Original title
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Released
9/14/1973
Origin country
US
Genre
Comedy
Production companies
Sasha-Garrison Corporation
Status
Ended
Number of seasons
8
Number of episodes
85
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts 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 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.
Dean Martin's comedy/variety show
Don Rickles interview
Betty White Interiew
Dean Martin
Clip Highlights
Don Rickles, resident member of the roasters is roasted himself in this episode. Dean is accompanied on the dais by Joey Bishop, Phyllis Diller, Lorne Greene, Rowan & Martin, Casey Kaseem, Bob Newhart, Carol Channing, Nipsey Russell, Cliff Robertson, Jack Klugman, Pat Henry, Kirk Douglas, Rich Little, Telly Savalas, Charlie Callas, Foster Brooks and Eugene Cernan (Apollo XVII).
Bobby Riggs is roasted as the Man of the Week while Dean is on the dais with guests Vincent Price, Chuck Connors, Leo Durocher, Alex Karras, Wayne Newton, Lynn Anderson, Don Rice III, Jack Carter and Rosemary Casals.
Jimmy Stewart captured the hearts of Americans with his kind, warm, boy-next-door appeal. Of his 79 films, he is probably most remembered for the perennial Christmas classic, ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE, for which he received an Oscar nomination in 1946. If that movie's theme holds true, "No Man Is Poor Who Has Friends", then Jimmy Stewart was one of the richest men in Hollywood. Some of Jimmy's friends joining Dean Martin in this rare and hilarious 1978 roast include Henry Fonda, Lucille Ball, Milton Berle and George Burns.
Betty White is Roasted with Dean Martin as Roastmaster/master of ceremonies during this May 6, 1978, show. The Roasting of Betty is by the likes of Dean Martin, Milton Berle, Red Buttons, Charlie Callas, Phyllis Diller, LaWanda Page, Rich Little, Allen Ludden and Orson Welles. This is my best edited highlights from this Dean Martin Celebrity Roast/Celebrity Roasts.
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