Though best known for the 51 films he made, Dean Martin was a prizefighter, steel mill laborer, gas station attendant and card shark before seeing the first glimmer of fame. It came when he teamed up with comedian Jerry Lewis in 1946. Films such as At War with the Army sent the team toward superstardom. After teaming with Lewis, Martin - born Dino Paul Crocetti - became a dramatic actor and the star of a long-running television variety show. Personality conflicts broke up the comedy duo in 1957. Few thought that Martin would go one to achieve solo success, but he did, winning critical acclaim for his role in The Young Lions with Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift. A succession of films followed for the singer-actor, including Some Came Running with Shirley MacLaine and Frank Sinatra. All would later be members of the "Rat Pack." Martin learned well and proved potent at the box office throughout the 1960s, with films such as Bells Are Ringing and Robin and the 7 Hoods, again with Rat Pack pals Sammy Davis Jr. and Sinatra. During much of the 1960s and 1970s Martin's movie persona of a boozing playboy prompted a series of films as secret agent Matt Helm and his own television variety show. Airport followed, featuring Martin as a pilot. He also played a phony priest in The Cannonball Run. His last public role was a return to the stage, for a cross-country concert tour with Davis and Sinatra. He spoke affectionately of his fellow Rat Packers. "The satisfaction that I get out of working with these two bums is that we have more laughs than the audience has", Martin said.
Airport (1970): $7,000,000
Ada (1961): $300,000
All in a Night's Work (1961): $250,000
The Young Lions (1958): $35,000

His son, Dean Paul Martin (Dino), was killed in a plane crash in March 1987. Member of the "Rat Pack" with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop. All appeared in Ocean's Eleven. Father of Gail Martin, Heather Lyn and Dean Paul Martin. Grandfather of Alexander Martin. Born at 11:55pm-CST Interred at Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles, California, USA. His parents were Gaetano and Angella Crocetti. Although born in Ohio, he spoke only Italian until age 5. He had a fear of elevators and a love of comic books, which he read his entire life. 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. Father of Claudia Martin (with first wife). Died exactly 29 years to the day (25 December 1995) of the death of his mother, Angela Crocetti (25 December 1966). Nephew of actor/comedian Leonard Barr. 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.) Father of Deana Martin Father in law of Carole Costello. She was married to Craig Martin, his oldest son & was the daughter of Lou Costello. 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. Despite the name changes in his television shows, Dean's television career lasted 19 years: from 1965 to 1984. 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. Underwent rhinoplasty when he was 27. The procedure was paid for by Lou Costello. Son-in-law was the late Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys (married to Dean's daughter Gina). Has a street named after him in San Antonio, Texas. "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime" - words written on his tombstone, after his signature hit. Starred (with Jerry Lewis) on NBC Radio's "The Martin and Lewis Show" (1949-1953). 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. While he always played affable and easygoing, offstage he was usually quiet and reserved; friends noted the contrast. 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. His style of singing was initially influenced by Harry Mills of The Mills Brothers. Father of Ricci Martin. When 20th Century-Fox fired Marilyn Monroe as his co-star in Something's Got to Give 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. 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). 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. Is portrayed by Michael Daymond in Power and Beauty, by Joe Mantegna in The Rat Pack, by Jeremy Northam in Martin and Lewis and by Danny Gans in Sinatra. He and the other members of the Rat Pack were banned from Marilyn Monroe's funeral by Joe DiMaggio 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. He and Jerry Lewis recorded a radio spot promoting their film The Caddy, 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. Although Martin was a Republican, he supported Frank Sinatra's campaign to elect John F. Kennedy as President in 1960. 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. He declined to participate in the March on Washington in August 1963. 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. Although he made out to be a heavy drinker on stage, he mostly used apple juice, but off stage was Jack Daniels man. 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. He was a close friend of John Wayne and Gary Cooper. Diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1991.