Posted on 11/18/2021 5:23:53 PM PST by nickcarraway
Not everything about “King of Cool” Dean Martin was what it seemed. The dashing playboy and heartthrob was actually a devoted family man to eight children. The legendary drinker — who always had a tumbler in hand —secretly filled his glass with apple cider. And that gleaming grin masked pain.
A new documentary explores the complexities of the beloved crooner, comedian and founding member of the Rat Pack. “Dean Martin: King of Cool,” which premieres Friday on TCM, features never-before-seen archival footage and delves into Martin’s strained relationship with Jerry Lewis, his bromance with Frank Sinatra and the personal tragedy of losing a child.
Born Dino Paul Crocetti in Steubenville, Ohio, in 1917 to Italian immigrant parents, Martin didn’t learn English until age 6 and was considered nearly illiterate. The hardscrabble life in his working-class town couldn’t have been further from the shiny patina of Hollywood, yet Martin’s irrepressible talent was undeniable. His seamstress mother, Angela, proclaimed that if her kid didn’t make it as a singer, nobody could.
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His roasts were legendary and prolly couldn’t be done today.
He was one of my favorites.
I’ll definitely watch this. I loved him.
My mother adored him and hated Lewis. I always found jerry Lewis came off as narcissistic and mean. My mother always used to say he wasn’t the drinker he portrayed himself to be it was an act. That he could not possibly do the career he had if he were.
She was right.
IMO, he was the best singer of that era - much better than Sinatra. Smooth voice.
ping
My favorite singer from that era. I like Sinatra’s music, but never cared for him as a person. Martin always seemed to be having a good time —you can even hear it in his voice just listening to recordings — and his easy-going manner welcomed audiences to join him.
I read once that police came to Dean Martin’s house in which a party was ongoing and Frank Sinatra opened the door. The police said a neighbor complained about noise. Sinatra asked how that would be possible since all the neighbors were at the house party. After some dialog, Sinatra asked for a moment, went to Martin’s bedroom and awoke him. Sinatra stated to Martin “That was you who called the police, wasn’t it?” To which Martin replied and smiled “I have an early tee time and a (drinking) reputation to protect.” (indirect quotes) Martin called the police on his own house party. :-)
One of the top five coolest men who ever lived.
L
I agree. Dean akways came across as a gentleman. Sinatra not so much.
Don Rickles alone would cause BLM riots.
We like you people, just not in our neighborhoods.
Neither did Sinatra. There is a great book out on this: Deconstructing the Rat Pack, it was all a business decision.
The other 4? 😎
That story is true, but MArtin’s wife loved to throw parties, Dean would come for about an hour then go to bed to play golf. He called the police several times on his wife’s parties just to get them to break up and people to go home so he could sleep.
Also it was a rarity for Sinatra to ever be at Martin’s house, he was basically a recluse and never cared for anyone to come over, especially Sinatra.
The Matt Helm movies were a hoot and a great fit for Martin.
He always came across as a class act.
Steve McQueen, William Powell, Fred Astaire
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