............. and a shot of the King of Cool himself, Dean Martin.

Hey pallies, likes today's Dino-gram is makin' us yearn evermore to be able to pilgrimage to our most beloved Dino's playground....'Vegas baby 'Vegas!!!!!  From the all-thin's-'Vegas blog, "LAS VEGAS WEEKLY" comes prose from the pen of  their web calendar editor, Miss Leslie, Ventura, who also picks "the brains of rock stars, glimpsed into the oily world of professional bodybuilding and peered into the lives of Las Vegas’ movers and shakers. She runs on coffee and all things peanut butter-flavored."

Her perfect patter  tagged "THE STYLES (AND CELEBS) OF THE ’60S ARE ON DISPLAY AT SLS’ ICONIC IMAGES GALLERY," tells of a totally fab new art display at 'Vegas's SLS Hotel, formerly the sight of the Sahara Hotel.  You can read all the particulars below...includin' 'bout "a shot of the King of Cool himself, Dean Martin," captured by "famed ’60s celebrity photographer Terry O’Neill."

Likes, likes we followed a link from this awesome article and we located the most classic of classic Dino-pose below.  It's that pose of our most beloved Dino with his omnipresent Kent cigarette in hand as he prepares in his dressin' room to go on stage.

We sez our thank you very much! to proser Miss Leslie Ventura and all the pallies at "LVW" for puttin' us on to this 'citin' new Dino-op!  To checks this out at it's original site, simply clicks on the tag of this here Dino-gram.  Always, Dino, Always, DMP

THE STYLES (AND CELEBS) OF THE ’60S ARE ON DISPLAY AT SLS’ ICONIC IMAGES GALLERY

Leslie Ventura                                                                                  Mon, Apr 20, 2015 (2:15 p.m.)

A 9-foot Brigitte Bardot stands at the top of the stairs dressed in all black, fingers running through her blonde locks and a gun strapped to her hip. The photo is part of the Iconic Images Gallery’s latest installation, a giant, three-sided display featuring the work of famed ’60s celebrity photographer Terry O’Neill. Besides the French actress, the work also features a black-and-white photo of Mick Jagger wrapped in a fur parka and a shot of the King of Cool himself, Dean Martin.

The former Sahara hotel was a stomping ground for prolific performers in the 1960s, and now, the property that replaced the landmark hotel is bringing images of those entertainers to life. A must-see for pop-culture aficionados, Iconic Images is full of photos from O’Neill and others—timeless shots of The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Audrey Hepburn, Frank Sinatra, Sean Connery and Raquel Welch—including another of Bardot, smoking a cigarette on the set of 1971 film Les Petroleuses (known in the U.S. as The Legend of Frenchie King).

While some photos are more recognizable than others (Douglas Kirkland’s black-and-white close-up of Audrey Hepburn’s Cheshire-cat smile), even diehard fans may find something new here. My personal favorite? A publicity still for the 1966 film, One Million Years B.C., featuring a crucified Raquel Welch. Yes, crucified. Now, if only I had $2,300 to spare.

Danny G's Sunday Serenade with Dino: "Ridin' Into Love"

Hey pals! So...we meets again! Haha!!
Here... at our BEA U TI FUL little Dino blog...where life is good...& everythin' is permanently chilled!
What a SMART group we is, pallies! WE knows what REALLY matters & whats just USELESS dribble drabble.
 Gotta keep ourselves in check, Ol' pals o mine!

ALWAYS keep a "Dino-like" mindset & ALWAYS follow his lessons for livin' the "good life"! Right?! Right!
SO...that bein' said...let's get to this week's Serenade!

 Picked us a RIPE & JUICY little plum from Dean's EVER-BLOOMIN' tree of eternal ease! Hahaha!!!

"Ridin' Into Love" goes waaaay back to Dino's Capital Record days, pals. Mid 50's.
 Well, as we ALL know...Dean is timeless...& this recordin' just goes to show that his SMOOTH SMOOTH coolness HAS always & WILL always be with us!
It's a great feelin', mi amici.
OK pals...let's get some of that SMOOTHNESS flowin'!
 Sit back & listen, pallies.
Stay cool.
 Make sure to keep that "Dino-like" mindset & let life be good!
 Enjoy! 

Ridin' into love without a warning
Soon enough 'taint soon enough for me, darlin'
Ridin' mighty proud head up in a cloud
Ridin' into love to see my darlin'

You once promised me you'd be my darlin', darlin'
Soon enough 'taint soon enough for me, darlin'
Loping right along as I sing my song
Ridin' into love to see my darlin'

I'm tired of the doggies and their balling
Tired of this saddle I sit tall in
I only know I hear my true love calling
That's the reason why I'm
Ridin' into love with lips a-sighing, darlin'
Soon enough 'taint soon enough for me, darlin'
Hearts so full of love
You're all I'm thinking of
I'll shout it to the world I love you darlin'

I'm tired of the doggies and their balling
Tired of this saddle I sit tall in
I only know I hear my true love calling
That's the reason why I'm
Ridin' into love with lips a-sighing, darlin'
Soon enough 'taint soon enough for me, darlin'
Hearts so full of love
You're all I'm thinking of
I'll shout it to the world
I love you darlin'

I tell you something, for eleven years Dean was the dearest friend I ever had.

Hey pallies, we are deeply deeply delighted to be able to return this very Dino-day to Mr. Billy Ingram's perfect pad "TVparty! - Classic TV and Pop Culture blog from your pal Billy Ingram." Faithful readers of ilovedinomartin will remember that Mr. Ingram has shared a cool cool couple of Dino-focused posts at his pad that we in turn shared here on January 14 and 15 of 2014.....see HERE and HERE.

