PLEASE Watch @13:12-13:21;
Skip asks Barbara McNair if she has had “many loves”?
Guess what she says “Oh I had many honey! (she kind of whispers) So, many. I always keep me one!”
****NOTE: On this program this again was not one of her best performances. You can skip all that, the point is what she was asked and what she said @13:12-13:21! Make of it what you will!
NOTE: Not her best singing but there you go. You have it, she did appear on Jerry Lewis’ MDA another time after ‘76′s Iconic Reunion with Dean Martin. This performance here though was done like 2 years later. I’m sure during the time she was filming her two guest appearances on “Vegas”. The same show that Dean’s then on & off again girlfriend Phyllis Davis was on!
And that Keith Payne person seems to be backpeddling:
Keith Payne1 month agoI knew her and husband Rick Manzie. Knew Dino also..........yep I miss those days!REPLYNeely O-303 weeks ago (edited)@Keith Payne, yeah but once someone asks you if you were aware if Barb and Dino knew of each other, you become very coy. Did you read what @Steve Wilson 3 months ago yes, frank S. confirmed it. he confessed that she was really in to anal and golden showers I'm sure you saw only good and wonderful things between Barbara and her love-of-her-life husband Rick Manzie. Although Tony Spoliotro's bestie Frank Cullota got it from the horse's mouth on what went down. You seem to make sure everyone knows that you knew these people....Read moreREPLYKeith Payne3 weeks agoHave no earthly idea what you are talking about. My comments are left for "friends" I knew in Palm Springs in the '70s when I was the female golf pro at Mission Hills Country Club. LOL, I knew EVERYBODY, but some were Friends.REPLY
I know I haven’t been on here like in ages but I’m only posting whatever the latest I got.
It’s best to use some common senses.
1.1965 as Rick’s nephew claims, his uncle’s affair with Barbara began that year. He also blames and claims most of what is said about Barbara was because of the media’s false stories. However, it was Barbara who made multiple interviews sharing when and how she met Rick Manzie, along with when the relationship began. Which all was in 1970-1971, not 1965.
2. If Barbara had made such a long-term affair with Rick, how do you explain the photos and sightings of her with someone she did, in fact, knew way before Rick Manzie: Ike Jones?
3. How do you also explain the many Rat Pack associations/connections over the years, before, during, and after Rick Manzie?
4. What about Frank Cuttola’s memoir on Tony Spilotro? who was, in fact, a childhood friend of Tony’s. He shared in his book, what he was told by Spilotro’s own mouth? Why would Cuttola lie about such a thing regarding Barbara McNair, Rick Manzie, and his close friend Tony?
5. The alleged home was built by a Rick relative. There’s no doubt that the Las Vegas home was built by his family but no way in 1965, as Barbara (again own words) admitted she was staying in the Riviera hotel in 1969-1970.
6. The producer of her TV show. When I bought her TV show DVD collection in the second season of her show it clearly credits her husband Jack Rafferty not Rick Manzie. Wouldn’t the editors who provide credits be in trouble for crediting the wrong person for co-producing/associate-producer of her show?
7. If Barbara was so involved with Rick Manzie since 1965, why were there pictures taken of Barbara in 1968 with Jack Rafferty during her Playboy shoot?
8. Same with the signing on her film scirpt for “Change of Heart” by her co-star cast. Why would one of her cast members clearly mention Jack Rafferty, if he was no longer around in her life?
9. In an interview that McNair did about the same film, compared to what Rick’s nephew claims. Rick’s nephew claims to have been on the set and be aware of Mary-Tyler Moore’s diabetes. However, in McNair’s own mouth she stated that the cast actually was not aware of her condition until much later and at first (in Barbara’s view) felt Moore as kind of standoffish.
*Overall, for the most part of whatever I posted on McNair came from her own words and articles of timelines on her gigs and those who were performing with her or when she was. So, these claims of false reports would make McNair a liar and articles on where she was performing and when as lies too!
So, that everyone can see first hand what he said. Judge for yourself.
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McMILLAN & WIFE -- An Elementary Case of Murder - Barbara McNair, Michael Ansara, Jack Carter
I posted more photo history with Dean Martin and Jack Carter because not as many people are aware of Carter or his history with Martin. The two may not have been the best of friends but they were at least respectable friends (at least for a while).
