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Dean Martin

Was born in Ohio , Usa on 7th June 1917.

His birth name was Dino Paul Crocetti . His parents were Italian immigrants and he had one brother.

Dean Martin died in Beverly Hills on December 25th 1995 . The cause of death was acute respiratory failure.

His show business career began on leaving school by singing in local night clubs around his home town of Steubenville .

He was hired by band leader Sammy Watkins as the bands featured singer in 1938 .

While touring with the band in 1940 , he changed his name to Dean Martin.

He was signed to the MCA record label in 1944 and got his first radio show , broadcasting 15mn spots from New York .

In 1946 he met Jerry Lewis and together they formed a collaboration that resulted in 16 feature films between 1949 and 1956 . Dean Martin always played the straight man to Jerry Lewis's zany clown . After 10 years the partnership split because of ' creative differences '.

Dean Martin carried on with his singing career and in 1950 began performing in Las Vegas .

A group of performers with whom he became close friends included Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jnr. and Peter Lawford .

Together they became known as " The Rat Pack " .

Whilst continuing with his music , Dean Martin also developed a successful film career .

In total he made fifty one features . His co stars included the likes of Frank Sinatra, Shirley Maclaine , John Wayne and Judy Holiday .

His comic streak never left him and he appeared in 'Airport' and Canon ball Run.

In 1964 he recorded " Everybody Loves Somebody ".

It became a huge hit and knocked the Beatles from the number one position in the American Charts . Subsequently it was used as the theme tune for his long running television show " The Dean Martin Show ".

The song still remains associated with him today .

His television series ran from 1965 to 1974 . He often played the comedy character of a man slightly the worse for drink , slurring his words and staggering .

This was all just part of the act he put on and was not like his real character.

Dean Martin was married three times.

His son , Dino Jnr. died in a plane crash during a military training exercise in 1987 .

In 1989 , while on tour with the rest of the Rat Pack , he became ill and retired from show business.

Article Published: Wednesday 20th December 2006