Well, likes today we are privileged to post an interview that Billy recorded with Mr. Don Cherry.  Billy has put the interview up as a vid clip on youtube and commented there...."Legendary golfer & crooner Don Cherry talks with TVparty!'s Billy Ingram about Dean Martin in 2011. The interview was conducted for the oral history book Beyond Our Wildest Dreams about the Alberici Sisters time in Dean Martin's Golddiggers."

The clip runs 'bout fourteen and a half minutes, and we gotta say that we enjoyed every second of Mr. Cherry's reverent remembrances with our most beloved Dino, includin' Don playin' golf with our Dino for over a decade.  In fact, we are deeply touched by many thoughts shared by Cherry, but most moved by Don's statement that we have used as the tag of this Dino-gram...."I tell you something, for eleven years Dean was the dearest friend I ever had."

Below is the vid clip that Mr. Ingram has posted based on the interview he conducted with Mr. Cherry, and many of the highlights of the conversation shared in print for our Dino-edification.  How wonderful to be able to share 'nother most movin' and tremedously touchin' powerfully personal, terrific testimonial to how deeply our Dino has touched 'nother of his pallies....in this case Mr. Don Cherry.

As you will note, Mr. Cherry has written a autobiography tagged "Cherry's  Jubilee" which he lets us know (via his interview with Billy) is loaded with wonderful remembrances of our one and only Dino, so we plans to gets our hands on a copy asap!  We sez our thank you very much to Mr. Billy Ingram of  "TVparty! - Classic TV and Pop Culture blog from your pal Billy Ingram," for yet 'nother intriguin'ly  inspirational and incredibly insightful post hugely homagin' our most beloved Dino.  To checks this out in it's original format, simply clicks on the tag of this here Dino-report.  Dino-learnin' and Dino-growin', DMP

Dan Jenkins, Golf Digest; "Contrary to popular notions, Jimmy Demaret wasn't the best golfer who could sing and Bing Crosby wasn't the best singer who could play golf. The all-time best golfer/singer, singer/golfer is Don Cherry."



Don Cherry, singer, golfer, author Cherry's Jubilee: I came to Las Vegas in 1952 with Peggy Lee the third week the Sands was open. In '52 there were only about 40,000 people, there were only two streets. There's about two and a half million now. Even back when Dean and Frank showed up it was just completely different, it was so much classier then. Now you see everybody walking around, they don't have on suits, some of them wearing shorts, they go to the shows dressed terribly.



I tell you something, for eleven years Dean was the dearest friend I ever had. He was Italian, I told him one time, if I could have just been Italian think of how much more famous I'd have been. Dean said, "Let me call Chicago and I'll call you back in thirty minutes." Like he was going to make me Italian.

We played golf every single day at the Country Club. We played golf everywhere he went, if he would go somewhere like Lake Tahoe or something, they would book me up there. I worked at the Riviera, I worked at the Sands, I worked everywhere when Dean was there. He was about a ten or twelve handicap which is not bad, he was that good a player. I played the Masters nine times, I almost won the US Open in 1960; to me singing and golf came together naturally, I never drank or smoked so I could play golf all day and sing all night. I only needed about five or six hours of sleep, it was perfect for me.

Vic Damone and I did the summer replacement show for Dean in 1967 and I did Dean's show about six or seven times myself. I can't tell you how much he meant to me, really. It was so simple, they didn't have much rehearsal but they had the cue cards so you'd know what you were doing. I enjoyed it more than anything. I guess Dean did more for my career in those days than anybody else ever did.



I'm on the show one time and Dean looks at me and says, "That's the worst hairpiece I ever saw. You go over to Max Factor and get you another hairpiece." Well, I went over there and found a good looking hairpiece and I wore it back to the show. I walked back over to Dean and I said, "Dean this is it." He said, "See the difference? What a wonderful toupee that is." and he called over there and he said, "This is a great hairpiece. I'm going to get this for Don Cherry." They said, "That used to belong to John Wayne." He was singing and had a great sense of humor but I think the thing he'd rather do was play golf.

I worked with Jerry Vale at the Amory in Cleveland, I would do my show and then Jerry would come on. Bill Randall, who was a disc jockey in those days, came to us and said, "There's a guy down in Memphis, Colonel Parker, who has a kid that he's promoting who made an album, do you mind if the kid plays in between the two of you?" So they put Elvis in between the two of us. That was the first time anyone ever heard of Elvis. One night in a nightclub in Queens Jerry Vale came over to me, he hadn't even started yet I think, and said, "Everybody says I sing like you." He never forgot that. He said that was one of the greatest compliments he ever got, that he sang like Don Cherry. He's a very nice guy, he's a wonderful singer, he likes to play golf, too. (Jerry Vale passed away in May of 2014.)

Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra; "We think that Mr. Don Cherry sings the Country Western music better than anybody in the business, but how he can do it so well and not "DRINK" is something we can't figure out. But he is Great."

The Dean Martin

Hey pallies, likes after discoverin' yesterday's powerful post from Dr. David Kahn, we thoughts it woulda be well worth the effort to see if Dr. Kahn had ever raise the name of our Dino in leadership blog, "leadersayswhat with David Kahn, PhD" and likes indeed he had.  Kahn's first entry posted back on September 16, 2014 was tagged "The Rat Pack’s Guide to Managing Substandard Leaders," and as indicated it takes note of swingin' leadership styles of our Dino, Mr. Sinatra, and Mr. Sammy Davis Jr.

Likes 'gain Dr. Kahn has used these cultural icons to speak such leadership truths....very very cool in our book dudes!  We gotta 'fess up that likes were most interested in the good doctor's deliberations on our Dino, and his Dino-description a la leadership is, of course, spot on one more time!  All youse Dino-holics are certainly gonna wanna soaks in  each and every worth scribed by Dr. Kahn.

