Thursday, November 30, 2017

On This Day In Dino-history: November 30, 1965

Hey pallies, likes there's more delightful Dino-news to share from November 30th that comes our way from he blog  tagged "KRQE," the tag for the home base of television channel 13 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  The Dino-date is this last day of the eleventh month in the year of our Dino 1965.

In their prose tagged, "Today in History: November 30, the folks at "KRQE" have shared the coolest of cool candid shot of our most beloved Dino and Rat Pack pallies Mr. Frank Sinatra and Mr. Sammy Davis, Jr. 'long with fellow crooner Mr. Bing Crosby "during a recording session at Sinatra's Reprise Record Co. in California, Nov. 30, 1965."  It's a perfectly powerful pix for Dino-sure, but we gotta 'fess up that  we ain't got a clue what sort of al-b-um was bein' recorded...likes any of youse Dino-philes got a clue what the Dino-action was that day?????

We swankly salute the pallies at KRQE television station 13 for bringin' this hugely historic potently pictorial  moment in Dino-history on their 'net site and bringin' such Dino-delight to many many who are deeply devoted to our one and only Dino.  Likes, to checks this out in it's original site, simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-report.

We remain,

Yours in Dino,

Dino Martin Peters


Today in History: November 30

By Associated Press

Published: November 30, 2016



Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin, left to right, laugh during a recording session at Sinatra's Reprise Record Co. in California, Nov. 30, 1965.

On This Day In Dino-history: November 30, 1956


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Hey pallies, the ol' world wide web continues to be a genuine goldmine completely chocked full of great Dino-treasure just waitin' to be marvelously mined....and that's a huge huge reason we here at ilovedinomartin keeps doin' our best to uncover more and more Dino-devotion for all youse Dino-philes.    Some years 'go at this time,while doin' some extra credit Dino-searchin' via google blog search we happened upon the rarest of rare Dino-find of some laviously  live croonin' of our most beloved Dino and his bestest of best pallie Mr. Frank Sinatra on November 30, 1956.

First posted on the blog "Crooks And Liars" on December 31, 2009, it took us almost five years to uncover this fantastic find of this  recordin' of our most beloved Dino singin' a trio of classic croons for the Hungarian Relief Concert with Sinatra also doin' some solo work.  All-in-all there is almost 22 minutes of sensational singin'.   Likes, 'cause this is a remarkably rare Dino-discovery  we are plannin' to share this on an annual basis.

We loves how this refreshin'  recordin' begins with the unnamed announcer graciously  givin' our great great man the purest of pure praise, sayin' "This fella is going to be on the, I think, one of the finest leading men we've ever seen around this town, and he is going to come out here now, and lead you all to a lot of happiness.   And, likes indeed our Dino lovin'ly  lays likes just  a ton of huge huge happiness on the crowd as he sings "All Of Me," "Innamorata," and "Is It True What They Say About Dixie."

 Our Dino mentions that it was producer Mr. Joe Pasternak who coaxed his appearance, which let's us know that the concert was around the time that our Dino's first major big screen effort, "Ten Thousand Bedrooms" was bein' released as Pasternak was the producer for that effort.

We are likes totally totally thrilled to be able to share this with all youse Dino-holics, just wishes that it hadn't taken so so long to uncover.  Also, as you will read  below the sharer of this Dino-treasure, Mr. Gordon Skene discovered "the master tapes from the concert)  sitting on a shelf in a garage the better part of forty years before I got the call to "take the junk away".

We wanna express our deepest of deep Dino-appreciato to Skene for sharin' this huge huge Dino-discovery with his readership and eventually with all youse pallies.  Likes makes us be in wholehearted wonderment of  what more Dino-gold is out there waitin' to be mined.  To checks this out in it's original format, simply clicks on the tag of this here Dino-report.  And, likes sometimes pallies the vid we have placed below chooses not to function....if this happens to you, simply click on the tag of this Dino-post to listen at the original site.

 We remain.

Yours in Dino

Dino Martin Peters


Newstalgia New Years Eve Music Special - Dean Martin - Frank Sinatra - Hungarian Relief Concert 1956

I can't think of a better way to end up the year than with a special, rare, never-heard-before performance of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin (not together unfortunately, but Dino's in fine form) from the Hungarian Relief Fundraiser put on in Los Angeles on November 30, 1956.

For some reason, this recording has never been issued anywhere - the master tapes sitting on a shelf in a garage the better part of forty years before I got the call to "take the junk away".
Dean had just broken up his act with Jerry Lewis and Sinatra was going through a career change that took would take a dramatic upturn as well. If memory serves (but don't hold me to it), this predates the Ratpack by about a year.

In any event, this is a rare recording and you get to hear it first.

Thanks to everyone for a great 2009 - especially the crew at C&L. It's all been good fun, dusting off history.

Happy New Year - try and stay sane in the meantime. Wait til 2010!





Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Whatever Dean Martin took on, he never acted like he was working, it’s like he just showed up at the party with a drink in one hand, a smoke in the other, and a lot of attitude.


Hey pallies, likes we gotta begins this Dino-day 'fessin' up that today's Dino-gram to all youse Dino-holics ain't the one that we had planned to share, but, likes yester-Dino-day as we were doin' our almost daily search for Dino-devotion via our pallies at Twingly Advanced Blog Search we lovin'ly landed at the new-to-ilovedinomartin blog tagged "Ticket to Ride - Your Boarding Pass for Film, Music, Books and Current Events," where blogger Mr. Mike Miller has superbly scribed wonderfully wise words on our most beloved Dino that we simply had to share with all youse Dino-holics mucho mucho sooner then later.

In speakin' 'bout himself, Mr. Miller sez, "This is me.  I have lived in Kansas all of my life with the exception of one year.  Mostly, I have lived in NE Kansas.  I grew up in Lawrence, a progressive community, or known by some as the hotbed of radical thought.  Whatever.  It was a great place to grow up and is mostly responsible for my worldview and my values."  Likes as we deeply deeply delved into 'n digested Mike's Dino-devotion simply tagged "Dean Martin: 1960's Cool" we keenly know without a Dino-doubt that Miller valiantly values our most most beloved Dino!!!!!

Likes in these closin' hours of our touchin' 'n tender time of GIVIN' DINO THANKS, we feel beautifully blessed to have been led to Mike's reverent reflections....most hugely heartfelt indeed pallies, on our King of Cool.  Mike writes that "Dean Martin owed the 1960’s."  What we are guessin' that he meant to say is the our Dino OWNED the '60's, 'cause Mike goes on to solemnly share our Dino's multitude of awesome accomplishments in that 10 year period....movies, tv, recordin's and more!

We are incredibly impressed with this tremendous tribute to our Dino in purely powerful prose and potently perfect pixs.  Likes we coulda goes on and on ravin' on Mr. Mike Miller's deepest delight in our Dino, but we wants all youse to read his marvelous message for yourselves.  This is one of the bestest of best Dino-reflections that we have ever read and we shouts out our awesome appreciato to Mr. Mike Miller for this time ' talent in so openly and affirmatively sharin' his Dino-passion with his readership so that we coulda share it with the wider Dino-world.  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







Dean Martin: 1960’s Cool


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In a decade where the Beatles, Twiggy and Steve McQueen were regarded as hip and cool, Dean Martin was the rare middle aged personality that achieved success in a culture rapidly becoming taken over by a younger generation.  His popularity was huge.  At a time when rockers were dominating the charts, his recording of “Everybody Loves Somebody” knocked the Beatles from the Number 1 position.

