Dean Martin Trivia

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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. (imdb.com)

His style of singing was initially influenced by Harry Mills of The Mills Brothers. (imdb.com)

Although Martin was a Republican, he supported Frank Sinatra's campaign to elect John F. Kennedy as President in 1960. (imdb.com)

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). (imdb.com)

Grandfather of Alexander Martin. (imdb.com)

His career as a boxer was summed up by him as follows, "I won all but 11 of 12 fights." He fought under the name of Kid Crochet. (imdb.com)

Starred (with Jerry Lewis) on NBC Radio's "The Martin and Lewis Show" (1949-1953). (imdb.com)

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.) (imdb.com)

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. (imdb.com)

Has a street named after him in San Antonio, Texas. (imdb.com)

His parents were Gaetano and Angella Crocetti. Although born in Ohio, he spoke only Italian until age 5. (imdb.com)

Although Jerry Lewis often made out to be the short guy in his act, in reality he was actually taller than Martin. (imdb.com)

Son-in-law was the late Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys (married to Dean's daughter Gina). (imdb.com)

Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime - words written on his tombstone, after his signature hit. (imdb.com)

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. (imdb.com)

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. (imdb.com)

He declined to participate in the March on Washington in August 1963. (imdb.com)

Father of Claudia Martin (with first wife). (imdb.com)

Father of Barbara Gail Martin', Heather Lyn and Dean Paul Martin. (imdb.com)

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. (imdb.com)

While he always played affable and easygoing, offstage he was usually quiet and reserved; friends noted the contrast. (imdb.com)

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 Jr. (b. November 17th 1951 - died March 21st 1987 (plane crash), Ricci James Martin (b. September 20th 1953) and Gina Caroline Martin (b. December 20th 1956) with second wife Jeanne Martin) and adopted daughter Sasha with third wife Catherine Hawn. (imdb.com)

One of his favorite hobbies during his reclusive final years was watching westerns on television - the older the better. (imdb.com)

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. (imdb.com)

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). (imdb.com)

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. (imdb.com)

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. (imdb.com)

Born at 11:55pm-CST (imdb.com)

Despite the name changes in his television shows, Dean's television career lasted 19 years: from 1965 to 1984. (imdb.com)

Died exactly 29 years to the day (25 December 1995) of the death of his mother, Angela Crocetti (25 December 1966). (imdb.com)

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. (imdb.com)

Underwent rhinoplasty when he was 27. The procedure was paid for by Lou Costello. (imdb.com)

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. (imdb.com)

He was a close friend of John Wayne and Gary Cooper. (imdb.com)

Although he made out to be a heavy drinker on stage, he mostly used apple juice, but off stage was Jack Daniels man. (imdb.com)

Dean is one of few actors that have received not just one, but TWO, stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: one for Motion Pictures at 6519 Hollywood Blvd., and one for Television at 6651 Hollywood Blvd. (imdb.com)

His son, Dean Paul Martin (Dino), was killed in a plane crash in March 1987. (imdb.com)

In his youth, Dean Martin was an amateur boxer who compiled a record of 1-11. (imdb.com)

Father of Ricci Martin. (imdb.com)

Father of Deana Martin (imdb.com)

Dean was so distraught over the murder of his _Wrecking Crew, The_ (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. (imdb.com)

Diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1991. (imdb.com)

When 20th Century-Fox fired Marilyn Monroe as his co-star in Something's Got to Give (1962) and then attempted to replace her with Lee Remick, he reminded the studio that he had contractual approval of his co-star, and refused to continue the project without Monroe. His act of loyalty eventually got Marilyn re-hired, but she died of a drug overdose before shooting on this never-finished film could resume. (imdb.com)

Father in law of Carole Costello. She was married to Craig Martin, his oldest son & was the daughter of Lou Costello. (imdb.com)

Member of the "Rat Pack" with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop. All appeared in Ocean's Eleven (1960). (imdb.com)

He had a fear of elevators and a love of comic books, which he read his entire life. (imdb.com)

Interred at Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles, California, USA. (imdb.com)

Nephew of actor/comedian Leonard Barr. (imdb.com)

In 1962, Martin left Capitol Records and signed with Reprise. 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 Show" (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 "schtick" was his comedic portrayal of life as an alcoholic lush, which many viewers never realized was just an act. (imdb.com)

He and the other members of the Rat Pack were banned from Marilyn Monroe's funeral by Joe DiMaggio (imdb.com)