- The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast
-
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast Genre Variety/Comedy Written by David Axelroad, Bill Daley Directed by Greg Garrison Presented by Dean Martin Country of origin United States Language(s) English No. of seasons 10 No. of episodes 54: 29 Specials, 25 as Dean Martin Show segment Production Producer(s) Greg Garrison Running time Varies Broadcast Original channel NBC Original run October 31, 1974 – December 7, 1984Chronology Preceded by The Dean Martin Show The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast is a NBC television special show hosted by entertainer Dean Martin from 1974 to 1984. For a series of 54 specials and shows, Martin would periodically “roast” a celebrity. These roasts were patterned after the roasts held at the New York Friars' Club in New York City. The format would have the celebrity guest seated at a banquet table, and one by one the guest of honor was affectionately chided or insulted about his career by his fellow celebrity friends.
In 1973, The Dean Martin Show was declining in popularity. The final (1973–74) season of his variety show would be retooled into one of celebrity roasts, requiring less of Martin's involvement. For the 1973-1974 season, a new feature called “Man of the Week Celebrity Roast" was added to try to pick up the ratings. The roasts seemed to be popular among television audiences and are often marketed in post-issues as part of the official Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts and not The Dean Martin Show. After The Dean Martin Show was cancelled in 1974, NBC drew up a contract with Martin to do several specials and do more roast specials. Starting with Bob Hope in 1974, the roast was taped in California and turned out to be a hit, leading to many other roasts to follow.[1] In the fall of 1974, the roasts moved permanently to the MGM Grand Hotel's Ziegfeld Room in Las Vegas and mainly aired Thursdays on NBC. The televised roasts were popular in the ratings; however Martin and NBC declined to extend the 10 year contract. Some segments were taped prior or after the roast, due to considerations with the performer or technical aspects.[2] Martin hosted no roasts from 1980 through 1983. The show’s official title as a television special would change based on the celebrity, in Jimmy Stewart’s case for instance, it would be the Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Jimmy Stewart.
The “Roastees” were also referred to as "Man of the Hour" or "Woman of the Hour" ("Man of the Week" in earlier episodes). Martin roasted two sets of celebrities, Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, and Dan Rowan and Dick Martin. Only one person was honored posthumously, George Washington, who was honored for the upcoming United States bicentennial (veteran historical impersonator Jan Leighton portrayed Washington for the episode while Audrey Meadows portrayed his wife, Martha). Michael Landon, Redd Foxx, Joe Namath, and Jack Klugman were the only celebrities roasted twice; Landon’s second time in 1984, being the final roast. For Dean Martin’s roast, Don Rickles was host, and assumed the role of Roastmaster.[3] Comedian Nipsey Russell and impressionist Rich Little appeared the most often on the roast with each appearing 24 times.
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts were released on DVD through Guthy-Renker with some of The Dean Martin Show roasts selected as part of the package. The show is one of the most sold video sets of all-time.[4] NBC Universal brought suit against producer Greg Garrison and Guthy-Renker for selling The Dean Martin Show DVDs; the suit did not affect the Celebrity Roasts.
