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The charismatic singer and actor Dean Martin successfully turned scrappy charm and a smooth voice into a decade-spanning career. In the process, Dean Martin became an icon of American cool, as well as a beloved popular performer. Trading heavily on his Italian-American heritage, Dean Martin broke into the pop music business when crooning teen idols were all the rage. In fact, young Dino Paul Crocetti claims that he spoke only Italian until he was five years old. Today, many of his biggest Italian-influenced hits, including "Volare" and "Mambo Italiano", are as popular as they ever were when first released. Dean Martin had a colorful adolescence after dropping out of high school in tenth grade, and the precocious boy claims he tried his hand at everything from welterweight boxing and blackjack dealing to bootlegging moonshine. Finally, Dean Martin began singing at local beer halls and eventually ended up crooning love ballads with the Ernie McKay Orchestra. There was no denying that Dean Martin had a smooth and animated singing style, and he quickly landed a spot singing with the far more famous band-leader Sammy Watkins. While still developing his vocal style, Dean Martin famously flopped at the Riobamba club in 1943, but that night he also met and formed a fast friendship with fellow vocalist Frank Sinatra. Martin had to put his music career on hold in 1944 when he was drafted by the US Army, but he was classified 4-F and let out after only a year of training. Martin's career was stalling after his return from the army, and it wasn't until he met Jerry Lewis on the touring circuit that he found himself making a career of performing. Dean and Jerry put together a frantic comedy act that attracted the attention of several Hollywood Studios. Dean was usually the straight man, while Jerry was full of manic energy. Films like My Friend Irma and Sailors Beware made the two the most popular comedians of the time. During the 1950's and 1960's, Dean Martin spent time carousing with the infamous Rat Pack, along with Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, and the trio were legendary for their late-night, unannounced Las Vegas shows. Today, Dean Martin's most popular tunes like "Everybody Loves Somebody", "Ain't That A Kick In the Head" and "That's Amore" transcend generations while still evoking a smoother, classier time.

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