He loved comic books so much that it’s only fitting he’d wind up starring in his own. In the early 1950s, The Adventures of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis was released by DC Comics. And it wasn’t just a one-time deal.
The series would run from 1952-to 1957 until the dynamic duo broke up. Then, the series was renamed to just: The Adventures of Jerry Lewis.
Name Change
The “King of Cool” was actually born as Dino Paul Crocetti in 1917. He was born in Ohio, and his father was a barber. When he first entered the industry, he kept his first name and tacked on a new, flashy last one, calling himself Dean Martini.
But in 1940, he changed his name to the one that would stick. Apparently, there was also a popular musician at the time who went by the name “Nino Martini,” and he didn’t want it to sound too close.
Comic Books
Martin was never a very big fan of reading. In fact, he only ever read one throughout the entirety of his life, which was Black Beauty. He did love his comic books, though. But even though he enjoyed reading them, he didn’t like going into the store to buy them.
So, he had his friend, comedian Jerry Lewis, get them for him and slip them to him in private. Then, he’d sneak off and read them alone in some quiet area.
The Dean Martin Festival
The actor was born in small-town Steubenville, Ohio, which honors their celebrity with an annual festival, named in his honor. Events at the festival include impersonators, a film festival, and a meatball eating contest.
There is also an occasional horse race at the local racetrack and gaming resort.
Three Stars
In order for a celebrity to get a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, there’s an entire (lengthy) process they have to go through. The first step is being nominated in one of several categories, and then it has to go through a number of other people, including the celebrity and their representation, along with the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
Most celebrities only ever go through this process once, occurring in a single star along the famed path. Dean Martin, however, earned himself three throughout his career.