Dean Martin
Born Dino Paul Crocetti on June 6, 1916 , Dean Martin would later become one of the entertainment world’s biggest superstars. Nicknamed the “King of Cool”, he was one of the members of the “Rat Pack” and a major star in four areas of show business: concert stage/night clubs, recordings, motion pictures, and television.
As a singer, Martin recorded countless hits including “Memories Are Made of This”, “That’s Amore”, “Everybody Loves Somebody”, “Mambo Italiano”, “Sway”, “Volare” and “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head?”. As an actor he played straight man to comic genius Jerry Lewis in a highly successful series of films commencing with My Friend Irma going on to later became an impressive dramatic actor.
For almost ten years from the mid 1960s he hosted one of the most successful television shows of all time, The Dean Martin Show. Martin passed away on Christmas Day in 1995 leaving a vast legacy through his many recordings, television specials/series and movies.
Connie Francis
Connie Francis (Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero), was born in Newark, New Jersey. Her debut as a teenager on the wildly popular American Bandstand, performing her recording of Who’s Sorry Now? catapulted Francis to international stardom. By the mid-1960s, she had sold more than 35 million records worldwide, with 35 U.S. Top 40 hits, and three number one singles including, Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool, My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own, and Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You.
Francis recorded many of her singles in over 13 languages. Several ethnic albums followed including, an Italian album which became her biggest-selling LP, with the single Mama, reaching Top 10 in the U.S. and No. 1 in Europe.
In the 1960’s, Francis appeared in a string of successful motion pictures, including a starring role in one of the most popular teenage films of all time, Where the Boys Are, with the title song reaching No. 1 in 15 countries.
Through the years, Francis has donated much of her free time to charitable benefits and often performs for various religious and civic organizations. She continues to perform to sell-out crowds throughout the United States and abroad.