Dean Martin owed the 1960’s.  As successful as he was in the previous decade, often with Jerry Lewis, the 1960’s provided Martin a top rated weekly television series, a number of highly successful record albums and singles, and his name above the title in 25 feature films.  Who else enjoyed that kind of success across different show business platforms?
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In 1964, The Dean Martin Show premiered as a musical-variety series. In those days, the TV landscape was dominated by the variety series, mixing music, dancing and sketch comedy.  Martin’s show ran for nine seasons, quite a remarkable feat.  Martin had access to the biggest names in show business, including his fellow Rat Pack members.  The show featured several ongoing segments including Martin entering by going down a fireman’s pole, surprise guests behind the door, and his spot of hopping onto Ken Lane’s piano for chat and a tune.  The show had a relaxed, zany quality brought about by Martin’s casual approach to hosting the show.  The man looked like he was always enjoying himself.  And why not?  His contract allowed him to skip most rehearsals and only show up for the day of taping.  He read his lines during sketches.  His look of surprise during the show was usually real, as he was experiencing the show like his audience members.  Pranks and unexpected things happened to Martin, much to the delight of the audience.  One such prank had Martin doing his usual jump onto the piano that suddenly collapsed in pieces, as pianist Lane played along with the joke.

Martin released 21 studio albums during the decade, in addition to live and great greatest hits albums.  He had songs on the Billboard charts throughout the decade, although his hits stopped coming by decade end as musical tastes and radio formats changed away from this style of music.  Over the decade, his  popular recordings included “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head?” “Everybody Loves Somebody” “You’re Nobody till Somebody Loves You” and “I Will”.  Like his friend Frank Sinatra, Martin recorded for Capitol Records, but when Sinatra left to set up his own label, Reprise Records, Martin soon followed.
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Martin had performed with Jerry Lewis in nightclubs and venues during their decade together, and he continued to do so as a single act.  He regularly appeared in Las Vegas, often with members of the Rat Pack, and was one of the most popular entertainers blending music and his smooth comedy delivery. He frequently appeared several times a year at the Sands, including 1960 when Martin and Rat Pack members shot Oceans 11 during the day and performed onstage at night.  In 1968, Martin took his act to the Riviera Hotel.
After the split with Jerry Lewis, Martin easily moved into a solo film career, and even though he was a big star, he often took co-starring roles. The Young Lions with Marlon Brando, Rio Bravo with John Wayne, Some Came Running with Sinatra, and Who Was that Lady? with Tony Curtis, are examples of where Martin was satisfied with playing the second lead.  For the rest of his career, Martin would alternate between being the first listed lead and sharing the screen with other actors.  He would re-team with Sands_Hotel_and_Casino_logoSinatra and John Wayne in several films during the 1960’s.  He alternated between Westerns and more topical fare, usually in lighthearted adult comedies about love and marriage.  Martin also took on the role of Matt Helm in four secret agent spoofs.

Martin, unlike John Wayne, Frank Sinatra and Steve McQueen, had no qualms occasionally playing a villain or very flawed character, something that Burt Lancaster, Paul Newman and Robert Mitchum sometimes did.  Martin played a drunk sheriff in Rio Bravo, a lecherous singer in Kiss Me, Stupid, an outlaw in Bandolero!, and a ruthless town boss in Rough Night in Jericho.

Whatever Dean Martin took on, he never acted like he was working, it’s like he just showed up at the party with a drink in one hand, a smoke in the other, and a lot of attitude. His wisecracking drunk act was an effective one even late into his career.  He didn’t have a care in the world as the world seems to dance to his beat.  He projected a confidence and swagger, but not any arrogance.  He didn’t mind other actors or singers taking the lead or carrying the load while he added a joke or alternated with a verse.  He didn’t have to own the spotlight, the spotlight would find him.  If you see any of his Tonight Show appearances, he ties Johnny Carson in knots with his deadpan jokes and remarks.  Drink in hand, Martin is quick with his comments and takes over the show.  Despite the image he projected as being half in the bag, he is hitting on all cylinders.
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My only criticism is that Martin stopped working at his craft.  He seemed to walk through many roles and preferred golf and other hobbies to rehearsal.  He was a busy man, look at his schedule, going from film sets to recording sessions, to his weekly series to nightclub appearances.   For someone who looked like he wasn’t working at it, he did give his best while he was “on.”  He had a gift for playing light comedy, and he brought believably to a dramatic role, when he wanted to.  Playing a character with flaws suited him. He could play a cad, an outlaw, a drunk, a man with questionable morals and a scammer. He didn’t have to always be the hero.

What made Dean Martin so cool?  In 1967 he turned 50 years old and was at the peak of his fame. In the decade of the Generation Gap, his weekly TV series attracted families and young viewers, his Matt Helm films were crossover hits, and even though his music was for an older audience, he did have chart success.  He never behaved like a big star, even though he was.  Dean Martin projected a sense of fun, of being a prankster, of never taking anything too seriously, including himself.
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Retro is cool and with the passing of time, and the glow of nostalgia, Dean Martin has always been cool. Look no further than movies, TV or commercials, his songs are strewn across popular culture.  His image lives on in fashion ads and iconic photographs.   Trends change, but cool never goes out of fashion.

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

With cigarette in hand and a woman by his aspect, the King of Cool served up his sensual love songs to the world.....


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Hey pallies, likes we just never ever know where darin' devotion to our Dino will show up next.  There simply are  unendin' sources of Dino-prasin' 'n prosin', and we loves to share 'em all right here at our humble little Dino-pad.  Likes the source of today's Dino-gram to all youse Dino-holics likes come from one of what we woulda consider one of the most ubber unique 'net pads that our most beloved Dino has been fantastically featured on.  Likes today's Dino-message comes from the new to ilovedinomartin blog tagged  "ECIG Canada Zone."

That's right pallies, it's a site promotin' the sale of Electronic Cigarettes that "SHIP FROM CANADA TO CANADA AND USA."  Likes it seemly coolly congruent that a pad promotin' smokin' woulda be right down our  Dino's alley as one of his truest trademarks was his omni-present Kent cigarettes in tow, but we gotta 'fess up that we doubt that our King of Cool woulda smoked anythin' but the real deals.

But, likes it is cool to see this commercial site sharin' their own version of the Dino-story with their clients.  Of course, we note that at least in a couple of places they make it known that our Dino had "a cigarette in hand" and "with a steady smoke in his hand."  What we find incredibly intriguin' i that this retellin' of the Dino-tale is scribed in English, but it reads like it was translated from 'nother language as at time it seems a bit disjointed.  For example they refer to our Dino's signature croon as "All people Loves Any individual," instead, of course, "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime."  Like it seems quite odd, but we will probably never ever know the backstory behind how this prose came to be placed on the E-smoke site in this format.

