The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts 50 years old
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.
Credits
Cast
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Don Rickles He was 48 , 90 years old when he died | |
| Ernest Borgnine He was 57 , 95 years old when he died | |
| Shelley Winters She was 54 , 85 years old when she died | |
| Julie Kavner She was 24 , now 73 years old | |
| William Conrad He was 54 , 73 years old when he died | |
| James Stewart He was 66 , 89 years old when he died | as Himself |
| James Stewart He was 66 , 89 years old when he died | |
| Earl Holliman He was 46 , now 95 years old | |
| Lucille Ball She was 63 , 77 years old when she died | |
| Ed Asner He was 44 , 91 years old when he died | |
| Peter Graves He was 48 , 83 years old when he died | |
| Michael Landon He was 38 , 54 years old when he died | |
| Milburn Stone He was 70 , 75 years old when he died | |
| Lorne Greene He was 59 , 72 years old when he died | |
| Jack Carter He was 52 , 93 years old when he died | |
| Orson Welles He was 59 , 70 years old when he died | |
| Wilt Chamberlain He was 38 , 63 years old when he died | |
| Shirley Jones She was 40 , now 90 years old | |
| Don Knotts He was 50 , 81 years old when he died | |
| Mike Connors He was 49 , 91 years old when he died | |
| Milton Berle He was 66 , 93 years old when he died | |
| Harold Gould He was 50 , 86 years old when he died | |
| Chad Everett He was 37 , 75 years old when he died | |
| Gene Kelly He was 62 , 83 years old when he died | |
| Dean Martin He was 57 , 78 years old when he died | |
| Georgia Engel She was 26 , 70 years old when she died | |
| Steve Forrest He was 49 , 87 years old when he died | |
| Amanda Blake She was 45 , 60 years old when she died | |
| Eva Gabor She was 55 , 76 years old when she died | |
| Rocky Graziano He was 55 , 71 years old when he died | |
| Phyllis Diller She was 57 , 95 years old when she died | |
| Red Buttons He was 55 , 87 years old when he died | |
| Eve Arden She was 66 , 82 years old when she died | |
| Dionne Warwick She was 33 , now 83 years old | |
| Zsa Zsa Gabor She was 57 , 99 years old when she died | |
| Joey Bishop He was 56 , 89 years old when he died | |
| Scatman Crothers He was 64 , 76 years old when he died | |
| Sherman Hemsley He was 36 , 74 years old when he died | |
| Harvey Korman He was 47 , 81 years old when he died | |
| Jack Albertson He was 67 , 74 years old when he died | |
| Jack Klugman He was 52 , 90 years old when he died | |
| Nipsey Russell He was 56 , 87 years old when he died | |
| Cliff Robertson He was 51 , 88 years old when he died | |
| J. D. Cannon He was 52 , 83 years old when he died | |
| Jim Hutton He was 40 , 45 years old when he died | |
| Jack Benny He was 80 , 80 years old when he died | |
| Nancy Walker She was 52 , 69 years old when she died | |
| Jackie Mason He was 43 , now 92 years old | |
| Norm Crosby He was 47 , now 96 years old | |
| Juliet Prowse She was 38 , 59 years old when she died |
Crew
| Name | Job title |
|---|
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts (50 years)
Ended
- First Air Date: 1973-09-14
- Runtime: [60] minutes
- Number of Episodes: 55
