Home> Facts and Trivia > Stars > Dean Martin
Dean Martin Facts
| Sign | Gemini |
| Born |
Jun 7, 1917 Steubenville, OH |
| Died |
Dec 25, 1995 Beverly Hills, CA |
| Age | Died at 78 |
| Total Facts | 51 |
"Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime" - words written on his tombstone, after his signature hit.
After being drafted into the United States Army and serving a stateside year (1944-45) in Akron, Ohio, during World War II, Martin was classified 4-F and was discharged.
Although Jerry Lewis was often made out to be the short guy in their act, he was actually the same height as Martin and used to cut the heel off of his shoe to achieve the effect.
Although he had almost 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 charts between 1951 and 1968, only three went to number one: "That's Amore" (Capitol: 1953), "Memories Are Made of This" (Capitol: 1956), and his theme song, "Everybody Loves Somebody" (Reprise: 1964).
Although he made out to be a heavy drinker on stage, he mostly used apple juice, but off stage was a Jack Daniels man.
Although Martin was a Republican, he supported Frank Sinatra's campaign to elect John F. Kennedy as President in 1960.
At 16, Dean Martin was a welterweight boxer who compiled a record of 25-11.
Born at 11:55pm-CST
Dean is one of few actors who have received not just one, but three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: one for Motion Pictures at 6519 Hollywood Blvd., one for Television at 6651 Hollywood Blvd, and a third for his recording career.
Dean was so distraught over the murder of his The Wrecking Crew (1969) co-star and friend Sharon Tate that he abandoned the next already-announced "Matt Helm" motion picture series installment (to be titled "The Ravagers"), and never played the character again.
Dean's TV career began in 1950 with The Martin & Lewis Show on The Colgate Comedy Hour, which ran through 1955. He hosted various other shows before reluctantly taking the 1965 gig which turned into a 19-year success under various names.
Despite the legend that he and comedy partner Jerry Lewis always despised each other, the two were actually quite close friends and the tension between the two began in 1956, when "outside people" (as Lewis called them to Peter Bogdanovich) began to "poison" Martin against Lewis. Frank Sinatra eventually staged a public reunion over 20 years after they stopped speaking to each other. Over the next 10 years they became close again.
Died exactly 29 years to the day (25 December 1995) after his mother, Angela Crocetti (25 December 1966).
Father in law of Carole Costello. She was married to Craig Martin, his oldest son & was the daughter of Lou Costello.
Father of Gail Martin, Craig Martin, Claudia Martin, Deana Martin Gina Martin, Ricci Martin and Dean Paul Martin.
Following his diagnosis of lung cancer at Cedars Sinai Medical Center on 16 September 1993, Martin finally quit smoking and even managed to perform briefly, and rather jauntily, at his 77th birthday celebration in June 1994. He declined to have major surgery on his liver and kidneys which doctors told him was necessary to prolong his life, and succumbed to respiratory failure on Christmas Day 1995.
From 1973 to 1984, he was the host of the "Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts." In one of the most classic television series of all time, Dean and his panel of actors and comics would shower the guest of honor with insults. This series contained the most famous names in the history of entertainment, such as Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, George Burns, James Stewart, Orson Welles, Jack Benny, Phyllis Diller, Milton Berle, Gene Kelly, Don Rickles, Rich Little, John Wayne, and Foster Brooks.
Godfather of Tori Spelling.
Grandfather of Alexander Martin.
Had a night-club in North Bay Village, Florida in the late 1970s and early 1980s called Dino's. It was next to Jilly Rizzo's club, Jilly's.
Has 8 children: Stephen Craig Martin (b. June 29th 1942), Claudia Martin (b. March 16th 1944 - died 2001 (breast cancer), Barbara Martin (b. April 11th 1945 and Deana Martin (b. August 19th 1948) with first wife Elizabeth McDonald. Dean Paul Martin (b. November 17th 1951 - died March 21st 1987 (plane crash), Ricci Martin (b. September 20th 1953) and Gina Caroline Martin (b. December 20th 1956) with second wife Jeanne Martin and adopted daughter Sasha Martin with third wife Catherine Hawn.
Has a street named after him in San Antonio, Texas.
He and Frank Sinatra were best friends, a fact he held very dear to his heart. The two didn't speak much, in the years after Dean quit the "Rat Pack Reunion" tour, but they did reconcile a few months before his death, over dinner - and a breadroll fight.