Whatever pallies, we celebrate that once 'gain our most beloved Dino has been lifted up at yet 'nother world wide web pad and that more pallies  have the powerful potent to grow in knowin' lovin', and become devoted to our one, our only Dino.  So, we thanks the pallies at  "ECIG Canada Zone" for there presentation of the life, times, and teachin's of our Dino.   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



Crooner Dean Martin – Reminiscing With the King of Cool – The Timeless Music of Dean Martin


All people Loves Any individual someday, and that anyone is none aside from legendary crooner Dean Martin. With cigarette in hand and a woman by his aspect, the King of Cool served up his sensual love songs to the world for over 4 many years.
Dino Paul Crocetti, the son of Italian immigrant dad and mom, made his option to the highest by rolling with the punches, actually. Ridiculed by classmates for his damaged English and dropping out of Steubenville Excessive Faculty at age 15, younger Dino made his method into present enterprise by taking some fairly onerous knocks. Boxing as a welterweight with the self-dubbed title of “Child Crochet,” Dino acquired a bit of money, a damaged nostril, a cut up lip and damaged knuckles throughout his boxing hay day. Amongst his many different early technique of livelihood, he bootlegged, dealt blackjack for an unlawful on line casino and was a speakeasy croupier.
Musically influenced by Harry Mills of the Mills Brothers, Dino adopted that very same suave crooner singing fashion. He teamed up with bandleader Sammy Watkins who satisfied the younger singer to alter his title to Dean Martin.
A pleasing voice and his pure appeal received Martin some fairly good-looking nightclub gigs. Nevertheless he did not benefit from the fanatical magnetic draw that crooners like Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra skilled proper out of the shoot.
His first actual break got here in 1946 on the Glass Hat Membership in New York Metropolis when he met a younger comic named Jerry Lewis. The 2 turned good mates and started to mix forces. This pairing would catapult Martin to an virtually in a single day superstar standing. The duo was a comedic-singing act with many of the top-billing going to Lewis. Martin served because the straight man of the twosome. Though the 2 launched into a fast trip to stardom that included a nightclub-booking schedule in any respect the highest golf equipment throughout the nation together with file and movie contracts, Martin was rising stressed with the second-billing evaluations and finally the 2 had a falling out. Martin and Lewis parted methods and dissolved their relationship each personally and professionally in 1956. The duo reconciled in a shock public look in 1976 throughout the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon.
A solo profession for Martin did not come simple. His crooner fashion singing was not being as effectively obtained with the brand new rock & roll style catching on throughout the nation. Struggling to search out his distinctive area of interest, he concentrated extra on his performing than his singing. In 1957 Martin made a good move. Although taking a deep dip in pay, he signed on to star within the movie The Younger Lions alongside headliners Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift. This was the catalyst that afforded Martin his comeback, solely this time, on his personal. The movie was a box-office success and Dean Martin was on his method. With massive display recognition, he now had the posh to domesticate his singing profession. Perfecting his fashion and his vocal approach, the King of Cool was now extra snug to sing duets with mentors corresponding to Frank Sinatra and Perry Como.
The rebellious Italian talking youth from Steubenville, Ohio was now within the massive leagues. Dean Martin would virtually all the time insure an enormous box-office draw together with his title hooked up to a movie and when his title appeared on a Las Vegas marquee, the home was certain to be packed.
Teaming up with fellow crooner friends Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr., Martin was one of many unique members of the famed Rat Pack. They themselves did not refer to one another because the Rat Pack nevertheless, however relatively tagged their group “The Summit” or “The Clan” as an alternative.
By the 1960’s and the primary a part of the 1970’s, Martin loved nice success in tv with The Dean Martin Present, a range collection that featured many prime stars of that day. His simple tongue in cheek format was an viewers favourite however typically some extent of rivalry together with his producers. Martin did finest with adlib and did not like following a inflexible script, which might make crewmembers a bit uncomfortable at occasions. Later Martin hosted a celeb roast present that featured massive title stars corresponding to Bob Hope, Jimmy Stewart, and Lucille Ball.
Dino had discovered his personal voice and went on to have legendary hits, like;Reminiscences Are Manufactured from ThisThat is Amore, and All people Loves Any individual. His songs are nonetheless heard in motion pictures, tv reveals and commercials right now. Martin’s songs are downloaded on ITunes by a complete new era of music lovers.
Dean’s picture as a lazy drunk with a steady smoke in his hand turned his signature public persona. Though by no means disputed by Martin, there was a lot hypothesis that the ingesting was partially, an act and a media-hyped up notion. Sadly the heavy smoking was very actual and in 1993 Martin was recognized with Lung Most cancers.
His private life included three marriages and 7 youngsters. Martin’s son, Dean Paul (Dino) died in a aircraft crash in 1987. The tragedy took its toll on the entertainer and subsequently started the decline of his profession. His final public look was in December of 1990 celebrating Frank Sinatra’s 75th birthday. Dean Martin died on Christmas Day 1995 in Beverly Hills, California from acute respiratory failure. He was 78 years outdated.

Monday, November 27, 2017

But only Dino can be Dino.


Sheila O'Malley
Hey pallies, likes we are pleased as punch that our pallies at Twingly Advanced Blog Search sent us to visit once 'gain with Miss Shelia O'Malley who holds forth at her beautiful blog,"the Shelia Variations."  Likes over the course of time we have shared a number of deeply delightful Dino-devotionals from Miss O'Malley which you can find  HERE,  HERE,  HERE,  and HERE.  Likes all youse have to do is read a few of Shelia's wonderfully wise words on our most beloved Dino to know that she has awesome adulation for our King of Cool, and her most recent Dino-devotion that we share below is yet 'nother swank scribin' of her amazin' appreciato for our Dino.  We are coolly certain that Miss O'Malley woulda joints in GIVIN' DINO THANKS as she speakin' so lovin'ly of our great great man in her heartfelt Dino-thoughts below.

Likes the post is tagged "Autumnal iPod Shuffle and contains a ton of tunes that Miss O'Malley is currently listenin' to on her iPod.  As youse will read below, Shelia has chosen one of our Dino's coolest classical croons, “You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves You” to listen to.  In five beautifully brief lines of Dino-prose, we are invited to share Shelia's powerful passion for our Dino and his supreme singin' ability....her terrific toughts bring the biggest of big Dino-buddha-grins to our face!

For your Dino-viewin' and listenin' pleasure we share a youtube vid of our Dino croonin' this marvelous masterpiece from the Dino-show.  We shouts out our deep delight in bein' able to feature Miss Shelia O'Malley and her deep deep devotion to our Dino here at our humble little ilovedinomartin blog pad.  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

“You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves You” – Dean Martin. Essential. It’s the kind of thing that seems so easy. Everything seemed easy to Dean Martin. And … it WAS easy. FOR HIM. But this kind of ease is as rare as the rarest gem. It’s my opinion that you either have it or you don’t. You can’t LEARN it. You can watch him and study him and perhaps improve your relaxation techniques, your sense of self-confidence, etc. Trying to learn from the master. But only Dino can be Dino.

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Danny G's Sunday Serenade with Dino: "You Look So Familiar"




Hello, mi amici & welcome back to the show! Haha!!

Hey, pals...guess what I've been doin', all bloody day???
Yup!
Yard work!
Ugh!
Nothin' more un-appealin' to me than yard work! Haha!!

Oh well...it's that time of year, my friends.

Last minute preppin' for the soon to come wintery days.

BEST thin' to do...is make the BEST of the situation!
Right, pallies?!
Right!

So here's what I do.

Simply plug in my ol' earplugs...hit "shuffle" on my Dino playlist...& BAM!

Un-appealin' chores just became some "One on One" time with my Pal amongst Pals! Ha!

The miracles of Dean Martin continue,  people! Haha!!

The funny thin' that struck me, though...as I was goin' 'bout my work...was how quickly the year had flown by!

Seems like I just did these same exact chores, not so long ago!

Some rakin'...some paintin'...some sweepin'.

I actually started thinkin' back to last year, when I was 'memberin' the same exact thin' from the year before that!! Man o man!

Familiar outdoor duties.

Well, pallies...next thin youse know, I'm lookin' at my leave blower...half hummin'...half singin' that cool cool Dino-ditty, "You Look So Familiar".
Hahaha!!!

