Came across this article about Dean Martin, with some really nice background information about his rise – and also recommendations on books to read, what to watch, what to listen to.
(Mitchell, Alex, and any other big-band singer fan: that site in and of itself looks incredible. Take a look at that right-hand side bar – and all the profiles of these huge names. It’s a goldmine!)
Excerpts from the article I really like:
When Martin split from Lewis, he needed to create a character that had an identity unique from other singer/performers. The “drunk” persona was envisioned by Dean, figuring with Joe E. Lewis having recently retired, a perfectly good character was up for grabs. This also served the purpose of helping cover for his opening night jitters as a solo performer without longtime stage-mate Lewis. In April of 1957, with an act written by former Colgate Comedy Hour writer Ed Simmons, Martin stepped onto the stage of Jack Entratter’s Sands Hotel in Las Vegas in front of a star-packed audience. . .alone. The crowd that had come out of curiosity and sympathy for the presumably “less talented” half of the comedy team was soon roaring with laughter and approval for the soon-to-be drunken icon who would realize an unprecedented second titanic career as a performer.
And
We grow up as children saying we don’t care what anybody thinks. You hear it all the time. Many adults still use that phrase as a defense, but to really come across as not caring what others might think…now THAT is something to be envious of. That’s a trait we’d all like to be able to turn on. Spock… Dean… not many can do it.
I don’t think anybody really thinks ill of Dean Martin, but if they did, it wouldn’t have bothered him much.
I’m still thinking about the low self esteem of the talented Dean Martin as mentioned by Jerry Lewis. Dean did have a Jimmy Durante-sized schnozz as a youth and was smart enough to have a nose job in his early 20s which of course made him the handsome dude we all know. I’m guessing that was a factor in the low self esteem as well as the parental stuff. Maybe he had no vanity because he knew “I don’t really look like this”.
Shelia,
Dean Martin’s estate should be paying you royalties for the promotional work you’ve done on D.M.’s work. Just last night (while waiting to see the Black Dahlia) I stopped at Boarders and bought Dino’s CD The Essential Dean Martin. And Ed McMahon’s book, “Hereeeeeeeeees Johnny”. Anyway, you should get a commission check, kid.
Thanks for spreading the obsession.
oh, red, you should not have linked to that Big Bands & Big Singers site. my vacation officially ended yesterday. i have work to do and … dangit. my favorite music hands down.
That’s possibly the first time anone ever mentioned Spock and Dean Martin in the same breath as examples of the same thing.