Carter and Martin go far back as the Martin & Lewis days. Carter had appeared on their Colgate Hour and in return, Martin & Lewis appeared on Carter’s short-lived show. Among the three of them (Martin, Lewis, and Carter), they all seemed to support each other’s careers. Once Lewis had his own various television shows, Carter often appeared in them, once Martin had his the Dean Martin Show and Celebrity Roast, he often had Carter on both. When Martin was being honored at the Friars’ Club, Martin had Carter near him.
Carter seemed friendly with all of the Rat Pack members. He started a Broadway career with Sammy Davis, Jr. through “Mr. Wonderful”. The two seemed to learn from each other and all through the years of Carter’s life had nothing but the nicest things to say about Davis. He also seemed to know Frank Sinatra well.
Based on how Jack Carter spoke of Dean Martin on the blog:
classicshowbiz.blogspot.com
There seemed to be some bitterness on his part towards Dean Martin. Not sure if it was out of pure jealousy or what. He hinted at often feeling the completion of his jokes on Martin’s shows were cut out, he never got paid enough, the joke writers on Martin’s shows were not that great, and even started on telling a story of allegedly one time Martin had just taken his rented limo that he had (but he never finished this alleged story). On the other hand, Jack Carter (who was also Jewish), had only great things to say about Mr. Jerry Lewis.
Jack Carter also seemed to adore Barbara McNair. The two frequently performed together, appeared in a few films together, and both made an appearance on Rock Hudson’s drama series (although the two appeared in separate scenes). The admiration that Carter had for McNair was clearly shown when he appeared on her television show. He was blunt about seeing her perform (which McNair seemed a little uncomfortable about), and he openly mentioned their televised film “The Lonely Profession”.
Once again, it would have been very interesting to be able to witness their March 1966 performance in Las Vegas, with knowledge in the audience were such stars as Dean Martin, Bob Hope, and Johnny Carson there.
*I had originally planned to post a total of 12 connected people of cliff note posts but decided to end these with Jack Carter. I may post one last of these with such thing as “Honorable Mentions” and wrap it up with that.
Now, I can sit here and post videos and photos of Johnny Carson with Dean Martin all day but quite frankly, there would be too many.
I honestly do not know how far back Dean Martin and Johnny Carson go but there is no mistaking the two were friends and respected each other. Based on how their wives and those closest to them describe the two (separately), in many ways these two were similar personalities. There will always be a mystery on their drinking, they only allowed a certain amount of people to even get close to them, they both seemed to kind of prefer to be to themselves, and overall what they contributed to the world of television and entertainment is completely unparallel iconic history.
Another thing to note, these two also had their history despite their share of marriages of affairs with various women. Carson and Martin were excellent at keeping that side of their lives very private, to say the less.
Johnny Cason’s years at The Tonight Show seemed to be the only show that Martin really felt comfortable coming on. So comfortable that the man did not mind arriving at the show unexpectedly. An, amazingly enough, Carson was never offended and allowed it. Carson, in return, kept often appearing on Martin’s show, what was demonstrated on Carson’s Tonight Show was repeated on the Dean Martin Show, which was simply, these two people were friends.
Barbara McNair, on the other hand. Her appearances on the late-night shows, she made multiple times on the original Tonight Show with Jack Paar and the Joey Bishop Show. She seemed to make fewer appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. With that said, that does not mean, she and Carson were complete strangers to each other.
In Cliff Notes:
-The two have performed a mini-tour together in the fall of 1966.
-When she performed with Jack Carter in March 1966 to a star-studded audience that included Dean Martin, Johnny Carson was also there.
-Carson and McNair performed together again in July 1967.
-Also in Nov.2, 1967, the two performed together again:
”SAHARA — Johnny Carson, Barbara McNair. Lounge: Don Rickles, "Mad, Mod World."
Nevertheless, it is an easy assumption that these two were friends. It is also interesting to try to imagine how it must have been like to see these two perform considering Johnny Carson was never recognized as a singer, dancer, or anything of that nature type of performer. However, something must have happened eventually for McNair to kind of bad mouth Johnny Carson’s late-night show in an interview in 1974. My guess, its something ugly must have happened during her last appearance on his show.