"I never thought...I'd ever be caught...usin' an old cliché. Youse looks so familiar." Haha!!

Somethin' like that., anyways. Haha!!

Obviously I couldn't wait to get indoors...on my 'puter...& listen to the whole damn jam!

Yea...Dean sent me 'nother GREAT tune for this week's Serenade, pallies.

Love it when that happens. 

So...without further a due, mi amici di Dino... let's let the master do his thin'!

Enjoy! 

I never thought...I'd ever be caught
Usin' an old cliche
I'm on a spot...believe it or not
This is all I can think of to say

You look so familiar
Have we ever met before
Everything about you seems to ring a bell
You look so familiar
Have we been this close before
If my heart could talk you'd hear it sing as well
There must be an explanation
What I feel is not imagination
You look so familiar
Now it all comes back it seems
I remember you were in my dreams
I remember you were in my dreams

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Dean Martin with a twist of hipster on the rocks


Hey pallies, likes as we continue our celebration of GIVIN' DINO THANKS  with reflective remembrances on sharin' our Dino-thankfulness with a name that will be familiar to long term readers of our humble little ilovedinomartin conclave.  Mr. Raymond Embrack is a professional writer of fiction and completely committed to our most beloved Dino.

Twice in the past we have shared his coolly collected comments on our one and only Dino, mainly gathered from the  writin's of our Dino's bestest biographer, Mr. Nick Tosches in "DINO: Living High In The Dirty Business Of Dreams.  Those posts occurred on  November 6, 2008 and on  August 4, 2012 and you can read 'em by clickin' on the links provided.

Recently, while doin' a little extra credit Dino-searchin' of the ol' web we happened 'pon Mr. Embrack's most recent swank sharin' of these incredible insights into the life, times, and teachin' of our King Of Cool.  This time 'round, Raymond has titled his reflections, "Dean Martin with a twist of hipster on the rocks"-----likes man-o-man how we digs Raymond's wonderfully wise way with words!  While we keenly know that our most beloved Dino was, is, and will always be ubber unknowable, Embrack truly "gets Martin" and loves sharin' his deeper then deep Dino-delight with his readership...hugely helpin' many more find their way into the Dino-fold.

This time 'round, Raymond has shared his what he tags his "Collected Dino-ology" at his home base at the all-things-books pad "goodreads."  And, in awesome addition to liftin' up the name of our Dino, Mr. Embrack has graciously givin' a superior shout out to our humble little Dino-pad sayin' "To hang among the ultimate Dinophiles, check out this site: http://ilovedinomartin.blogspot.com/.  We are humbly honored that Raymond woulda sends others our way.

Likes we are totally thrilled to continue our series of GIVING DINO THANKS posts by sharin'  Mr. Raymond Embrack's thankful thoughts on our most beloved Dino.  We wanna sez our THANKS to him for his energetic efforts to lift up the name of our Dino and spread his awesome adulation of our Dino at his pad.  To checks this 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

Am I a Dean Martin fan? His voice is on the rocks, stirred. Was he really that cool? I'm not above hipsterism, hipsters have more fun. But we know who invented Cool back when Cool was a cultural survival strategy. Dino...turns out he was copping an Italian cultural strategy. There was a little blend there, a little bit.

The following is collected Dino-ology from the Nick Tosches bio Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams  and assorted Internet hangouts. To hang among the ultimate Dinophiles, check out this site: http://ilovedinomartin.blogspot.com/
Its review of my original B.C. period post is here: http://ilovedinomartin.blogspot.com/2012/08/x.html
The official Dino site with the above photo is here: http://www.deanmartin.com/bio/


On that same night of July 13, as Kennedy's nomination was being announced, Dean opened at the Sands."I'd like to tell you some of the good things the Mafia is doing," he said. There was a momentary hush, then a long, slow wave of rising laughter.



Dean Martin did what he wanted -- drink, screw around, play golf, make a bundle. He took plenty from everyone and didn't give back much but a kind of low-level radiance. He was a gambler, yes, but even more a dealer. I control your destiny and I don't give a damn.



In its way, Martin's is an exemplary American story: how to succeed without really caring. And America loved the ease with which he held an audience, even if he held it in contempt. But is this an exemplary life? Is Dino worthy of Nick Tosches' big, reckless new book?



Biography usually quests for an existence that makes a difference. Dean's specialty was indifference. His TV show was flash encircling stupor: the Golddigger chorines did their cooch; the cue-card girl had the script written on her bare midriff. And in the middle, so laid-back as to be supine, was Dino -- on the cutting edge of lumpen-American mediocrity.



This is just what Tosches sees as crucial in Martin's life: that he was the signal showman of an America that was "fulfilling its destiny as the chrome-crowned glory of post- literate, polyvinyl civilization." Dino was what we wanted and deserved. Just about everybody liked Martin but, as Dino warned a TV producer, "nobody gets to know me." Even Martin's most expert appraiser, his long-suffering wife Jeannie, says he's an enigma. "He's either the most complex man imaginable or the simplest," she tells Tosches. "There's either nothing under there or too much."



Those close to him could sense it: He was there, but he was not really there; a part of them, but apart from them as well. The glint in his eye was disarming, so captivating and so chilling at once, like lantern-light gleaming on nighttime sea: the tiny soft twinkling so gaily inviting, belying for an instant, then illuminating, a vast unseen cold blackness beneath and beyond. The secret in its depth seemed to be the most horrible secret of all: that there was no secret, no mystery other than that which resides, not as a puzzle to be solved or a revelation to be discovered, but as blank immanence, in emptiness itself.



First of all, Dean Martin was Italian and, if you don't think that's a big deal, you must be Sicilian. I learned a couple of very interesting Italian things from "Dino." Like, right here - I can't believe I never heard of this before - "Lontananza", that's the Italian word for the distance a guy keeps from other guys cause other guys . . . Well, what fuckin' good are they? Who the hell needs em?



"The sum of Dino's instinct had to do with the old ways, those ways that were like a wall, ways that kept the world lontano , as the mafiosi would say: distant, safe, and wisely at bay."I learnt another good Italian word from this book - Menefreghismo, the quality of a Menefreghista - "one who simply did not give a fuck"!



Dean Martin was the ultimate Menefreghista. "One wondered, watching Dean," a critic wrote "whether he cared whether his show went over or not." Yeah, who gives a fuck about these silly ass songs and this crappy show in this slimeball nightclub? How else could a guy as cool as Dean be in the same act as a doof like Jerry Lewis? "Yeah, go right ahead and come into the club dressed up as a waiter and spill a tray full of drinks right in the middle of my goddam song - I could give a rat's ass what you do."



Still, no one filled or fulfilled Dean; as Jeannie Martin notes, "He was always content in a void." Eventually the drunk act ceased to be an act. His chilling apathy is the only bodyguard he needs.

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Happy Dino Thanksgiving

Hey pallies, likes the 2017 Day of givin' Dino-thanks is very close at hand now and here is our third yearly  postin'  in deep humble  homage of our most beloved Dino.    From our amazin' Dino-prosin' pallie Ed whose deeply deeply delightful  Dino-thankin'-devotional, "Happy Dino Thanksgiving," was scribed a number of years 'go just for all the faithful gathered here at ilovedinomartin   Likes we are totally totally thrilled to once 'gain brings it your Dino-way.   Here are pallie  Ed's outstandin' Dino-thoughts durin' our season of "Givin' Dino Thanks."

