Regulars: Ken Lane The Golddiggers Tom Bosley Les Brown Rodney Dangerfield Dom DeLuise Lou Jacobi Kay Medford Marian Mercer Nipsey Russell Foster Brooks The Ding-a-Ling Sisters Singer-comedian Dean Martin was host and star of
this ling-lived variety hour, which was for most of its
run a fixture on the NBC Thursday night lineup. At first
Dean had no regular supporting cast other than his
accompanist, pianist Ken Lane. Guest stars were featured
each week in comedy skits and songs, both alone and
with Dean. Some of the young talent appearing during the
regular season also starred in Dean's summer replacement
series, The Dean Martin Summer Show and later Dean
Martin Presents. A bevy of pretty young dancers called
the Golddiggers were added as regulars in 1967, and four
of these later became the Ding-a-ling Sisters (1970-1973).
The hallmark of the show was Dean's own easy informality,
as he welcomed guests into his cozy living room through the
ever-present door, or sand or clowned beside Ken Lane's
grand piano. In fact, a stipulation in Dean's contract
helped foster this air of informality by allowing Dean
not to show up until the day of taping each week, when
the show would be done with only minimal rehearsal.
In 1973 the title and format were changed, as well as
the time slot. The new title was the Dean Martin Comedy
Hour, and Dean and Ken Lane were once again the only
regulars. Two new features were added. The first was a
country music spot, with top name country performers.
The second was the "Man of the Week Celebrity Roast,"
in which several celebrities seated a banquet dias
tossed comic insults at the guest of honor. This feature
proved so popular that after Dean's regular series
ended in 1974, the "roasts" continued on NBC
as a series of occasional specials.
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