[On Barbara McNair] “She would work in clubs where Frank Sinatra worked. Or she’d work in Vegas, Atlantic City.”-Weldon A. Dougal III
*Dougal was also very good friends for years with Sammy Davis, Jr:
“They asked him (Sammy Davis, Jr.) to do ‘Shorty Legs’ (on Motown) record. He agreed, and right after that, they started negotiating.”-Dougal
“I used to go out on the road with him (Davis). The reason I went out on the road was to introduce him to the R&B disc jockeys. He’d tell me at night, ‘Listen, mean, after the show I’m having a party, and I want you to definitely come. In fact, I’m making a party just for you.’ I said, ‘Oh man this is great!’ So I go up there, and everything was going on beautiful....all the showgirls....”-Dougal
*Dougal also added how Davis wanted to make sure that Dougal was enjoying himself at his parties. Eventually Davis would fall asleep at his own parties and Dougal discovered the reason why Davis even had these parties because he needed some kind of way to calm down after a performance. But what was interesting with the people at Davis’ parties was once Davis was asleep, everyone would leave and the party would stop.
From the book: MOTOWN: THE GOLDEN YEARS BY BILL DAHL AND WELDON A. DOUGAL III, 2001, pgs. 279, 232
It seems the late Dougal knew them both well but tried to keep most of what he knew of them privately. It was also said he has worked with Sinatra as well, not sure about Dean Martin though.
^One of Dougal’s photos of Sammy Davis, Jr. while being on the road with him.
“I had big fun with Sammy.”-Weldon A. Dougal III
Source: Collectible Photographic Images in Original/Reprint:Original Print ...eBayCA163-34 Orig 35mm Color Slides Lot Of 4pc BARBARA MCNAIR DEAN MARTIN TV Show
*This was from her December 22, 1966 appearance on the Dean Martin Show. It was taped likely some time within early October 1966. This was the same year she was also doing his summer show that he personally signed her to do four shows and performing with Rowan & Martin in Reno.
Source: Pinterest
Although Don Rickles, likes to “claim” he was not that “close” to the Rat Pack, I personally beg to differ. Okay, so he never took part in their partying, women, or drinking but the boys of the Rat Pack, it was apparent did consider him as a friend and loved him!
Rickles, for years did credit especially Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra for helping his career. Whatever and whenever Martin or Sinatra would appear in Vegas or their TV shows (etc.), they made sure Rickles had an opportunity to appear. And even if they weren’t performing, they made sure they went over wherever Rickles was performing at to enjoy themselves and go see him. They loved his type of humor because it was unique and being the tough guys like they were, Martin and Sinatra never took what Rickles would tease them about seriously.
All through the years of their lives, they were often seen with Rickles. They were a great loyal friend to Rickles.
So...how does Barbara McNair fit into all of this?
Connections:
When Dean Martin had his Riviera deal in the years 1969-1971, not only was McNair one of the main stars signed but Don Rickles was too. Even after Martin left claiming he couldn’t stand performing two shows a night, he remained entertainment consultant. Which means, he still was able to sign performers on when and who were going to be performing at the Riviera.
So, what’s interesting was just days before McNair was to wed Rick Manzie, she was performing with Don Rickles; from that time on, somehow (for whatever reason) it was a start of McNair often hanging out with and performing with Don Rickles. She was spotted just days before her ugly drug arrest in Chicago attending a performance of Don Rickles’, at a club that Sammy Davis, Jr. owned, nevertheless. Then right after her drug bust, after all other gigs dismissed her, it was good ol’Riviera who kept her gigs with them....and who she was performing with and continued performing with at the Riviera?
Mr. Don Rickles
The movie “CASNIO” Connections:
Source: NY Daily News
McNair wed Rick at Lefty Rosenthal’s Stardust casino thanks to Tony Spliotro who was “friends” wtih both Lefty and Rick Manzie.
source: Frank Rosenthal
In 1977 (Just 5 years after McNair wed Rick and was now a widow), Rickles would appear at the Stardust on Lefty Rosenthal’s show with Frank Sinatra.
Fast-forward to 1995, Don Rickles gets a good part in the film CASINO, about Lefty Rosenthal and Tony Spilotro, with co-star Joe Pecsi who was friendly with Dean Martin. CASINO was filmed at the Riviera, where Rickles use to work at during the years of Dean Martin and Barbara McNair. And if anyone seen the film, guess what songs were playing in that film: The Rat Pack’s.
Boy, I would love to be a fly-on-the-wall to see and hear if Rickles shared any stories to Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci on his days at the Riviera and knowing: Lefty Rosenthal and Barbara McNair, along with the Rat Pack connections.