Roastees, Air Date and Roasters
As Dean Martin Show:
- Ronald Reagan, 9/13/1973,
- Hugh Hefner, 9/20/1973
- Roasters: Milton Berle, Tom T. Hall, Loretta Lynn, Audrey Meadows, Howard Cosell, Billy Baxter, Dick Martin, Joey Bishop, Jackie Gayle
- Ed McMahon, 9/27/1973
- Roasters: Ernest Borgnine, Dom DeLuise, Pat Buttram, Jackie Vernon, Dionne Warwick, Steve Landesberg, Charo, Jack Carter, Charlie Rich, Douglas Dillard
- William Conrad, 10/4/1973
- Roasters: Phyllis Diller, Nipsey Russell, Petula Clark, Bob Newhart, Jackie Gayle
- Kirk Douglas, 10/11/1973
- Roasters: Ted Knight, Norm Crosby, Jack Burns, Avery Schreiber, Rich Little, Lynn Anderson, Jackie Gayle, Don Rickles, Tim Conway
- Bette Davis, 10/18/1973
- Roasters: Henry Fonda, Vincent Price, Barbara Heller, Army Archerd, Pat Buttram, Kay Medford, Nipsey Russell, Joyce Haber, Howard Cosell, Tom T. Hall, Jeannie C. Riley
- Barry Goldwater, 10/25/1973
- Roasters: William Holden, William Conrad, Norm Crosby, Steve Landesberg, Carroll O'Connor, Nipsey Russell, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Don Rice, Dan Rowan, Mark Russell
- Johnny Carson, 11/1/1973
- Roasters: Bette Davis, Jack Benny, George Burns, Truman Capote, Doc Severinsen, Joey Bishop, Ruth Buzzi, Dom DeLuise, Bob Newhart, Fred DeCordova, Jonathan Winters, Foster Brooks, Martin Milner, Kent McCord, Dionne Warwick, Rich Little, Barry Goldwater, Redd Foxx
- Wilt Chamberlain, 11/8/1973
- Roasters: Norm Crosby, Audrey Meadows, Ken Berry, Nipsey Russell, Bill Shoemaker, Vernon Scott, George Kennedy, Jackie Gayle, Happy Hairston, Pat Henry, Ferlin Husky
- Hubert Humphrey, 11/22/1973
- Roasters: Gene Kelly, Leo Durocher, Audrey Meadows, Mort Sahl, Ted Knight, Mark Russell, Rich Little, Don Rice, Pat Henry, Nipsey Russell, Foster Brooks, Lowell Weicker
- Carroll O'Connor, 12/7/1973
- Roasters: Cass Elliott, Redd Foxx, Dan Rowan, Dick Martin, Marty Allen, Mike Connors, Nipsey Russell, Gene Kelly, Joey Bishop, Don Rickles, Norm Crosby, Foster Brooks, Robert Wood, Barry Goldwater, William Conrad, William Holden, Donald O'Connor, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Charles Nelson Reilly, Ruth Buzzi, John Lindsay, Elsie Birdwell
- Monty Hall, 12/13/1973
- Roasters: Gene Kelly, Bert Parks, Audrey Meadows, Rocky Graziano, Donald O'Connor, Art Linkletter, Jack Carter, Ted Knight, Doug Dillard, Allan Drake, Birch Bayh
- Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, 12/20/1973
- Roasters: Mike Connors, Gary Burghoff, Ruth Buzzi, Soupy Sales, Jack Carter, Leonard Barr, Jackie Vernon, Loretta Lynn, Doug Kershaw, Laffit Pincay
- Zsa Zsa Gabor, 1/10/1974
- Roasters: Donald O'Connor, Charles Nelson Reilly, Sue Cameron, Corbett Monica, Donna Fargo, Lonnie Schorr, Ruth Buzzi, Buddy Hackett, Mel Tillis
- Leo Durocher, 1/17/1974
- Roasters: Gene Kelly, Maury Wills, Bobby Riggs, Dizzy Dean, Chuck Connors, Alex Karras, Jack Carter, Foster Brooks, Gladys Knight
- Truman Capote, 1/24/1974
- Don Rickles, 2/7/1974
- Ralph Nader, 2/14/1974
- Roasters: Jack Klugman, James Brolin, Jane Withers, Steve Landesberg, Mort Sahl, Rich Little, Ruth Buzzi, Jackie Gayle, Foster Brooks, Donna Fargo
- Jack Benny, 2/21/1974
- Roasters: Jimmy Stewart, Joey Bishop, Florence Henderson, George Burns, Norm Crosby, Zubin Mehta, Pearl Bailey, Dick Martin, Mark Spitz, Wayne Newton, Rich Little, Demond Wilson, Jack Carter, Foster Brooks, Gary Burghoff
- Redd Foxx, 3/1/1974
- Roasters: Demond Wilson, Joey Bishop, Nipsey Russell, Foster Brooks, Norm Crosby, Rich Little, Jim Bailey, Jackie Gayle, John Barbour, Slappy White
- Bobby Riggs, 3/8/1974
- Roasters: Vincent Price, Chuck Connors, Leo Durocher, Alex Karras, Wayne Newton, Lynn Anderson, Don Rice, Jack Carter, Rosemary Casals.
