Hey pallies, likes we continue to take the deepest of deep Dino-delight in sharin' more and more Centennial Celebration posts accentin' The Day That Coolness Came To Earth....our most beloved Dino's descent to our planet on June 7, 1917. Today, on this last day of our stellar special month of Dino-remembrance, we are proudly pleased to return to the swankest of swank spy blog, "The Spy Command," where we have shared a number of potent posts awesomely accentin' our Dino as swingin' spyster Matt Helm.
Today's Dino-devotion is an excellent example of the stellar scope of our Dino's career and how so so many truly diverse bloggers have lovin'ly lifted up the life and times of our Dino on his 100th anniversary of his beautiful birth. We deeply deeply digs how the pallie who scribes at "The Spy Command" tags our Dino as we have noted in the title of this post, "Dean Martin (1917-1995), a lover not a fighter" and notin' his "fondness" for our Dino as Matt Helm and neatly notin' that ".... today is a day of celebration. Bottoms up, Dino."
We sez our thoughtful thanks to the swell scriber at "The Spy Command" for coolly celebratin' with our most beloved Dino on this most special of special Dino-days. To checks this out in it's original source, likes simply clicks on the tag of this here Dino-message. And, likes knows that more 'n more marvelous Dino-remembrances will be spillin' over into the Dino-days, weeks, and months ahead!
Dean Martin (1917-1995), a lover not a fighter in The Ambushers (1967).
Today, June 7, is the 100th anniversary of the birthday of Dean Martin. Dino, in his day, was the epitome of cool and charm. For many, he still is.
His contribution to spy entertainment was starring in the four-film Matt Helm series produced by Irving Allen, former partner of Eon Productions co-founder Albert R. Broccoli.
To entice Dino, Allen made the actor his partner. As a result, Martin enjoyed a bigger pay day for the first Helm film, The Silencers, than Sean Connery got for Thunderball. Connery noticed and wanted to be a partner in the Bond franchise..
The Helm series doesn’t get respect in the 21st century. Many who like the movies refer to their affection as a “guilty pleasure.”
One of the movies, Murderers’ Row, even had a plot point where Matt gives his boss Mac (James Gregory) a clue by deliberately misstating his alcohol preference. (“Matt Helm never drank a glass of bourbon in his life!” Mac says as he tries to figure out the traitor in his organization.)
For the record, this blog would greatly appreciate a new Helm movie that faithfully adapted the Hamilton novels. At the same time, the Spy Commander discovered the novels *because* of the Dean Martin films. Speaking strictly for myself, I’m very fond of both, despite the flaws of the movies.
Regardless, today is a day of celebration. Bottoms up, Dino.
Good evening pallies! I hope your week is coming to an uneventful end as we start to put the wonderful month of Dino-June 2017 behind us.
And what a June 2017 Year Of Our Dino it has been! What a job done by THE Mr. DMP bringing us news daily, and that of Danny G with non-stop Dino tunes to help remind us what it's all about.
My last June story is one that's hard to believe, and I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't heard for myself pallies.
I met this lovely lady of 82 years while strolling through the Dean Martin room in the Jefferson County museum. I was admiring the Dino pics and articles when I heard a conversation between her and another group of people. I only heard bits a pieces of the conversation regarding a Dean Martin story. Once done, I asked her what her story was.
She told me this....
On the corner of 6th St, Steubenville, in the year 1935, Dino Crocetti was singing to a small crowd. In the crowd was a mother holding her baby. Once done singing, Dino asked the young mother if he could hold the baby girl. The mother obliged and let Dino hold her baby. This lady was that baby.
Her father always reminded her that for the rest of her life she had that story to tell. So here we are telling her story with her! I cropped myself out, cause it's not about me palllies...
I was thrilled of this story and how sweet she was. Lucky to be her!
Hey pallies, likes as we continue to share pallies' personal passion for our Dino on the centennial celebration of The Day That Coolness Came To Earth, we find it remarkably refreshin' how powerfully personal each and every delightful Dino-honorin' post is and how truly truly ubber unique is each swank scriber's way of lovin'ly liftin' up the name of our Dino.
Likes today is no exception to this Dino-rule and we are perfectly perfectly pleased to return for a fifth time to the style icon blog for men, BAMF Style - Dress like a man where a youthful swingin' modster "luckystrike721" holds forth. No one, and likes, we mean no one is more of a male fashion icon then our most beloved Dino and "luckystrike721" has previously lifted up our Dino in a quartet of powerfully potent posts circa 2013-2016 that we have featured here at ilovedinomartin and can be located HERE, and HERE, and HERE, and HERE.
