MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO SCREENING SERIES, THE:
A TOAST TO DEAN MARTIN: DEAN AND FRIENDS: COLGATE
COMEDY HOUR AND THE BEST OF DEAN MARTIN'S ROAST
Summary
As half of one of the most popular comedy teams of
all-time, Dean Martin became a major star of the early
1950s playing it cool as straight man to the manic Jerry
Lewis. When the duo split in 1956, many doubted that
Martin would succeed as a solo act, but the skeptics
were proven wrong. In fact, Martin blossomed as an
entertainer, continuing as a popular recording artist,
showing talent as a dramatic actor in such movies as
"The Young Lions" and "Rio Bravo," and, through his Las
Vegas stage act and television variety specials,
revealing a playful, self-mocking sense of humor that
had only been hinted at during his Lewis years. As a
member of Frank Sinatra's "Rat Pack," Martin perfected
his exaggerated image of the carefree, boozing swinger,
making it all seem effortless and relaxed, singing with
an off-handed charm, and giving audiences the
impression that he never took himself too seriously, a
key factor in his longevity. Martin parlayed this image
into an enormously successful weekly variety series, one
that captured all of the fun of the casual "Dino"
persona. The Museum presents some of Dean Martin's
best television moments, showcasing both his musical
and comedic talents.
"Dean and Friends"
Dean and Jerry celebrate their eight years together on
this 1954 "Colgate Comedy Hour" episode with skits and
songs chronicling their rise to the top. During the
final year of Dean's variety series, a regular feature
became the "celebrity roast." They proved so popular
that the format was continued in a series of specials,
and highlights from them are included here. (105
minutes)
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: November 30, 2002
- RUNNING TIME: 1:41:24
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:76447
- GENRE: Variety
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Music, popular (songs, etc.)
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Dean Martin
- Jerry Lewis
- Frank Sinatra