Holden Wendy - Memories are made of this: Dean Martin through his daughters eyes

For John, Mickey, Hunter, and Jagger
The men in my life

THIS BOOK WILL, FOR THE FIRST TIME, SET THE RECORD straight about my family. It will explore the reasons for their successes and failures and give people a greater insight into what motivated them to make their life choices. As a parent, I now know how difficult it is to juggle children, work, ambition, and emotional demands. We are each the sum of our experiences, and none of us is perfect. Sometimes we rise to a challenge and sometimes the challenge takes a lifetime.

My parents gave me their loveunconditionally, irrevocably, and eternally. Now, as an adult, making my way in the world, I still feel their love, and it links me to them. For that I will always be grateful.

There are many people who made this project possible, and whom I now thank. First and foremost, Dads fans. Thank you for your love. He never forgot you and he never stopped being grateful. My lifelong friend Lorna Luft, for giving me the courage to undertake such a cathartic and monumental task. Jerry Lewis, whose professional guidance and friendship I cherish. For his honesty. For being my fathers partner and for letting me into his heart. Tony Oppedisano, for a lifetime of stories. Patti Lewis, for sharing her memories and photographs. My mother, Jeanne, for giving me a home, watching me grow, loving and protecting me. My dear brother Craig, for being one of the sweetest people on earth. My sister Gail, who helped raise methank you for your sense of humor and your strength. My brother Ricci for filling my world with laughter. My sister Gina, who will always be younger, for her positive outlook on life. My brother Dean Paul and my beautiful sister Claudia, thank you for being my guardian angels. Aunt Anne, for her remarkable memory and insights into our lives.

My son Mickey; we grew up together. Thank you for helping us find our way in the world. Now that you are married with children of your own, you finally understand what it means to be a parent, the joy and the pain and the wonder of it all. Mostly, I hope that when you read this book, you will finally understand what my father meant to me. Paola, for giving us Hunter and Jagger, our two beautiful grandsons.

And to my darling husband, John, my true love, for giving me the strength, direction, and focus to make this book possible. In the words of one of my fathers best-known songsYour love made it well worth the waiting, for someone like you.

I would like to thank Alan Nevins, my talented agent at The Firm. Wendy Holden for helping me organize my thoughts. Shaye Areheart, my publisher, and Kim Meisner, my editor, for believing in my vision. Jeffrey Lane, Tara Gilbride and Penny Simon, my publicists, for spreading the word. Shane Rosamonda and Rene Reyes, for helping me sort and catalog my material. And Ingrid Connell for her work in the U.K.

Rose Angelica and the Dean Martin Festival Committee for their hard work and dedication. The people of Steubenville, who always had a special place in Dads heart, and I now understand why. Neil Daniels and The Dean Martin Fan Center. Sonny King, Hal Needham, Alan King, Shirley MacLaine, Dennis Farina, Henry Silva, Larry Manetti, and Bruce Charet for sharing their adventures.

It is with appreciation and a special fondness that I remember the following people: Pola and Robert Ellis Miller, Bob and Barbara Leone, Elena Melgar, the Ladies of Bodies by Deana, Diane Crocetti, Archie Crocetti, Richard and Rose Crocetti, Tom Vecchione, Gina Vecchione, Ane Vecchione, Randy Vecchione, Mary Crocetti Vecchione, Grace Braeske, Mindy Costanza, Julia McDonald, Lou Panebianco, Dohrman Panebianco, Harry Greenberg, Mario and Mitzi Camerlengo, Violet Nelson, Virginia Fato, Helen Bonitatibus, Joe Perrone, Ida DiSarro, Anna Yannon, Victor Gillette, Julia Charmor, Tina and Art Baker, Jim and Debbie Monoco, Kim Jascula, Roy and Sue Galuzzi, Kim Johnson, Rich Angelica, Joe DiAlbert, Mario DiCarlo, Steubenville Post 33 American Legion, Ron and Skip Lucas, Al DeMayo, Mike Berarducci and DiNovos, the City of Steubenville, Mayor Domenick Mucci, Officer Roger Badger and Officer Joel Walker, Joe and Donna Staffilino, Naples Spaghetti House, Sue Delatore, Steubenville High School, Rico and Linda Schettini, Steubenville Bakery, Lou Tripodi, the Steubenville Rotary Club, Reno Saccoccia, Capitol Records, and a very special thanks to Father Tim Shannon of St. Anthonys Church. The Deana Martin Foundation Board of Directors: Richard Delatore, Dr. Laura Meeks, Bob Martin, Adam Scurti, Richard Sunyoger. The people who helped make Dean Martin Day possible: Governor Bob Taft, Senator Greg DiDonato, Representative Eilene Krupinski. The Dean Martin Committee: Carol Weber, Bob and Mel Martin, Judy Porco, Les and Von Stuckemeyer, Cliff and Jackie Rick, Mario Camerlengo, Felicia Borkowski, Nellie Hardy, Dan Calabrese, Assunta Olivieri, Maria Pittera, Lucia Scaffidi, Jan Watson, Joe and Edna Michetti, Yolanda Manella, Philomenia DiCarlontonio, Juanita Meszaros, John and Julie Charmor, Delphia and Sheila Ksiazek, Ann Febo, Domenick Lamone, Freda Bates, and Sharon Ranallo.

Sid Avery, Allan Grant, Bob Martin, and Guy Webster, the masters, for their beautiful images. Diana Avery, Ron Avery, and all our friends at the Motion Picture and Television Photo Archive, and Karin Grant, thank you.

There are far too many to thank personally. I have mentioned some of you in the text, and hope that those who have been inadvertently overlooked will forgive me.

Deana Martin

by Jerry Lewis

I SUSPECT THAT WHEN WRITING A FOREWORD TO SOMEONES work, the tough part is thinking of all the nice things to say but I didnt have that problem writing this. Probably because the work is impeccable and so is the author. But Ive felt this way about her since around 1955, when I realized how impeccable she was even then. And now she writes about another element, also a part of my lifea great parta part that made me qualified to write anything.

Writing this is one exquisite rush for me, and more than likely will be the same for you when reading her love letter. Now, understand, Deana is good, but what makes her book terrific is that she is terrificterrific in her ability to get on paper what is in her heart. And for her to write about her hero makes this read an exceptional one and one youll be glad you read. I felt my spirit soar from the get-go, and it kept me rivetednot so much because I love the subject matter as much as she does, if thats possible, but because I was there. I saw it all, I felt it all, and now I relive it all through the talent and commitment of a marvelous young lady who I adore more than ever before.

My recollections of Deana as a child are pretty sketchy, only in that I wasnt much older than she was at the time, and rather than adore that child as most adults do, I was too busy adoring myself. I should be somewhat ashamed to make that admission, but seeing that I was only eighteen or so, it doesnt sting as hard. And Deana was just arriving: this dark-haired, incredible beauty who broke every button on Deans shirt he carried 810s in his wallet! Okay, Im kidding, but he did have a slew of photos of Deana, the other kids, and himself. And, at the time, who could afford photography? So all the pictures he had were of him and Deana in strips of four poses running vertically, you know, the ones you get for a quarter in a photo machine at the arcade. Dean was in there more than he was at the bar (Im kidding). But he was crazy nuts over her. He felt the same way about the other kids, sure, but the sparkle in his eyes when he picked her up was like a beam from the lighthouse on the Jersey shore.