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Dean Paul Martin

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For the English soccer player of the same name, see Dean Martin (footballer born 1957).

Dean Paul Martin
Capt. Dean Paul Martin on a USAF F-4 Phantom
Born
Dino Paul Crocetti Jr.

(1951-11-17)November 17, 1951
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
DiedMarch 21, 1987(1987-03-21) (aged 35)
San Gorgonio Mountain, California, U.S.
Cause of deathMilitary aircraft crash
Resting placeLos Angeles National Cemetery
Years active1966–1987
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1971; div. 1978)​
​
​
(m. 1982; div. 1984)​
Children1
FatherDean Martin
RelativesRicci Martin (brother)
Deana Martin (half-sister)

Dean Paul Martin Jr. (born Dino Paul Crocetti Jr.; November 17, 1951 – March 21, 1987) was an American pop singer and film and television actor. A member of the California Air National Guard, Martin died in a crash during a military training flight. He was the son of entertainer Dean Martin.

Early life and career

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Martin's parents were the singer and entertainer Dean Martin and his second wife, Jeanne Biegger. Dean Paul was the fifth of Dean Martin's eight children and Jeanne's eldest son.[1] He attended the Urban Military Academy in Brentwood, California. As a youth, he was encouraged toward a singing career. At age 13, he joined Desi Arnaz Jr. and Billy Hinsche in the pop group Dino, Desi & Billy, which had a few minor hits in the US in 1965, entering the Billboard U.S. top 30 twice with "I'm a Fool" (#17)[2] and "Not the Lovin' Kind" (#25).[3]

Martin began to go by his given name of Dean Paul instead of the nickname "Dino" in his late teens. He became a successful tennis player who competed in the qualifying competition for Wimbledon[4] and an actor.[5] He co-starred with Ali MacGraw in the 1979 film Players, starring as a professional tennis player,[6] for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as New Star of the Year – Actor.[7] He later starred in the TV series Misfits of Science, broadcast during the 1985-1986 television season.[8] The series co-starred Courteney Cox.[9]

His final film appearance was in Backfire, co-starring Karen Allen and Keith Carradine, released in 1988 after Martin's death.[10] The film was dedicated to his memory.

Aviation career and death

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Martin, an avid pilot, obtained his pilot's license at age 16 and became an officer in the California Air National Guard in 1980.[8] He entered active duty for officer training in the U.S. Air Force under the Palace Chase program (permitting direct entry into the Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve), was commissioned as a second lieutenant and completed pilot training at Columbus AFB, Mississippi, in 1981. Following transition training in the F-4 Phantom II jet fighter at Homestead AFB, Florida, in the 308th Tactical Fighter Squadron, he was assigned to the California Air National Guard's 196th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 163rd Tactical Fighter Group at March AFB, California, flying the F-4C Phantom II as a part-time Air National Guardsman. He eventually rose to the rank of captain.[11]

The 196th TFS F-4C 63-7644, the type of aircraft Martin was flying when he crashed

During a 1987 training mission from March AFB, Martin's F-4 jet crashed in California's San Bernardino Mountains during a snowstorm, killing him and his weapons systems officer, Captain Ramon Ortiz.[12] Martin was 35 years old.[13][8] Officials stated that Martin's jet plunged approximately 4,000 feet from its last radar altitude reading of 9,300 feet and hit the side of the mountain at approximately 400 miles per hour. The plane's wreckage was found on the east side of Wood Canyon in Riverside County.[14] As per reports from Air National Guard and the Air Force, Martin may have experienced vertigo in a snowstorm and did not hear the command from the Ontario Airport controller to change directions to avoid the mountain peak.[15]

His remains were interred at the Los Angeles National Cemetery, a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs cemetery, in Los Angeles, California.[16]

