I loved being called Deana Martin. Even when I was very small.
Dad was such a positive influence on people’s lives that to be so
closely associated with him was always a blessing. People can’t
help but smile when they think of my father, which has to be the
greatest legacy of all. When people hear my name for the first
time, they usually ask the same question: “Any relation?” “Yes,” I
reply proudly, “he’s my father.” They smile and cry, “Oh, I love
your father! I’ve loved him all my life.” Sometimes, just
sometimes, they ask me the most important question of all: “Was he
a good father?” To their surprise, I shake my head and smile. “No,”
I reply. “He wasn’t a good father, but he was a good man.” Where
Dad came from, that meant a great deal more.
So begins Deana Martin’s captivating and heartfelt memoir of her
father, the son of an Italian immigrant from modest beginnings who
worked his way to the top of the Hollywood firmament to become one
of the greatest stars of all time.
Charming, debonair, and impeccably attired in a black tuxedo,
Dean Martin was coolness incarnate. His music provided the
soundtrack of romance, and his image captivated movie and
television audiences for more than fifty years. His daughter Deana
was among his most devoted fans, but she also knew a side of him
that few others ever glimpsed.
In page-turning prose, Deana recalls her early childhood, when
she and her siblings were left in the erratic care of Dean’s loving
but alcoholic first wife. She chronicles the constantly changing
blended family that marked her youth, along with the unexpected
moments of silliness and tenderness that this unusual Hollywood
family shared. Deana candidly reveals the impact of Dean’s fame and
characteristic aloofness on her efforts to forge her own identity,
but delights in sharing wonderful, never-before-told stories about
her father and his pallies known as the Rat Pack. It may not have
been a normal childhood, but Deana’s enchanting account of life as
the daughter of one of Hollywood’s sexiest icons will leave you
entertained, delighted, and nostalgic for a time gone by.
“From her heart, Deana Martin has told a frank and honest account
of what her life was like with her famous father and family. It has
been a wild ride, with lots of ups and downs, written with honesty,
love, and understanding.” —Regis Philbin
“Dean Martin was the unique star who attained success in all of
the entertainment media—movies, TV, recordings, concerts, and
radio. His daughter Deana gives us something else that is also
unique in this revealing book about growing up as the daughter of a
true legend. Here’s to you Dean. I’ve got the booze, you get the
ice.” —Don Rickles
“I have to say I loved reading what Deana wrote—maybe because she
bit the bullet, she was courageous, up-front, tenacious, and so
totally forthright. I read it with tremendous pride and love, and I
know other readers will feel the same emotions I felt. I love this
author for a myriad of reasons, but especially for how she has
honored my partner.”—from the Foreword by Jerry Lewis
關於作者:
Deana Martin is an actress, entertainer, and author living
with her husband in Beverly Hills, California. She is the director
of the Deana Martin Foundation and the producer and driving force
behind the annual Dean Martin Festival.