The Dean Martin Show

Sunday, November 22, 2020 Dean Martin was 49 when I finagled my way next to his bar stool on the Dean Martin Show. When I saw Dean my life flashed before me, a young kid in Chicago, w/my brother Frank and I, under the dining room table watching Dean and Jerry on the Ed Sullivan Show. We moved to Long Beach, Ca. I'm still a big Dean Martin fan. Checking the mirror in my bedroom while I lipsink "Money Burns a Hole in My Pocket," trying to sing and look like Dean. Later I'm crooning Dean Martin songs in Father Hansons St. Anthony Glee Club before a packed house in our gym. I wind up graduating from Long Beach State, my old pal and later Metro Media News N.Y. Anchorman, John Roland get's me an interview at NBC. I wind up becoming an NBC Page, working on the Dean Martin Show. I came a long way just to meet Dino Crocetti. It was worth it.

My NBC Page Days

Page "Living the Dream"The first few weeks as an NBC Page were interesting. We worked on game show's w/ Dennis James, and Tom Kenndy. The real fun began when Hap Chamberlan, the "Big Page Kahuna" chose 6 of us to work on the Dean Martin Show. Hundred's of Dean's fans had waited more than 6 months for their tickets for either the rehearsals, or the taping. They were so excited to be in the midst of Dean's magic, fans actually asked us to take pictures with them and have us sign autographs. That's when I made my move. I excused myself from the rest of the guys, walked down the hallway between Studio 3 and 4. I saw Dean's dressing room. Wow! That's when I decided to enter studio 4's double doors, I walked over to Dean's set, it was like a dream, next thing I know, Greg Garrison is standing there, "Your job is to monitor Dean's guests." "Yes sir!" I am now standing like an immovable object, waiting for rehearsal to begin. Did I feel bad for not going back outside to check out ticket holders? Forgettaboutit! I'm waiting for my "gumba" Dean Martin to walk by. He did. Dean exuded charisma, he gave me a wink, and got ready for his morning rehearsal. I'm standing w/my fingers on my face wondering how in the hell did I ever get here!

"You otta be in pictures"

"You otta be in pictures."  Dean comes in on a Sunday rehearses in the morning and tapes in the afternoon. Easy work if you can get it. The folks that worked on the Dean Martin Show always looked forward to Sunday's. The hall between Studio 3 and 4 were filled with everyone from Directors, Producers, the beautiful girls that made up the Show's Chorus, Greg Garrison walking in and out of Dean's dressing room, Les Brown supervising his "Band Of Renown's" warmup, Kenny Lane,  making sure his piano was tuned to the "max." And the infamous "gouch" where Dean lit up a cigarette and "wooed" the audience with a song and charisma. It never occurred to us that Dean was working his "culo" off during the week and off season. Look up the movies and "albiums" he recorded during the first 2 years of  The Dean Martin Show. "The Sons of Katie Elder, Marriage on the Rocks, The Silencers, Texas Across the River, Murderer's Row, Rough Night in Jerico, The Ambushers," Dino either was shooting or recording movies in between his "gig's in Vegas.  He was a workaholic !!! We didn't share a lot of conversation, but the "winks" and "nods" were memorable.  As soon as the Sunday taping was over, Dean was history. 

Winters

It was 1980 we're on our way to Monte Carlo for the Grand Prix. 12 "die hard" racing fans from Long Beach, it's party time at the Lowes Hotel, above the "hair pin" curve. Our flight was epic. It was a 747, the top bubble was a lounge. Jonathan Winters joined us on the top deck,  we s pent three hours in "stiches." From Maude Frikert to Mork and Mindy stories."  In Monaco we had more laughs. Remember it well.

Poem

I have found the perfect woman, I could not ask for more, She is deaf, dumb, oversexed, And she owns a liquor store.  

Dean's Dad

One Sunday afternoon, about two hours before taping,  Greg Garrison or writer Paul Keyes, asked me to take Dean's dad, Gaetano Crocetti, for a short walk around the back studios?  I'll never forget, Guy stood about 5'4," dressed in a black Tux, white tux shirt, black butterfly bow tie, I thought this is Dean in 25 years. As we walked by Johnny Carson's Studio 2, Studio 3, and back to Dean's dressing room Studio 4, we talked, my  "broken Italian" made him laugh. A proud moment. He reminded me of my dad. That was 1966, sadly, he passed away a year later. 

