixes some very cool details 'bout our beloved Dino with insights into the book of Dino-pixs and the outstandin' mix of Dino-croons on the double Dino-disc.
Likes readin' this Dino-reflective Dino-review makes my Dino-heart simply yearns even more for the arrival of my very own copy of this must-have collection of Dino-homagin'.
ilovedinomartin says our appreciation to the pallies at "Jazz Times" and particularly Dino-devotee Mr. Christopher Loudon for his Dino-lovin' review of "Cool Then, Cool Now." Indeed likes his Dino-phile sez, hopes this will be "a dandy intro" for "discovering Dino’s über-coolness." To view this in it's original format, just click on the title of this Dino-gram. Dino-cooled, DMP
06/13/11
By Christopher Loudon
Dean Martin: Forever Cool
Christopher Loudon on the new book and CD combo from the famous singer and entertainer
Though Sinatra was the Rat Pack’s undisputed ringleader, the pied piper of come-fly-with-me hijinks and high living, we’ve always known that Dean Martin was the coolest of that crew. Not because of the constant boozing (a well-fueled Martin myth, compared to Sinatra he was practically a teetotaler) or endless carousing (never really Martin’s scene—he preferred a night at home, preferably with a good western on the tube), but because of his utter unflappability and wicked sense of humor. Dino was, history suggests, also the coolest of dads. His three marriages resulted in no fewer than eight kids —a boy and three girls while wed to Betty; two more boys and another girl with Jeanne; and adopted daughter Sasha from his final marriage to Catherine.
Which makes the arrival of the new Martin book/CD combo, Cool Then, Cool Now (Hip-O Select) just in time for Father’s Day rather synchronistic (and, no doubt, calculatedly so). Typical of Hip-O project, the packaging is pretty nifty. Shaped like a vintage family photo album, it is, in fact, precisely that. The slim volume includes 49 pages of photos, showing Martin at work and at play, but focusing on his home life, with more than two-dozen images (many of them published for the first time) of Dean as doting papa.
Scattered throughout the book are brief but heartfelt reminiscences from famous friends (Shirley MacLaine, Jerry Lewis and Arnold Palmer), admirers (Kevin Spacey, Robbie Williams) and second-eldest daughter Gail, who says, “What I remember most is laughing, laughing, laughing. And fun, fun, fun. He got a kick out of all of us and we got a kick out of him.”
Completing the package are two CDs, covering 28 tracks, which constitute less a ‘greatest hits’ collection (there are dozens of those around already) and more a career-spanning sampler. Though iconic early hits from Martin’s Capitol years, including “Memories Are Made of This” and “That’s Amore,” are part of the playlist, the emphasis is weighed heavily toward the Reprise years of the 1960s. “Everybody Loves Somebody” is, of course, included, as are such familiar selections as “You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You,” “Welcome to My World,” “(Open Up the Door) Let the Good Times In” and “Little Ole Wine Drinker Me.”
Throughout the Reprise years (which largely coincided with the top-rated run of The Dean Martin Show, an ideal place for Martin to plug each new record), Martin showed a particular predilection for songs about guys who were down on their luck (yet, more often than not, sunnily optimistic). This oddly endearing sub-genre is here represented by “Bummin’ Around” and “King of the Road.”
There are also a handful of rarities, notably “Who’s Got the Action?” (from 1962) and “Five Card Stud” (1968), which were both originally released only as 45s and seldom show up on Martin compilations.
Finally, there are two duets of the sort pioneered by Natalie Cole in 1991 when she added her vocals to her long-deceased father’s recording of “Unforgettable.” The first finds Dean in the company of Spacey on “Ain’t That A Kick In the Head.” Spacey, who portrayed Bobby Darin in the 2004 biopic Beyond the Sea (which he also directed and co-wrote), adds some distinctly Darin-esque patter to the track. Better, though, is Robbie Williams’ additions to Martin’s 1960 recordings of “Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone.” Of course, Williams has had plenty of practice. His terrific 2001 release Swing While You’re Winning paid tribute to Martin and his ilk, and featured Williams’ “partnering” with Sinatra on his 1965 recording of “It Was A Very Good Year.”
For true Martin-philes, Cool Then, Cool Now is little more than a fun, cleverly concocted novelty. But for this just discovering Dino’s über-coolness, it makes for a dandy intro.