He and Jerry Lewis recorded a radio spot promoting their film The Caddy (1953), and noticing the tape was still rolling, decided to improvise additional radio spots, with Jerry slipping profanities into his dialog. The unedited master recording was surreptitiously taken from the studio and made into a "bootleg" record that sold briskly among collectors.
He and former wife Jeanne Martin maintained a friendship after their divorce, and consulted each other on family matters. When his health declined, Jeanne encouraged him not to worry about facing death, and to look at it as the chance he longed for, to be reunited with their son Dean Paul Martin, and with his parents.
He and the other members of the Rat Pack were banned from Marilyn Monroe's funeral by Joe DiMaggio
He declined to participate in the March on Washington in August 1963.
He had a fear of elevators and a love of comic books, which he read his entire life.
He was a close friend of John Wayne and Gary Cooper.
He was a close friend of Montgomery Clift. Martin was always grateful for the help Clift had given him while filming The Young Lions (1958) - Martin's first major dramatic role - and he would accompany him to parties after the rest of Hollywood had disowned him due to his increasing addictions to drugs and alcohol.
He was awarded 3 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Pictures at 6519 Hollywood Boulevard, for Recording at 1617 Vine Street, and for Television at 6651 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
His career as a boxer was described by him as follows, "I won all but 11 fights." When asked how many he'd fought, he'd reply, "A dozen." In reality, he fought 36 bouts and won 25 of them under the name Dino Crocetti. He reportedly fought under the nickname Kid Crochet, although no records of fights have been found under that name.
His friends often described him as easygoing and good natured, loving to laugh and make others laugh. They also said that he was sometimes quiet and liked to spend time alone, and that they seldom knew what he was thinking.
His parents were Gaetano and Angella Crocetti. Although born in Ohio, he spoke only Italian until age 5.
His son, Dean Paul Martin (Dino), was killed in a plane crash in March 1987.
His style of singing was initially influenced by Harry Mills of The Mills Brothers.
In 1962, Martin left Capitol Records and signed with Reprise, the label started and owned by Frank Sinatra. In 1964, he recorded his blockbuster hit, "Everybody Loves Somebody", which beat the Beatles to become the No. 1 hit in America for one week. It became the theme song for his television variety series, "The Dean Martin Comedy Hour" (1965), which ran on NBC for eight years. Martin followed this with "The Dean Martin Comedy World" (1974), which ran from 1973 to 1974. An indelible part of Martin's television shtick was his comedic portrayal of life as a lush, which many viewers never realized was just an act.
Interred at Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Is portrayed by Michael Daymond in Power and Beauty (2002) (TV), by Joe Mantegna in The Rat Pack (1998) (TV), by Jeremy Northam in Martin and Lewis (2002) (TV) and by Danny Gans in Sinatra (1992) (TV).
Martin did not party all night with the rest of the "Rat Pack" crew - actually calling themselves "The Clan". He usually went to bed early so he could play golf the next morning. He was obsessed with golf, and once stated in an interview that he would have preferred to be a professional golfer than an entertainer.
Martin's variety show contract was utterly remarkable in how little he was required to participate. Martin felt he performed better cold and took notice of Fred MacMurray's long-standing 65-day "on the set" contract for producer Don Fedderson for My Three Sons. He succeeded in reaching a new plateau on that one by only be contractually required to appear on the set during the taping. All guest stars, no matter how "big" were required to rehearse with stand-ins (see Greg Garrison). As a result, Martin would often happily flub his lines, to the delight of his audience. More often than not, he'd leave the stage and be seen driving off the studio lot in his sports car before taping concluded.
Member of the "Rat Pack" with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop. All appeared in Ocean's Eleven (1960).
Much of the "booze" that he drank on stage during his famous "Rat Pack" performances was really apple juice. (Son Dean Paul Martin spilled this secret, after the variety show ended production, stating that his father couldn't have performed if he'd really drunk that much liquor.)
Nephew of actor/comedian Leonard Barr.
Once employed as a steelworker.
One of his favorite hobbies during his reclusive final years was watching westerns on television - the older the better.
Son-in-law was the late Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys (married to Dean's daughter Gina).
Starred (with Jerry Lewis) on NBC Radio's "The Martin and Lewis Show" (1949-1953).
The line "Everybody loves somebody sometime" is written on his grave.
Underwent rhinoplasty when he was 27. The procedure was rumored to have been paid for by Lou Costello among others.