We sez our thanks once 'gain to Dr. David Kahn for helpin' us grow in our knowin', lovin', and honorin' our King of Cool.  To checks this out in it's original format, simply clicks on the tag of these Dino-thoughts.  Dino-always, ever, and only, DMP

 The Rat Pack’s Guide to Managing Substandard Leaders

September 16, 2014 7:45 am ⋅ David Kahn

I recently ran into one of the first managers of my professional life. To give you the shorthand, whenever I cite what a leader should not do, I am describing her 85% of the time. For some time afterward, I blamed her for being the “less than pleasant” person she was (and I can support my negative feelings with numerous “that can’t be real” horror stories). However, looking back, I need to take more responsibility. The truth is that I let her lead me that way.

We all have experiences with difficult leaders. One option is to jump from job to job until you find the perfect conditions. Besides looking bad on a resume, we can’t live out our careers in a perpetual “grass is always greener” scenario. At some point, we need to make the best of the situation at hand. If you’re willing to put in the effort, this will involve managing your boss.

If you’re asking whether this is backwards, think again. Just as we are molded by our surroundings, we too can take part in molding the people around us. By taking an active role, you stop being the victim. Consider it self-empowerment.

To begin this process, we first need to know what we’re up against. Start by grouping these substandard leaders. We can then develop coping tools to ensure your and the organization’s success. To help categorize, let’s utilize three iconic entertainers who formed the foundation of the infamous Rat Pack.

The Dean Martin

Dean Martin’s public persona was based on being at ease and aloof. Leaders who embody this persona don’t give direction, avoid details, and don’t seem to be fully engaged in the organization or their surroundings. They are fun to be around but difficult to follow.

When you have a Dean Martin leader, it’s up to you to take more initiative and accountability. If you can get the leader to pick an end-goal, you will have the freedom to determine how best to achieve it. Don’t bog them down with the minutia; give high-level briefings and an assurance that you have it under control.

The Sammy Davis, Jr

Sammy Davis, Jr was a worker. He sang, danced, acted, and played any instrument he could touch. Sammy would spend countless hours agonizing over every detail of a show, honing it to perfection. Leaders in this category are so capable that they resist giving anything away. Controlling is a common term for them, as is micromangers.

With a Sammy Davis, Jr leader you need to build their trust. Logically, they may understand that you know what you’re doing. Emotionally, they are not yet ready to cede authority. Show them the small steps you are taking to get the job done. As their confidence in you builds, your degree of empowerment will steadily increase.

The Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra was your classic authoritative leader – he was the boss and you did what he said. These leaders do not take criticism or direction well. They are thin-skinned, unpredictably volatile, and myopically results-focused. Priorities typically change without notice and even your best efforts often go unrecognized.

Frank Sinatra leaders fall into one of two camps. For some, you can earn their respect by taking the hits and occasionally hitting back. When you have a great idea, let them think it’s theirs. Try not to take what they are saying too personally; focus on the content, not the tone. Others in the Frank Sinatra camp are just plain mean. These individuals are unreasonable, immoral, and manipulative. The best advice I can give is to do your time but leave before they squash your self-esteem.

If you’re leader is not ideal, don’t just sit back and take it. Relationships are a two-way street so don’t rely on the leader to be the only contributing member. Take some ownership. Make changes to improve your situation. Then, if it’s still unbearable, at least you can leave knowing you did everything you could. Like Frank once said, “What I do with my life is of my own doing. I live it the best way I can.”

While we are searching for our inner Dean Martin.............

Hey pallies, likes each and every day we have the powerful privilege of sharin' the deepest, purest, and truest Dino-devotion that comes our way and very very often we are awesomely amazed that more and more pallies are speakin' more and more boldly 'bout the remarkable reality that there is so so much more to our most beloved Dino then merely as entertainer extraordinare...that our Dino's life, times, and teachin's are so so much deeper then what would appear at first glance.

We have been particularly pleased at various times over the years to share incredible insights into how the Dino-way so often remarkably reflects a variety of teachin's of Eastern thought.  Faithful readers will remember that we have shared a numerous powerful, profound prose reflectin' how our Dino is like the Buddha as well as an excellent example of a devotee of Taoism and Zen as well.

Today's Dino-devotion  is 'nother remarkable reflection accentin' how our Dino is excellent example of followin' Daoism (also known as Taoism).  The post "Are You Trying Too Hard? Dean Martin, Wei-Wu-Wei and the Post Ironic Era" was discovered at the leadership blog, "leadersayswhat with David Kahn PhD."  Dr. Kahn states the purpose of his blog with these thoughts, "Through this blog, my intent is to make the theories and research accessible so you can utilize them. I like TV. I like movies. I like books. I like music. So I’m going to use my love of popular culture to simplify complex ideas and make them more relatable."

As you will read below, Dr. Kahn exemplifies  our Dino's work ethic as alignin'  itself with what " Daoists call this wei-wu-wei, or 'action without action.'"  Likes, we gotta 'fess up that Dr. Kahn's  wondrous words of wisdom are somewhat beyond our comprehension, but we stand it awe pallies of how this highly educated PhD has shown clear evidence that our most beloved Dino was a devotee of Daoism whether he knew it or not!

We are deeply appreciate of how Dr. David Kahn has shined much light on our Dino as a most powerful practitioner of "wei-wu-wei, or action without action."  Never 'gain will we see his seemin'ly unrehearsed antics as simply off the cuff.  We expresses our deepest of deep appreciato to Dr. David Kahn for this incredible insight into the life, times, and teachin's of our Dino.  As usual, to checks this out in it's original format, simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-gram.  Dino-awed, DMP

Are You Trying Too Hard? Dean Martin, Wei-Wu-Wei and the Post Ironic Era

June 24, 2015 6:05 am  David Kahn

We live in a time when appearing to try is considered off-putting. We are expected to be fully competent and act as though it all came naturally. It’s okay to be the smartest in the room, but never admit how long you stayed up preparing. It’s okay to be in prime physical shape, but downplay your hours in the gym and strict diet. And do you want to be CEO? Don’t say you’ve been working towards that goal since you were a kid.