In other Martin news, this week also marks the release from Time-Life of a 6-DVD retrospective of The Dean Martin Show, featuring 20 complete episodes culled from throughout the variety series’ nine-season run and featuring guest appearances by Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Peggy Lee, Duke Ellington, Lena Horne and dozens more.
Hey pallies, likes I'm still waitin' for my special order of both the six disc set of the Dean Martin Show DVDs and the "Cool Then, Cool Now" Dino-pix-book and double CDs. Likes hopes it ain't gonna takes too much longer for the Wells Fargo wagon to brings 'em to me.
But likes while I wait, likes I am grateful to have come 'cross this most enjoyable review of "Cool Then, Cool Now" by a Mr. Jeff Simon of the "Listening Post" section of the on-line presence of "The Buffalo News." Simon sez it best when he pontificates 'bout this very very cool new Dino-treasure sayin', "So, yes, this is a tribute to the Martin the world will always prefer to remember."
This Simon obviously "gets Martin" and musta be a true Dino-devotee since he let's on how much he digs Tosches' Dino-bio. His nifty review simply makes me yearn all the more for my own Dino-copy of "Cool Then, Cool Now."
ilovedinomartin shares our Dino-appreciato for Mr. Jeff's kind Dino-thoughts and hopes it will sends tons of pallies out to the music stores to gets their own copy of what is certainly the premier of premier Dino-treasures. To view this in it's original format, just clicks on the tag of this Dino-post. Dino-yearnin', DMP
Dean Martin, “Cool Them, Cool Now” (Hip-O, Universal, two discs plus 62-page book). It turns out that this celebration of Dean Martin in honor of what would have been his 94th birthday last Tuesday from “the Dean Martin Estate” (i. e., the Martin family) is even more luxurious and impressive than advance word indicated. Kevin Spacey in his introduction to the book pays tribute to the “cool, effortless way he seemed to manage everything he took on” (which seems accurate) and also tells us, “Dean Martin understood that life was a banquet and he was a master chef” (which seems in complete opposition to everything we know about Martin’s troubled final years from Nick Tosches’ masterly biography “Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams.”) Did we need Spacey “featured” on Martin’s great big band swinger “Ain’t That A Kick in the Head?” But it’s the beautifully reproduced black-and-white pictures from all aspects of Martin in the world that impress the most. With two discs of hits plus, the music here is, predictably, heavy on cool and light on the novelties that festoon the two-disc “Essential Dean Martin” from EMI. So, yes, this is a tribute to the Martin the world will always prefer to remember. Just as the family, no doubt, would want it. Three and a half stars. (Jeff Simon)
Hey pallies, likes I loves how different blog pads have homaged our beloved Dino in such unique ways this Dino-year in honorin' our great man's great day. Case in point in this outstandin' Dino-post from the blog "Classic Cinema Images." A pallie tagged Art has a wee bit of Dino-details and then 4 truly classic images of our Dino.
In fact pallies, likes the first image of our beloved Dino is one that likes I don't think I have ever seen before and likes I truly am smitten by the unique nature of the Dino-pix...woulda loves to know the Dino-tale behind it. The other three images are ones that I have often viewed before.
Truly so heart-warmin' to see pallies use their unique blog styles to show their Dino-affection. Thanks to the Mr. Art and his photo blog for sharin' some Dino-magic with us...and helpin' other pallies to grow in knowin', lovin', and honorin' our great man. To view this in it's original format, likes just clicks on the tag of this here Dino-report. Dino-awed, DMP
“King Of Cool”
Posted on June 7, 2011 by art
Dean Martin (June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995), born Dino Paul Crocetti in Steubenville, Ohio, was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin’s hit singles included “Memories Are Made of This”, “That’s Amore”, “Everybody Loves Somebody”, “Mambo Italiano”, “Sway”, “Volare” and smash hit “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head?”. Nicknamed the “King of Cool”, he was one of the members of the “Rat Pack” and a major star in four areas of show business: concert stage/night clubs, recordings, motion pictures, and television.