So pallies, likes sits back and relish each and every one of our Dino-phile Ed's heartfelt, remarkably   revelatory  reflections on our Dino, 'cause they are lovin'ly  ladened with the deepest of the deep, the purest of the pure, and the truest of the true Dino-truths.

This year on December 25 it will be  22 long years since our most beloved  Dino walked the earth, but his life and legacy continues to entirely enthrall and courageously  call all us pallies to know, love, and honor our great man more and more each and every Dino-day.

Thanks Ed for sharin' your Dino-thanks with us in such a cool Dino-way.  We trust as you now have the joy of fatherin' your own little boypallies includin' the youngen  you have named after our one and only Dino,  that you are bringin' them up to loves our Dino likes you do.   We so look forward to the day when you will be able to share more of your Dino-hearted prose with all your pallies here at ilovedinomartin.

 Thanks most of all to our Dino...truly we wanna know you, love you, and honor you more each and every Dino-day!

We remain,

Yours in Dino,

Dino Martin Peters

Location? On a stage somewhere, Anytown USA.

Time? When Dino roamed and owned the earth.

Dino: “You know why they call it Plymouth Rock? Those pilgrims backed up their Plymouth into that rock. That’s why they call it Plymouth Rock.”

True Story.
It was Dino that quickly pointed out that America was discovered by a fellow Italian, Amerigo Vespucci. In turn, it was America who discovered Martin, Sinatra, Como, Martino, Bennett, Vale, Laine, Darin, Damone, and Prima. All Italian-American singers who forever changed the American music landscape. Imagine a world without Dean Martin. Elvis has no direction. Sinatra hasn’t a Yin to Yang, and good luck with reviving the Humphrey Bogart-less Holmby Hills Rat Pack. Joey Levitch is still Joey Levitch. Who’s Joey Levitch you ask? Welcome to a Dino-less world. Joey Levitch became Jerry Lewis. The word “cool” would have been forever associated with the weather. The Beatles would still be remembered as being “untouchable”.

Let’s be selfish for a bit. Without Dino, we wouldn't  have seen our fathers settling down in his favorite chair smoking his favorite pipe, spinning his favorite Dino LP. The man who makes my dad happy is the man that makes us happy. Pleasure hasn’t a salesman. Time passes and finds me sitting down in my favorite chair with my favorite beverage, listening to my favorite Dino iPod playlist. Coincidence? Think not my fellow Dino-phile. Dino transcends generations, countries, languages, races, sexes. He touches all! Cool has no color. Cool is ageless. You’re only as far from cool as the nearest Dino LP, CD, book, what have you. If you can’t find cool, pick up a Dino LP, look at it. It’s your cool compass, it always points to cool. Without it you’re never lost pally!

The things in life to be thankful for? Dino said it best..
Tender kisses, nights of bliss. Small moonbeams, sips of wine. Wedding bells, little kids, and dreams to savor. Blessings, man, wife, love and life. Memories are made of this.

Be thankful for those who brought them to you. Return the favor, help make others lives more memorable.

Happy Thanksgiving Pallies!
Ed

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

I'm Thankful For Dean Martin


ronnie
Hey pallies, likes today we continues with our accent on "Giving Dino Thanks" here at ilovedinomartin as we  once  'gain share with youse a post that first appeared here on November 25, 2008....and reverently   reappears here yearly durin' our festival of "Givin' Dino Thanks." Scribed by Mr. Ron Giesecke for his "Political Therapy" blog, this  perfectly profoundly  powerful prose tagged "I’m Thankful For Dean Martin," shares the incredibly  important role that our Dino played in Giesecke's last conversation with his father who was dyin' of cancer.

This hugely heartfelt Dino-testimony is a remarkably  refreshin' reminder to all us pallies 'bout the many and varied ways that our Dino has tenderly touched so so many lives, and continues to do so, day by day, even long after his departure from the planet.

In this week of "Givin' Dino Thanks" 2017, we continue to be ever ever thankful for our most beloved  Dino and likes we are also very very thankful to Mr. Ron Giesecke for his candid retellin' of the remarkable  role our most beloved Dino played in sayin' goodbye to his father. To view this in it's original format, likes just clicks on the tag of this Dino-message. In this season of thanksgiving, be sure to pause and give our Dino thanks for the amazin' ways he has touched the lives of all of his pallies!

We remain,

Yours in Dino,

Dino Martin Peters


The Therapist Thursday, November 24, 2005

I’m Thankful For Dean Martin

Tomorrow at 5:00 AM, It will be four months to the day that I lost my father to cancer. I had a feeling last Thanksgiving, that I was looking at my dad across the holiday table for the last time.

I was right.

Due to some employment constraints on my part, as well, as some plain old logistical difficulty, we decided to have Thanksgiving dinner on Monday evening. Everything was normal overall, with the addition of an emotional assent to how much we all wished dad were here one last time. My dad was a restless soul, and my wife’s observations about his absence on one of the holiday deficits that will now be the most obvious: that wherever my dad was on Thanksgiving, he always managed to be wandering around the kitchen, chatting with whomever was cooking, and just plain getting in the way in the fashion that loveable old lugs manage to do so well.

How I would have paid millions to have my dad holding up the wheels of culinary progress, forcing my wife to jokingly threaten to run him over one last time. How I would have also paid millions, if it would have at least enshrouded the incremental knots of pain in my mother’s face, as the holiday realizations washed over the clock—all without my father—her husband. And no amount of ambient room chatter was going to change it.

I started thinking about the last two days in my father’s life. Those memories—the one’s where family members became strangers, enemies, and opaque silhouettes—The one’s that recall the fear of falling, the contortions of pain—believe it or not, still have some high points.

I arrived out at the house, and to his deathbed. The medications, along with his metabolic breakdowns had cajoled an otherwise meek man into a sometimes-belligerent stranger. I remember distinctly two conversations I had with him. The first was a bit adversarial—to start.

“Dad, I’m here.”

Dad looks over at me, gives me a once over, and says “so what?”

“Dad, you’re little granddaughters are here.”

“I don’t care,” said my dad, looking away in disgust.

Right about then, my four year old—one of two apples in my father’s eye, ran into the room with that hapless, four-year-old lack of understanding at the impending gravity. I picked her up, and held her over him, so that he was forced to see her.

“Oh yeah, Captain Belligerent? Try being mean to THIS.”

I watched dad, as the realization that Clara was there at Grandpa’s side. I watched as he forced his demeanor, focus, and grandfatherly adoration through the unwieldy veil that had hidden the rest of him from the rest of us.

“Hi Clara,” he said, through the most painful smile ever forged upon that face. I will never forget that moment as long as I live. My daughter made cancer take a back seat, if only for a moment.

As dad inched ever-closer to the precipice, his coherence, ability to communicate, and humanity started to fade. I wanted to speak with my dad one last time about his soul, so that I could again pray with, for, and about him. The in-home hospice visitors said he no longer knew where he was.

I looked straight into my father’s face. His eyes fixed on mine. I thought I saw a momentary window of clarity come across those pupils, and so I silently prayed for a sign that he knew it was me.

“Dad,” I said. “I’m here.”

Dad had this way of nodding with only his eyes, and I was certain I had just seen him do it. The room was calm, and mom had kept the room calmly brimming with familiarity—to include my father’s favorite music lightly playing in the background.

“Dad, “ I said grabbing his hand. “I’m only going to ask you to extend yourself one last time. I just need to know that you know this is Ron talking. If you know it’s me, please squeeze my hand.”

He immediately squeezed with a force that astonished me.

