This is a terrific four minute ‘blooper’ reel of Dean Martin and Frank What’s-his-name stumbling through a promo for the premiere of Dean’s soon-to-be smash TV variety show in 1965. Filmed prior to the taping–hence the live audience who are delighted with the hijinks–it shows the two at both their friendliest and silliest. Frank is a different person around Dean–wound a lot less tight and given to puckish humor, though truthfully he’s never very funny. Dean, however, can’t help delighting one with his free-wheeling, never-to-be-taken seriously vibe, so unlike his ex-partner Jerry Lewis’s flop-sweaty, desperate desire to provoke laughter when faced with a live audience. I’ve always thought that Jerry’s best work was in movies, in the laugh-free environment of a hushed soundstage which somehow isolated him in a positive way. Perhaps it was a concentration thing. But Jerry in front of an audience (think telethon) is generally an uncomfortable experience, one that shows the angry crappy child not far submerged beneath the thin veneer of…but there I go again. Mention Jerry and the room darkens. The hell with him. Enjoy Dino and Frank!
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this is great !!! and what great descriptions of Dean and Frank and especially Jerry !!! Thanks