Personal life

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Martin married the actress Olivia Hussey in 1971.[17] They had one child, Alexander (b. 1973), and divorced in 1978.[18] He married the Olympic gold medalist ice skater Dorothy Hamill in 1982,[19] and they divorced in 1984.[20] Martin also dated Candice Bergen and Tina Sinatra.[8]

References

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  1. ^ Johnson, Karl B. (1998). Dean Martin: A Collecting Guide to His Recording, Sheet Music, Films, and Videos. Tucson, Arizona: J. Carlson Press. p. 7. ISBN 0-9644176-4-2 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 For Week Ending August 21, 1965". Billboard. Vol. 77, no. 34. August 21, 1965. p. 22 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 For Week Ending September 11, 1965". Billboard. Vol. 77, no. 37. September 11, 1965. p. 79 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "Draws archive: 'Dino' Martin". Wimbledon. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  5. ^ Wolfson, Lisa (April 1, 1987). "Memorial Service for Pilot-Actor Son of Dean Martin". Associated Press. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  6. ^ Canby, Vincent (June 8, 1979). "Screen: 'Players' Takes World Tennis Tour: On the Courts". The New York Times. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  7. ^ "Dean-Paul Martin". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  8. ^ a b c d "Dean Martin Jr. on Missing F-4 : Singer's Son Was Flying Jet That Is Feared Down". Los Angeles Times. March 23, 1987. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  9. ^ Holston, Noel (October 4, 1985). "'MISFITS OF SCIENCE' CRACKLES WITH ENERGY". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  10. ^ Willman, Chris (June 17, 1989). "Film Making Does Just What Title Says in 'Backfire'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  11. ^ "Controller's Frantic Orders Noted in Report on Jet Crash : Martin Apparently Didn't Hear Warning". Los Angeles Times. June 12, 1987. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  12. ^ Arias, Ron (April 13, 1987). "Actor, Athlete and Dashing Pilot, Dean Paul Martin Dies When His Jet Crashes on a Mountainside". People. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
    - "Dean Martin's son disappears in jet". The Evening News. Newburgh, New York. Associated Press. March 24, 1987. p. 12A. Retrieved July 2, 2015 – via Google News.
    - "Dean Paul Martin's body taken off peak". Lewiston Daily Sun. Maine. Associated Press. March 27, 1987. p. 3. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
    - "Dean Paul Martin's body found". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. March 26, 1987. p. A9. Retrieved July 2, 2015 – via Google News.
  13. ^ Nolasco, Stephanie (July 12, 2024). "Dean Martin 'never recovered' from son's death in military training flight". Fox News.
  14. ^ "DEAN MARTIN'S SON IS DEAD IN JET". The New York Times. March 27, 1987.
  15. ^ Archives, L. A. Times (June 12, 1987). "Controller's Frantic Orders Noted in Report on Jet Crash : Martin Apparently Didn't Hear Warning". Los Angeles Times.
  16. ^ Wolfson, Lisa (April 2, 1987). "Stars attend services for Dean Paul Martin". Reading Eagle. Pennsylvania. Associated Press. p. 38. Retrieved July 2, 2015 – via Google News.
  17. ^ "Dino Martin weds". The Evening News. Newburgh, New York. Associated Press. April 19, 1971. p. 1. Retrieved July 2, 2015 – via Google News.
    - "Dino Martin weds". The Bangor Daily News. Maine. Associated Press. April 19, 1971. p. 23. Retrieved July 2, 2015 – via Google News.
  18. ^ Wilson, Earl (October 2, 1978). "Newly divorced Olivia visits". Milwaukee Sentinel. Field Enterprises, Inc. p. 2, part 3. Retrieved July 2, 2015 – via Google News.[permanent dead link]
  19. ^ "Dorothy Hamill marries Dean Martin's son". Ellensburg Daily Record. Washington. UPI. January 9, 1982. p. 12. Retrieved July 2, 2015 – via Google News.
  20. ^ Thomson, Candus (September 29, 2007). "Hamill keeps on smiling". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
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