"luckystrike721's" current post in huge homage of the cool celebration of the hundredth anniversary of our Dino's birth in Stu-ville is the stylish of stylish offerin' simply tagged "Dean Martin Turns 100: Dino’s Iconic Tuxedo" and we thinks it is this youthful Dino-adulator bestest of best Dino-entry yet!
Marvelously mixin' perfect prose and profound pixs with some lush links to magic moments to the Dino-show and more, "luckystrike721" reverently relates our Dino's life and times through his fashionable wearin' of his tux and the changes in such over time.
Likes we marvel at the tremendous time 'n talent that this fashionable man has lovin'ly lavished on our most beloved Dino with incredible insights and impeccable taste. "luckystrike721" has powerfully poured his heart and soul into this amazin' accent of our iconic Dino and we can find words 'nough to sez our thoughtful thanks to him for his awesome adulation of our King of Cool.
To checks this out in it's original source, likes simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-presentation.
We remain,
Yours in Dino,
Dino Martin Peters
JUNE 7, 2017
Dean Martin Turns 100: Dino’s Iconic Tuxedo
Dean Martin on the set of The Dean Martin Show, circa 1965
Vitals
Dean Martin, smooth and multi-talented entertainer
Burbank, California, 1965 to 1974
Series: The Dean Martin Show
Air Dates: September 16, 1965 – April 5, 1974
Director: Greg Garrison
Tailor: Sy Devore
Background
On June 7, 1917, Dino Paul Crocetti was born in Steubenville, Ohio, to Angela and Gaetano Crocetti, the latter a barber from the Abruzzo region in Italy where much of my own family hails. One hundred years later, the world remembers him as Dean Martin, the charming crooner whose legendary career spanned half a century as a major headliner from nightclubs and casinos to movies and TV shows.
Effortlessly charismatic and unflappable, Dino brought his smooth star power to his popular comedy act with Jerry Lewis and later as a leader of the Rat Pack alongside Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.
CNN contributor Bob Greene wrote in 2012: “His friend Frank Sinatra may have liked the image of being Chairman of the Board, but the core of Martin’s enduring allure is that not only did he not want to be chairman, he didn’t even want to serve on the board: It would mean that he would be cooped up in some boardroom for meetings when he’d rather be out playing golf. The sight of him in a tuxedo – he wore it as comfortably as most men wear a pair of pajamas – says to people who weren’t even born when he was at the height of his fame: Take a deep breath and let yourself grin. Your problems can wait until tomorrow.”
While the boozy, womanizing antics of the Rat Pack may have alienated younger audiences during the radical ’60s, Dean Martin’s solo star never stopped shining. In 1964, Dean’s recording of “Everybody Loves Somebody” knocked the seemingly invincible Beatles off of the number one spot on the Billboard charts. Not only was it his first hit to crack the Top 40 in six years, but it almost immediately shot to the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 list. Later to be his signature tune, “Everybody Loves Somebody” retained its top position on the “Pop-Standard Singles” chart for eight weeks.
As Dean Martin demonstrated his staying power even in the age of the British Invasion, he was approached to headline a variety show on NBC. Reluctant to scale back his bread-and-butter work in movies and nightclubs and unwilling to commit to the pressures of a weekly show, Martin laid down admittedly and deliberately outrageous terms for his acceptance: a staggering salary of $40,000 and a commitment to show up only to the show’s taping without rehearsals. Of course, NBC was delighted for any response at all and accepted, and Dean announced to his family: “They went for it, so now I have to do it.”
The Dean Martin Show debuted on NBC on September 16, 1965 and became an NBC staple, running at 10 p.m. on Thursdays (Thirsty Thursday, of course) and, later, Fridays for 264 episodes until its final show on April 5, 1974. The show was exactly what one would expect of Dean Martin, a casual, genuine, and unpretentious hour of entertainment that benefited from the natural spontaneity of Dean’s unrehearsed performances and willingness to put himself out there. My grandma still laughs when remembering Dean’s genuine shock at the celebrity guests who would knock on a closet door on the set, surprising him as the producers almost always kept guest identities from Dean in order to provoke the best response.
While his fellow Rat Packers and stars of the era were often plagued with addictions and scandal, Dean Martin was seemingly most addicted to fake-drinking rather than actually imbibing as heavily as his image demanded, often filling his on-stage rocks glass with apple juice rather than his preferred J&B scotch whisky. Dean was a dedicated father to his seven children and was forever heartbroken when his son Dean Paul Martin was killed in a crash while flying with the California Air National Guard in March 1987.