Robert Goulet

Robert Goulet"Mr. Wonderful, that's Me!"  Remember it like it was yesterday. Dino, sitting on his barstool during rehearsal, and Robert Goulet flitting around backstage.  Goulet was such a "pretty guy."  He and Dean did their "thing" and Goulet disappeared into the vast hallway between Studio 3 and 4. What made that show special was Deana Martin, lot's of affection between her and her dad. Then the two stars of Laugh-In did a guest shot, they both loved Dino. They tried their best to act as "cool" as Dean, but just couldn't get there. During the break there was commotion in the hallway between studio 3 and 4. Dean was in his dressing room, but gal singers, musicians on break, some of the crew, were laughing their  "culo's" off,  Johnathon Winters was doing "warmup."  He's  talking with "make believe" characters that were hiding  in the hallway trash cans, funny thing, they were talking back. Loved working on that show!

Joey Bishop

"Joey Bishop and I were together in my house about 2 weeks ago we were in my den one morning swimming and he mixed himself a peculiar drink, and I said what are you drinking down there Joe? He looked down at me and said "scotch and carrot juice." I said why? Joey said, "when I get drunk I can see real good."  Dean Our first season Joey Bishop appeared on the Dean Martin Show. One of the original members of the "Rat Pack." Joey was a tough cookie to approach. He did his sketch with Dino and disappeared. He was probably in Dean's dressing room imbibing an "adult beverage." Many years later, I played in a St. Bonaventure Golf Tournament in Huntington Beach. The room was packed, I recognized a familiar face sitting at a table in the back of the room. It was Joey Bishop. He was well in his 80's. Sitting chatting with some friends. Vegas performer, talk show host, Bishop looked great. I shot out of my chair, and when one of his buddies left the table, guess what?  We had something in common. We both loved Dino, we talked about the Dean Martin Show, and  their Rat Pack days. My opinion of Joey changed, he was a great guy.  Lucky me, I had met every one of the "Pack" except for Peter Lawford. Mission accomplished.

A Page from the Past

https://www.facebook.com/michael.v.snowden.3/videos/10158783406137625/ " You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You.."An NBC Page in the 60's, made about $65 dollars a week. Most of us were college grads chasing different dreams. Johnny Carson was a Page so we had something to hang our hat on. We all looked for the day when we would become future Directors, Producers, maybe entertainers. We learned fast, the only people that made money in TV starred before camera's or worked in sales. Another became an NBC Foreign News Correspondent. Deans Producer Greg Garrison learned Page Bob Chic was a scratch golfer, next thing Chic's playing with Dino at Riviera. We were all very jealous. Chic moved quickly, managing big shows like the Dean Martin Roasts. The moral of the story, palling w/ "The Movers and Shakers" is how you got ahead.

"Let's Have a Vino For Dino!"

"Let's have a vino for Dino, better yet, a  JB and water."Some of Dean's fans have been very dismissive of "The King of Cool's" habit of holding a drink in his left hand and smoking a Kent in his right hand.  One of his fan's remarked "Dean never drank, it was always a show." Some of his fans would have it no other way. "Apple juice or tea. " that's it, PERIOD !It's Sunday and we're taping. I have planted myself next to the coveted spot, off stage, a few feet from Dean's stool, standing next to the makeup man. During a commercial break, our makeup man always held Dean's drink. During one of shows, he noticed Dean needed a little touchup on his forehead, makeup man say's to me, "here hold this, I've got to take care of Dean for a second." He hand's me Dean's drink. Ok, here's my chance. If I take a sip, and Greg Garrison sees me, I'm done. Finito! While "Mr. Makeup" powders Dean's forehead, I bring the glass up to my nose, just for a whiff!  Jack and water? Later, I find out it was a splash of scotch and water.  J&B Rare, to be exact.  Beside's working on the Dean Martin Show, my real "claim to fame," I held Dean's drink.  Since then I've been a big fan of J&B Rare and water. 

Joey Bishop

"Joey Bishop and I were together in my house about 2 weeks ago we were in my den one morning swimming and he mixed himself a peculiar drink, and I said what are you drinking down there Joe? He looked down at me and said "scotch and carrot juice." I said why? Joey said, "when I get drunk I can see real good."  Dean Our first season Joey Bishop appeared on the Dean Martin Show. One of the original members of the "Rat Pack." Joey was a tough cookie to approach. He did his sketch with Dino and disappeared. He was probably in Dean's dressing room imbibing an "adult beverage." Many years later, I played in a St. Bonaventure Golf Tournament in Huntington Beach. The room was packed, I recognized a familiar face sitting at a table in the back of the room. It was Joey Bishop. He was well in his 80's. Sitting chatting with some friends. Vegas performer, talk show host, Bishop looked great. I shot out of my chair, and when one of his buddies left the table, guess what?  We had something in common. We both loved Dino, we talked about the Dean Martin Show, and  their Rat Pack days. My opinion of Joey changed, he was a great guy.  Lucky me, I had met every one of the "Pack" except for Peter Lawford. Mission accomplished.

'Don't look so sad. I know it's over But life goes on and this world keeps on turning Let''s just be glad we had this time to spend together......