“Okay dad. One more thing,” I said, as he locked his eyes on mine. “I’ve got one more question. After that, I just want you to pray with me in your mind.” I nodded over to the cassette player at the foot of the bed.

“Who’s playing on that radio right now?” I asked him.

With all the accompanying pain, dad struggled to put those parched lips together. I couldn’t believe he’d actually pull it off.

“Dean Martin,” he said.

I almost passed out.

I knew then, that dad and I could talk, even if it was only me doing the talking for our last conversation. Those were his last words to me. We had already exchanged our “I love you’s” earlier. And yet nothing in that transcended the sheer force I felt when I heard the man who brought me into this world fight one last time to converse with me as he left it.

You bet I am thankful. Thankful for Dean Martin.

Monday, November 20, 2017

Dean Martin's Wonderful Gift


scox ... the VS Guy
Hey pallies, welcome to some huge homagin'  in this  week of "Givin' Dino Thanks" here at our humble little Dino- home.  In this week where folks in the America gather with family and friends to celebrate a day of Thanksgiving, it is truly truly awesomely  appropriate that ilovedinomartin share a some special  posts that speak deeply and truly of the purest of pure passion that pallies' have for our most beloved Dino.   likes sits back and soak in each and every wonderfully wise word of Dino-thanks bein' shared!

Likes  the three posts that ilovedinomartin is sharin' on these days before our Day Of Givin' Dino Thanks, have  been shared here before, but each is so so special that we simply must post each of 'em 'gain in this season of Dino-thanks!

Here  is a post that ran  durin' Dino-amore-month 2012 and 'gain in our 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 Week Of Givin' Dino Thanks.  Likes it's from the outstandin' blog, "Vocal Standards" hosted by Mr. Steve Cox. In his prose, "Dean Martin's wonderful gift,"  Mr. Cox shares a deeply moving, profoundly insightful testimony to the tremendous transformin' power of our most beloved Dino. Cox tells his heart-felt story of how our Dino's recorded music and television show dvds comforted his mother Bernice in the last couple of years of her struggle with Parkinson’s Disease.

This is one of the most truely touchin', if not the most touchin' post that we have ever shared here at ilovedinomartin about the amazin' way that our great man had, has, and will forever have of touchin' his great devotees' lives....and thus totally worthy of sharin' 'gain as we celebrate our week of "Givin' Dino Thanks" here at ilovedinomartin.

We 'gain offer our deep appreciation to Mr. Steve Cox for being so touchin'ly  transparent in sensitively  sharin' his deeply personal testimony of the amazin' ways that Dean Martin consoled Cox's mother in her last days on this earth. To read this in it's original format, simply click on the title of this post.

Dino we do indeed shares our thanks for the amazin' ways you keep transformin' the lives of those you have welcomed into your amazin'ly wonderful world!

We remain,

Yours in Dino,

Dino Martin Peters

Dean Martin’s wonderful gift…

February 5, 2012 By scox

My mom’s birthday was yesterday…
I think she would have been 85 — she passed away in 2004. I don’t want to get all maudlin here or make this too personal, but I do want to share an anecdote about how Dean Martin helped my mother in her time of greatest need.

As I mentioned in last week’s post on Andy Williams, we religiously watched Dean Martin’s television show at our house. To my knowledge, neither of my parents ever caught a Dean Martin live performance but nevertheless they were huge fans … the distant way most people are with guys as big as Dean or Frank Sinatra.

For the most part Bernice Cox lived a great life; she was a beauty queen (Miss New Hampshire!), married a dashing fighter pilot after the war (WW II), traveled, played great golf, danced … raised two amazing and talented children .



A tough ending…

Bernie had a tough go at the end with Parkinson’s Disease. Many of the things she loved to do moved from difficult to impossible in the last few years and that’s when Dean became a big part of her life.

Man, she loved to watch football on TV … college and pro football became her passion as her mobility declined. Super bowl weekend was always greeted with mixed emotions as there would be no more football ’til the fall. We got her the Dean Martin TV show collection DVDs, hoping they would provide some off-season relief and she took to them immediately.

Dean became her companion …
For the last couple of years of Bernie’s life Dean was my mom’s best friend. Not in a weird psycho way or anything, she just loved seeing and hearing the happy-go-lucky, fun loving guy Dean was … he made her feel good, remember good times dancing and carousing in better days.

At the end…

Bernie’s body finally gave out in the summer of 2004. When it was clear she wasn’t coming home from the hospital this time, all she really wanted and responded to was Dean. My brother and I got her some comfortable headphones and we loaded up all the Dean Martin LPs in my collection on an iPod for her.

After about 24 hours, I was concerned that it was too much for her, but when I lifted the headphones off and asked if she wanted some quiet to sleep … she could hardly respond but with her eyes and the tinniest shake of the head she made it clear that she wanted Dean to hold her hand all the way out.

Greg and I stood vigil for the next two nights, keeping the music playing … making sure her favorites “Go! Go! Go! Go!”, “Ain’t That A Kick In The Head’ and “Mambo Italiano” were prominently in the mix.

Dean quite literally reached down, took my mom by the hand and escorted her to a place where she can dance again … and maybe catch Dean, Frank and Sam on stage. God, let it be so.

Someday soon…
OK, I’m getting misty here and need to quit. One last thing … I plan to catch a Deana Martin show this year. When I do, I hope I have a chance to tell her how great her dad was to my mom. Bernie never met Dean and yet he helped her so much — at her time of greatest need.

Thanks for letting me drop a personal emotion bomb on you … whew, done now.

Sunday, November 19, 2017

Danny G's Sunday Serenade with Dino: "Canadian Sunset"



Welcome back, pals!

Hey...likes I know it's a few days early still, but...HAPPY THANKSGIVIN'!!!

Yes siree, pallies...tis' the season once again.

The season for ponderin' our blessins', mi amici!

Ponderin' our lives!

Ponderin'...MR. DEAN MARTIN! Haha!!

Yes...it's true, ol' Dino-diggin' friends o mines...I'm serious!
I thinks bout' ALL the different ways Dino helps me ALL year long, & I am SO SO greatful!

Makes EVERY DAY SO SO much brighter!

SO SO much funner!

SO SO much more meaningful to me!

REALLY makes me appreciate the MANY MANY ways I've been blessed.

Yup...he's my main man, pallies!

I thinks I'll kick off this Cool Cool holiday seasonal Serenade time with my "go to" Dino-jam!

"Canadian Sunset".

It just gets me in the right frame of mind, for what's headin' our way! ...CHAOS!!! Hahaha!!!

Just kiddin' , mi amici.

It's a great time of year to REALLY look at anythin' & everythin' good in our lives & be appreciative.

No matter what or who it is...be thankful.

Life is TRULY a blessin'.

As long as we have our health...family & friends...and of course...the ONE & ONLY Dino...Life is good!

Enjoy!!!


Once I was alone
So lonely and then
You came out of nowhere
Like the sun up from the hill

Cold cold as the wind
Warm warm were your lips
Out there on the ski trail
Where your kiss filled me with thrill

Weekend in Canada a change of scenery
Was the most I bargained for
And then I discovered you and in your eyes
I've found a love that I couldn't ignore

Down down came the sun
Fast fast beat my heart
I knew as the sun set from that day We'd never part

Down down down down came the sun
Fast fast fast fast beat my heart
I knew as the sun set from that day We'd never part
Down down down down came-a the sun
Fast fast fast fast beat-a my heart
I knew as the sun set from that day We'd never part
We'd never part
We'd never part

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Dino Martin Jr. Smokin'

Hey pallies, likes there's an old old sayin'....like daddy-o, like boypallie.   Most recently we discovered once 'gain the Dino-truth of this solemn statement.   We gotta 'fess up that likes for years we have potently pondered the provocative proposition "Dino Martin Jr. smoked."  Likes we had no problemo findin' incredible images of our Dino's youngest boypallie Ricci lightin' up, but never ever, no matter how much we searched and searched could we spy our Dino's namesake with smoke in hand.