Hey pallies, likes last year my fav Dino-birthday-trib came from our pallie Otto Bruno at his self-tagged blog space. Likes totally loved what Mr. Bruno shared in that post, includin' the Dino-heartwarmin' story of how he quit a game of b-ball as a kid to get home to catch our Dino on the tube, that likes I couldn't wait to see what Otto woulda puts up this year. And, likes pallies gotta tell you that I ain't been disappointed.
Certainly Mr. Bruno "gets Martin" and I would advise you to takes Otto's advise..."You can find a number of entries about Dean Martin on this site and if you’re a fan, I invite you to search for those entries."
Likes, this year my fav thin' of Bruno's Dino-homagin' is the outstandin' set of Dino-clips that he has chosen to share with his readers. He begins with one of my most fav of fav Dino-moments from the Dino-show where our Dino and the Sam man makes the coolest of the cool music together....likes pallies I coulda and often do watch that Dino-vid over and over and over....likes just can never gets 'nough of the Dino-magic made by our beloved Dino and Sammy Davis Jr. Each of the Dino-vids shows our great man in great form with a variety of entertainment giants.
ilovedinomartin shares our Dino-appreciato with Mr. Otto Bruno for 'nother outstandin' tribute to the one and only Dino. Likes trust that many of Otto's readership will be drawn into relationship with our beloved Dino. To view this in it's orginal format, again, just clicks on the tag of these Dino-thoughts. Dino-devotedly, DMP
Happy Birthday Dean!!
June 7th, 2011
Regulars to this site know I’m a fan of the late, great Dean Martin. For those of you new to the site, I’m a fan of the late, great Dean Martin.
Today would have been Dino’s 94th birthday. He’s one of those special few entertainers from Hollywood’s “Golden Age” who’s reputation and popularity continues to hold steady over a decade after his passing. His easygoing charm and laid back persona on TV and film endeared him to multiple generations of fans.
You can find a number of entries about Dean Martin on this site and if you’re a fan, I invite you to search for those entries.
I see that TCM is showing some Dino films this morning and afternoon. If you look quickly at the schedule you might think it was a Sinatra film fest as they’ve included many of the films Dean and Frank did together. That’s all well and good but it also leaves out a good many Dean Martin films that should be representing him on his special day. Films like Rio Bravo, Airport, The Young Lions, Bandolero, The Sons of Katie Elder and Five Card Stud. And we shouldn’t forget at least one film representing his Matt Helm character – maybe, The Silencers?
I guess it doesn’t really matter. Any footage of Dean Martin on film is bound to bring a smile to your face and a song to your heart.
Happy Birthday Dino – thanks for all the happy memories.
Here’s a sample of just a few of those happy memories.
After watching all these clips I can’t tell if the tears are from my laughter or my nostalgiac longing.
Hey pallies, likes it may take days to post all the outstandin' Dino-remembrances on what woulda been our great man's 94th birthday, ilovedinomartin will be devoted to bringin' you as many Dino-tribs as possible. In this post we again hear from music writer Miss Helen Bach at the rockin' "rock nyc" pad.
Miss Bach so sweetly and simply declares her Dino-devotion by sayin'..."I'm a fan, always have been." Loves the Dino-photo and classic Dino-clip that Miss Helen has chosen to share. It's likes so so cool to find such Dino-homagin' at such a swingin' youthful site like "rock nyc."
ilovedinomartin is so so psyched to see the life, times, and teachin' of our great man bein' shared in so so many ways with nouveau hipsters...and seein' they become completely completely sold out to our Dino. So thanks Miss Helen Bach and the other pallies at "rock nyc" for doin' your part to help others grow in knowin', lovin' and honorin' our beloved Dino! To view this in it's original format, as always, just clicks on the tag of these Dino-thoughts. Dino-loved, DMP
Happy Birthday Dean Martin
Written by Helen Bach
Tuesday, 07 June 2011 00:03
Born today in 1917. Dean was the boozer of The Rat Pack, well that's how his image went. Dino was an amazing singer, had a great sense of humor and movie star looks. His "Martin and Lewis" films are priceless and if you have never seen one you're missing something hilarious.
Its funny he was always the handsome bachelor with a circle of smoke around his head, way cool. His voice is infamous and although alot of what he sang comes off sort of corny now, back in the day he was the cats pajamas.
I'm a fan, always have been. I'm fascinated by his era really. Seemed so much more romantic, although my impression is based solely on films so what the heck do I know.