More, cliff-notes. To make a long story short. Dick Martin and Dean Martin (no relation), had known each other and were friends for years. According to some, Dick Martin, was actually the nicer one between he and Dan Rowan. In one of Dean Martin’s Celebrity Roast episodes, he expressed how much he could relate and understood when Dick Martin and Dan Rowan went their separate ways. When Dick Martin, went solo, he actually did not do too bad. He, as years to come, produced and directed various shows.
Now, where’s the Barbara McNair connection?
Right within the years 1965-1985 and interestingly enough within same time-frames, that Dick Martin would be appearing in, with, and etc. with the Rat Pack members, McNair, would appear with him too.
A perfect example is the first season there was the Dean Martin Summer show, that Dean Martin (personally) signed her up for. She seemed to had spent most of 1966, hanging out with Rowan and Martin not only on that Dean Martin Summer show but in Reno that summer and politically later that same year. Rowan & Martin, that same year would also appear with Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra on another political appearance for the same person, that they appeared with Sammy Davis, Jr. and McNair for.
And by 1967, just nearly a month after performing with Dean Martin’s uncle Leonard Barr, there was McNair again, for over a month, performing once again in Reno with Rowan and Martin. During both of those years (’66-’67), Rowan and Martin would also continue making appearances on the Dean Martin show. Often during those appearances and years afterwards, it was very apparent that Dick Martin and Dean Martin were friends. And thanks to the success (few years later by 1968), Rowan and Martin, seemed to credit Dean Martin as one of the major stars who helped them with their careers. After all, Dean Martin started his success and came from the most successful duos ever: Martin & Lewis!
Another perfect example of their friendship can be easily seen in the photo above. When Dean Martin wed third wife Cathy Hawn, Dick Martin and his wife were already friends with Cathy and they were one of the main guests at their wedding.
McNair, often would make appearances within the 1970s whenever on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson with Dick Martin and Dean Martin at times whenever he made his appearance on the same show (but separately from McNair’s), also with Dick Martin. McNair and Dick Martin also seemed to be friends, as perfect example by 1985/1986 a more forgotten star in McNair, it was Dick Martin who would direct her in her appearance of Redd Foxx’s short-lived show. There is no doubt that Dick Martin had remembered her (as far as we know they may had stayed in contact). Within 1985-1986, McNair was already a performance regular at the same Atlantic City casino The Golden Nugget that Dean Martin was at and she was in contact with the same friends, like Dick Martin and co-star (and friend) of Martin’s with Fred Williamson.
Rest of the Cliff Notes:
All of those women, I just mentioned of entertainers were able to publicly and more openly perform/appear with the core three Rat Pack for a couple of years. They seemed more career supported by them than McNair.
I like for someone to please explain to me how an agency would team her up with Uncle Leonard Barr?
If it was all to just “help her career”, by 1980-1986, why would any of the Rat Pack members need to “help her career”, by that time?
Martin, did however plugged her albums in 1966 when she was on his show the second time. And whenever she was on his show he would (unlike Sinatra or Davis) compliment her singing.
She was married to “supposedly” to a tycoon. As her husband at the time stated “She doesn’t have to work, if she doesn’t want to”. So, why would see need work at Atlantic City at Resorts International and the Golden Nugget if she was married to Ben and she didn’t need to work? And even if she “needed” work by this time, why would that need to be any of the Rat Pack’s members responsibility? She was never married or had any kids with them. She shouldn’t have to be any of their concern?
And why during that time she would plug the type of songs she liked to sing such as “New York, New York”, one of Sinatra’s signature songs or Country-Westerns, Martin was known as his favorite type of music?
Prior to that, she sung twice on Martin’s show, the song that was Sammy Davis Jr.’s television show theme song, “Nothing Can Stop Me Now”.
Have an membership interest that supports Westerns, of Golden Age of TV and films?
Why in 1969, she would be signed to the Riviera right when Martin was? She could had been signed to several other Casinos at that time.
What was Martin going on about 3 weeks on her last time on his show? He doesn’t rehearse?
Why after being on his show on a regular basis suddenly was no longer on his show by 1968, for four years?
Why after four years suddenly she was back on his show?
Why would he tell a black you “I love you” in 1966? Oh, excuse me, why would he tell a woman would be called ‘Negro” (at that time), “I love you” in 1966?
Isn’t all of that a little unusual when you add all of this up, for just one guest that happened to appear on his legendary TV variety show? If she was just a TV “guest”?
*There’s so many unanswered questions.