- George Washington (portrayed by Jan Leighton, 3/15/1974
- Audrey Meadows (as Martha Washington), Dick Martin, Leonard Barr, Steve Lawrence (as Washington's aide-de-camp), Corbett Monica, Nipsey Russell, Euell Gibbons, Henny Youngman, Jack Carter, Foster Brooks (as Washington's press secretary)
- Dan Rowan and Dick Martin, 3/22/1974
- Hank Aaron, 3/29/1974
- Roasters: Lou Rawls, Joey Bishop, Eddie Matthews, Dizzy Dean, Foster Brooks, Audrey Meadows, Norm Crosby, Lynn Anderson, Nipsey Russell, Jackie Kahane, Jeannie Burnier, Rodney Allen Rippy
- Joe Namath, 4/5/1974
- Roasters: Don Meredith, Weeb Eubank, Paul "Bear" Bryant, Dick Butkus, Jim Plunkett, David Janssen, Angie Dickinson, Fulton J. Sheen, Foster Brooks, Charlie Callas, Joey Bishop, Rich Little, Slappy White
As Dean Martin Celebrity Roast:
- Bob Hope, 10/31/1974
- Telly Savalas, 11/15/1974
- Lucille Ball, 2/7/1975
- Jackie Gleason, 2/27/1975
- Sammy Davis Jr., 4/24/1975
- Roasters: Milton Berle, Joey Bishop, Foster Brooks, Wilt Chamberlain, Norm Crosby, Altovise Davis, Phyllis Diller, Frank Gorshin, Jan Murray, Freddie Prinze, Don Rickles, Nipsey Russell, Dionne Warwicke
- Michael Landon, 5/15/1975
- Evel Knievel, 11/10/1975
- Valerie Harper, 11/20/1975
- Roasters: Jack Albertson, Ed Asner, Foster Brooks, Red Buttons, Jack Carter, Phyllis Diller, Georgia Engel, Chad Everett, Jamie Farr, Eva Gabor, Harold Gould, David Groh, Julie Kavner, Rich Little, Nipsey Russell, Isabel Sanford, Dick Schaal, Nancy Walker, Shelley Winters
- Muhammad Ali, 2/19/1976
- Roasters: Foster Brooks, Red Buttons, Ruth Buzzi, Charlie Callas, Wilt Chamberlain, Howard Cosell, Billy Crystal, Georgia Engel, Rocky Graziano, Sherman Hemsley, Gabe Kaplan, Gene Kelly, Herbert Muhammad, Tony Orlando, Floyd Patterson, Freddie Prinze, Nipsey Russell, Isabel Sanford, Orson Welles
- Dean Martin, 2/27/1976
- Roasters: Don Rickles (Roastmaster), Muhammad Ali, Joey Bishop, Foster Brooks, Ruth Buzzi, Charlie Callas, Howard Cosell, Angie Dickinson, Georgia Engel, Barry Goldwater, Bob Hope, Hubert Humphrey, Gabe Kaplan, Gene Kelly, Rich Little, Paul Lynde, Dick Martin, Joe Namath, Tony Orlando, Dan Rowan, Nipsey Russell, James Stewart, John Wayne, Orson Welles
- Dennis Weaver, 4/27/1976
- Joe Garagiola, 5/25/1976
- Roasters: Red Buttons, Orson Welles, Luis Tiant, Pat Henry, Nipsy Russell, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Yogi Berra, Norm Crosby, Shirley Jones, Mickey Mantle, Jack Carter, Stan Musial, Maury Wills, Charles O. Finley, Charlie Callas, Jackie Gayle
- Redd Foxx, 11/26/1976
- Roasters: Demond Wilson, Milton Berle, Isabel Sanford, Isaac Hayes, LaWanda Page, Jimmie Walker, Slappy White, Liz Torres, George Kirby, Norm Crosby, Steve Allen, Joe Garagiola, Nipsey Russell, Don Rickles, Marty Allen, Abe Vigoda
- Danny Thomas, 12/15/1976
- Angie Dickinson, 2/8/1977
- Roasters: Jimmy Stewart, Eve Arden, Earl Holliman, Orson Welles, Joey Bishop, Juliet Prowse, Jimmie Walker, Cindy Williams, Red Buttons, Cathy Rigby, Jackie Mason, Scatman Crothers, LaWanda Page, Ruth Buzzi, Charlie Callas, Foster Brooks, Rex Reed
- Gabe Kaplan, 2/21/1977
- Roasters: Nipsey Russell, Liz Torres, Billy Crystal, Red Buttons, Charo, Jimmy Walker, Orson Welles, Howard Cosell, Johnny Bench, Ed Bluestone, Alice Ghostley, Joe Garagiola, Charlie Callas, Abe Vigoda, George Kirby, Milton Berle
- Ted Knight, 3/2/1977