There are tons of tributes and tons of websites about him, but in honor of this, what would have been 94th birthday how about we just groove on this classic video.
Hey pallies, likes the web is alive with the love of Dino! Homagin' of our Dino is likes so so Dino-abundant as ilovedinomartin continues to honor our great man on his great day of birth. Here's more Dino-adorin' from our Dino-lovin' chick-pallie Dawn at her amazin' blog "Noir and Chick Flicks."
Likes Miss Dawn has gone all out in showin' her Dino-adulation with lots of cool Dino-patter 'bout the life and times of our beloved Dino, many cool Dino-pixs, and a couple of great Dino-clips as well. Always, always so so thrillin' to see others likes Dawn spreadin' the Dino-message in such grand and glorious ways...certainly helpin' others catch the Dino-bug and likes gets absolutely amazin'ly addicted to our beloved Dino.
Thanks from ilovedinomartin to Miss Dawn for such a steller out-pourin' of Dino-devotion on the 94th anniversary of our Dino's comin' to earth. To view this in it's original format, likes just clicks on the tag of this here Dino-gram. Dino-loved, DMP
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Happy Birthday: Dean Martin!
Dean Martin (June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995). At the age of 15, he was a boxer that went by the name, "Kid Crochet". Of his twelve matches, he would later say "I won all but eleven." Eventually, Martin gave up boxing and began working at an illegal casino behind a tobacco shop where he had started as a stock boy. At the same time, he sang with local bands. Calling himself "Dino Martini" (after the then-famous Metropolitan Opera tenor, Nino Martini), he got his first break working for the Ernie McKay Orchestra. In the early 1940s, he started singing for bandleader Sammy Watkins, who suggested he change his name to Dean Martin.
In 1943, Martin bombed at the Riobamba, a high class nightclub in New York, where he met Frank Sinatra. Soon after he met Jerry Lewis, at the Glass Hat Club in New York, where both men were performing. Martin and Lewis formed a fast friendship which led to their music-comedy team.
Martin and Lewis's, official debut together was at Atlantic City's 500 Club on July 24, 1946, where the owner, Skinny D'Amato, warned them that if they did not come up with a better act, they would be fired. Martin sang and Lewis came out dressed as a busboy, making fun of Martin's performance by doing whatever popped into his head. Their act led to triumphant run at New York's Copacabana.
The team made its TV debut on the very first broadcast of, Toast of the Town Program (later called the Ed Sullivan Show) with Ed Sullivan and Rogers and Hammerstein appearing on June 20, 1948 . A radio series began in 1949, the same year Martin and Lewis were signed by Paramount producer Hal B. Wallis, for the movie, My Friend Irma. A comedy film directed by George Marshall. The storyline follows two New York roommates, Irma Peterson and Jane Stacey. Irma is a blonde who has a good heart. Jane, has dreams of marrying a rich man and works as a secretary for a millionaire, Richard Rhinelander. Irma is in love with a con-artist named Al looking for a get rich scheme. Al visits the juice stand and over hears Steve Laird singing. He convinces him to leave his job and promises to make him famous. Steve and Seymour, end up living at Jane's apartment. She does not like the idea, but Irma convinces her to let them stay. Soon, Jane and Steve fall in love. After a successful singing debut, Steve, is heartbroken when he learns off Jane's wishes to marry a wealthy man and he leaves and returns to the juice stand. Meanwhile, Irma gets into trouble and decides to end it all. But... not before, she finds out a radio station is about to call her for a $50,000 question, so she rushes home to win the prize and all live happily ever after.
Their agent, Abby Greshler, negotiated for them one of Hollywood's best deals: Martin and Lewis were free to do one outside film a year, which they would co-produce through their own York Productions. They also had complete control of their club, record, radio and television appearances.
