Long ago we missed the 25th anniversary of the passing of Dean Martin, and more recently the 105th anniversary of his birth. Dubbed the “King of Cool” by no less than Elvis, he was born Dino Crocetti in Steubenville, Ohio to Italian immigrant parents, and spoke only Italian till he was 5. He first sang pro in Columbus, Ohio but had been on the way a boxer, steel mill worker, gas station worker and casino croupier. His path to success opened when he teamed up with Jerry Lewis in films such as At War With the Army 1940, which sent them both to stardom and they were together for 11 years, making 16 films. Thereafter in acting he found his own feet in The Young Lions 1958 Some Came Running 1958, particularly Rio Bravo 1959 with John Wayne, which made him globally famous. Then from Ocean’s Eleven 1960 when he joined The Rat Pack with Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jnr, Joey Bishop & Peter Lawford, they all became iconic performers, appearing in films such as Sergeants Three 1962, 4 for Texas 1963 & Robin and the 7 Hoods 1967, and both with them and solo he achieved global fame as a crooner performing in Vegas, his own memorable hit songs being That’s Amore, Volare, Memories are Made of This and as engraved on his tombstone Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime. He acquired a persona as a boozing playboy and in the 70s and 80s traded on that, amassing 68 screen credits in all, with memorably The Sons of Katie Elder 1965, Texas Across the River 1966, Bandolero ! and 5 Card Stud 1968, and the Matt Helm films, plus Airport 1970 to The Cannonball Run 1981. He had hosted The Dean Martin Show on TV 1965-73 and it won a Golden Globe and was loved, having many more nominations for Emmys as well; the name changed 1973 to The Dean Martin Comedy Hour then 1974-84 The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts with his guest stars/pals. His last public role was a cross-country tour with Sinatra & Davis but after his son Dean was killed in a plane crash he was devastated and withdrew from public life until his passing in 1995. He had 8 children from his 3 marriages. With always self-deprecating humour he said as a boxer he won all of them except 11, asked how many he fought he said 12, but in reality he won 25 out of 36. Although his image as a crooner was singing with a drink and cigarette and he was merry through drink, his son later confirmed it was really apple juice as he could not have sung on alcohol; obsessed with golf, he never stayed up with the Rat Pack to party as he always played golf in the mornings, though offstage he loved Jack Daniels. A rare star with three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – one for films, one for TV and one as a recording artiste, he has a street named after him in San Antonio, Texas. He had a nightclub in North Bay Village, Miami-Dade County, Florida in late 70s early 80s called Dino’s. Demonstrating how nice a guy he was – when Marilyn Monroe was fired from Something’s Gotta Give 1962 by 20th Century Fox and they tried hiring someone else he advised he had co-star approval and insisted he would not do it with anyone else but her, though sadly she died before it was finished; also after Sharon Tate’s murder he had another Matt Helm film lined up, but he refused to do it, she having been in his last. He lived in Bel Air, and bred purebred Andalucian horses at his Hidden Valley Ranch, Thousand Oaks, Ventura County California; also has a square named after him in his father’s birthplace Montesilvano, Pescara, Abruzzo, Italy. He is interred in Westwood Memorial Park Los Angeles. We believe him more than worthy of a match in his honour and hope you accept – if the numbers or ratings do not suit, then please make contact.
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