It’s difficult to pinpoint when the shift away from trying began. Displaying effort use to be a positive trait. People would brag about the work they put into an accomplishment and be admired for their grit and labor. Then, Dean Martin appeared.

Dean Martin came across as an effortless trendsetter. While entertaining, he never seemed to be prepared, serious-minded, or particularly interested. The reality, however, is that Dean toiled and prepared to appear so at ease. He practiced delivering on-liners that sounded as though they were off-the-cuff and he honed the character of a care-free guy who’s had one Jack Daniels too many.

Like any repetitive behavior, years of pretending to “not try” led Dean to no longer have to try. The character he portrayed could be turned on and off without thought. Daoists call this wei-wu-wei, or “action without action.” Distinctly different from the post-ironic view that belittles earnest efforts, wei-wu-wei integrates the body and mind into a state of being where our actions are effortlessly in alignment with optimal effectiveness.

In the action of no-action (wu-wei), a cardinal aspect of the true creative process is set forth. In wu-wei, the mind is silenced and the work is allowed to express itself. – John Daido Loori

We are not born with a wei-wu-wei mentality. To attain it, ancient texts suggest simply relaxing into a harmony with nature. That is fine for some, but tranquility does not come naturally to most of us. Therefore, I recommend the non-post-irony approach to more actively “not try.”

For me to “effortlessly align my thoughts with my actions,” I need practice. Like Dean Martin “flubbing” the words to his songs, we need to rehearse until our actions and reactions are occurring on an almost unconscious level. Once we’ve put in our 10,000 hours, as Malcolm Gladwell famously wrote, we can then authentically “not try” to the best of our abilities and simply be.

While we are searching for our inner Dean Martin, let’s also remember our role as leader. You are doing your team a disservice if your goal is to appear infallible, unblemished, or overly nonchalant. If you’re successful in becoming “a Dean” then you won’t be viewed as approachable or relatable. If you fail, you will be seen as an insecure fraud.

Master the art of balancing Dean Martin-esque wei-wu-wei-ism with displays of hard work. Support a culture where trying is admirable and effort is rewarded. Where people can see the drive behind your “innate aptitude.” And where post-irony is reserved for one’s taste in music… while keeping in mind that there’s nothing ironic about loving Dean.

I encourage to be cool as cucumber, like Dean Martin was in life.

Hey pallies, likes even when we are a bit late, even when the blogger is a bit late, we can't not post 'nother terrific tribute to our most beloved Dino on the annivesary of "The Day That Coolness Came To Earth.  Likes all youse pallies know that the date of our Dino's descent to planet earth was June 7, 1917, but for some reason, folks often get mixed up on the date and thinks it was June 17.  Such is the case of today's scriber of Dino-devotion bein' shared here at ilovedinomartin.

From the blog "DAYS TO REMEMBER BY JD MITCHELL DESIGNS," comes their Dino-birthday honorin' homage simply tagged "Dean Martin."  The philosophy behind this particular blog is the quire, "Did you know every day is celebration about something?"  And, we are tremendously touched that JD Mitchell desires to celebrate our one and only Dino's one and only birthdate, even if she got the wrong day of the month.

JD delightfully designed a great graphic to  homage our Dino on his day and we loves these words of the sweetest sentiment scribed by Miss Mitchell..."The warm sensuality of his voice continues to beguile of music fans with a winning style and a touch of mystery."  Now ain't those some powerfully profound, reverently respectful, and hugely heartful reflections?!?!?!?!

We salute Miss JD Mitchell for her excellent expression of deepest devotion to our Dino on the day of his birth and sez thanks so much for hugely homagin' our King of Cool in this wonderful way!  To checks this out in it's original format, simply clicks on the tag of this here Dino-gram.  Dino-always, ever, and only, DMP

Dean Martin

Jun17

Playboy called him “the coolest man who ever lived.” Elvis Presley worshipped him, as we celebrate Dean Martin’s Birthday today.

Born Dino Crocetti in Steubenville, Ohio, on June 17th 1917 today would have been in his 98th birthday.

Early in his career, Dean Martin was known as a gritty hip-hop star. He delivered bootleg liquor, served as a speakeasy croupier and blackjack dealer, worked in a steel mill and briefly ruled the ring as boxing phenomenon Kid Crochet. Winning his share of bouts earned him little apart from a broken nose, but Dino’s speakeasy experience put him in contact with club owners, resulting in his first singing gigs.

With a fixed nose and a boost from his pals in the nightclub underworld, he became Dean Martin, styling himself after the top male vocalist of the time,

Martin released his first single, “Which Way Did My Heart Go?” and was first paired with comic Jerry Lewis. The two shared a bill at the 500 Club in Atlantic City, but the night they combined their acts into a combo of manic comedy and debonair music saw the birth of a phenomenon. They were the hottest ticket around and parlayed their onstage success into a string of hit movies and television appearances.

During Martin and Lewis’ decade-long partnership, Dean had such hits as “Memories Are Made of This,” “That’s Amore,” “Powder Your Face With Sunshine,” and “You Belong to Me,” among others, all for the Capitol label. Yet when their partnership dissolved, showbiz pundits predicted Lewis’ star would continue to rise and Martin’s would fizzle.

The singer confounded the skeptics. As a solo act he was wowing crowds in Vegas, impressing critics and audiences in a series of dramatic film roles, scoring on TV with Dean Martin Show specials for NBC, and hitting the charts again with “Return to Me” and “Volare.”

Today’s YouTube video clip shared by user name, (DRESDEN Fanatic),is Dean Martin singing Volare.

Not soon after, Martin’s affiliation with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr. and the rest of the fabled Rat Pack supplanted his earlier rep. He fueled his image as a boozing playboy in onstage antics with his pals and ring-a-ding ensemble films like Ocean’s Eleven, yet Martin later claimed his cocktail-swilling persona was largely a pose.