The Barbara McNair and Dean Martin parallels, based on what I’ve learned on the two:
They like to have their space, neither one of them like to be smothered, told what to do, didn’t like like to argue, viewed as sex-symbols, like to have their free time to just relax. Martin, to enjoy watching TV, especially Westerns, McNair, loved watching TV Game shows and a relaxing bath. Martin, loves playing golf, as often as he could. McNair, tennis and skiing, as often as she could. They seem to have their own unexplained views on having spouses in their lives, among having lovers and other relationships.
Christmas of 1966-October 1968: Martin lost his parents and brother, all health related.
1976-1979-McNair, lost her parents health related and 1981, her brother Horace, killed by a drive-by.
Then, there’s the many mutual friends and in interviews McNair, claims to have admiration for the same stars Martin favored such as Peggy Lee, Jack Jones, and Gordon MacRae. She also would hint around her joy of gambling and playing cards, something Martin has done since he was 13.
Whatever the ordeal was, as it relates to Barbara McNair and the Rat Pack, she never publicly exploited them or shared what she knew of any of them. She kept all of that private to her grave.
^Unfortunately, the damn gif, I posted isn’t working but if you click on the link under it, hopefully you can get what he “mouthed” to her!
And this is with Barbara Richman, the dancer during his second season of his show. Watch the beginning of this station break video below. I advise you to make sure you turn the volume high enough at 0:03-0:07
Did you hear it? He said, (referring to what was going to happened “after the show”, “To F---k you”! Did you see the shock look on her face?
*Just click the links, if the gifs don’t work. Anyways, based on Sinatra’s face, I wondered if he was aware of Barbara Richman, prior to that “Voice Contest” episode?
To me, just another example of an “unknown” lady of Martin’s women. After that season, she suddenly wasn’t on his show. I wouldn’t think much of it, if she was seen in something else to the successful/popular level of his TV show. If anyone had seen this poor girl appear anything else after she was no longer on his show, please let me know. Overall, it is unknown as to why she was no longer on his show. Possibly she did not want to be on there anymore...?
That year 1966, I prefer to title it as “The Tell of Two Barbaras” (Richman & McNair):
That week when he said towards Richman, “To F* you!”, that was exactly a week and episode prior to when McNair was going to appear that following week and episode.
Which considering what he said the week that McNair appeared (after re-hearing those tapes again):
“And you I love baby, and you I love baby. And I love you/ya.”
To me it all sounds similar to Eddie Murphy Raw of men’s philosophy/scenario, meaning:
“I F-k her but make love to you.”-type of situation.
I often wondered by both of those women being on that show, he kind of panicked. Richman, during that season was a regular and likely about every Sunday (after taping) the two of them were “hooking up”. There was no way he could been able to tell Greg Garrison or anyone to not suddenly to have Richman be on this particular episode. It would had been too obvious, so by whispering what he did to McNair, was his sneaky way of keeping both.
A “Playa” indeed he was.
*It is also interesting to note by the time he was taping that episode with McNair, it was reported he and his wife had another one of those “trial” separations again. He told the press, ‘Yeah I moved out’, to a friend’s rented home/apartment. The reason for it, he claimed due to her love of the social life and parties in their home, that he hates. Regardless if that really was the exact reasons why, Jeanne did continue by the time he moved back home in having her Saturday night parties. IMHO, he was just trying to have his “cake-and-eat-it-too”. How long did he stay at that rented friend’s place, is unknown.
Back to the “other” Barbara, McNair: The Cliff Notes
Obviously there’s several reasons why she would not be known publicly. During that era black people were called “Negro”. And black people were considered “less-then”. It was a very difficult time. For her to be known publicly with him imagine it to the similar effect of Sammy Davis, Jr.’s headlines with Ava Gardner: "WHAT MAKES AVA GARDNER RUN FOR SAMMY DAVIS, JR.? “
I’m sure with Dean Martin and Barbara McNair it would be something to the effect:
“WHAT MAKES SUCCESSFUL WHITE STAR DEAN MARTIN RUN FOR LESSER-KNOWN NEGRO SINGER BARBARA MCNAIR?”
I’m sure Martin was fully aware of what all Davis, went through and the ugly headlines he was getting of his interracial relationships. The man was clever, the only “close-calls” of headlines between Dean Martin and Barbara McNair, of anything near that nature was:
1. The photograph taken of the two during their run-throughs on his show, of him holding onto her, on her first appearance of his show. That made it to some newspapers.