Martin's first solo film, Ten Thousand Bedrooms (1957). The story begins when millionaire hotel owner Ray Hunter flies to Rome to buy, the Regent. He is picked up at the airport by Maria Martelli, who works for the hotel's owner, the Countess Alzani. Ray is confronted by the Countess for his impersonal ways and he promises to change. Maria, works as Ray's translator while in town. He meets the Martelli family and Maria's youngest sister, 18-year-old Nina, takes a immediate liking to Ray. Maria's, boyfriend is Anton, a poor Polish count/sculptor. Nina, tries to catch Ray's eye, while his private pilot Mike is trying to catch hers. Nina sees the sights with Ray and wants to marry him, so she asks her father for permission. Papa Martelli forbids it, saying in this family all of the eldest daughters must be married before the youngest can. Ray, sends for two eligble bachelors from America which he introduces to the other two sisters of Maria and Nina.
He soon realizes he is with the wrong sister and does not know what to do.. At a party, Papa Martelli announes that Ray is engaged to daughter Nina, which upsets Mike, but everything finally works out. Ray finds a job for Anton that sends him to Bombay. Papa Martelli, finds himself planning four weddings.
Martin wanted to be known as a serious actor and was offered a role in the film, The Young Lions (1957), he was happy to land the part because he could now learn from Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift. Tony Randall already had the part, but talent agency MCA replaced Randall and the film turned out to be the beginning of Martin's comeback.
Success would continue as Martin starred with Frank Sinatra for the first time in Vincente Minnelli drama, Some Came Running (1958). Which started out as a novel by James Jones, published in 1957. It is the story of a war veteran with literary aspirations who returns in 1948 to his hometown of Parkman, Indiana, after a failed writing career. A film version starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Shirley MacLaine was nominated for five Academy Awards.
Martin, is best known for his performance as Dude in the film, Rio Bravo (1959), directed by Howard Hawks and also starring John Wayne and singer Ricky Nelson. A film about a small-town sheriff who recives the help of a cripple, a drunk, and a gunfighter to hold a bad guy in jail..
He teamed up again with Wayne in The Sons of Katie Elder (1965). Directed by Henry Hathaway. The movie was filmed mostly in Mexico. The film is about Four Brothers, trying to make up for their sins to a saintly mother who has recently died.
In 1960, Martin was cast in the film,Bells Are Ringing. A film about Ella Peterson, who is a Brooklyn telephone answering service operator who gets involved with lives of her clients. She falls in love with one of her clients, the playwright Jeffrey Moss, and is determined to meet him. The trouble is, he calls "Mom."
Martin played a variation of his own womanizing persona as Vegas singer "Dino" in Billy Wilder's comedy, Kiss Me, Stupid (1964) with Kim Novak, and he was not above poking fun at his image in films such as the Matt Helm spy spoofs of the 1960s, in which he was a co-producer.
As Martin's solo career grew, he and Frank Sinatra became close friends. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Martin and Sinatra, along with friends Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, and Sammy Davis, Jr. formed the legendary Rat Pack, so called by the public after an earlier group of social friends, the Holmby Hills Rat Pack: Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, of which Sinatra had been a member.
The Martin-Sinatra-Davis-Lawford-Bishop group referred to themselves as "The Summit" or "The Clan" and never as "The Rat Pack". The men formed an important part of the Hollywood social scene in those years, and were politically influential (through Lawford's marriage to Patricia Kennedy, sister of President John F. Kennedy).
In 1965, Martin launched his weekly NBC comedy-variety series, The Dean Martin Show. There he perfected his famous laid-back persona of the half-drunk crooner hitting on beautiful women. Martin, did not rehearse because he believed his best performances were his first. Sometimes his remarks brought angry mail from offended, viewers.
Martin's idea of a good time was watching westerns, playing golf and had his own signature line of golf balls.
Martin starred in and co-produced a series of four Matt Helm super spy comedy adventures. A fifth, The Ravagers, was planned starring Sharon Tate and Martin in a dual role, one as a serial killer, but due to the murder of Tate and the decline of the spy genre the film was never made.
Please click here to learn more about Dean Martin.
Every generation discovers the Rat Pack at some point. Those who grew up in the 1950s and 1960s watched its formation in real time and grew up with the magical music of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dean Martin. In the mid-1990s, the film Swingers introduced a new generation to the joys of cocktail culture and the music that made that era famous. And on what would have been his 94th birthday, Capitol Records released a pair of collections: the 14-track Classic Dino: The Best of Dean Martin and an expanded release of Dino: The Essential Dean Martin, which has been expanded from its original release to include 36 of Martin’s top hits across two CDs. (This review will focus only on the latter.)