But, likes as we were doin' our most recent 'net search for powerful poses of Dino Jr. as we honor the 66th aniversary of his birth, we were lovin'ly led to the Canadian ebay pad where to likes our supreme surprise and deep delight we found an extremely evocative coolest of cool candid of Dino Jr. out clubbin' with Miss Olivia Hussey, who either at the time was or was soon to be his first wife.

Likes this perfect pose shows Dino Jr. with cigarette ( could it be a Kent?)  coolly cradled in his left hand.  The image was from a clippin' from the Spanish rag, "RADIAL PRESS," located in Madrid.  The tag of the prose, "[Julieta] va da fiesta" translates to "Juliet goes partying," which likes, of course, refers to Miss Hussey starrin' as Juliet in the 1968 Mr.  Franco Zeffirelli film production of  "Romeo and Juliet."  Many of youse Dino-philes will remember it was after seein' this fabulous flick that Dino Jr. pursued Olivia for his very own.  As you note,  Dino and Olivia were makin' the scene after attendin' a "recital by Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald, celebrating at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles."

And, thus the Dino-proposition has been proven.  Indeed Dino Martin Jr. was a smoker like his Dino-daddy-o......like daddy-o, like boypallie!  We are totally totally thrilled to share this Dino-revelation with all youse Dino-holics, and likes if any of youse have access to other pixs of Dino Jr. lightin' up, please share 'em with us.  ilovedinomartin  is most appreciative of the pallie who is in possession of this amazin' Dino Jr. clippin' and who has offered it for purchase at Ebay Canada.

We remain,

Yours in Dino,

Dino Martin Peters


 







 

CLIPPING recorte olivia hussey dino martin jr
From RADIAL PRESS, Madrid,  Spain

[Juliet] goes partying

The couple in question is formed by the lovely Olivia Hussey and Dino Martin Jr. who both attended a recital by Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald, celebrating at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.

[Julieta] va da fiesta

La pareja en cuestion esta formada por la encantadora Olivia Hussey y Dino Martin Jr.. lost cuales asistisron juntos a un recital de Duke Ellington y Ella Fitzgerald, celebrando en el Ambassador Hotel en Los Angeles.







Friday, November 17, 2017

On This Day In Dino-history: November 17, 1951




Hey pallies, likes today is one of the happiest of happy days...indeed, if not the happiest day in all of Dino-history 'cause 66 years ago this very day, on November 17, 1951, our most beloved Dino's most beloved boypallie, Dino Martin Jr. was born to proud daddy-o Dino and mother Jeanne.   Likes thinks of the powerfully pure pride our potently  powerful Dino had in namin' his first child by Jeanne after himself. Likes thinks of the  hopes, the dreams our great man had for his little boypallie by givin' his new son his gloriously great name!




And, indeed our Dino's boypallie namesake certainly did live up to the takin' of his amazin' Daddy-o's tag...becomin' a hugely successful entertainer himself while just in his teens as part of the swingin' pop trio Dino, Desi, and Billy.



Dino Jr. went on to acclaim as a tennis pro and football player, and found fame and fortune as an actor on both the small and big screens. And our Dino's golden boy also was gloriously  golden when it came to bein' a pilot of jet airplanes.



Likes Dino Jr. had only one real pressin' problemo...he was so marvelously multi-talented likes his famous father, that he just couldn't decide which of his many interests to put the major accent of his life on.



One thin' for sure pallies, Dino Jr. was definitely  heir apparent to the Dino-throne. And, of course all of that came to a crashin' end when Dino Jr. tragically crashed his National Guard F-4 Phantom fighter jet in California's San Bernardino Mountains during a snowstorm on March 21, 1987.


Today we celebrate this happiest of happy days in our Dino's life as we reverently remember and hugely honor Dino Jr. on the 66th anniversary of his entry into family Martin. But, in the midst of our celebratin' we can't help but be so so sad as well as we know that the end of the Dino Jr. story turned out to break our lovin' Dino's lovin' heart as he never ever got over the death of his beloved namesake.

We remain,

Yours in Dino,

Dino Martin Peters

Thursday, November 16, 2017

.....the closest thing comedy has ever come to Beatlemania, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis were world famous and two of the first entertainers to conquer radio, television, film, comic books, records and live performance all at once.


Jerry Lewis & Dean Martin


Hey pallies, likes as of late we have been totally thrilled to share many a potent post accentin' the remarkable relationship between our most beloved Dino and his most beloved partner Mr. Jerry Lewis, and quites a number of 'em have been of an incredibly international nature in scope.  Likes today 'though we may not have had to sail the seven seas to share today's Dino-devotion as it comes from north of our borders in Canada and is truly truly a touchin' and tender reverent reflection on our Dino and Mr. Lewis  from the supreme scribin's of Mr. Nicholas Arnold at his self-tagged blog, "Nicholas Arnold."  Mr. Arnold's bio tells us that he  "is a prominent stage actor and successful filmmaker" who makes his home in Toronto."

"In 2012, Nicholas took his one man show “A Tribute to Jerry Lewis”, and toured it around the Greater Toronto Area to various retirement homes and communities eventually landing a place on the larger theatre circuit and premiering it at the 700-seat Orillia Opera House.  Nicholas, alongside Ontario favourite Derek Marshall, is part of the original cast of "Dean and Jerry: What Might Have Been" currently on tour."'

Likes youse can see that Arnold has strong connections to both our most beloved Dino and his most beloved partner, Mr. Jerry Lewis.  On the heels of Mr. Lewis' passin' Mr. Arnold posted his wisely written words on Martin & Lewis, "Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis and How friendship Breakups Are Hard To Do."  Below we are sharin' the pertinent parts of his energetic essay that relate directly to our Dino and Mr Lewis.

We can certainly not do justice to ever begin to describe the incredibly intriguin' insights that Nicholas has on the closer then close relationship that our Dino and Mr. Lewis had as partners in comedy and as the most intimate of friends.  We simply invite you to read his words for yourselves and soak in each and every wonderful word.  We solemnly salute Mr. Nicholas Arnold for the tremendous amount of time, energy, and love that he has poured into this remarkable read.  We wish him our best in both of his productions....one about Mr. Lewis, and one about Martin & Lewis.

To checks this out in it's original source to read it in total, simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-gram.

We remain,

Yours in Dino,

Dino Martin Peters


Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis and How Friendship Breakups Are Hard To Do
October 9, 2017
|
Nicholas Arnold

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis were 10 years apart when they teamed up, each piggy-backing off the others' talents – Jerry, the monkey and Dean, the crooner. They weren't the only comedy duo at the time. Abbott and Costello were indeed a big deal along with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. But something was different about Martin and Lewis – something audiences everywhere noticed right away. These two got along. Not in a schmaltzy, pretend kind of way. They really, truly got along and were more caught up in the idea of making each other laugh than the audience. Jerry and Dean were simply having fun with each other on stage. Audiences were lucky to watch. Their friendship was famous and they seemed to compliment each other perfectly in a way that has made more modern audiences, looking back on old footage, question whether or not the two were in fact secret lovers (something Atom Egoyan explored in his mystery/thriller 'Where the Truth Lies', very loosely based on a crooner/comic duo in the vain of Martin and Lewis).