Biographer Nick Tosches (Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams) described Martin as a person, “who does not give a f—.”

The term, in Dean Martin’s case, conveys not indifference but a refusal to be beaten down by the world and a determination to greet life with an easy smile, a graceful melody and an aura of unflappable cool.

If you’re not a Dean Martin fan but like some of his songs, in lieu of today’s story, I encourage to be cool as cucumber, like Dean Martin was in life.

Instead of wishing you were someone else, be proud of who you are. Because you’ll never realize who was looking at you, wishing they were you!

Written & Designed by JD Mitchell

Dean Martin’s swagger required some cool rides.

Hey pallies, likes we gotta 'fess up that over the big red, white, and blue holiday we were offline for a few, and so we gots ourselves a bit of catchin' up to do when it comes to our most beloved Dino.  Likes yesterday when we gots back to the 'puter and did our usual 20 or so pages of google blog Dino-searchin' we came 'cross a number of fine Dino-accented postin's that we are positively, powerfully psyched to shares with all youse who name the name of our Dino.

Likes it's been quite some time since we have offered you a Dino-devotion based on our Dino's devotion to ridin' cool, so we are pumped to takes you to the wonderful wheels blog, most appropriately tagged "COOL RIDES ONLINE" where blogger Mr. Braulio Barrera, the "Digital Marketing Coordinator at Cool Rides Online has shared his deeply deeply Dino-honorin' post "Dean Martin – Cool Crooner Who Owned Some Cool Rides."

We knew that we woulda digs Barrera scribin's from the get go 'cause we digs his delightful descriptive postin' tag....likes indeed our Dino is the coolest of the cool crooners and indeed, likes our King of Cool owned him some of the coolest of the cool rides. Braulio shares relevant reports on three of our great man's great rides, which you can read all 'bout below.

 The first and third vehicles are ones that we have shared on numerous occasions here at our humble little Dino-blog, but we ain't ever remembered readin' 'bout and thus sharin' cool ride numero duo, the 1967 Ferrari 412P.  So we are most delighted to learn 'bout this coolest of cool car owned by our Dino.

We sez our thanks to Mr. Braulio Barrera and all the pallies at "COOL RIDES ONLINE" for this fabulous feature on our most beloved Dino and some of his most beloved automobiles.  To checks this out in it's original format, simply clicks on the tag of this here Dino-gram.  Dino-learnin' and Dino-growin', DMP

Dean Martin – Cool Crooner Who Owned Some Cool Rides

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Braulio Barrera

Dean Martin was a car enthusiast by day and a crooner by night. His “cool” demeanor can be seen in his eclectic mix of vehicles. Here are three of the best automobiles in his collection.

1962 Ghia L6.4 Coupe

As part of “The Rat Pack,” Dean Martin’s swagger required some cool rides. One of his hottest set of wheels was a 1962 Ghia L6.4. The vehicle was powered by a Chrysler 6.6 liter V8 engine that produced 335 horsepower. Martin liked his Ghia but thought it needed more pizzazz, so he contacted Hollywood custom car builder George Barris. Martin’s car was jazzed up with a shiny black paint job, chrome wheels, a glass greenhouse and trademark oval headlights. It became a true piece of automotive history.

1967 Ferrari 412P

Built as a racecar, the 1967 Ferrari 412P was one of the most impressive vehicles in Martin’s collection. The deep yellow color and sculpted lines added to its mystique. This car had some of the earliest aerodynamic features and was part of Ferrari’s prototype racing series. Under the hood, it boasted a 4.0-liter engine with a 12-cylinder configuration.

1976 Stutz Blackhawk

Apparently, Dean Martin truly enjoyed the luxury of 1976 Stutz Blackhawk cars. Throughout his life, he owned three different models. In a publicized accident, one of his Blackhawk vehicles was demolished. Its “DRUNKY” license plate may have explained the cause of the crash.

Every Blackhawk body was handcrafted in Torino, Italy with a special American G-Body Pontiac chassis. Each car was estimated to take 1,500 man-hours to complete. Some of the model’s best features included a 425-horsepower Rocket V8 big block engine, mink carpeting and 24-karat gold-plated interior bezels.

Outside the nightclubs, Dean Martin had an affinity for fine automobiles. Few people who loved his music knew much about his car collection. Martin’s taste spanned numerous brands. Since his death, most of his cars have been sold so that his spirit lives on through more than his songs.

".....and Dean Martin’s lilting voice is a constant refrain between scene changes."

Hey pallies, likes the provocative proverbial quire often heard 'round these Dino-parts is "Where will our most beloved  Dino turn up next?"  It is always always so so fantastically fascinatin' to discover our Dino makin' the scene in places and spaces, let us say, that we ain't normally associatin' with our King of Cool.

Case in point pallies would be today's Dino-postin' from the blog, "OffOff Online - what's on on off-off - Your comprehensive resource for New York City Off Off Broadway theater listing, reviews, and more."  We gotta 'fess up that when our google Dino-blog searchin' took us to this theatre blog and we found the post "Dean Martin at Cafe Verona"  we were positively psyched to see our Dino's croons bein' featured in a recent off off  Broadway production of Mr.  William Shakesphere's "The Two Gentlemen of Verona,"

The post scribed by Miss Karen Ebenezer, brought the hugest of huge Dino-buddha grins to our faces when we discovered that croons of the coolest dude to ever walk our planet were featured with the powerful prose of the greatest playwright  to ever put words to pen.  Dino and Shakesphere sharin' the same bill....playbill that it....likes how awesomely amazin' is that dudes?!?!?!

