Venus Meets Volare

 " Venus meets Volare." Remembering Frankie Avalon on the Dean Martin Show. My dad said Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, Fabian Forte, Bobby Darin, Vic Damone, Johnny Desmond, Johnny Rivers all came from the same Italian roots as Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. Avalon, Darin and Rydell, were the second coming. Not sure if they knew it. Back in the late 60's, decked out in our NBC Page Blazers, Bill Woodley and I, were on a lunch break at Bob's Big Boy on Riverside Drive, near NBC. The place was packed.

In walks Frankie Avalon and his family. I asked Frankie if he wanted to join us. "Sure." Next thing we're chatting, about his songs and pictures, eating Big Boy's. Brief encounters can leave a lasting impression. Fast forward, a few years ago, Frankie was sitting at Fortunes Restaurant, in Old Town Laquinta. I walked up to his table, introduced myself, reminded him about Bob's Big Boy, back in the day, plugged my NBC Palm Springs TV Show WiseGuysCooking. I asked him if he would do a cameo. Still waiting. Mr. "Hey Venus" shocked my wife when we left, "Goodbye Mike." Great Guy. I'm sure singing with Dino was a thrill, working with Dean was for us.

Could have been A Contender!

 "I coulda been a contender!

" Greg Garrison Producer/Director of the Dean Martin Show stood out as an intimidating figure. Never get in his way!  One Sunday rehearsal Dean was in his dressing room taking care of business. Les Brown needed a sound check for "Welcome to My World," Garrison needed someone to block the shot and sing a few bars,  I knew I could do Dino's voice and sing the lyrics, Greg Garrison paused five seconds looked around the room, I caught his eye, almost raised my hand, thinking I could do this! Not so fast Mike, remember you're a Page, you're at the bottom of the food chain, and just for a "second,"  I pictured myself in Dean's chair singing his big hit. Just then producer/writer Lee Hale took the stage, my "second" came and went!!! My big chance for "stardom?" was history. 

Working on the "Dean Martin Show"  for two seasons could be summed up in five words, "YOU HAD TO BE THERE !" From my bedroom trying to "croon" like Dino back in my high school days (I wore my "Pretty Baby" album out!)  then standing next to Dean 10 years later, a dream came true for this kid from Chicago.   I know my mom  was listening with a smile on her face. Fast forward a decade later. I got her and my dad front row seats to "The Dean Martin Show."  Dean "winked" at them,  I'll never forget the look on their faces that Sunday afternoon. They were two proud Italians!

Mike Colonna Dean Martin Blog "DinoBeatles"

Mike Colonna Dean Martin Blog Carson on Dean "Drinking"

The Dean Martin Show. As Dean would say "I don't drink any more and I don't drink any less." During a Sunday taping Dean was sitting on stage holding a clear plastic cup. The cover story was the plastic cup was filled with apple juice. Right. Well, during a commercial break, Deans makeup guy, who usually held his drink, was not around. Before Stage Manager Bob Grenier showed Dean where his next mark was, I was close, so he hands me Deans drink. I've gotten lots of 'blowback" from folks over the years, "Dean only drank Apple Juice!" Well folks, I was afraid of getting caught sipping out of Deans cup, so I held it up to my nose, just to get a an idea of what this drinking mystery was all about. I took a "wiff, " Yikes! I could have swore it smelled like Jack Daniels and water. "I kid you not!" Dean returns to the stage, sits on his bar stool, I hand him back his drink. He smiles, winks while taking a sip. That was a memorable day. "Let's have a Vino for Dino!"

The Dean Martin Show and George Burns

George Burns guests on The Dean Martin Show. From the hallway, alongside Studio 4, you could smell a cigar odor. Next thing you know George Burns was entering the Studio's double doors, walking arm and arm with two of Dino's beautiful chorus girls.

You thought you were at a coronation. We all stepped back. George immediately brought back memories of the old "Burns and Allen Show." He had a big smile while puffing his cigar and holding onto his beautiful escorts, You couldn't help but smile. A short guy but he stood out like a giant! He was an icon. George Burns, the consummate comedian was ready for his rehearsal sketch. He was everyone's favorite uncle. I don't remember Dean's late morning rehearsal with George, but when they taped the show, and mangled lines on the cue cards we knew you were in the presence of greatness! DeanMartinBlog.com (No Ads)

Colgate Comedy Hour (Feb 1955)

John Roland and the Dean Martin Show

John Roland and the Dean Martin Show. Is it wrong for one man to love another man? I'm not gay but I loved John (Ginger) Roland. John Ginger was an SAE from Long Beach State I was a Sigma Chi we were good friends. After graduating John told me he landed a job at KNBC Los Angeles, I pestered him for months. "John, please set me up with an interview at NBC."

After months of hounding I got a call, "Mike I've set up an interview with Stan Zieve who handles the film crews for KNBC. Do you know how to ride a motorcycle?" I lied, and said yes! The next day I drove to NBC Burbank, interviewed for a messenger job, which entailed driving the freeways to LAX, picking up Viet Nam footage from a stewardess off a United 747 that just arrived from Hong Kong, back on the freeway, cycle it back to Burbank where it was edited and packaged to air on the 6pm News. That never happened. My first test ride on a Harley in the back lot with the "King of Messengers," Duffy, turned out to be a disaster. I'm in my coat and tie, riding a motorbike for the first time, ever, and crashing it in the back lot, hitting parked cars that belonged to KNBC reporters and anchormen. Stan Zieve gave me a reprieve, and set me up with an interview in Guest Relations, I was anointed with an NBC Page Blazer, and my first assignment was working on the Dean Martin Show. John Roland passed away last weekend in Florida. John RIP, you'll always be in my memories. I love you Bro!

The Dean Martin Show. "Ladies and Gentlemen, Eddie Fisher." I always thought Eddie Fisher was Italian. My mom bought Eddie's Album with his hit record "Oh My Papa."

Was it any wonder, he looked Italian, sounded Italian, and that was a good thing, when I was about 10 years old back in Chicago. Fast forward, to Dino's first show I worked on. Standing next to me ready to make a guest appearance was none-other than Eddie Fisher. We were in a commercial break, Dean looked over at us alongside the partition that hid his guests, Dino saw Eddie looked at me and said, (NO OFFENCE,) "What's that little Jew doing here?" Kidding of course!!!! Eddie nudges me and cracks up! Greg Garrison's voice bellows from the control room. "Ready Dean? and action!"

Dean Martin and Buddy Ebsen

Like Dean Martin, Buddy Ebsen was a song and dance man. Ever since Davy Crokett's sidekick days, he's been a hero to my generation. Buddy did a guest appearance on the Dean Martin Show, and both he and Dino "wowed" the audience with their singing and dancing. A few years later, after NBC, I attended a business meeting in Long Beach, and Buddy was the guest speaker. We sat at the same table and we

talked about his old day's working for Disney, then the Beverly Hillbillies. and his appearance on Dino's Show. He laughed when I told him he and Fess Parker had to be the inspiration for Don "Sonny" Crockett and Michael "Rico" Tubbs, the detectives on Miami Vice. "Beautiful Downtown Burbank," and NBC were very good to me.