Dean Martin Was A Doting Father To Eight Kids — Inside Late Star's Brood

Jan 05, 2021

Long after his untimely death, Dean Martin is still regarded as a cultural gem thanks to his work in acting, singing, and comedy. The legendary star was also a doting father to eight children, who all went on to follow in their father's footsteps, paving their ways in entertainment as actors and singers. We're taking a look at the talented Martin brood, who have been carrying on their father's impressive legacy through their own successful careers.

While many would think the hustle and bustle of Hollywood stardom can take a toll on one's family life, that didn't seem to be the case for this legendary Hollywood comedian and singer. In his lifetime, Dean Martin married thrice and had children and had a total of 8 children, for whom he made it a priority always to be present. He raised them well, and it is therefore not a surprise that all of them followed in his footsteps and made a name for themselves in the entertainment industry. His fourth-born child, Deana Martin, told Closer Weekly earlier this year that her dad loved being home with her and her loud siblings and was always eager to get back to them after his tours. "He was just so warm, sweet, funny, and cool," she said, adding that their family home was always full of laughter. 

Martin married Elizabeth "Betty" Anne McDonald in October 1941. The two had four children before divorcing in 1949. Their first son, Craig Martin, was born on June 29, 1942. He quickly followed in his father's footsteps and got into production. According to IMDB, Craig was an associate producer on the comedy series The Dean Martin Show, which his father hosted. He also worked on The Juke Box Jury and A Family Thing. Craig married actress Carole Costello who died on March 29, 1987.

On March 16, 1944, Martin and McDonald welcomed their first daughter, Claudia Martin. Without much resistance, Claudia joined show business and appeared in several high-profile films and sitcoms, including My Three Sons, For Those Who Think Young, and The Donna Reed Show. She got married thrice and had a daughter, Jesse Martin, with her first husband, Kiel Martin. She lived with her husband Jim Roberts in Reno until her untimely death in February 2001.

Martin's third child Barbara Gail Martin was born on April 11, 1945 and became a renowned actress for her guest features on her dad's shows: Dean Martin Presents the Golddiggers, Vega$, and The Dean Martin Summer Show Starring Your Host Vic Damone. She also made appearances as a guest on numerous other TV gems, like The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and The Hollywood Palace. According to Closer Weekly, Barbara Gail married a mystery man in 1968 and has generally kept personal details away from the media.

Deana Martin is the last born child of legendary actor and singer Dean Martin and his first wife, Betty. She was born in August 1948, shortly before the two divorced. Martin secured custody of the children, and it is not a wonder that Deana Martin has such a fond memory of her dad, having spent most of her life with him. She joined her father and siblings in the entertainment world and became a renowned theater actress, starring in many classical plays, including The Taming of the Shrew and Hamlet. The talented actress has also made numerous television appearances and has a knack for singing, too. Unlike her dad, however, Deana Martin claims she loves to be on tours, even saying she can be on the road for 280 days a year.

She told Closer Weekly,

"I love what I do, and it's something I think was meant to do. I think I was born to do this and maybe that's why I was named Deana."

The star also revealed her legendary father's legacy, so she works hard to keep his memory alive. One way she does that is by doing Christmas shows in his honor. 

"I do Christmas shows because [my father] passed away on Christmas and he's with me all the time because I'm singing his songs all the time, and my own songs, but there's something very special about Christmas," Deana told the publication. 

"When we're in LA I'll go to Pierce Brothers where he's buried and visit him and he's right near my grandparents and my mom so it's important to have traditions and to carry things on. That's what I'm supposed to do," she added.

Deana Martin marked what would have been her father's 100th birthday in 2017 with a lavish party at his birthplace, Steubenville, OH that even sported a parade. 

Deana Martin is proud to say that her father's spirit is always close to her as she gets to hear his voice in some of her most loved songs, like Silver Bells. Deana Martin has been married to John Griffeth for more than 30 years now.

Following his divorce, Dean Martin fell in love with former model and Orange Bowl queen, Jeanne Martin. They got married in 1949, just a week after he divorced Elizabeth. According to the Hollywood Reporter, their marriage became a media sensation, with Martin enjoying the peak of his career at the time. Although Jeanne was not directly involved with the entertainment industry, she still became something of a cultural icon of the era. The beautiful couple had three children together, but their marriage ultimately ended in divorce after two decades in 1972.

On November 17, 1951, Dean Martin and his second wife welcomed their first child together –– and his fifth overall –– Dean Paul Martin. Almost instinctively, he followed in his father's footsteps and had a short stint as an actor and singer. Tragically, Dean Paul died in 1987 at 35 after being involved in a tragic plane accident caused by a snowstorm during military training. According to the LA Times, Dean Paul, who was a member of The California Air National Guard, was flying the F-4C Phantom Jet Fighter when it disappeared from the radar just 10 minutes after taking off. The remains of the jet were found on Mount San Gorgonio. Dean Paul left behind his 14-year-old-son from his marriage to golden Olympic medallist Dorothy Hamill.

He was remembered and eulogized as a man who had a great sense of humor and one who loved his family and his flying career beyond measure. According to UPI, his friend James Woods dedicated some comforting words for the late actor, saying,

"Only two weeks ago he said to me, 'If I were to die tomorrow, because of my son Alex, I'd die a happy man. The proudest achievement of my life was to bring Alex into this world.'"

On September 20, 1953, Martin and Jeanne welcomed their second son, Ricci Martin, a boy who was as talented as his father. Ricci made a name for himself in the industry by being a fantastic singer and songwriter. He formed a band called The Pack, and in collaboration with The Beach Boys' Carl Wilson, he released an album named Beached. Together they toured Canada and the United States. He later moved to Utah in the '90s and joined the musical ensemble, Ricci, Desi & Billy, which previously included his late brother, Dean Paul.

His autobiography, That's Amore: A Son Remembers, gives insight into his life as Dean Martin's son and how it was growing up around the Rat Pack and other Hollywood celebrities. According to EW, Rici passed away in 2016 of unspecified causes.

Three years after their second-born son's birth, Martin and Jeanne welcomed a beautiful baby girl and named her Gina Martin. As the narrative has been flowing, she, too, joined show business. Gina took up singing and acting and made her debut on The Dean Martin Show in 1965. She married her brother's bandmate, Carl Wilson, and the two stayed together until Carl passed on in 1998, after 11 years of union.

Not long after divorcing Jeanne, Martin married a hair-salon receptionist, Catherine Hawn, and adopted her daughter, Sasha. Sasha Martin also followed her step-siblings and pursued acting, appearing in several prestigious productions, including Guiding Light and Private Parts. However, the union between Catherine and Jeanne did not last, and they got divorced in 1976.

Dean Martin was a renowned singer and actor, who seemed to always be there for his children, even with his highflying career and patchwork family. The legendary star was beloved by fans worldwide, so his untimely death in 1995 hit many very close to home.

While Martin might have been legendary, he wasn't big on parties. Speaking to the Daily Record, his daughter Gail said: 

"Dad wasn't a big party animal, so he'd sneak upstairs at 10 o'clock, phone the local cops, and say, Those Martins are having another wild party. Can you come round and break it up?" 

"He wanted a good night's sleep so he could get up the next morning to go play golf. He didn't like mixing in big crowds," she added.

Party animal or not, Deana insists that Martin is the epitome of "cool."

"It's pretty remarkable though to have your dad be Dean Martin because he was so cool – the king of cool," she told FOX.

Leave a comment below and send this article to a friend or a relative, especially anyone with kids. Learning about the "King of Cool" could encourage them in their parenting journey.