Dean Martin Biography, Photos and Posters

Dean Martin

Biography

Born: June 7, 1917
Hometown: Steubenville, Ohio
Instrument: Vocalist
Music Training:
Awards: 1959 Golden Globe Award Best Actor - Musical or Comedy (nom), Who Was That Lady?; 1966 Golden Globe Award Best Actor TV, Dean Martin Show; 1967 Golden Globe Award Best Actor TV (nom), Dean Martin Show; 1968 Golden Globe Award Best Actor TV (nom), Dean Martin Show; 1968 Golden Globe Award Best Actor - Musical or Comedy TV (nom), Dean Martin Show
Top Recordings: "Which Way Did My Heart Go?" "That's Amore," "Volare," "Memories are Made of This" “When You’re Smiling,” "Everybody Loves Somebody,"
Dean Martin biography: Dino Paul Crocetti was the son of an Italian immigrant barber. Dino spoke only Italian until he was 5 years old. Perhaps because of his broken English he did not do well in school leaving at the age of 16 to work in the steel mills. He fought a handful of amateur bouts under the name Kid Crochet and later delivered bootleg liquor. After finding work as a croupier in a local speakeasy he made mob connections which brought him into contact with club owners throughout the Midwest.

It waw at this point that Dino embarked on a career as a crooner styling himself after his idol Bing Crosby. To further his success in his newly chosen field he had a nose job and changed his nameto Dean Martin. He found moderate success early on in New York night spots. In 1946 he released his first record "Which Way Did My Heart Go?," but for the most part his career up until that point had been a struggle.

It was later in 1946 that he met another younger struggling entertainer who was appearing at Atlantic City's 500 Club, Jerry Lewis. After an act quit the show Lewis suggested Martin as a replacement. At first they performed separartely, but one night they came on stage together and their wild improvisational comedy was a huge success. In no time they were the main attraction on the boardwalk. By the end of the 40s they were the most popular comedy team in America.

In 1949 Martin and Lewis made theirHollywood film debut in My Friend Irma where their supporting work was so well received that they were given expanded roles in the sequel My Friend Irma Goes West.

In 1951's At War with the Army the comedy duo got their first star billing with Martin playing the cool suave straight man forced to react the the clownish antics of Lewis. Although not critically acclaimed their films were a huge success with audiences. Altogether, the dynamic duo made 13 films for Paramount. During this time their personal relationship began to sour until on July 25, 1956 in a show at the Copacabana in New York City they announced their split. Most people thought that Lewis would continue on successfully while Martin would fade into obscurity. However, Dean had other plans. He appeared in the movie The Young Lions along with Montgomery Clift and Marlon Brando in 1958. That same year he did his first TV special The Dean Martin Show for NBC. Both projects were successful the first demonstrating his ability as a more than capable dramatic actor. Martin added to these projects a hit single, "Volare." Martin had moved to the top on all levels of the entertainment world.

After the movie Some Came Running,he did along with Frank Sinatra in 1959, the Rat Pack was born. They along with Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop and Shirley MacLaine became the centerpiece of the celebritylifestyle. Martin and Sinatra became inseparable while Dean continued to impress the film critics with his latest offering Rio Bravo. Dean even left Capitol Records to sign with Sinatra's new label Reprise. Together with the rest of the Rat Pack they undertook making the movie Ocean's Eleven and while filming in Las Vegas appeared impromptueach night at the Sands in performances that became legendary. They followed up with Sargeants 3 and then Robin and the Seven Hoods. During the filming of the latter news came of the assassination of President Kennedy, the good days were over. What followed was the Viet Nam War and civil rights unrest.

Even at the height of the British invasion Dean managed to knock the Beatles out of the top spot on the charts with the ballad "Everybody Loves Somebody." After spurning many offers he finally agreed to host his own television variety show on NBC which ran for 9 years. He also continued his movie career with a series of spy spoofs as secret agent Matt Helm. By the late 70s his health began todeteriorate, and he never fully recovered from the shock of the death of his son Dean Paul in 1987.
Died: December 25, 1995

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