A lifelong smoker of Kent cigarettes, Dean Martin was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1993. Despondent over the loss of his son six years earlier and tired after his long, successful career, Dean refused the surgery that may have prolonged his life and died in his Beverly Hills home on December 25, 1995 at the age of 78. The lights of the Las Vegas Strip where he had entertained so many were dimmed in his honor, and Ohio Route 7 through his hometown of Steubenville was renamed Dean Martin Boulevard.
The epitaph on his crypt in Westwood Village Memorial Park reads “Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime,” both the name of his signature song and the personal credo that defined his beloved persona.
What’d He Wear?
“In regular clothes, I’m a nobody,” Dean once reflected. “In a tuxedo, I’m a star.”
Thus, for his most starring role as the host of a long-running variety show, Dean dressed to the nines every night in a tailored dinner suit perfectly suited for his debonair playboy image.
Per his standards, Dean Martin was a star every week from the fall of 1965 through the spring of 1974.
The Dinner Jacket
The luxurious dupioni silk was Dino's suiting of choice when it came to his trademark dinner jackets.
Over the course of his variety show from 1965 to 1974, Dean Martin wore at least four different styles of dinner jacket that reflected the fashions of the times. A few aspects remained consistent on each: all were black dupioni silk with a single-breasted, single-button closure and a welted breast pocket for his trademark red silk display kerchief.
Dino’s dinner suits are all made from that shiny, slubby pain weave silk fabric known as dupioni. Slightly heavier than other silks like shantung, dupioni silk may have worn warm for our hero during unrehearsed nights of singing, dancing, and prancing under the hot lights of a TV studio, but the fabric’s wrinkle-resistant properties lend well to the lounge lizard aspects of Dean’s persona, allowing him to luxuriate around the set week after week without his trademark tux looking rumpled.
His two dinner jackets with peak lapels were the most formally detailed with jetted side pockets and ventless back while his notch lapel dinner jackets incorporated other less formal details borrowed from business suits such as ticket pockets and side vents.
When Dean’s show debuted in September 1965, he appeared in a sleek ventless dinner jacket with slim peak lapels that roll to a single silk-covered button at his waist. The red silk display kerchief favored by several Rat Packers puffs out from his welted breast pocket while his straight hip pockets are jetted for clean lines through the torso. The sleeves end with three silk-covered buttons on each cuff.
Dino welcomes the audience with “Everybody Loves Somebody” during one of the first episodes in fall 1965.
As the show went on into the late ’60s, Dean’s tuxedo retained its closer cut but loosened up on its formality; by 1968, Dino was rocking slim notch lapels, flapped pockets, and long double vents on his dinner jacket… less formal elements but certainly appropriate given the “living room” nature of the production. The flapped hip pockets slant slightly backward and, like the flapped ticket pocket on the right, are positioned just below the buttoning point. He still has three cuff buttons, albeit black plastic sew-through buttons rather than the more elegant silk-covered buttons of his earlier jacket.
Dino sings “That Old Feeling” and “I Take a Lot of Pride in What I Am” with guest Ann-Margret during her fifth season appearance, February 1970. (Link)
When the sixth season began in September 1970, Dean was back to a ventless dinner jacket with peak lapels, albeit wider lapels more fitting the fashions of the era. The hip pockets slant backward, and Dean’s ever-present red pocket square again puffs out from his welted breast pocket, echoing the jacket’s red faille lining. For the ’70s, Dean also started wearing jackets with single-button cuffs.
Dean Martin with guest Frank Sinatra during one of his many appearances. This particular episode is from New Year’s Eve 1970. (Link)
Finally, by the end of the show’s run in the spring of 1974, Dean’s dinner suit fell victim to some of the excess of ’70s fashion with long double vents and extremely wide satin-faced notch lapels that extend to nearly an inch away from his armpits. The ticket pocket and straight hip pockets have wide flaps. This jacket, too, has a single black plastic button on each cuff.
Gene Kelly performs with Dean Martin, circa 1973. (Link)
At least some of his dinner jackets, most probably the earliest ones, were likely tailored by the Rat Pack’s unofficial tailor, Sy Devore. By the 1970s, Dean was known to wear dinner jackets tailored by Carmen Lamola of Beverly Hills, such as this black wool tuxedo that was auctioned in June 2008 as part of Julien’s Summer Entertainment Sale.
Like his fellow Rat Pack comradeFrank Sinatra, Dean Martin was a major proponent of the red silk pocket square, albeit worn more rakishly unstructured than the Chairman’s preferred TV fold… a difference that reflects both men’s styles, sartorial and otherwise.
Dino in particular seemed to favor bright red satin kerchiefs, providing a vibrant splash of color against the duo-toned black dinner suit and white shirt.
To add the Dean Martin touch to your formal attire, a crimson red silk pocket square like this.