As Miss Ebenezer scribes....."The setting itself is unabashedly Italian, and Dean Martin’s lilting voice is a constant refrain between scene changes. Perhaps “That’s Amore” too neatly captures the senseless scrappiness of love; it’s one of those songs that play on a loop in your head."  It simply makes us prouder then proud to be known as Dino-holics, and it is more proof positive that our Dino transcends all ages and stages, all types and stripes!

We salute Miss Karen Ebenezer for her well written words of review of this production and to the all the folks associated with the play for their wisest of wise choice of usin' Dino-croons in this way.  Likes to checks this out in it's original format, simply clicks on the tag of this here Dino-report.
Dino-always, ever, and only, DMP

Dean Martin at Cafe Verona
Posted on June 4, 2015 by Karen Ebenezer

Shakespeare’s best romances, whether they end in tears or in double weddings, start off fraught with comic possibility, and most stagings of The Two Gentlemen of Verona are intensely aware of that fact. Director Hamilton Clancy and The Drilling Company’s production of one of the Bard’s earliest plays is properly sensitive to said comedic potential, even in the somewhat chaotic environs of Bryant Park on a weekend afternoon. The play seems particularly popular this season, with an acclaimed production by Fiasco Theater running concurrently with this one. A three-storied stage serves as a set for both Cafe Verona and the Emperor’s Court in Milan; Shakespeare’s two gentlemen gravitate between the two cities, just as their inconstant affections flit from one girl to the next. 

An ambitious Proteus (Brian Patrick Murphy) woos a particularly fearless Julia (Tori Ernst) in Verona, while his friend Valentine (Andrew Gombas)—Shakespeare’s requisite love-mocker—goes to Milan to seek his fortunes. Both Valentine and Proteus fall hard and fast for Silvia (Kristin Piacentile), and later deal with the oncoming storm of nascent comedic devices dear to the Bard’s heart: lost love letters, cross-dressing women and fickle men. The unsurpassed star of the show is Chewy-Bear Aquino, the winsome little dog that plays Crab; he almost outperforms his master, Launce (Eric Paterniani). 

Tori Ernst as Julia in The Drilling Company's production of "The Two Gentlemen of Verona.” Top: Eric Paterniani as Launce and Chewy as Crab (Launce's ornery hound). Photos by Lee Wexler/Images for Innovation.

The comic performances are reliably humorous, with a fantastic Speed (Drew Valins) and near-incoherently accented Launce, played to perfection by Eric Paterniani. Bryant Park on a spring evening is anarchic, and the players strive to hold our attention; Brian Patrick Murphy struts about and gestures like a Mean Streets antihero (Mr. Murphy is involved in Mr. Scorsese’s upcoming Rock N’ Roll project), while Julia and her wonderfully sassy best friend Lucetta (Lauriel Friedman) engage in girlish banter and the odd catfight.

But there’s a reason why The Two Gentlemen of Verona isn’t performed on stage as much as other works in the Bard’s canon. Lines of love and longing that would later become peerless in Shakespeare’s romances are rendered lukewarm here, barring perhaps Valentine’s famous love monologue to Silvia. The words utterly redeem Clancy’s bumbling-in-love Valentine and give him the deep solemnity of a lovelorn, despairing man torn from his betrothed: “What joy is joy, if Silvia be not by?”

Shakespeare’s early play depends greatly on the manic expressiveness and movement of its actors (it was performed with restless gusto by a Royal Shakespeare Company revival of Two Gentlemen last year), but Clancy otherwise mutes what might have been rip-roaring situational comedy in favor of schmaltzy music cues and no-fear-Shakespeare every man references (“I am one that am nourished by my/ victuals: Chipotle!” and “stop mewling like a bum on the L train!”). At times, there seemed to be more humor in the glances of passers-by eyeing the makeshift stage with the wary curiosity of watching a street performance and hearing Old English simultaneously. 

Andrew Gombas as Valentine and Brian Patrick Murphy as Proteus.

But the undisputed strength of this Two Gentlemen production rests on this theme: the easy forgiveness of friends. The neat double wedding that concludes this Elizabethan comedy could just as easily have been a funeral: when Proteus begs Valentine’s forgiveness for trying to steal his girl, there is a moment of unyielding hatred in Gombas’ raised fist, and the audience wonders (as it often does in Shakespeare’s dark comedies) if Valentine will go the way of Vergil’s Aeneas and strike down his mercy-seeking enemy. Instead, he lets his hand fall and embraces his best friend in forgiveness, as does Julia, who has a startlingly pre-feminist line: “it is the lesser blot, modesty finds/women to change their shapes than men their minds.”

The set seems deliberately makeshift, with three raised platforms serving as a restaurant, an emperor’s court and an outlaw’s hideout (appropriately called Governor’s Island, in keeping with the production’s New York flavor) but set designer Jennifer Varbalow makes the festive Little Italy habitat quite endearing. The setting itself is unabashedly Italian, and Dean Martin’s lilting voice is a constant refrain between scene changes. Perhaps “That’s Amore” too neatly captures the senseless scrappiness of love; it’s one of those songs that play on a loop in your head. So if you’re looking for that elusive alliance between Shakespeare and New York City, this season’s Bryant Park Shakespeare might just serve you with a decent caper through Little Italy and a few laughs for good measure. 

Presented by Bryant Park Shakespeare, The Drilling Company’s production of Two Gentlemen of Verona ran from May 15- 31 at Bryant Park (6th Ave. at 42nd St.) in Manhattan.

Danny G's Sunday Serenade with Dino: "We'll Sing In The Sunshine"

Welcome back mi amici!
Hope everyone had a fun & safe 4th! No injuries... or hang-overs, I hope! Haha!!
 Don't wants my fellow Dino-holics mendin' in bed when the Dino-vibe is in FULL swing!

SUMMER IS HERE & BE LIEVE YOUSE ME...I KNOW that these excitin', party weekends can REALLY wear youse down, pals!
  Lotta work celebratin' our independence, pallies! !! Hahaha!!!