They were that close; a love shared between two men that was as strong as brotherhood. And they were a hit; the closest thing comedy has ever come to Beatlemania, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis were world famous and two of the first entertainers to conquer radio, television, film, comic books, records and live performance all at once. For two young guys in the late 1940s, its a wonder they kept their feet on the ground long enough to pull off two impressive solo careers later on.

Their fateful partnership spanned a decade; their bond growing stronger as their wallets and fame grew. But time can be rough on friendships that close. Jerry's ego ballooned. Ever the entrepreneur, he became controlling with the act, often upstaging Dean. The media didn't help. Jerry was the star of the act in every review and news piece. Naturally, Dean grew to resent this and searched for ways to be taken seriously as a singer – something that was near impossible next to Jerry's incorrigible clown. The final 10 months of their partnership, at the height of their popularity, had them barely speaking to each other. Explosive fights on set, visible tension and rare public appearances had audiences across the globe wondering what would happen with the pair.

Dean and Jerry finally split in 1956 – one year before Abbott and Costello would call their partnership quits. But even a year later, the Martin and Lewis breakup would eclipse Abbott and Costello due to the sheer pain it seemed to cause both the two men involved and the audiences who adored them. At the time of their split they had millions of dollars held up in movie contracts and theatre bookings. The Martin and Lewis machine seemed like it had many years still ahead of it, yet these two were pulling the plug while they were still on top. Their final farewell performance occurred at the Copacabana on July 25th, 1956 – 10 years to the day from their first appearance at the 500 Club in Atlantic City. They closed their act singing Pardners, the title song from one of their last films: “You and me will be the greatest pardners, buddies and pals”. After that, they exited stage right and stage left and wouldn't speak to each other again for 20 years.

At least, that's how the narrative goes. That's certainly the narrative we portray in our stage show. Of course, in reality breakups are much more complicated. Jerry and Dean did part ways; a small, stilted conversation over the phone in their dressing rooms at the end of that July 25th show closed off ten amazing years of fame, fortune and friendship. They went off to pursue their careers, both men immediately jumping into films to make good on the broken Martin and Lewis deal with Paramount. Dean Martin would of course later go on to become a high-flying member of the Rat Pack with pals, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr., and Jerry Lewis would become a mammoth in the film and comedy industry and, between the years of 1966 and 2010, would serve as the Chairman and Spokesperson for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, bringing his famous telethon to life in Las Vegas each year. In a testament to the skills of these two talented individuals, both men went on to have hugely successful careers at a time when many people wondered if one could survive without the other.

The famous story is that they didn't speak to or see each other for 20 years until Frank Sinatra famously surprised Jerry at his telethon in 1976 by having a tipsy Dean Martin walk out unannounced and to huge fanfare from the studio audience and audiences at home. In the clip (which is easy to find on YouTube) two old men, with years of wisdom and experience in their glossy eyes and silver hair, hug and kiss each other on the cheek. It's a touching moment made all the more powerful with the knowledge that this is the first time they're seeing each other in 20 years. In actuality, they did see each other on a few occasions prior to that. Dean would often see Jerry around the Paramount lot, riding in his golf cart and, according to the Nick Toshe biography, “Dino” Jerry would outright avoid Dean if he saw him coming the same way. That is until Dean cornered him saying, 'enough is enough'. But it didn't stop there. Their silence grew with Jerry becoming more and more bitter according to co-stars who worked with him over the decades (Stella Stevens, his co-star in The Nutty Professor recalls being shut out by Jerry after working with Dean on a film). Dean rarely spoke about Jerry – if ever – in any interviews and never wrote any autobiographies so its difficult to know his feelings at the time. Jerry, on the other hand, wore his emotions on his sleeve – and later seemed to change up accounts and embellish tales as he got older. The real cause of the feud and how it was handled after their split remains a bit of a mystery.

But we do know they saw other; an unavoidable side-effect of any breakup. There were three known public appearances (and probably a handful of private ones) over the decades. Dean interrupted Jerry's act for a brief second during the Eddie Fischer Show in 1958 (just two years after their split – he was working in the same studio), the famous 1976 telethon surprise and then once more in 1989.

I think what fascinated myself and amateur nostalgia historians alike in regards to the Martin and Lewis breakup was that it was a type of split not often talked about or portrayed in media; a friendship breakup. Especially one between two men (the stereotype being that men don't go through emotional splits with their friends). By the time we experience our first romantic breakup, we have already seen enough of them in sitcoms, movies, even kid shows to be somewhat prepared for what to experience. The first time one goes through a friendship breakup, especially one as cold and public as Dean and Jerry's, can be a troubling and uncertain time; troubling because it often occurs in our adult years – a time when we don't necessarily expect to go through a second coming of age. And that's really what it is. It's very common to drift apart from close friends over the years. Life and circumstances take over and you gradually and naturally become different people. It's less discussed and in some ways more painful when there is an actual break; a precise moment or a moment carried out over a few months or years where the friendship deteriorates before your very eyes, where you're forced to still see each other despite this corroding bond whether it be due to living environments, school or work. In Jerry's book, “Dean and Me: A Love Story” he writes about the hell of shooting what would be the final Martin and Lewis film, “Hollywood or Bust” – a film Jerry allegedly never saw right up to his dying day. At this point, Dean and Jerry were not saying a word to each other. The camera would stop rolling and they'd walk away, staring past each other, not seeing each other.

Imagine that - going from such a brotherly bond to not knowing a person in a matter of months. The pain of a friendship breakup stems from it being hard to label. It's not a romantic relationship crumbling and people in most cases know how to reach out for support or support their friends in that situation. It's something, in some ways, much more difficult to talk about, describe or even articulate in your own mind as its happening. But the reality is it does happen and perhaps is even more common than we think. It may be that the severing of ties is obvious and blunt or perhaps its more foggy with the cause being unclear and confusing. Either way the grieving process can be similar to that of a romantic breakup. Your world is turned upside down and things won't be the same anymore. As Jerry Lewis sang in his first film after the Martin and Lewis split: “I'll face the unknown, I'll build a world of my own, no one knows better than I myself, I'm by myself, alone”

If Dean and Jerry are any indication, breakups like this aren't clean and tidy and in some cases can last decades. It all depends on the bond that existed before the split, I suppose. After the somewhat awkward 1976 reunion, Dean and Jerry went back to their private lives, not reaching out to one another or rekindling that bond. They remained professional and that was it. Until Dean's son died in a plane crash in 1987. Jerry attended the funeral without being noticed and when word of this got back to Dean he reached out to Jerry, phoning home. According to Jerry this began a new chapter of their friendship, where they would phone each other, occasionally, reminiscing and talking about the future until Dean passed away in 1995.

In 1989, what would be their final public appearance, during Dean Martin's birthday show, Jerry Lewis gave him a taste of his own medicine and shocked him and the audience when he walked out on stage with a cake. “I love you Jer,” Dean said in front of the audience. Jerry replied, “Why we broke up, I'll never know.”

The passage of time is an interesting thing. It can change a person, much like it changed Jerry over the years. It can destroy a relationship. It can foster bitterness and inflate egos.
It can heal wounds.

I think about the Martin and Lewis story often. It's a great tale. And with the death of Jerry Lewis, those who believe in a heaven are quick to say that Dean and Jerry are reunited up there, tap dancing and tearing apart whatever heavenly, holy nightclub exists in the clouds. Maybe. Either way, the book is closed.

The story is done.

And time goes on.