Everything Else
Dean’s formal trousers naturally matched his dinner jackets, suited in black dupioni silk with a shiny satin stripe down the side of each leg. He often placed his hands in his side pockets, positioned just behind the satin braid.
The flat front trousers typically rose low on his waist, coordinating well with the low button stance of his dinner jackets. The bottoms are plain-hemmed, per standard practice for formal trousers.
Befitting his casual nature and a wise concession under the hot studio lights, Dean would forego wearing a waist covering such as a cummerbund or waistcoat, instead keeping his jacket buttoned and relying on the finely tailored coordination to keep him looking cool and composed.
Dino in repose.
Dean Martin seemed to abhor traditional dress shirts, fully embracing a button-down collar to wear with every outfit from sport coats and business suits to dinner suits. Unacceptable to menswear purists, a button-down shirt with black tie is indicative of Dino’s unpretentious attitudes that lent him a unique degree of sartorial freedom. (Sinatra, an impeccable dresser whose precision bordered on obsessive compulsion, probably took issue with some of his friend’s fashion choices.)
Dino takes his unorthodox shirt a step further by often sporting the seemingly incongruous combination of a button-down collar and double (French) cuffs on the same shirt, a unique combination that was also worn – albeit less formally – by his friends Frank Sinatra and Cary Grant. Through the nine seasons of The Dean Martin Show‘s run, Dean wore a variety of cuff links, including sets in mother-of-pearl, diamond, or plain metal.
Dean Martin chats with guest Goldie Hawn in the fifth season premiere on September 18, 1969, discussing the virtues of dumb pride. (Link)
Interestingly, the most nontraditional element of Dean’s shirt was also the most consistent as he never appeared in anything but a white button-down shirt on his show… however, the details beyond that would often vary. A plain front was usual, but Dean would also wear shirts ranging from a front placket with mother-of-pearl buttons to diamond studs (as seen in the New Year’s Eve 1970 episode with Sinatra). Dean’s non-double cuff shirts were usually of the multiple-button barrel cuff variety, as seen in Ocean’s Eleven and in the famous photo from backstage at Carnegie Hall in 1961.
Dean shares a good-hearted laugh at the expense of Melissa Stafford, one of his “Golddiggers”, who flubbed a line during a musical performance. (Link)
Like the lapels of his dinner jacket, Dean’s black satin silk bow tie would grow in size over the course of the show to reflect the trends of each show’s particular season.
Dino’s bow tie grew from a timeless butterfly-style in 1965 to a then-fashionable jumbo butterfly by the mid-’70s.
Dean’s on-air footwear with his dinner suits was always a pair of black velvet Prince Albert evening slippers, both with and without gold embroidery.
While less formal than oxfords, the elegant Prince Albert slipper has long been an acceptable black tie footwear alternative in settings like the home, club, or other intimate gatherings. Dino also correctly wears his evening slippers with black dress socks, avoiding some men’s misconceptions that evening slippers should be worn sockless like bedroom slippers!
By wearing the less formal Prince Albert slippers, Dean essentially invited himself and his viewers into guests’ living rooms every Thursday night.
Dean Martin typically wore his jewelry on his left hand. A silver (or white gold) diamond ring was a mainstay on his left pinky, dating back to his early career in the Martin and Lewis days. He would also usually wear a silver chain-link bracelet around his left wrist, a common affectation among Italian-American men.
Dino flashes his accessories and cuffs during an early episode of The Dean Martin Show.
In some early episodes, Dean could be spotted wearing a gold dress watch rather than his bracelet. This watch has a square silver dial and is worn on a gold bracelet.
Dean Martin wears a gold watch while enjoying a duet with Louis Armstrong, circa 1965 (link).
For more information about Dean Martin in a dinner jacket, check out this early BAMF Style post about his black mohair tuxedo in Ocean’s Eleven (1960).
Go Big or Go Home
Dean Martin and his daughter Claudia singing alongside Frank Sinatra and his daughter Nancy on The Dean Martin Show‘s 1967 Christmas special.
At the height of The Dean Martin Show‘s popularity, Dean hosted one of the most highly rated episodes at Christmas 1967 featuring regular guest Frank Sinatra and members of both of their families, including Martin’s wife Jeanne and all seven of his children (Craig, Claudia, Gail, Deana, Dean Paul, Ricci, and Gina) in addition to Sinatra’s three children (Tina, Nancy, and Frank Jr.)
Celebrity Christmas specials were a dime a dozen in the late ’60s, seemingly the backbone of Andy Williams’ career, but Dean’s show highlighted the warmth that set him apart as an entertainer. Dean may have loved opening his door to the surprise appearances of stars like John Wayne and Ann-Margret, but it was his family that truly gave him the most happiness.