Well, ol pals o mine...I thinks it's 'bout time we pull thins' in a notch.
Chill out with our Dino out! Ha!
Maybe take a little breather from all the firecrackin' & BBQuin'...& just give ourselves a wee bit of some well deserved RE LAX A TION!
Yes my friends...take some time to soak in these great great sunny days! Pour up a sangria...grab a few gentle sunbeams & let Dean melt the stress away.

Grabbed us the PERFECTO summery tune to jam on!
"We'll Sing In The Sunshine" is at just the right level of supreme "ease" to cool off with & still keep thins' Dino-simmerin'!
So, grab that drink, pallies...here comes some sunshine...Dino style.
Enjoy.


We'll sing in the sunshine
We'll laugh every day
We'll sing in the sunshine
And I'll be on my way.

I will never love you
The cost of love's too dear
But though I'll never love you
I'll stay with you one year.

We can sing in the sunshine
Oh, we'll laugh every day
We'll sing in the sunshine
And I'll be on my way.

I'll sing to you each morning
And kiss you every night
But darling don't cling to me
I'll soon be out of sight.

And we can sing in the sunshine
Yeah, we'll laugh every day
We'll sing in the sunshine
And I'll be on my way.

My daddy he once told me
Love can kill a man
Just take what woman give you
And give just what you can.

And you can sing in the sunshine
You'll laugh every day
You'll sing in the sunshine
And be on your way.

And when our year has ended
And I have gone away
You'll often speak about me
And this is what you'll say.

We sang in the sunshine
You know we laughed every day
We sang in the sunshine
Since he went away...

Celebratin' Independence Day While Declarin' Dino-dependency

Hey pallies, likes Happy Independance Day to all pallies in the good ol' US of A on this Fourth Of July!  Likes wanna share one of our most fav Dino-clip songs ever...one likes we knows we have shared before, but likes oh, so appro for the celebratin' of liberty. From the classic drama flick "Ada," here is our Dino playin' Bo Gillis, politician extraordinare, runnin' for governor and wooin' and cooin' the masses with his charismatic cool croonin' "May The Lord Bless You Real Good."

Likes, the notion of any state or for that matter nation bein' dependant on our Dino for runnin' the action....likes how amazin'ly  wonderful likes woulda that be pallies?!?!?!?!?!....'cause while we live in a nation founded on independence, all true Dino-holics gladly likes proclaim our likes total total Dino-dependance!

Enjoys celebratin' with parades,sparkles, some liquid libations and, likes of course, mucho Dino o'pallies of mine! Dino-dependently, DMP

May The Lord Bless You Real Good Bo Gillis

I was recently asked what I would grab in an earthquake, and it took me mere seconds to reply: my vintage candle from Dino’s Lodge.

Hey pallies, likes recently while goin' through the google Dino-'lerts sent our way we came 'cross this gem of  Dino-historical importance that is the focus of today's Dino-devotion.  From the on-line "Los Angeles Magazine," comes Miss Alison Martino's personal  prose  tagged "Alison Martino’s Saving a Candle From Rat Pack Hangout Dino’s Lodge."

Miss Martino "is a writer, television producer and personality, and L.A. pop culture historian."  And, we thought her tag rang a bell with us, so we researched her name in the ol' ilovedinomartin archives and found her other Dino's Lodge post that we featured  HERE in November of 2013.  As you will discover in  Alison's scribin's shared here, she is a collector of Dino's Lodge Dino-memorabilia, and her most prized piece of said Dino-treasure is a candle featurin' the Dino's Lodge Logo.

In fact, as the tag of this Dino-gram shares, that if 'nother quake of the earth comes to L.A., this candle woulda be the first thin' that she would grab for.  It's totally totally thrillin' to know how much Dino-love musta be in her heart to be rememberin' Dino's Lodge in such a huge huge way!  We salute
Miss Alison Martino for sharin' her Dino-devotion with the readership of "Los Angeles Magazine" and sharin' her prized Dino-possessions with the larger Dino-world.  To checks this out in it's original source, simply clicks on the tag of this here Dino-gram.  Dino-delightedly, DMP

Alison Martino’s Saving a Candle From Rat Pack Hangout Dino’s Lodge

The storied souvenir traveled from Hollywood to Australia and back again

June 29, 2015 Alison Martino Dining, L.A. History 

I was recently asked what I would grab in an earthquake, and it took me mere seconds to reply: my vintage candle from Dino’s Lodge. In the late ’50s and ’60s, candles just like it sat on every table in the long-gone restaurant. I’ve seen several menus and matchbooks that feature the same illustration of Dean Martin—the showbiz legend owned Dino’s Lodge—but never another candle. The restaurant’s Sunset Boulevard driveway was featured in the 1950s show 77 Sunset Strip, so I feel the need to snap twice when admiring the souvenir.

I paid less than $20 for it when the candle popped up on eBay a few years ago. Now that the restaurant’s old structure has been demolished, it would likely list for upwards of $500, but I’m not looking to make a profit. I bought the candle from a woman in Australia whose father had brought it home from Hollywood during Dino’s heyday. I’m glad it’s back in Los Angeles where it belongs. When the earth’s not shaking, I keep the candle next to other rare Dino’s Lodge treasures that I’ve collected over the years, including an original menu, two ashtrays, two sugar cubes, two plates, and a Zippo lighter. Ain’t that a kick in the head?

Alison Martino’s Dino’s Lodge memorabilia

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY ALISON MARTINO

---

Alison Martino is a writer, television producer and personality, and L.A. pop culture historian. She founded the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles in 2010. In addition to CityThink and VLA, Martino muses on L.A’s. past and present on Twitter and Instagram

Dean stops, turns around and scans the crowd until he finds… me!

