Dean Martin IMO best crooning actor

[stuart.uk]

I'm not saying Dean Martin is a better all round entertainer than the likes of Astaire, Sinatra, Kelly or Crosby, but I think he was the best actor of the group. I had often wondered about what sort of fued broke up his partnership with comic Jerry Lewis. It seems however, though there was dificulties, that Jerry thought the partnership was holding both of them back, so he suggested the break up. The only thing I thought odd was that the pair rarely saw each other after the split. Frank Sinatra brought Dean along to Jerry's telethon in the 70s and they appeared together on stage not long before Dean's death. I don't know how he managed it, because of the huge media attention, but Jerry slipped into Deno Martin's (Dean's son) funeral almost unseen. I've also thought that screen double acts have short shelf lives, often due to ill health of one of the performers. However, in their brief telethon comeback in Martin and Lewis, were still at the top of their game in their 50s so in some respects they outlasted the other great double acts, despite the split.

The split certainly was certainly the best thing that could have happened to Dean in his career. He quickly proved himself a capable actor in The Young Lions with Brando and Clift. Then he did something rare IMO, he stole a film from the great John Wayne in Rio Bravo, before supporting friend Frank Sinatra in Some Came Running. There were of course the Rat Pack movies Sargeants Three, Ocean's Eleven, Four For Texas and my own fav Robin And The Seven Hoods. The clip of Martin, Sinatra and Crosby singing Style is magical, only spoiled by bad filming IMO.

He again teamed with Wayne in The Son's Of Katie Elder, did Badelero with James Stewart, but I thought he did a highly underrated western Something Big with British actresses Carol White as his Scottish girlfriend Dover and Honor Blackman as the wife of army Colonel Brian Keith. Martin teamed with Sammy Davis jnr in the Cannonball movies.

I think his Everybody Loves Somebody Sometimes is one of the great singles of all-time.....................................

[RedRiver]

I'd rather listen to Dean Martin sing than just about anybody. There were better actors. Funnier comedians. But very few people could ease out a tune as effortlessly as The Dean. You're right, Stuart. Dissolving the legendary partnership was the best thing for Martin. Maybe not for Lewis. But practically everything Dean touched was successful on one level or another.

[Rita Hayworth]

The only difference between Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis - is that Dean is by far more versatile than Jerry. To me, Jerry is a class act - but too one dimensional and that's is why Dean and Jerry split because Jerry gets his kicks from Comedies and more lighter things. Dean on the other hand did more and did more roles than Jerry - I never knew why they split - but I suspected that Dean wanted to ... but Dean became a greater star than Jerry and Jerry became more concerned about other things and that's when the Telethon started and he became more humanitarian and that's alone made Jerry Lewis a household name.

[RedRiver]

If Dean's legacy can get past the Matt Helm series, it will be fine! And you know what? Those movies are pretty bad. But they speak of an era, represent a cultural phenomenon. There are worse things that sitting through THE SILENCERS.

[movieman1957]

There are arguments for Sinatra but they played different things well. Dean may not have been able to pull "Manchurian Candidate" or "From Here To Eternity" but I doubt Frank could have pulled off "Rio Bravo." No doubt though Dean was good and better than the movies he did with Lewis. (Though some of their TV work was really funny I never would have thought Dean was all that from their radio work.)

[knitwit45]

Saw Jerry at a motivational seminar 8 or so years ago. Very inspiring speaker, got a long standing ovation. You could hear a pin drop whe he talked about Dean. There were very few dry eyes when he told about his live, televised reunion. He claimed all responsibility for the split and subsequent estrangement, and marveled at how courageous it was for Dean to walk out on stage, not knowing if Jerry would be happy, or throw him out. He said, when he and Dean embraced, Frank Sinatra said, "Well, it's about time!!" And the audience roared their agreement. I still tear up a bit remembering how Jerry had to pause several times during the story, to keep it together.

[mongoII]

To me Dean was an adequate actor but one hell of a singer and entertainer. His TV show was top notch (never missed it).

[GaryCooper]

[GaryCooper]

[Moe Howard]

Growing up us kids thought Dino was pretty cool for an old guy. The Matt Helm movies were always a high priority to see somehow since we were underage and seeing them usually required a car ride with a more open minded parent to a theatre not as sticky about admittance as our local neighborhood theatre. Matt didn't take things as seriously as James Bond did. His cars and gadgets weren't as polished but the girls were more agreeable and less stuffy.

The series did peak a little early with The Silencers and Murderer's Row and had The Ravagers been made it was certain to be a lovable stinker like The Wrecking Crew and The Ambushers.