2. (Within the same month and weeks)
The photograph taken for an article on the Beatles. At the Beatles Party, of him (without his wife), with his buddies Vince Edwards (with his wife), Bill Cosby (without his wife), and (if it actually was her) of a dark looking lady hidden behind them. Of course, that lady could easily been one of Cosby’s dates, that we are hearing about now. But it is interesting that Edwards had his wife with him, while Martin and Bill didn’t have theirs. And there’s this dark looking lady, that was never reported on who she was or whom she was with. She did seem pretty-well hidden.
3. The March 1966 article on Dean Martin actually spotted in the audience, to see her perform in Las Vegas. While there, he ends up personally signing her to make four appearances on his first summer season show.
March 11, 1966 Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey (newspaper)-pg.24 "Dean Martin signed beautiful-sexy melodious Barbara McNair for four TV shows after catching her act at Las Vegas Flamingo. "
Let’s do try to look at the clues by his own mouth, quotes:
In both her 2nd and 3rd time on his show he used these similar words in describing her:
“and the wrapping is Barbara McNair”-1966
“all wrapped into one.” -1967
= Translation: she’s got the whole package
From her first time on his show:
*Key parts: After re-listening to those audio tapes, again.
Aired Dec. 2, 1965 (taped Sept. 19, 1965) (after their duet)
Martin: Look how good you sing?
McNair: Oh I can’t.
Martin: You look good, baby.
McNair: ...awkward...
Courtesy: Collector's Choice, From: Archival Television Audio, Inc. #1880-THE DEAN MARTIN SHOW NBC TV-Dec. 2, 1965
Barbara's 2nd time on Dean Martin Show. Aired: Dec. 22, 1966 (taped some time early Oct. 1966).
Somewhere in the middle of them singing this duet you hear him say, "Walk baby."
(After their duet)
Martin: And you I love baby, and you I love baby. And I love you/ya.
Courtesy:
Collector's Choice, From Archival Television Audio, Inc. #1910-THE DEAN MARTIN SHOW NBC TV-Dec. 22, 1966
Last time on his show. (Tape some time between late Nov-Early Dec. ‘71, aired Mar. 16, 1972)
End of first duet:
Martin: Hey, she sings in my key.
2nd duet:
Martin: Think we didn’t do it, huh?
McNair: No we didn’t/Yeah we did.
Martin: We rehearsed for 3 weeks.
Courtesy, of The Dean Martin DVD box-set with booklets and:
Collector's Choice
From: Archival Television Audio, Inc. ATA #2058-THE DEAN MARTIN SHOW NBC TV-Mar. 16, 1972
In case anyone may like to purchase their own copy of those audio tapes in cassette or CD for $80+ and listen for themselves:
http://www.atvaudio.com/
And then there’s the clues that Lee Hale (Martin’s musical director) had also pointed out, that I’ve already have shared in prior posts. I always get a sense that Hale likely sensed something was going on but has always been afraid to actually come out and say it. And I’m sure also out of respect to the Martin family.
So, what makes her (McNair), different from the other many “lovely” female guests on his show? Especially the other ones Martin actually was rumored to had affairs with? Petula Clark, Ann-Margeret, Laine Kazan, and Vicki Carr (whom he called the greatest female singer):
Petula Clark-has stated multiple times, nothing every happened between she and Martin. She at the time was very committed to her husband. She also manage to have a sexy image at the time where she did several sexy chemistry duets with other male singers such as Bobby Darrin and Tom Jones. And when Dean Martin had his Riviera deal, she was signed to Caesars Palace. So far, I haven’t found where she ever got to perform as a duo with his uncle Leonard Barr, McNair had. And she was able to perform on TV and be recognized by her talents from Martin’s friends Sinatra and Davis, unlike McNair. But it doesn’t seem like Clark, was continued being “connected” to the Rat Pack members for some 20 years like McNair was.
Ann-Margaret-She did get to appear several times on his show and he did appear “affection” towards her. They did a film together, plus he appeared on one of her TV specials. She was signed to Riviera when Martin had his deal. She was signed to MGM Grand when Martin moved there too. By 1978, she moved to Casears Palace. However, it’s been reported that her husband Roger Smith was always with her and she had a wonderful husband very involved in her life. Her big-love always seemed to be Elvis Presley. And Elvis, was always the greatest chemistry.