Frank Sinatra essentially became a member of Dean’s family. As one of his first guests, Frank was often to return to The Dean Martin Show for incredible music duets and skits. It was only around the easygoing Dino that Frank could loosen up.
A loyal and unflappable friend, Dean would always step in to help Frank and it was often Dean’s cooler head that would prevail when the short-fused Frank was provoked by seemingly harmless triggers like an undercooked egg or a loud bar patron.
For all of his own faults, Frank could always depend on Dean.
How to Get the Look
Dean Martin will be forever linked to the image of a charming figure comfortably clad in a black tailored tuxedo, looking forever at ease.
Black dupioni silk single-breasted 1-button dinner jacket with satin-faced peak lapels, welted breast pocket, straight jetted hip pockets, 3-button cuffs, and ventless back
White cotton shirt with button-down collar, plain front, and double/French cuffs
Black satin silk bow tie
Black dupioni silk flat front formal trousers with satin side stripe, straight side pockets, and plain-hemmed bottoms
Black velvet Prince Albert slippers
Black dress socks
Silver chain-link ID bracelet
Silver diamond pinky ring
Toss a red silk kerchief in your breast pocket and a glass of scotch in your hand, and that’s amore!
Do Yourself a Favor and…
Check out the show! In addition to a number of YouTube clips, compilation DVDs are also available on Amazon.
Of course, you should also be listening to the music. This 30-song collection is branded as his “essential” volume and with classics like “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head”, “Volare”, and “You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves You”, it’s a fine place to start.
I also like the mellow collection on Late at Night with Dean Martin, featuring an understated version of his signature hit “Everybody Loves Somebody” in addition to classics like “Baby Won’t You Please Come Home”, “Dream”, and “Mean to Me”.
The Quote
If you drink, don’t drive. Don’t even putt.
Footnote
There seems to be some confusion about whether or not Dean Martin’s birth date is June 7 or June 17. The earlier date seems to be the more widely accepted date. Either way, he’s a Gemini.
Somehow, his birth time has been confirmed as 11:55 p.m… which makes perfect sense.
Hey pallies, as our Dino-bro Eddie-o continues to share bits and pieces of his pilgrimage to the hometown of our most beloved Dino for the cool centennial celebration of Dino-fest 2017, we are proudly pleased to have come 'cross a beautiful blog post from a fellow traveler to Stubenville who has creatively chronicled their Dino-journey.
From the pad "Christmas TV History," comes blogger Miss Joanna Wilson's June 20 prose 'n pix post, "Dean Martin Festival in Steubenville, OH (2017)." Likes, back in December of 2016, ilovedinomartin has featured Miss Wilson's huge homage of our Dino's 1968 Christmas Special HERE.
Likes as you read this post, all youse Dino-holics will discover that Joanna not only has powerful passion for our Dino's wintery special, but was deeply deeply delighted to spend some time in Steubenville where our Dino spent his growin' up years. Miss Wilson only got to spend Friday, the first full day of Dino-fest in Dino-town, but as you will read she enjoyed seein' the room of Dino-history at the local museum and made sure, as our Eddie-o did, to seek out the site of our Dino's birth.
We thanks Miss Joanna Wilson for sharin' her interestin' impressions of journeyin' to place of our Dino's descent to earth and partakin' of at least some of the awesome activities of the 20th anniversary of Dino-fest. To checks this out in it's original source, likes simply clicks on the tag of this DIno-report.
We remain,
Yours in Dino,
Dino Martin Peters
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Dean Martin Festival in Steubenville, OH (2017)
It's summer time and I've traveled to another to pop culture destination while on vacation. You may remember some of my earlier destinations: Rosemary Clooney House in Augusta, KY; The Jimmy Stewart Museum in Indiana, PA; It's a Wonderful Life Museum in Seneca Falls, NY; The Waltons-Hamner Homestead in Schuyler, VA; The Lucille Ball museums in Jamestown, NY; and A Christmas Story House Museum in Cleveland, OH. I love traveling and sharing my adventures. What pop culture destinations have you visited?
Last weekend I journeyed to Steubenville, OH, the hometown of crooner Dean Martin. Two weeks ago, it was (what would have been) Martin's 100th birthday. So his hometown's celebration, the annual Dean Martin Festival, was planned to be bigger and better than ever. Most of the special events were scheduled for Saturday, June 17th but I was only able to make the trip on Friday, June 16th. I knew I would be missing out on most of the fun--but I decided to go anyway, to take in and enjoy what Martin's hometown has to offer.
Spotted this marker from the freeway and was able to find it again after exiting. (Click on image to enlarge).
