Dean Paul Martin
A golden-boy athlete and entertainer whose life, marked by charm and tragedy, was cut short while serving his country in the skies.
1951–1987 (age 36)·American actor and singer·Birthday: November 17·Baby Boomers
Biography
Dean Paul Martin seemed to have it all: the dashing looks of a matinee idol, the talent of a pop star, and the famous last name of his father, crooner Dean Martin. In the 1960s, he found teen idol fame as part of the musical group Dino, Desi & Billy. He transitioned to acting, starring in films like 'Players' and the TV series 'Misfits of Science,' but his true passion was always speed and flight. A skilled tennis player who once competed at Wimbledon, he was also a dedicated pilot. He joined the California Air National Guard, flying the F-4 Phantom II jet. On a routine training mission in 1987, his aircraft crashed into the San Bernardino Mountains during a snowstorm, killing him instantly. His death at 35 was a profound shock, a reminder of the risks of military service and the fragile nature of a seemingly charmed life.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Dean was born in 1951, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dean Was Born
The biggest hits of 1951
#1 Movie
Quo Vadis
Best Picture
An American in Paris
#1 TV Show
Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
Dean's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1951Born
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1956Started school
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1964Became a teenager
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Could drive
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1969Could vote
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Turned 21
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1981Turned 30
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1987Died at 36
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
Key Achievements
- Reached the second round of the Wimbledon junior tennis championships in 1969.
- Had a top 40 hit in 1965 with "I'm a Fool" as part of the group Dino, Desi & Billy.
- Earned his pilot's wings and served as a captain in the 196th Fighter Squadron of the California Air National Guard.
- Starred in the 1979 film 'Players' opposite Ali MacGraw.
Did You Know?
He was married to actress and 'Charlie's Angels' star, Kate Jackson, from 1978 to 1981.
His godfather was Frank Sinatra.
He attended the United States Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base.
His mother was Jeanne Biegger, Dean Martin's second wife.
“I'm not just Dean Martin's son; I have my own music and my own name.”
