DEAN MARTIN BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Dean Martin was born on June 7th, 1917 in Steubenville, Ohio with the birth name Dino Paul Crocetti to parents Gaetano and Angella Crocetti.  Up until the age of five, Italian was his native language.  Growing up, he took odd jobs to support himself such as a steel mill worker, gas station attendant and even took up boxing being nick named Kid Crochet.  By the age of sixteen, Martin had compiled a boxing record of 25-11.

After being drafted into the United States Army and serving from 1944 to 1945 during World War II, Martin was classified 4-F and was discharged. 

When he met another aspiring actor, Jerry Lewis, a aspiring comedian. The two teamed up in 1946 and attempted the Hollywood scene together.  They begun with a radio show on NBS called, "The Martin and Lewis Show", which lasted from 1949 to 1953.  The first film they did together was called, "At War With the Army" (1950) which also featured newcomer Polly Bergen.  All in all, Martin and Lewis worked on sixteen films together and lasted a total of eleven films together.  It was differences in their personalities that finally made them end their friendship and go their separate ways in 1957.

Martin continued to have success in the industry working on his own in such films as, "The Young Lions" (1958) starring with Marlon Brando, Montgoery Clift and Tony Randall, "Some Came Running" (1958) co-starring Frank Sinatra, Shirley MacLaine, Martha Hyer, Arthur Kennedy and Nancy Gates, "Rio Bravo" (1959) starring alongside John Wayne, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan, Estelita Rodriguez, John Russell, Claude Akins and Ward Bond, "Bells Are Ringing" (1960) also starring Judy Holliday, Jean Stapleton, Eddie Foy Jr., Fred Clark, Frank Gorshin, Bernie West, Hal Linden and Gerry Mulligan and "Robin and the 7 Hoods" (1964).  One of his most memorable films was, "Ocean's Eleven" (1960) working alongside such talented actors as, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop, known as the "Rat Pack".  Other successful film roles to follow were in, "Toys in the Attic" (1963) co-starring Geraldine Page, Yvette Mimieux, Gene Tierney and Wendy Hiller and "Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed" (1963) along with Elizabeth Montgomery, Carol Burnett, Martin Balsam, Jill St. John, Jack Soo, Louis Nye and Richard Conte. 

Alongside a successful film career, Martin was also a recording artist and also worked on television.  Martin had been with Capital Records up until 1962 and he then left them and signed with Reprise label which was started and owned by Frank Sinatra.  He also had his own television variety show, "The Dean Martin Comedy Hour" (1965-1973).  His show won a Golden Globe Award in 1965 and it ended up becoming one of the most successful shows in television history.  From 1973 to 1984 he then hosted the, "Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts" in which the panel of actors and comics would insult the guests of the show.  Some very famous actors were part of this show such as Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, George Burns, John Wayne, Gene Kelly and Rich Little to name a few.  

As his career progressed into the 80's he worked on the film, "The Cannonball Run" (1981) and then slowed down in his career until sadly in 1987, he lost his son Dean Paul Martin in a plane crash and was unable to get over the loss.   

Dean Martin married three times throughout his lifetime.  First to Elizabeth Anne McDonald from October 2nd, 1941 through March 23rd, 1949.  He had four children with his first wife.  He then married Jeanne Martin from September 1st, 1949 through March 29th, 1973 and together he had another three children.  Martin's 3rd and final marriage was to Catherine Hawn on April 25th, 1973 through February 24th, 1976 and again, he adopted one more with his third wife, bringing his total offspring to eight.  

Dean Martin was one of the few actors to be nominated with not one but three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for motion picture, one for television and one for his recording career.  Dean Martin also had almost 40 recorded singles on the Billboard Hot 100 charts between 1951 and 1968 and three of his songs made number one hits, "That's Amore" (1953), "Memories Are Made of This" (1956) and "Everybody Loves Somebody" (1964).  
 
Dean Martin was diagnosed with lung cancer on September 16th, 1993 and finally quite smoking.  On Christmas Day, December 25th, 1995 he passed away from lung cancer and emphysema.  Dean Martin is Interred at Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles, California, USA.
    

Filmography

1985   Half Nelson
1984   Cannonball Run II 
1981   The Cannonball Run
1978   Charlie's Angels
1975   Mr. Ricco  
1973   Showdown
1971   Something Big
1971   The Powder Room
1970   Swing Out, Sweet Land
1970   Airport
1969   The Wrecking Crew
1968   The Bob Hope Show
1968   5 Card Stud
1968   Bandolero! 
1968   How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life
1967   The Ambushers
1967   Rough Night in Jericho
1966   Murderers' Row 
1966   Texas Across the River 
1966   The Silencers 
1965   Marriage on the Rocks 
1965   The Sons of Katie Elder
1964   Kiss Me, Stupid
1964   Rawhide
1964   Robin and the 7 Hoods 
1964   What a Way to Go! 
1963   4 for Texas 
1963   Toys in the Attic 
1963   Come Blow Your Horn
1962   Who's Got the Action? 
1962   The Road to Hong Kong
1962   Sergeants 3 
1962   Something's Got to Give
1961   Ada 
1961   All in a Night's Work 
1960   Ocean's Eleven
1960   Bells Are Ringing
1960   Who Was That Lady? 
1959   Career 
1959   Rio Bravo 
1958   Some Came Running 
1958   The Phil Silvers Show
1958   The Young Lions 
1957   Ten Thousand Bedrooms 
1956   Hollywood or Bust 
1956   Pardners 
1955   Artists and Models
1955   You're Never Too Young 
1954   3 Ring Circus 
1954   Living It Up
1953   Money from Home
1953   The Caddy  
1953   Scared Stiff 
1952   The Stooge
1952   Road to Bali 
1952   Jumping Jacks 
1952   Sailor Beware  
1951   That's My Boy 
1950   At War with the Army
1950   My Friend Irma Goes West 
1949   My Friend Irma
1948   Welcome Aboard