Letters to the Dead: Things I Wish I'd Said. Ann Palmer

      Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer (2002), Nightclub Years, The (2001), “Jazz” (2001), All the Way... A Decade of Song (1999), Yours for a Song: The Women of Tin Pan Alley (1999),Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen’s (1998), Kennedys: The Power, Seduction and Hollywood (1998), Frank Sinatra: The Very Good Years (1998), Frank Sinatra: The Bobby Sox Years (1998), The Music of Kander and Ebb: Razzle Dazzle (1997), Judy Garland’s Hollywood (1997),L.A. Confidential (1997), Las Vegas: Gamble in the Desert and House of Cards (1996),Rodgers & Hammerstein: The Sound of Movies (1996), Sinatra: 80 Years My Way (1995), Television’s Greatest Performances (1995), The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies (1995), Young at Heart (1995), Sinatra Duets (1994), Bob Hope: Happy 91^st Birthday, Bob (1994), La Classe américaine (1993), In Person (1993), Fame in the Twentieth Century (1993), A Place of Dreams: Carnegie Hall at 100 (1991), Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio (1991), Frank Sinatra: The Best Is Yet to Come (1990), You’re the Top: The Cole Porter Story (1990), Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones (1990), Sammy Davis, Jr. 60^th Anniversary Celebration (1990), The 1950’s: Music, Memories & Milestones (1988), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), That’s Dancing! (1985), Salute to Lady Liberty (1984), Cannonball Run II (1984), The Kennedy Center Honors (1983), TheFirst Deadly Sin (1980), Sinatra: The First 40 Years (1980), Cinderella at the Palace (1978), Contract on Cherry Street (1977), All-Star Tribute to John Wayne, An (1976), That’s Entertainment, Part II (1976), John Denver and Friend (1976), The American Film Institute Salute to Orson Welles (1975), The World at War (1974), René Simard au Japon (1974), That’s Entertainment! (1974), Dirty Dingus Magee (1970), The 42^nd Annual Academy Awards (1970), Frank Sinatra: Sinatra (1969), Frank Sinatra: Francis Albert Sinatra Does His Thing (1968), Lady in Cement (1968), “Dean Martin Presents the Golddiggers” (1968), The Detective (1968), Think Twentieth (1967), Movin’ with Nancy (1967), Tony Rome (1967), The Naked Runner (1967), Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music Part II (1966), The Oscar (1966), Assault on a Queen (1966), Cast a Giant Shadow (1966), Tribute to the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital, A (1965), Marriage on the Rocks (1965), Von Ryan’s Express (1965), None But the Brave (1965), Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964), Paris - When It Sizzles (1964), 4 for Texas (1963), A New Kind of Love (1963), Come Blow Your Horn (1963), The List of Adrian Messenger (1963), Sinatra in Israel (1962), Turn of the Tide (1962), The Manchurian Candidate (1962), Advise and Consent (1962), The Road to Hong Kong (1962), The Judy Garland Show (1962), Sergeants 3 (1962), The Devil at 4 O’Clock (1961), Pepe (1960), Ocean’s Eleven (1960), Frank Sinatra’s Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley (1960), Can-Can (1960), Invitation to Monte Carlo (1959), Never So Few (1959), Premier Khrushchev in the USA (1959), Hole in the Head, A (1959), Some Came Running (1958), Kings Go Forth (1958), Joker Is Wild, The (1957), Pal Joey (1957), The Frank Sinatra Show (1957), Private Little Party for a Few Chums, A (1957), The Edsel Show (1957), Pride and the Passion, The (1957), Around the World in Eighty Days (1956), High Society (1956), Johnny Concho (1956), Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956), Screen Snapshots: Playtime in Hollywood (1956), The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), The Tender Trap (1955), Guys and Dolls (1955), Not as a Stranger (1955), Dateline: Disneyland (1955), The 27^th Annual Academy Awards (1955), Young at Heart (1955),Anything Goes (1954), Suddenly (1954), 26^th Annual Academy Awards, The (1954), From Here to Eternity (1953), Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Night Life (1952), Danny Wilson (1952), Double Dynamite (1951), “Frank Sinatra Show, The” (1950), On the Town (1949), Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949),Lucky Strike Salesman’s Movie 48-A (1948), The Kissing Bandit (1948), The Miracle of the Bells (1948), It Happened in Brooklyn (1947), Till the Clouds Roll by (1946), The House I Live In (1945), MGM Christmas Trailer (1945), Anchors Aweigh (1945), All-Star Bond Rally, The (1945), Road to Victory (1944), Higher and Higher (1943), Show Business at War (1943), Upbeat in Music (1943), Step Lively (1943), Reveille with Beverly (1943), Ship Ahoy (1942), Las Vegas Nights (1941), Major Bowes Amateur Theater of the Air (1935)

       EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

      First Deadly Sin, The (1980) (executive producer) Hole in the Head, A (1959)

      

       PRODUCER:

      None But the Brave (1965), Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964), Sergeants 3 (1962), X-15 (1961) Johnny Concho (1956)

       TV GUEST APPEARANCES:

      “Hudson Street” (1995), “Daddy Dearest” (1993), “Who’s the Boss?” (1984), “Magnum, P.I.” (1980), The Name of the Game (1968) several, The Danny Thomas Hour (1967), “What’s My Line?” (1950), “The Hollywood Palace” (1964), “The Dean Martin Show” (1965), “Burke’s Law” (1963), “The Bob Hope Show” (1952), “Toast of the Town” (1948), “Producers’ Showcase” (1954), “The Jack Benny Program” (1950).

       My Surprise First Blind Date

      

      DEAN MARTIN: - Birth Name Dino Paul Crocetti

      His parents were Gaetano and Angella Crocetti

      Height 5’ 10”

      Date of birth June 7^th, 1917 - Steubenville, Ohio

      Date of death December 25^th, 1995 Beverly Hills, California (emphysema - Acute respirory failure) Interred at Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles, California

      If there had to be one image for cool, it would be—Dean Martin

      Dear Dean,

      Shortly after I arrived in Los Angeles from Texas and was staying with my friend, Cynthia. While she was out on a date, one of her many beaus called. He began a lengthy conversation starting with “What’s a beautiful young Texas girl like you doing sitting at home when you are new in town?” He asked me to describe the type of man I liked – tall, brown hair and brown eyes, athletic – those were my qualifications in youth. My description would have fit you to a tee. He said “I’ve got a friend who just fits that description! I’ll send him over. If you like him you can go out with him.” Click, he hung up.

      By the time I put on makeup and spruced up a bit the door bell rang. Much to my shock, there stood Dean Martin! I assumed you simply had the wrong apartment, then you asked “Are you Ann?” I almost fainted. I immediately informed you that your buddy had not tell me it was you and that I did not go out with married men. As soon as I said it, I felt like a silly school girl so I said “Would you like to come in and have a cup of tea?” That was probably the first and only time that Mr. Dean Martin was greeted by a blind date with such an initial comment!

      As it turned out we had an evening of charming conversation for several hours and several cups of tea. There was definitely nothing wrong with our chatting. You made no attempt for any personal contact or even a goodnight kiss. “That’s Amore” and “Volare” had been very successful for you and can still be heard today. Our evening spent together was relaxing and enjoyable. Actually, I was surprised I was so relaxed with such a famous star. No doubt, it was a very unusual experience for THE Dean Martin as well as for me.

      Your teaming up with Jerry Lewis in the mid-40ies had been such a successful team in nightclubs, television and films, it was a shock, in 1956, when the two of you broke up. People expected Jerry to prosper in his solo career and you would fade away. We talked about your break-up, your singing career and your popular songs. You had been quoted as saying that the two greatest turning points in your career : “First, meeting Jerry Lewis -- Second, leaving Jerry Lewis. I became a real actor because of those two things.” How true those words were when I look at all the successful films you did in your long career. I had no idea you were in so many successful movies. I remember well your own show at N.B.C. that included beautiful girls surrounding you. At the time, since I was a model, I would have liked to be one of the girls on your show.

      When Cynthia arrived home, I shared my exciting evening at which she blew up, much to my surprise. It seemed that she was a friend of your wife and was afraid she would find out. I felt really awful – how was I to know! As it turned out it was one of the times when