Was Dean Martin a Movie Star or a TV Star?

Hey pallies, likes on this tenth day of movin' toward Dino-winter-day, we 'gain finds ourselves at a new-to-ilovedinomartin blog pad, "classicmoviechat.com," where bloggers Mr. Joe Morella and Mr. Frank Segers ask the provocative Dino-quire, "Was Dean Martin a Movie Star or a TV Star?" Our Dino...Movie Star? or TV Star?....likes my first thoughts were "what a radically ridiculous question....likes anyone who knows anythin' 'bout our most beloved Dino knows that Dino was the man who did it all...not just movies, and tv, but stage, and clubs, and recordin's as well!"

Well it appears that Joe and Frank, whose bios lets us know that they both did gigs with "Variety." are simply tryin' to be evocative in their introduction to this Dino-reflection 'cause likes their collective answer is, "the answer, naturally, is both."
Whew, likes I'm relieved that I likes don't have to set 'em straight on that Dino-score!

Anywho, the primary Dino-focus of their Dino-prose is our Dino's 1966 comedic western, "Texas Across The River." Seems Mr. Morella worked the premier of the flick in Dallas, Texas and as you will note has great thin's to say 'bout our great man..."gracious and easy going."

For me the coolest thin' 'bout this post is this outstandin' pix of our Dino and Mr. Peter Graves from the filmin'. Likes, you may be wonderin' what does these Dino-thoughts have to do with Dino-winter-day...well, likes let's me tell ya pallies. "Texas Across The River" is one of a handful of Dino-flicks that are not yet in my Dino-possession...it was once released in VHS, but is yet to make the scene on DVD...so it is certainly on my Dino-wish-list for Dino-winter-day! Likes I simply can't stop to I have acquired each and every film that our Dino appeared in.

ilovedinomartin sez our thanks to Mr. Frank Segers and Mr. Joe Morella for such a cool liftin' up of the name of our Dino and helpin' their readers to grow in knowin', lovin' and honorin' our most honorable Dino! Perhaps, just perhaps this post might just helps Universal to release the DVD ver-is-on of "Texas Across The River." To view this in it's original format, likes just clicks on the tag of this Dino-gram. Dino-wishin'-and-waitin', DMP

Was Dean Martin a Movie Star or a TV Star?

Dec 08 2011

Written by Joe Morella and Frank Segers



Hello, everybody, Joe Morella and Frank Segers, your classic movie guys here to announce that the answer, naturally, is both.

After splitting with Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin continued a successful career in films with notable performances in Some Came Running with Frank Sinatra, Rio Bravo and The Sons of Katie Elder with John Wayne. Martin appeared in comedies, dramas, musicals and westerns.

A few weeks ago Frank induced Joe to reminisce about his time with Universal Pictures, working in Texas for the opening of Texas Across the River, the western/comedy Dean made in 1965.

We ran a photo of Joe in a convertible on tour with one of the other stars of the picture, Peter Graves. (See our Sept. 16 blog, Are Movie Premieres A Thing Of The Past?)

Today’s photo shows Dean with Graves, but can you recognize the ‘Indian’ hiding in the background? BIG CLUE: He was part of the Sinatra rat pack.

Also pictured, to Graves’ right, is actor Andrew Prine. Joe recalls that at the party after the movie opening in Dallas, Prine had a contest with character actor Chill Wills as to how many women each could bed that evening. (It was a close contest.)

Dean Martin came to the opening in Dallas to provide the “big star” quality needed for a movie Premiere. Joe remembers him as gracious and easy going. One aspect of the stars from that era is that they all knew the value of publicity and had respect for their fans.

A few lines about Texas Across The River. Its is totally forgettable comedy western in which Martin’s eclectic costars include French actor Alain Delon and the gent who played the ‘Indian’ (see above). Graves, the younger brother of “Gunsmoke’s” James Arness, plays one Captain Rodney Stimson, and given to delivering such lines as “Take it easy, Yancy. You got a wedding to go to.”

After this film, Graves went on the TV stardom in Mission Impossible. Dean Martin’s movie career continued with the Matt Helm series but with the exception of the all star Airport, his film career was winding down. He too turned to TV and as everyone knows had one of the most successful musical variety shows on the medium.