Steubenville is a Rust Belt city in the Midwest. Like so many others, its peak in population (and industry) was many decades ago but the city and its people move forward to redefine themselves. One of the more fascinating aspects of visiting Dean Martin's hometown is discovering the vibrant and rich history of the city at the time Dino Crocetti lived there. I love history so visiting the local Historical Museum was a must.
The historical museum's collection on Martin includes photos and memorabilia of his music, television, and film career.
The Jefferson County Historical Association Museum is a frequent stop for Dean Martin fans. There's an entire room in the historical home-turned-museum dedicated to Martin's lengthy career. Steubenville residents are especially proud of Martin's acknowledgement of his hometown--there are many newspaper clippings and photos of his return visits.
Who could forget Martin in the car rally movies Cannonball Run and Cannonball Run 2?
Getting a photo of the entire room at the historical museum was too difficult but I found one piece of memorabilia to pose with!
The historical museum is a typical small-town museum but I appreciated its attention to detail and they way it captured the city's rich history. I also learned here that actor Robert Urich is also from the area--he's from Toronto, OH which is right up the road from Steubenville.
Although the Dean Martin Festival website didn't recommend a stop at Dean Martin's Steubenville home, we decided to look up the address on-line. Now we know why. Here's the field bearing the address.
The Dean Martin mural is on the wall of a local grocery store.
Steubenville is also known as The City of Murals. Wonderfully detailed, painted murals line many of the downtown buildings. Of course, there's a Dean Martin one. His mural includes a central image of Dean singing as he descends carpeted stairs. This is surrounded by four sepia-toned tableaus.
Top right quadrant: Dean and Jerry Lewis.
Bottom right: Dean and his musical director from TV's The Dean Martin Show.
Top left: Dean and his Rat Pack buddies, Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra.
Bottom left: Dean and Jerry riding in a car during a hometown parade.
The mural is quite a tourist attraction! Everyone at the grocery store was used to seeing people like me stopping for photos.
The Dean Martin Festival also recommended eating at Dean's favorite restaurant in Steubenville: Naples Spaghetti House. On Friday evening, the old-school eatery was already filled with locals and people from out of town for the festival.
Maybe I'll get another chance to eat here next year :)
Again, I missed most of the special events planned for the festival but that's okay. They had a parade through downtown, a marathon street dance, many concerts, contests--even a 5k race! Dean's daughter Deana even came to Steubenville for the celebration. Maybe I need to come back next year.
It turned out to be a nice day trip for myself and my friend. We listened to several Dean Martin albums on the drive down--including a Christmas one! And, I got to share with my friend my passion for the Christmas episodes of The Dean Martin Show and the numerous '70s Christmas specials too. Remember I wrote about the1968 Christmas episode here.
from the 1968 Dean Martin Christmas show.
Have you ever visited a pop culture destination? What are you plans for this summer?
Joanna Wilson is a TV researcher and book author specializing in Christmas entertainment. Her latest book "Triple Dog Dare: Watching--& Surviving--the 24-Hour Marathon of A Christmas Story" was released in 2016. Her books can be found at the publisher's website: 1701 press.com
I hope the week is off to a good start for everyone here who visits the BEST Dino blog on the internets!
Today I have a note worthy document to share with you. I happened to pick this up in the Dean Martin room at the Jefferson County Museum in Steubenville.
I note this as particular interest on account of it being 'new' to me. It's a document noting all of Dino's Steubenville residence's starting from birth through his house with his first wife Betty.
I find it interesting because some of these residences aren't noted in any of the other Dino books or references that I remember reading. Not to say that this information isn't unknown, it's just that I don't recall ever such a listing of details relating to Dino and his home town.
Some personal notes that I took while traversing Stu'ville trying to locate these homes.
- Birth home 319 S. 6th St. is an empty lot
- 425 Slack St is now a new building development
- 118 Brady seems to have been lost in urban street sprawl, not able to be located
- 1210 Riverview may have been lost also, however it looks like the street has been rerouted?
- 313 N 7th is now an empty lot
- 2130 Sunset seems to have been lost to urban sprawl
Good Monday pallies!
So I've concluded the wonderful Dino-cation and now I'm settlin' down on the home front.
Reflecting on the trip to Stu'ville and going through the wonderful moments and images captured. This image hits home hard to what Dino means to Stu'ville.
I'm always taken aback at certain images or pictures, but seeing this one on an empty store front on a now desolate street allows you time travel to the days where this was very real. It breaks the heart while it warms the soul. Enjoy...
Hey pallies, likes once 'gain we interupt our regularly scheduled postin's from the coolest of cool Centennial Celebration of The Day That Coolness Came To Earth for 'nother historical Dino-note that came our way from our pallies at google Dino-'lerts. Likes as we were goin' through our email we came 'cross a part of a postin' from the Green Bay Press-Gazette (WI) sharin' happenin's round the Green Bay area, 10, 25, and 50 years 'go.