Hey pallies, likes have we gots a powerfully pure piece of prose to begin our sparkly July month of Dino-devotion here at ilovedinomartin.   Likes 'bout a week 'go we went to google image search lookin' for an appropriate image of our Dino to go 'long with a Hollywood centered post  (SEE HERE). Likes our search not only turned up a great Dino-pose for that bit of Dino-devotion, but also one of the most potently powerful personal Dino-remembrances that we have ever come 'cross.

Our Dino-image searchin' sent us to the pad "HOLLYWOOD JOURNAL - soul of the biz" where a little over a year ago Mr. Paul Greenstone scribed the hugely homagin' post "How Dean Martin hooked me up in Hollywood."  Don't wanna takes anythin' 'way from Greenstone's superb scribin' of his connections with our most beloved Dino and how he met our King of Cool in person. so we are simply gonna say that this is a MUST READ for any pallies who digs our Dino....'cause Paul's reverent reflections are some of the deepest, purest, and truest devotion to our Dino that we have ever been privileged to experience.

We don't know why we didn't come 'cross Mr. Greenstone's Dino-encounter before, but we are likes most thankful that our Dino-image searchin' brought it front and center for us to share it with the larger world of Dino-holics to imbibe and drink deeply of.  We salute Mr. Paul Greenstone for sharin' these wonderfully wise words of Dino-testimony, and for the pallies at "THE HOLLYWOOD JOURNAL" for sharin' it at their pad.  To checks this out in it's original source, simply clicks on the tag of this here Dino-gram.  Dino-always, ever, and only, DMP

How Dean Martin hooked me up in Hollywood

by Paul Greenstone

In 1991, at the age of 24, I moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in show business. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do but thought I’d get a great introduction and overview of the entertainment industry by working for a successful agent at a large agency. Four weeks after I arrived, I got a job interview at ICM to be Mort Viner’s 2nd assistant.

Mort, an “old school” agent (his first name gave that away), got his first job working in the mailroom of MCA until Lew Wasserman picked him to become his assistant. Mort learned how to be an agent from one of the greatest Hollywood agents/executives that ever lived.

Mort’s clients and agenting were his life and he never forgot that he worked for his clients and not the other way around. And Mort never used his job/clients to get favors. Mort represented Shirley MacLaine, Jimmy Stewart, Gene Kelly, Michael Crawford and Dean Martin. Look, I’m a NJ native and my parents introduced me to “Old Hollywood” and “The Rat Pack” at a young age, so this was a dream job for me.

ICM’s HR department told me I’d interview with Nina, who had been Mort’s 1st assistant for many years and I would not meet Mort during the process. After my interview, however, Nina had me meet with Mort for an interview that lasted for one question before being awkwardly dismissed.

The next day I found out that I got the job!

So I filed, read scripts and contracts, got Mort’s lunch, filled his Mercedes with gas, picked up dry cleaning and took him to/from the airport. Obviously, answering the phones was a major part of the job. We fielded offers for Mort’s clients, heads of studios would call.

If someone wanted to talk to Dean Martin (and they were not an ex wife, son/daughter or grandchild), they had to go through Nina and me. Tom Hanks was a big Dean fan and would call once in a while to check in on him.

Frank Sinatra called a lot. President Bush even called for Mort. I can still hear that familiar voice of Jimmy Stewart always saying: “Hello, this is James…” But, Shirley MacLaine, Michael Crawford and Dean Martin called every day. I remember Dean once saying: “You kept me on hold so long, I sobered up twice.”

While I could answer the phones, once Mort got on the call, I was not allowed to listen. I knew I was doing a good job and Nina and Mort liked me, but they did not know me. Trust had not been built, yet. I understood. So, Nina listened in on all the calls and I was in the dark. But after Valentine’s Day, everything changed.

My college buddy Susan Sussman (who was a junior agent at ICM) and I agreed that if we didn’t have any dates for Valentine’s Day, we’d go out for a nice dinner. So, I made a reservation at La Famiglia in Beverly Hills. I’d never been there but Dean had dinner there every night and almost always, he’d dine with Mort. La Famiglia’s owner, Joe Patti, and I had good phone banter and always told me to come by for dinner.

Susan and I show up. It’s packed. I greet Joe, who hugs me as if we’re old friends and points to a booth in the corner: “Dean’s over there eating alone. Go say ‘hi’.” I explain that while Dean and I speak several times a day, we hadn’t met yet.

Joe understands, grabs my hand and races me to Dean. Susan follows and suddenly we’re face to face with Dean Martin: Hollywood legend. We’re introduced, Joe leaves and Dean has us sit down with him. How cool is that? A few minutes later our table is ready. Dean kisses Susan on the hand, shakes mine and tells us to have a good night and we’re escorted to our table.

We’re seated next to Sugar Ray Leonard and his wife and the boxing champ excitedly asked me how I knew Mr. Martin. So, I told him.

About 30 minutes later, Dean gets up. It was as if the whole restaurant stopped and watched silently as he made his way to the front door. His style. His smile. The charisma. He still had “it”. But then…

Dean stops, turns around and scans the crowd until he finds… me!

He saunters towards us. After a brief stop for a handshake and a “hello” with Sugar Ray and his wife, he tells Susan again that it was nice to meet her and gives me a little slap on my face and mutters: “Thanks for everything you do for me, kid”. He turns around and leaves. I’ll never forget that moment for as long as I live.

Later, Joe comes by with a grin and proclaims: “The dessert is on me, the meal’s on Mr. Martin.” Dean Martin just bought us dinner!

The next morning, I relay the events from the previous night to Mort, who is grinning from ear to ear, genuinely happy for me.

That day, Mort told Nina to tell me that I could now listen in on all his phone calls. I was now a “made man” and had complete access to Mort Viner, his clients and all the secrets: Secrets that Nina and I will take to our graves, the way Mort Viner took them to his grave, which is right next to his best friend, Dean Martin.