On This Day In Dino-history: July 24, 1956

Hey pallies, likes 63 years  'go this very day, July 24, in 1956 our most beloved Dino had likes his hugest of hugest endin' and likes his newest of newest beginnin' when he called it quits with his partner, Mr. Jerry Lewis...exactly a decade after they had created the greatest comedic partnership in all of world history.

Likes it has becomes likes a touchin' 'n tender tradition on this hugely historic of historic Dino-day to revisit a reverent retellin' of what happened on that last night   Martin and Lewis took the stage at the Copacabana....truly some deeply heart-felt and incredible insights 'bout our Dino and Mr. Lewis' last gig together  shared at the blog "Frontier Net."  (Unfortunately this post no longer exists there.)

From the writings, "The Copacabana, An Illustrated History" by Kristin Baggleaar  comes some deeply deeply devoted details of our Dino and  Mr. Lewis' swan song.  So, once 'gain, let's sit back and reflect on the  meanin's of likes this most bitter-sweet day in all of Dino-history.

 Likes as we often do on this day, 'gain likes gotta 'fess up pallies, likes for years we had zip, zero, nadda  appreciato for Mr. Jerry Lewis whatsoever, and felt that the split-up was exactly what Lewis deserved.  But, ever since readin' and rereadin'  Lewis' tome "Dean and Me: A Love Story," we have greatly greatly grown in our ubber understandin' and awestruck  appreciato of just how much Mr. Lewis loved, and continued to love our most beloved Dino!

In fact, likes we once 'gain gotta 'fess up that  we have become likes totally totally jealous of Mr. Lewis 'cause he got to spend 10 intimate and glorious years with the coolest person ever to walk the face of the earth...and got to know our Dino better then any other person alive ever has or ever will.  What coulda be more wonderful then that!   In fact, we remember in readin' in Tosches' outstandin' Dino-bio that Lewis was jealous of Jeanne and Jeanne was equally jealous of Lewis...and who could blame 'em...they each wanted our Dino for themselves...and don't we all likes feel likes that same Dino-way?!?!?!

Anyway, on this special Dino-day in Dino-history we remember the lovin' legacy that our Dino and Mr. Lewis had together, and see this endin' as a hugely important new beginnin' for our most beloved Dino.  We are  Dino-rememberin' with youse.

We Remain,

Yours In Dino,

Dino Martin Peters



The Copacabana

An Illustrated History by Kristin Baggelaar
.

By summer 1956, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis officially announced that they were breaking up as a team; however, together they were committed to one last engagement at the Copacabana.  Perhaps because it was the last time they would ever work together, Martin and Lewis' final two-week stand at the Copa did a record-breaking business.

The diminished floorshow space was a tribute to their draw and mass impact.  The Doug Coudy production numbers were curtailed as the acts, including the personable dance team of Conn & Mann, were stage waits for the headliners.  Martin & Lewis worked with smoothness and no apparent personal friction despite all the press about their rift, but some dissension was evident with their Pardners bit, a cafe trailer for their soon-to-be released Paramount film of the same name.  To their professional credit they played it straight, with Lewis foiling for Martin's crooning, and likewise, Martin foiling for his partner's clowning.  While both were well received, it was felt that solo or team, the impact was not as resounding as in the past until their final night.  Every celebrity in Manhattan was in the audience to witness the pair's swan song of one of the greatest comedy acts in history.  They pulled out every schtick in their comedy bag for the star-studded crowd, from squirting seltzer down Milton Berle's shirt front to cutting off Monte Proser's necktie.  The sophisticated cafe crowd wouldn't let them quit.

The final moments of the last show of their farewell engagement at the Copa on a hot Tuesday night, July 24, 1956, are pressed indelibly in the minds of those who were present.  Martin's face was impassable, cool to the end.  They finished with the final crescendo from Pardners:  "You and me, we'll be the greatest pardners, buddies, and pals!"  They joined hands for a last bow.  Martin hugged Lewis.  The audience exploded in an emotional uproar.  Jackie Gleason jumped up and grabbed the mike, wiped away a tear, and said, "Folks, this can't be allowed to happen."  The audience roared its approval, but Martin & Lewis just shook their heads, no.  It was over.  There was no encore.  Martin took one aisle away from the floor; Lewis took the other.