Lee Hale and the Dean Martin Show

5.0 out of 5 stars Backstage secrets of the Dean Martin TV show Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2001 This is one of those books you will find difficult to put down once started. It is an entertaining account of what went on "behind the scenes" of the very successful Dean Martin TV show which ran for nine years. Well written by Lee Hale it is an authentic record of those years as Lee actually worked on the shows he writes about and therefore saw everything for himself first hand. The book is easy to read and is illustrated with many photographs - one particular section shown in the centre of the book in full colour is absolutely stunning. Everyone has heard the stories of how Dean disliked to rehearse but it was news to me that he only turned up on the day of the taping usually not even aware who the guest stars were!! In fact Lee Hale used to stand in for Dean at all the rehearsals so he had the opportunity to work with most of the guest stars personally - some were not too happy about this but you will have to read the book for more details! What fantastic guest stars appeared with Dean on those shows - it was virtually a "who's who" of Hollywood - Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Jack Benny, James Stewart, John Wayne, Gene Kelly, Alice Faye, Van Johnson, Lucille Ball, Frank Gorshin, Gordon MacRae, Ginger Rogers, Orson Welles, Goldie Hawn and many many more. No wonder the show was such a ratings winner!! The book is packed with many interesting anecdotes and stories about these famous guests and inside information of how the shows were made and some of the problems that were encountered too. Most of the stars were easy to get on with but a few were somewhat difficult according to Mr Hale. If you are a fan of Dean Martin or just interested in those wonderful entertainers of that era then buy this book without further delay - you will be pleased that you did.

Lee Hale, a five-time Emmy nominee who served as the musical director of The Dean Martin Show and produced the wildly popular celebrity roasts hosted by the entertainer, has died. He was 96. Hale died May 10 at his home in Beverly Hills, Michael B. Schnitzer, editor and publisher of The Golddiggers Super Site, told The Hollywood Reporter. He had a leg amputated last year during a bout with cancer. Recruited by director Greg Garrison, Hale joined NBC's The Dean Martin Show shortly after it debuted in September 1965 and remained with the program through its 1974 conclusion. He wrote songs, jingles and special lyrics and arranged hundreds of other tunes, drawing upon his vast knowledge of 20th Century popular music. According to the Golddiggers website, Irving Berlin routinely gave Hale permission to use his music, "even while turning down other shows — a symbol of recognition in which Lee rightfully took enormous pride." The Dean Martin Show featured celebrity roasts (Don Rickles, Jack Benny, Zsa Zsa Gabor, et al) in its final season. After it was canceled, Martin agreed to preside as roastmaster for a series of specials, with the first, featuring Bob Hope as the butt of the jokes, airing in October 1974. Jackie Gleason, Telly Savalas, Angie Dickinson, Sammy Davis Jr., Muhammad Ali, Suzanne Somers, Mr. T and Martin himself would be among those grilled over the years. Born on March 25, 1923, in Tacoma, Washington, Hale enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II and left the service as a lieutenant. He sang in a group called The Manhattans, then worked as choral director on the CBS variety show The Entertainers, which despite featuring Carol Burnett, Bob Newhart, Dom DeLuise and Ruth Buzzi, lasted just one season (1964-65). Hale also served as music director for five seasons of The Golddiggers — a spinoff starring the singing and dancing troupe from The Dean Martin Show — and worked on the syndicated The Wacky World of Jonathan Winters, three Bob Hope Christmas specials, a special that celebrated NBC's first 50 years and Emmy Awards telecasts. Hale co-authored the 2000 book Backstage at The Dean Martin Show with his spouse, Richard Neely, who survives him.