(1961), Pepe (1960), Ocean’s Eleven (1960), Frank Sinatra’s Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley (1960), Can-Can (1960), Invitation to Monte Carlo (1959), Never So Few (1959), Premier Khrushchev in the USA (1959), Hole in the Head, A (1959), Some Came Running (1958), Kings Go Forth (1958), Joker Is Wild, The (1957), Pal Joey (1957), The Frank Sinatra Show (1957), Private Little Party for a Few Chums, A (1957), The Edsel Show (1957), Pride and the Passion, The (1957), Around the World in Eighty Days (1956), High Society (1956), Johnny Concho (1956), Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956), Screen Snapshots: Playtime in Hollywood (1956), The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), The Tender Trap (1955), Guys and Dolls (1955), Not as a Stranger (1955), Dateline: Disneyland (1955), The 27th Annual Academy Awards (1955), Young at Heart (1955),Anything Goes (1954), Suddenly (1954), 26th Annual Academy Awards, The (1954), From Here to Eternity (1953), Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Night Life (1952), Danny Wilson (1952), Double Dynamite (1951), “Frank Sinatra Show, The” (1950), On the Town (1949), Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949),Lucky Strike Salesman’s Movie 48-A (1948), The Kissing Bandit (1948), The Miracle of the Bells (1948), It Happened in Brooklyn (1947), Till the Clouds Roll by (1946), The House I Live In (1945), MGM Christmas Trailer (1945), Anchors Aweigh (1945), All-Star Bond Rally, The (1945), Road to Victory (1944), Higher and Higher (1943), Show Business at War (1943), Upbeat in Music (1943), Step Lively (1943), Reveille with Beverly (1943), Ship Ahoy (1942), Las Vegas Nights (1941), Major Bowes Amateur Theater of the Air (1935)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
First Deadly Sin, The (1980) (executive producer) Hole in the Head, A (1959)
PRODUCER:
None But the Brave (1965), Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964), Sergeants 3 (1962), X-15 (1961) Johnny Concho (1956)
TV GUEST APPEARANCES:
“Hudson Street” (1995), “Daddy Dearest” (1993), “Who’s the Boss?” (1984), “Magnum, P.I.” (1980), The Name of the Game (1968) several, The Danny Thomas Hour (1967), “What’s My Line?” (1950), “The Hollywood Palace” (1964), “The Dean Martin Show” (1965), “Burke’s Law” (1963), “The Bob Hope Show” (1952), “Toast of the Town” (1948), “Producers’ Showcase” (1954), “The Jack Benny Program” (1950).
My Surprise First Blind Date
DEAN MARTIN: - Birth Name Dino Paul Crocetti
His parents were Gaetano and Angella Crocetti
Height 5’ 10”
Date of birth June 7th, 1917 - Steubenville, Ohio
Date of death December 25th, 1995 Beverly Hills, California (emphysema - Acute respirory failure) Interred at Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles, California
If there had to be one image for cool, it would be—Dean Martin
Dear Dean,
Shortly after I arrived in Los Angeles from Texas and was staying with my friend, Cynthia. While she was out on a date, one of her many beaus called. He began a lengthy conversation starting with “What’s a beautiful young Texas girl like you doing sitting at home when you are new in town?” He asked me to describe the type of man I liked – tall, brown hair and brown eyes, athletic – those were my qualifications in youth. My description would have fit you to a tee. He said “I’ve got a friend who just fits that description! I’ll send him over. If you like him you can go out with him.” Click, he hung up.
By the time I put on makeup and spruced up a bit the door bell rang. Much to my shock, there stood Dean Martin! I assumed you simply had the wrong apartment, then you asked “Are you Ann?” I almost fainted. I immediately informed you that your buddy had not tell me it was you and that I did not go out with married men. As soon as I said it, I felt like a silly school girl so I said “Would you like to come in and have a cup of tea?” That was probably the first and only time that Mr. Dean Martin was greeted by a blind date with such an initial comment!
As it turned out we had an evening of charming conversation for several hours and several cups of tea. There was definitely nothing wrong with our chatting. You made no attempt for any personal contact or even a goodnight kiss. “That’s Amore” and “Volare” had been very successful for you and can still be heard today. Our evening spent together was relaxing and enjoyable. Actually, I was surprised I was so relaxed with such a famous star. No doubt, it was a very unusual experience for THE Dean Martin as well as for me.
Your teaming up with Jerry Lewis in the mid-40ies had been such a successful team in nightclubs, television and films, it was a shock, in 1956, when the two of you broke up. People expected Jerry to prosper in his solo career and you would fade away. We talked about your break-up, your singing career and your popular songs. You had been quoted as saying that the two greatest turning points in your career : “First, meeting Jerry Lewis -- Second, leaving Jerry Lewis. I became a real actor because of those two things.” How true those words were when I look at all the successful films you did in your long career. I had no idea you were in so many successful movies. I remember well your own show at N.B.C. that included beautiful girls surrounding you. At the time, since I was a model, I would have liked to be one of the girls on your show.
When Cynthia arrived home, I shared my exciting evening at which she blew up, much to my surprise. It seemed that she was a friend of your wife and was afraid she would find out. I felt really awful – how was I to know! As it turned out it was one of the times when you and your wife were separated. Apparently Cynthia didn’t know.
A few years later, while my Mother was visiting me from Texas, I took her around to visit some of the studios. You were shooting a film with Deborah Kerr. Mervin LeRoy was directing or producing and had let me come on the set with my Mother. I didn’t want to disturb you, so I said nothing and you didn’t seem to remember me as we stood on the sidelines watching the filming.
Having lost my daughter years later, I could identify with your pain when your son, Dino, was killed in an airplane crash. Until a person looses a child, especially one who is just beginning their adult life, they cannot understand the pain and grief involved. It is never easy to loose a child at any age, even a new born baby but when you have put years into the development of another human being and see the results turned out well, it is an even greater loss.
My blind date with you was pre-Rat Pack days. Your friendship with Sinatra, Peter Lawford, Sammy Davis Jr. with Joey Bishop, the only one left today, created a lasting legendary team. What appeared to be impromptu shared performances in Vegas thrilled audiences for years. John F. Kennedy, Lawford’s brother-in-law, was an honorary member. I met both Peter and Frank. I had a date with a reporter that was interviewing Peter for an article in a paper. We sat in a booth in a bar in Beverly Hills for an evening of drinks and conversation. Upon your death, Sinatra was quoted as saying “Dean was my brother – not through blood, but through choice. Good times and bad, we were there for each other. Our friendship has traveled down many roads over the years and there will always be a special place in my heart and soul for Dean.”
With my firm belief in life after death, I am sure you are all there together having a ball. Perhaps you, Sinatra and others are still doing your “Rat Pack” thing in the life after. When I first arrived in Hollywood, I could never imagine meeting you, Frank, Peter Lawford and so many other celebrities.
Today,