Likes we couldn't resist sharin' with all youse Dino-holics that 50 years 'go in June of the year of our Dino 1967 that famous flick, "Murder's Row" was part of a double billin' at the Skyway Drive-in in Fish Creek. And, likes those close to the Dino-action here at ilovedinomartin knows that we deeply deeply digs our most beloved Dino as swingin' spyster Matt Helm and our most fav of fav of the quartet of Helmers in numero duo, "Murder's Row."
So, likes we couldn't pass up this Dino-op to share our awesome adulation of Dino as Helm with a terrific trio of gifs from the swankest of swank scene early in the film, a incredible image of an original poster that we have not seen exactly likes this before and a beautiful bevy of youtube vids amazin'ly accentin' potent portions of this coolest of cool classic Dino-epic. Likes, not to worry pallies we gots tons and tons more Dino-grams comin' your way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of our Dino's descent to our planet...so stay tuned for the on-goin' Dino-action right here at ilovedinomartin.
We remain,
Yours in Dino,
Dino Martin Peters
50 Years Ago
June 27-29, 1967
Skyway Drive-in, Fish Creek: “Walk Don’t Run” with Cary Grant and Samantha Eggar and “Murderer’s Row” with Dean Martin and Ann Margaret.
Now, friends o' mine...is it just me...or does Summer seem to be flyin' by already?!!! Hahaha!!!
I must be crazy!
It just stared & I'm already afraid of it slippin' through my Dino-diggin' fingers! Haha!!
I thinks its 'cause Spring just FLEW by me this year...SO SO damn fast!
Oh well, pals...we'll hold onto these long, muggy days...extra tight!
OK, pallies...let's gets to some tunes!
I'm thinkin' this is the PER FEC TO time to kick off the season with one of Dean's laid back...balmy type jams.
Real slow & sultry, mi amici.
Just the way we likes it.
Now who says "Summer chillin" better than Dino?
No one.
He's the chill-master! Ha!
Well...I guess the best place to start is ALWAYS with my FAVE summery Dino-al b um..."The Lush Years".
Yes, pals...this little vinyl Frisbee is JAM-PACKED with HOT HOT & yet VERY VERY COOL Dino-tunes.
Let's grab a little "Off Again, On Again" to set the mood.
Picture this, pallies...It's a hot...sweaty...Summer night.
A little breeze keeps it tolerable, though.
Youse grabs some yummy...icy...drinky of choice.
Put the needle on the vinyl...& melt away with Dean.
Ahhhhhh. That's good stuff, mi amici.
Cheers to 'nother Summer with Dino, pals!
Enjoy!
Off again on again off again on again)
Off again on again it's here and then it's gone again
Oh this is some romance
In again out again it's with and then without again
Let's give it half a chance
It's cold and then hot again you're mine and then you're not again
You're always playing peek-a-boo
I'm in a stew about blue about what am I going to do about
Off again on again you
(Off again on again it's here and then it's gone again)
(Oh this is some romance)
(In again out again it's with and then without again)
(Let's give it half a chance)
It's cold and then hot again you're mine and then you're not again
You're always playing peek-a-boo (peek-a-boo)
I'm in a stew about blue about what am I going to do about
Off again on again you
(Off again on again you)
Off again on again you
Hey pallies, likes welcome back for 'nother day of our Centennial Celebration of The Day That Coolness Came To Earth, the 100th anniversary of our Dino's descent to our planet on June 7, 1917.
Likes, while tons of the Dino-faithful gathered in our Dino's hometown of Steubenville, Ohio last weekend for the 20th anniversary of Dino-fest, which our own Eddie-o has been and will continue to coolly chronicle for all us Dino-holics, the pallies in the land of Dino-heritage, Montesilvano, Italy are hugely homagin' our Dino with energetic events as well!
From the internet pad, "ILPESCARA" comes the noteworthy news that this very Dino-day, Saturday, the 24th of June in the year of our Dino 2017 will be a provocative presentation of the new Dino-homagin' tome, "Dean martin, the wheel of fate," by scribers Gerardo Di Cola and Andrea Mosca. From what we have read below, the book appears to be a work of fiction, but based mucho on the life, times, and teachin's of our Dino. As shared in this powerful prose this reconstructin' of the Dino-tale is "
"through a hazy mix of historical and narrative dimension, the dawn of the myth Dean Martin, starting from the earliest origins."
