| Born Dean Paul Crocetti, on June 7, 1917... the son of Italian immigrants, he spoke only Italian until the age of five. Being that English was his second language, he was always extremely insecure about speaking in public. He once said "When Jerry Lewis and I were big, we used to always go to parties, and everyone thought I was stuck-up, and I wasn't. It was because I didn't know how to speak good English, so I used to keep my mouth shut. "He gained fame through his union with Lewis in the 40's and 50s. Later after the team's break up he became a member of the "Rat Pack" and pursued a solo vocal career.He is remembered for his smooth voice, a constant drink in his hand... accompanied by a cigarette. After forty years in the public eye, Dean became semi retired and sought refuge in his Beverly Hills home. occasionally he would make an appearance with Frank Sinatra in Las Vegas or Jerry on his telethon. His world collapsed when his son Dean Paul was killed in a fiery plane crash. He lost his will to live and became reclusive. He died on Christmas morning, 1995, from complications of emphysema. The epitaph on his crypt says it all:"Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime." |
