The Dean Martin Show

by Michael RichComment — Updated August 23, 2023

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The Dean Martin Show

September 16, 1965 – April 5, 1974
(264) one hour episodes (9 seasons)
in Color on NBC
Produced by: Greg Garrison with NBC

CAST

  • Dean Martin – host and star of the show
  • Ken Lane – Martin’s pianist

Below is a list of semi-regular guest stars that appeared in the comedy skits

  • Al Casey
  • Sandahl Bergman
  • Bob Newhart
  • Dom DeLuise
  • Norm Crosby
  • Dick Martin
  • Dan Rowan
  • Ruth Buzzi
  • Joey Bishop
  • Charles Nelson Reilly
  • Jonathan Winters
  • Foster Brooks
  • Nipsey Russell
  • Paul Lynde
  • George Gobel
  • Joey Heatherton

Opening Theme

“Everybody Loves Somebody.”
Written By: Sam Coslow, Irving Taylor and Ken Lane

Everybody loves somebody sometime
Everybody falls in love somehow
Something in your kiss just told me
My sometime, is now

Everybody finds somebody someplace
There’s no telling, where love may appear
Something my heart keeps saying
My someplace, is here

If I had it in my power
I would arrange for every girl to have your charms
Then, every minute, every hour
Every boy would find what I found, in your heart

Everybody loves somebody sometime
And although my dream was overdue
Your love made it well worth waiting
For someone like you

(If I had it in my power)
I would arrange for every girl to have your charms
(Then, every minute, every hour)
Every boy would find what I found in your heart

Everybody loves somebody sometime
And although my dream was overdue
Your love made it well worth waiting
For someone…like you

STORYLINE

Dean Martin is the only story here. This very entertaining variety show features Martin singing old favorites, teaming up with other stars to sing duets, teaming up with comedy greats to put on hilarious skits and being surrounded by a bevy of chorus girls known as the Golddiggers.

Regular bits on the show included:

  • every show started with Martin sliding down a fireman’s pole into his living room set
  • a celebrity guest behind a closed door who was always a complete surprise to Martin
  • Martin would start a serious song but keep interrupting himself with gag lines making it impossible to finish the song
  • a tape would be played of a well known song by a mystery singer, write-in viewers guessed who it was with a prize awarded for one winner
  • there were recurring bits with recurring co-stars like Dom DeLuise and Nipsey Russell in skits set in a barbershop

Most of the “Rat Pack” tried TV shows during this period but none were as successful as Dean Martin’s.

Video Clip of The Dean Martin Show

Passings

Dean Martin died in 1995 of complications from lung cancer, he was 78
Ken Lane died in 1996 of emphysema, he was 831960S TV

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1960s musical variety shows

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ronald reagan on the dean martin show

The Dean Martin Show Photo

60s variety show Dean Martin John Wayne

TRIVIA:

Dean Martin didn’t really want to do a television show fearing that it would interfere with his nightclub tours and movies.

So when the studio approached him he gave them what he felt were impossible demands. He wanted a huge salary, a one day work week (Sundays only) and no rehearsals.

Guess what….the studio said OK and Martin was stuck doing the show.

The Dean Martin variety show

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