Likes, oh how we wishes that we coulda jet to the land of Dino-heritage for Saturday's coolest of cool celebration and grab ourselves a copy of this new Dino-tome. We're supposin' that the book is scribed in Italian, but perhaps it has been, or will be translated into English for the larger Dino-world to relish. We'll try and do a bit more Dino-searchin' to see if we can get any more facts and figures on "Dean Martin, the wheel of fate."
We were most grateful to the pallies at "ILPERSCARA" for sharin' the news of this incredibly intriguin' Dino-celebration and to checks it out in it's original source, likes simply clicks on the tag of this here Dino-report.
We remain,
Yours in Dino,
Dino Martin Peters
A Montesilvano the presentation of the book "Dean Martin, the wheel of fate"
WHERE
Di Palazzo Baldoni James Hall
Montesilvano
WHEN
From 24/06/2017 to 24/06/2017 ONLY TOMORROW
PRICE
FREE
22 june 2017 15:57
Continuing appointments arranged by Dean Martin Foundation , in collaboration with the Municipality of Montesilvano, to celebrate the centenary of the birth of the world-famous artist montesilvanesi origins. Saturday, June 24 will be presented the book "Dean Martin, the wheel of fate".
In the work, the authors explain Gerardo Di Cola and Andrea Mosca, is reconstructed "through a hazy mix of historical and narrative dimension, the dawn of the myth Dean Martin, starting from the earliest origins. The encounter between the grandparents (projectiles Giovanni Maria Crocetti and Dashing), to the suggestion of a dreamy and romanticized arrival of Dean in Montesilvano. In between, including archival documents, ideals photocompositions and reportage on Italian emigration, the departure of his father (Gaetano) to Ellis Island, the adolescence of Dean in the back room of Steubenville and unpredictability of certain meetings called by " wheel of fate ", a true leitmotif of this novel non-fiction."
Di Cola and Moscow in their work accurately describe some places between Pescara and Montesilvano, where lived the Crocetti, the journey of Gaetano and before that of his brothers headed to Ellis Island, then the meeting with Carlo Di Pietro and again the meeting Jerry Lewis until today the best and luckiest of his career in Hollywood and Las Vegas and the melancholic sunset in alcohol and forgetfulness. The journey through the history of the Dean Martin Family is described through a meticulous search in the Abruzzo state archives and Emigration Museum in New Yok and sometimes oscillates between reality and imagination of the person in the story of some characters creators of cultural development and artistic Pescara.
A Montesilvano la presentazione del libro “Dean Martin, la ruota del destino”
DOVE
Sala Di Giacomo di Palazzo Baldoni
Montesilvano
QUANDO
Dal 24/06/2017 al 24/06/2017 SOLO DOMANI
PREZZO
GRATIS
Redazione
22 giugno 2017 15:57
Proseguono gli appuntamenti organizzati dalla Fondazione Dean Martin, in collaborazione con il Comune di Montesilvano, per celebrare il centenario della nascita del famosissimo artista di origini montesilvanesi. Sabato 24 giugno verrà presentato il libro “Dean Martin, la ruota del destino”.
Nell’opera, spiegano gli autori Gerardo Di Cola e Andrea Mosca, viene ricostruita «attraverso uno sfumato intreccio di dimensione storica e narrativa, l’alba del mito Dean Martin, partendo dalle primissime origini. Dall’incontro tra i nonni (i proietti Giovanni Crocetti e Maria Focoso), fino alla suggestione di un trasognante e romanzato arrivo di Dean a Montesilvano. Nel mezzo, tra documenti d’archivio, fotocomposizioni ideali e reportage sul fenomeno dell’emigrazione italiana, la partenza del padre (Gaetano) verso Ellis Island, l’adolescenza di Dean nei retrobottega di Steubenville e l’imprevedibilità di certi incontri voluti dalla “ruota del destino”, vero e proprio leitmotiv di questo romanzo-non romanzo».
Di Cola e Mosca nel loro lavoro descrivono accuratamente alcuni luoghi tra Pescara e Montesilvano dove vissero i Crocetti, il viaggio di Gaetano e prima ancora quello dei suoi fratelli diretti ad Ellis Island, poi l’incontro con Carlo Di Pietro e poi ancora l’incontro con Jerry Lewis fino ai giorni migliori e più fortunati della sua carriera tra Hollywood e Las Vegas e al tramonto malinconico nell’alcol e nella dimenticanza. Il viaggio nella storia della famiglia di Dean Martin è descritto attraverso una meticolosa ricerca tra gli archivi di Stato abruzzesi e il Museo dell’Emigrazione di New Yok e a volte oscilla tra la realtà e la fantasia degli autori nel racconto di alcuni personaggi artefici dello sviluppo culturale e artistico del pescarese.
