First Day on the Job!

The Dean Martin Show. My very first day as an NBC Page in Burbank—​they didn’t exactly ease me in. My first weekday encounter with a real star was Elke Sommer. Elke was guesting on The Dean Martin Show. I escorted her to Studio 4’s dressing rooms, and suddenly I was swimming in it—crew members hustling, background singers warming up, lights swinging into place… that glorious, organized chaos that only live television can deliver. On the walk over, I gave Elke a quick tour of the NBC maze. First stop: Floyd’s famous shoeshine stand tucked behind The Tonight Show. Frank and Dean's were regulars. Then past the rehearsal halls, echoing with music and laughter.And there I was—day one on the job—walking side by side with one of the most beautiful women in the world. Maria Gambrelli in A Shot in the Dark (1964), Not a bad way to punch in at NBC. "Let's have a Vino for Dino."

NBC Burbank in color, 1961

Memories never fade.

The Dean Martin Show. Memories never fade. I stopped by to visit my longtime pal and neighbor, Jim Mahoney, Thursday, who turns 98 this Year—a milestone worthy of applause. Jim wasn’t just Frank and Dean’s publicist; he was the guy, the "fixer" —representing everyone from Sinatra and Martin to Carson, Hope, and dozens of legends who defined an era. As we sat together, with his son and two daughters, the conversation drifted back to those golden days. Jim shared a favorite story I’d never heard before. One afternoon, Frank had an extra ticket to the Yankees–Dodgers World Series and asked Jim to join him and Dino. Jim had never been to a World Series game in his life. He said he was absolutely thrilled—three great seats, great baseball, and even better company. This photo captures the moment perfectly: Jimmy on Frank’s right, seated beside the “King of Cool,” Dean Martin, all smiles, soaking in a day that only Hollywood—and baseball—could deliver. Some memories don’t age. They just get better. "Let's have a Vino for Dino, Frank and Jim!"