- Roasters: Ed Asner, Gavin MacLeod, Georgia Engel, Jimmy Stewart, Orson Welles, Jimmie Walker, Jack Carter, Harvey Korman, Jackie Wilson, Red Buttons, LaWanda Page, Paul Williams, Foster Brooks, Scatman Crothers, Kelly Monteith, Willy Tyler & Lester, Julie McWhirter, Renee Richards
- Peter Marshall, 5/22/1977
- Roasters: Joey Bishop, Rose Marie, Red Buttons, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Orson Welles, Rip Taylor, Vincent Price, Karen Valentine, Ed Bluestone, Foster Brooks, Jimmie Walker, Jackie Gayle, Paul Lynde, Jack Carter, Wayland Flowers & Madam
- Dan Haggerty, 11/2/1977
- Roasters: Denver Pyle, William Conrad, Harry Morgan, Pat Harrington, Roger Miller, Orson Welles, Abe Vigoda, Rich Little, Ruth Buzzi, Red Buttons, Jimmie Walker, Charlie Callas, LaWanda Page, Foster Brooks, Marilyn Michaels, Jackie Gayle, Tom Dreesen
- Frank Sinatra, 2/7/1978
- Roasters: Ronald Reagan, Gene Kelly, Don Rickles, George Burns, Dom DeLuise, Redd Foxx, Jimmy Stewart, Flip Wilson, Telly Savalas, Jonathan Winters, LaWanda Page, Red Buttons, Milton Berle, Ernest Borgnine, Orson Welles, Rich Little, Barbara Marx, Jilly Rizzo, Ruth Buzzi, Peter Falk
- Jack Klugman, 3/17/1978
- Jimmy Stewart, 5/10/1978
- George Burns, 5/17/1978
- Roasters: Gene Kelly, Connie Stevens, James Stewart, Milton Berle, Jack Carter, Phyllis Diller, Ernest Borgnine, Joey Bishop, Norm Crosby, Euell Gibbons, Guy Marks, Jan Murray, Cliff Robertson, Lorne Greene, Sid Caesar, Amanda Blake, Victor Sen Yung, Don Rickles, LaWanda Page, Abe Vigoda, Dom DeLuise, Ronald Reagan, Orson Welles, Charlie Callas, Ruth Buzzi
- Betty White, 5/31/1978
- Suzanne Somers, 11/21/1978
- Roasters: Milton Berle, Lorne Greene, Joyce Brothers, Audra Lindley, Norman Fell, Orson Welles, Norm Crosby, Lee Meriwether, Charlie Callas, Bernie Kopell, Red Buttons, LaWanda Page, Paul Anka, Ruth Buzzi, Tom Bosley, Rich Little, Jackie Gayle, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Alan Hamel
- Joe Namath, 1/19/1979
- Roasters: Joey Bishop, Paul "Bear" Bryant, Slappy White, Dick Butkus, Corbett Monica, Angie Dickinson, Audrey Meadows, Charlie Callas, David Janssen, Nipsey Russell, Jim Plunkett, Don Meredith, Rich Little, Fulton J. Sheen, Jack Carter, Weeb Eubank, Foster Brooks, Mel Tillis, Bernie Kopell, David Doyle, George Blanda
- Joan Collins, 2/24/1984
- Mr. T, 3/14/1984
- Roasters: Bob Hope, George Peppard, Gary Coleman, Ann Jillian, Red Buttons, Rich Little, Ricky Schroeder, Gavin MacLeod, Slappy White, Dick Shawn, Howard Cosell, Maureen Murphy, Don Rickles, Nell Carter
- Michael Landon, 12/7/1984
References
- ^ Memories Are Made of This: Dean Martin Through His Daughter's Eyes. Deana Martin, Wendy Holden Random House Digital, Inc., 2005 ISBN 1400098335
- ^ The Rat Pack: neon nights with the kings of cool. Lawrence J. Quirk, William Schoell. HarperCollins, 1999. ISBN 038073222X
- ^ Historical dictionary of African-American television.Volume 7 of Historical dictionaries of literature and the arts. Kathleen Fearn-Banks, Scarecrow Press, 2006. ISBN 0810853353
- ^ Memories Are Made of This: Dean Martin Through His Daughter's Eyes. Deana Martin, Wendy Holden Random House Digital, Inc., 2005 ISBN 1400098335
Categories:- 1970s American television series
- 1980s American television series
- 1974 television series debuts
- 1984 television series endings
- NBC network shows
- Roast (comedy)
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.