Laine Kazan-There’s been confusion with her. She claims she’s been on his show more than anyone, like 29 times. However, records shows Caterina Valente appeared the most and was one of his favorites because he was always learning from her. In Lee Hale’s early 2000s book, Kazan claimed Martin was always respectful towards her and they just hanged out, nothing more. When it came to Greg Garrison, that was another story but then in Hale’s 2012 book, she did a 180 and claimed Martin tried hard to “get in her pants” but she was married and tried to be faithful. She also gotten to appear in a film with Sinatra.
Vikki Carr-She gotten to first appear with Martin on Hollywood Palace, when he hosted and his uncle Barr was on the same episode. She appeared often on his television show. Sing on one of his Matt Helm soundtracks and was signed to the Riviera when he was over it. She was signed to MGM Grand when he was. She also gotten to perform with both Sinatra and Davis on television and things of that nature.
I originally was going to wait and post just his page last but suddenly decided to go on and post his page now. There seems to be a certain level of mystery about him, along with diverse point-of-views on, who is the real Dean Martin? One thing that is for sure for both Jerry Lewis and Frank Sinatra, who grew up as only children, had no real friends growing up, until show business and then met so many different people and then developed friendships with a diverse group of people; they seemed to gravitate the most towards Dean Martin-first and Sammy Davis, Jr.-second. For them to have the type of affection for these two, demonstrates how special those two were. Despite the fact most claim how Martin only allowed people to get so-close to him, he obviously had this contagious appeal to him.
Guys, loved him for his lay-back, man’s man charisma and women loved his for his charm and sex-appeal.
There’s been stories, rumors, and etc. on his own personal affairs, but it seems overall most people really don’t know who all he got with because he was that good at keeping it all on the DL. He was also rumored that his women he had affairs/relationships with for the most part, were beautiful. For years there were some that many people were actually unaware of. One perfect example was mob-legend Meyers Lansky’s daughter Sandra Lansky:
Okay, so that may not be the most “attractive” pic of Dean Martin, shown with Sandra Lansky. The photo, to be frank, looks kind of choppy-sloppily taken. And some who have read her story over her affair with Martin, felt she may have “embellished” some things, maybe she had but after personally reading her book, I do think they did have an affair.
I did came across another unknown one:
”Samantha Morice
Mort if it wasn’t for you I would never have been Deans lady…You made sure when Dean was in Vegas, I had everything. Always so thoughtful and kind…….You made me laugh when times got tough with all the cameras and noisy people…You will be loved and missed………..Say hello to Mack for me.”-
It seems most of the women respected his privacy and never exploited him in telling their “affairs” publicly. But, he did admit years later (although over the years “hinted at them”), having affairs and his love of women.
He stated this in his 1983 London interview:
^Listen how he emphasizes within his words on “love women”.
Over the years, he gave in his own playful way hints/innuendos through his live shows, films, and television show, how he likes “variety” of women. He’s hinted several times about his attraction and hooking up with Hawaiian girls. I’ve noticed in variety of his shows, films, and so forth of Asian women being around, he did say as his character “Dino” in “Kiss Me Stupid”, “I like variety, have Chinese take-out one night...”, and the similar can be said of Latina/Hispanic women as well, aside from Raquel Welch who is half Latin/Hispanic:
That’s on the set of Bandolero, and obviously the lady on his lap is not Welch.
And there’s another on the set of Showdown:
Unfortunately, I can’t find the photo, I really wanted to show of those two. There was a photo of the two outside of filming, just chatting. Some newspaper caught it and made it into an innuendo of possibly Cathy Hawn, may need to be “concerned”. Rita Rogers did do an interview and this is the only time I found her speaking about Martin:
“Q: How was it working with Elvis and Shelley Fabares?
A: Oh, she's really a nice, nice, nice person, Shelley.
And actually Shelley Fabares and myself and, Oh God, Dean Martin, we had a tap dancing group together, the three of us. 'Cause I made friends with her on that set and after all, when I became an actress and everything, that's what we did, we had a little tap dancing thing, but it was wonderful working with him and her.”
*I honestly can’t imagine Martin, being part of a “tap dancing group” but hey, I guess you learn something new everyday. But what I do recall based on Martini Man book, Martin hardly allowed/have Cathy Hawn to visit him on the set, compared to when he was filming “Something Else”.
OMG, all this time I completely forgot to add this Creole woman too:
Betty Kelly/Kelley
Her name associated to the same 38-40 famous men could be found in various websites from Shag Tree, Who Dated Who? and etc. On 'Oh! No They Didn't! website in Frank Sinatra's list, her name was there too, but since that page has been removed.
