- Byname of:
- Dino Paul Crocetti
- Born:
- June 7, 1917, Steubenville, Ohio, U.S.
- Died:
- December 25, 1995, Beverly Hills, California (aged 78)
Dean Martin
-
Who was Dean Martin?
Dean Martin (1917–1995) was an American singer and actor who gained fame as part of a popular comedy team with Jerry Lewis. Later, Martin achieved success as a solo singer, actor, and TV host.
Before his entertainment career took off, Martin worked in various jobs, including in steel mills and as a prizefighter. He began touring as a pop singer and teamed up with comedian Jerry Lewis in 1946. Together, they found immense success, making 16 movies, such as My Friend Irma (1949).
After parting ways with Lewis, Martin thrived with hit songs like "That's Amore" (1953) and acted in films like The Young Lions (1958). He also collaborated with Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. as part of the "Rat Pack" in Ocean's Eleven (1960). Martin's TV variety show, The Dean Martin Show, ran for eight years, followed by celebrity roasts.
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What types of entertainment was Dean Martin known for?
Dean Martin was an American singer and actor known for his work in comedy, music, film, and television. He gained fame as part of a comedy team with Jerry Lewis, achieving success on stage, television, and in motion pictures.
After his partnership with Lewis ended, Martin had hit songs such as "That’s Amore," "Memories Are Made of This," and "Everybody Loves Somebody." Martin acted in films such as The Young Lions and Rio Bravo, and he starred in spy-spoof movies as Matt Helm. As a member of the "Rat Pack," he performed with Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. in Ocean's Eleven. Martin's television variety show, The Dean Martin Show, ran for eight years, followed by The Dean Martin Comedy Hour, a series of celebrity roasts.
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What were some of Dean Martin’s most famous songs?
Dean Martin, the American singer and actor, gained fame as part of a comedy team with Jerry Lewis before launching a successful solo career.
Some of Martin's most famous songs include:
* “That’s Amore”
* “Memories Are Made of This”
* “Everybody Loves Somebody”
* “Volare”In addition to his singing career, Martin starred in films such as The Young Lions, Rio Bravo, and Ocean’s Eleven. He also had a television variety show, The Dean Martin Show, which ran for eight years.
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What movies did Dean Martin act in?
Dean Martin was a successful American singer and actor who, for 10 years, was a member of one of the most popular comedy teams with Jerry Lewis Dean Martin. Together, Martin and Lewis made 16 motion pictures, including My Friend Irma (1949) and Hollywood or Bust (1956).
After ending his partnership with Lewis, Martin continued his acting career, starring in The Young Lions (1958) with Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift. His first film appearance with Frank Sinatra was in Some Came Running (1958). Martin also won praise for his performances in Rio Bravo (1959), Bells Are Ringing (1960), Toys in the Attic (1963), and Airport (1970). He starred as Matt Helm in a series of spy spoof films that include The Silencers (1966), Murderers’ Row (1966), The Ambushers (1967), and The Wrecking Crew (1968).
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What was the 'Rat Pack,' and what was Dean Martin’s role in it?
The Rat Pack was a group of Las Vegas entertainers who often performed together in the 1960s. Core members included Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr..
Martin, known for his easygoing manner, was famous for his seemingly tipsy stage presence, which some claim was part of his act. He joined Sinatra and Davis Jr. in the heist movie Ocean's Eleven (1960), the comedy western Sergeants 3 (1962), and the musical comedy Robin and the Seven Hoods (1964).
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How did Dean Martin influence music and film in America?
Dean Martin significantly impacted American music and film through his versatile talent and charismatic persona. Initially gaining fame as part of a comedy duo with Jerry Lewis, Martin transitioned to a successful solo career, showcasing his singing and acting abilities.
His hit songs, including "That's Amore" and "Everybody Loves Somebody," topped music charts, while his performances in films like Rio Bravo and Ocean's Eleven (with fellow "Rat Pack" members) solidified his status as a captivating on-screen presence. Martin's long-running television variety show further cemented his influence, making him a beloved figure in American entertainment.
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Dean Martin (born June 7, 1917, Steubenville, Ohio, U.S.—died December 25, 1995, Beverly Hills, California) was an American singer and actor who was a member, with Jerry Lewis, of one of the most popular comedy teams on stage and television and in motion pictures for 10 years. Martin then moved on to a successful solo career as a singer, an actor, and a television variety show host.
During his younger days Martin worked locally in steel mills, delivered bootleg liquor, was a prizefighter, and had a job in a casino. After appearing in local nightspots as a pop singer, he was hired by bandleader Sammy Watkins and began to tour. During an engagement in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1946, he and another performer, comedian Jerry Lewis, began clowning around during each other’s acts. This led to an immensely successful comedy partnership that featured Martin as a suave straight man and Lewis as an immature clown. Before long the two left New York for Hollywood. They made 16 motion pictures together, beginning with My Friend Irma (1949) and ending with Hollywood or Bust (1956).
Despite predictions that Martin would fail as a solo act, his career prospered after he ended the partnership with Lewis. Martin struck gold with hit songs such as “That’s Amore” (1953), “Memories Are Made of This” (1955), and “Everybody Loves Somebody” (1964). Simultaneously, he kept his acting career alive, beginning with the World War II drama The Young Lions (1958), in which he starred with Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift. That same year he released another hit single, “Volare.” His first film appearance with Frank Sinatra was in Some Came Running (1958). Martin also won praise for his performances in Rio Bravo (1959), Bells Are Ringing (1960), Toys in the Attic (1963), and Airport (1970). In addition, he performed with fellow “Rat Pack” members Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. in the heist film Ocean’s Eleven (1960), the comedy western Sergeants 3 (1962), and the musical comedy Robin and the Seven Hoods (1964). Martin also starred as Matt Helm in a popular series of spy spoof films: The Silencers (1966), Murderers’ Row (1966), The Ambushers (1967), and The Wrecking Crew (1968).
Martin was a staple on television for many years. His television variety show, The Dean Martin Show, began an eight-year run in 1965 and was followed by The Dean Martin Comedy Hour (1973–74), the latter a series of celebrity “roasts.” He continued to host celebrity roasts occasionally through 1984. Although Martin often seemed to be intoxicated during his television and nightclub performances—an impression aided by his easygoing manner, ever-present glass, and slurred singing style—he and his friends insisted it was part of his act.