The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts

You'll howl over the bashing and basting of so many celebrities by a spectacular array of top personalities. This episode features Dean Martin and his gaggle of guests roasting football star quarterback Joe Namath.

Dean Martin's hit variety show was in its ninth year in 1974 when the staff went into a huddle to figure out what to do for that season's finales. Somebody yelled out, "Why don't we toast a bunch of big stars?"

An instant viewer favorite, the Celebrity Roasts were so enthusiastically received as to warrant the music and comedy portion of the Dean Martin Variety Show giving way to an entire hour devoted to deflating the achievements of celebrated guests of honor.

The Roasts' chief allure came in seeing high-wattage stars from film, TV and nightclubs genially cut down to size-and giving it back with impunity at the end. The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts lineup included acting giants with impressive, meaty résumés such as Michael Landon

In 1959, Dean Martin and Angie Dickinson co-starred in Rio Bravo.

"How can I disparage a man who in the maturity of life has become such a huge success, despite being bald, Greek and funny looking?"

There were two hours for THE Man of the Hour: Dean Martin.

It was April 1975. Three Rat Packers were onstage: emcee, roastee, and roaster. Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Joey Bishop

Dean Martin and the stars came out to salute Bob Hope in Burbank. His movie career was over and the last episode of The Bob Hope Show had aired long ago on television, but Hope's profile hadn't slipped because he'd been so omnipresent for so long. He still did plenty of guest spots on TV and toured on behalf of the USO up to and including the first Gulf War.