Some have gotten her mixed up with the Motown artist of the same name but that one is the wrong one. She did go by Betty Kelley and Betty Kelly, though.
Very little is known about her but from the website Panache Report under The Dark Side of Hollywood (page since been removed) had the only most information I found:
"Creole (Celebrity) Playgirl-Rich men ONLY-Including a Presidential Candidate?' Not much is known about the singer Betty Kelly: She was born in New Orleans on January 8, 1925. She had one hit, 'Songs of Mine', in 1951 and she overdosed at age of 42 in 1967. Allegedly, Kelly was linked to bevy of rich and famous men.' Sammy Davis, Jr., Nat King Cole, B.B. King, Sean Connery, Frank Sinatra, Robert F. Kennedy, Kirk Douglas, Michael Landon, a young Dustin Hoffman, Richard Burton, Robert Duvall, Bill Bixby, Joey Bishop, Leslie Nielsen, Peter Lawford, Aaron Spelling, Dean Martin, Robert Stack, Lorne Greene, Harvey Korman, Pernell Roberts and Peter Graves, etc.
In my guess, Betty Kelly likely looked something like this:
All I can say in Dean Martin’s part as far as Creole Betty Kelly, think “Toys in the Attic” (for those who have seen that film and it is actually one of my favorite of his):
Here are some of my favorite photos of Barbara McNair, from over the years.
My tribute to her for Black History month. I’ve already posted videos of some of my favorite songs of hers, so I thought about photos in honor of her too.
All photos found on:
Another one that Dean Martin, seemed to demonstrate his true friendship and loyalty towards is Joey Bishop. If anyone seen the Oct. 4, 1965 The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, that Bishop guest-hosted for Carson, Sinatra and Martin made a surprise appearance, Martin affectionately kissed Bishop on the cheek. By the time Bishop’s family show had ended, Martin and Bishop did a comedy-Western film together. And when Bishop had his own late night show, Martin gracious came on his show at least once, to show support. And when that show was cancelled, Martin ended up having Bishop as a semi-regular during the last seasons of his television show and on his legendary Celebrity Roasts.
I know it is not recognized or became aware of the friendship between Bishop and Martin but Martin seemed to care about Bishop as well. Maybe, they didn’t always hang out together often or saw each other on a regular basis, who knows? But Martin and Bishop seemed to at least respected and supported each other. They have worked with each other several times over the years. Martin’s uncle Leonard Barr seemed to made multiple appearances with Bishop, as well.
Back to Barbara McNair:
McNair was cited as a V.I.P on both Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show and Joey Bishop’s late night show. However, it seems McNair preferred to appear more on Bishop’s. She appeared on his late night show at least nine times, even had her own mother on his show, something very rare on her part. She seemed to have an affection for Bishop. The two also had appeared in same locations dates of gigs together as well. And to return the favor on all the times she supported and came on Bishop’s late night show, Joey Bishop became one of her first guests on her show.
*Possibly friends supporting friends? All William Morris Agency related? What’s the real story?
*There’s more....
As, I have posted prior on Tony Bennett in my timeline, Dean Martin (himself) acknowledged Bennett as good friend. In his son Ricci Martin’s book, he discusses recalling Tony Bennett as a friend of his father’s. He recalls one time when it was raining (sometime in 1967/1968) and his father, along with his friends were not able to play golf that day, Tony Bennett being one of them at their house (I’m sure Bennett’s been to the Martin home more than once). In a 2014 interview, Bennett was asked if there was any secrets, anything people would be shocked to know about Martin. Bennett seemed to respect his late friend’s privacy and only shared something that everyone already knew, how Martin would call the cops over the parties in his home. There’s no secret Bennett was a Rat Pack friend, although he claimed he was never one of their “cronies”.
Another one, unlike Sinatra and Davis, Bennett for years often in interviews would publicly express his admiration for Barbara McNair. The two seemed to first became acquainted some time in 1960. She, in a few interviews has also cited him as one of the singers she admired. He was her first guest on her television show. He was also one of the first performers at the very multi-owned club Mr. D’s.
*On one of Bennett’s appearances on the Dean Martin Variety show in 1968, shortly after McNair had first done her version of “For Once In My Life”, Bennett sings the song in the version she sung. McNair was the first to perform that song, although Stevie Wonder was the one who made it successful.
Nevertheless, Tony Bennett seemed to be very loyal to those he admired.
