Like Miles Davis or Picasso, Dean Martin had distinct periods to his career. There was the Martin & Lewis era, the early-Rat Pack Oceans 11 years, and the late-Rat Pack Cannonball Run period. Throughout it all, he maintained megawatt star-power. Tom Donahue chronicles his life and career in Dean Martin: King of Cool, which screens as part of the 2021 DOC NYC, until its TCM premiere.
Martin grew up speaking Italian in his working-class Italian family. He mostly scuffled as a boxer and a big band vocalist, until he met a comic on the vaudeville circuit named Jerry Lewis. As Martin & Lewis, they became the biggest duo-act in Hollywood, but everyone assumed Lewis was the one primarily responsible for their success. However, a fairly influential show business figure by the name of Frank Sinatra recognized Martin’s talents.
Donahue does solid work documenting the ups and downs of Martin’s career. He makes it clear the crooner was no mere sidekick or a boozy novelty act in the style of Foster Brooks. In fact, viewers of Generation X-age and younger might be surprised how popular his top-10 TV variety show was in its day. Donahue’s talking heads also give him a lot of credit for standing up to Sinatra, particularly when he refused to perform for JFK’s inauguration, when they axed Sammy Dais Jr., so as not to offend the solidly-Democratic, segregationist South.
