The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast is an American series of television specials hosted by entertainer Dean Martin and airing from 1974 to 1984. For a series of 54 specials and shows, Martin and his friends would "roast" a celebrity. The roasts were patterned after the roasts held at the New York Friars' Club.
History In 1973, The Dean Martin Show was declining in popularity. In its final season, to pick up the ratings and to require less of Martin's involvement, it was retooled into a series of celebrity roasts by adding a feature called "Man of the Week Celebrity Roast." 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.
In the fall of 1974, the roasts moved permanently to the MGM Grand Hotel's Ziegfeld Room in Las Vegas and mainly aired Thursdays on NBC. The televised roasts were popular in the ratings; however Martin and NBC declined to extend the 10-year contract. Some segments were taped prior to or after the roast, due to considerations with the performer or technical aspects. No roasts were broadcast between 1980 and 1983 (partly due to the MGM Grand fire of 1980), with the specials returning for a few final installments in 1984. The show's official title as a television special would change based on the celebrity; in James Stewart's case for instance, it would be the Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Jimmy Stewart.
Format The roastmaster (Martin), the roastee, and the roasters would be seated on a dais. The roastees were also referred to as "Man of the Hour", "Woman of the Hour", or "Man of the Week" in earlier episodes.
Every roast began with an introduction by roastmaster Martin, with jokes about the celebrity in question. He would then introduce each member of the dais, who would take turns adding insults or jokes about the honoree. For example, during the roast of Bette Davis, veteran actor Henry Fonda said that "I've been close to Bette Davis for thirty-eight years - and I have the cigarette burns to prove it." In the end, the honoree would have their chance to insult the roastmaster and members of the dais.
In two instances, a pair of celebrities were roasted at the same time: Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, and Dan Rowan and Dick Martin. Only one person was honored posthumously, George Washington, who was honored for the upcoming United States Bicentennial (veteran historical impersonator Jan Leighton portrayed Washington for the episode while Audrey Meadows portrayed his wife, Martha). Michael Landon, Redd Foxx, Joe Namath, and Jack Klugman (with Tony Randall in 1973 and alone in 1978) were the only celebrities roasted twice; Landon's second time, in 1984, being the final roast. Don Rickles hosted the roast of Dean Martin and assumed the role of Roastmaster.
Comedian Foster Brooks appeared the most often on the roast with each appearing 30 times. While most of the participants were comedians known for their work in such events, occasionally unexpected participants would be featured, such as British pop singer Petula Clark who was recruited to help roast TV actor William Conrad in 1973.
Episodes
As a segment on The Dean Martin Show 1. Governor Ronald Reagan, September 14, 1973 (Show #904) Roasters: Jack Benny, Dom DeLuise, Phyllis Diller, Pat Henry, Nancy Reagan, Don Rickles, Nipsey Russell, Mark Spitz, Jackie Vernon, Jonathan Winters 2. Hugh Hefner, September 21, 1973 (Show #901) Roasters: Billy Baxter, Joey Bishop, Howard Cosell, Jackie Gayle, Tom T. Hall, Dick Martin, Audrey Meadows 3. Ed McMahon, September 28, 1973 (Show #902) Roasters: Charo, Ernest Borgnine, Pat Buttram, Jack Carter, Dom DeLuise, Steve Landesberg, Jackie Vernon, Dionne Warwick 4. William Conrad, October 5, 1973 (Show #903) Roasters: Petula Clark, Phyllis Diller, Jackie Gayle, Bob Newhart, Nipsey Russell 5. Kirk Douglas, October 12, 1973 (Show #905) Roasters: Lynn Anderson, Jack Burns, Norm Crosby, Jackie Gayle, Ted Knight, Rich Little, Don Rickles, Avery Schreiber 6. Bette Davis, October 19, 1973 (Show #909) Roasters: Army Archerd, Pat Buttram, Howard Cosell, Henry Fonda, Joyce Haber, Barbara Heller, Kay Medford, Vincent Price, Nipsey Russell 7. Senator Barry Goldwater, October 26, 1973 (Show #907) Roasters: William Conrad, Norm Crosby, Zsa Zsa Gabor, William Holden, Steve Landesberg, Carroll O'Connor, Donald Rice, Dan Rowan, Mark Russell 8. Johnny Carson, November 2, 1973 (Show #914) Roasters: Jack Benny, Joey Bishop, Foster Brooks, George Burns, Ruth Buzzi, Truman Capote, Bette Davis, Fred DeCordova, Dom DeLuise, Redd Foxx, George Gobel, Barry Goldwater, Rich Little, Kent McCord, Martin Milner, Louisa Moritz, Bob Newhart, Cliff Robertson, Doc Severinsen, Dionne Warwick, Jonathan Winters 9. Wilt Chamberlain, November 9, 1973 (Show #911) Roasters: Ken Berry, Norm Crosby, Jackie Gayle, Happy Hairston, George Kennedy, Audrey Meadows, Nipsey Russell, Vernon Scott, Bill Shoemaker 10. Senator and former Vice President Hubert Humphrey, November 23, 1973 (Show #913) Roasters: Foster Brooks, Leo Durocher, Pat Henry, Gene Kelly, Ted Knight, Rich Little, Audrey Meadows, Donald Rice, Mark Russell, Nipsey Russell, Mort Sahl, Lowell Weicker 11. Carroll O'Connor, December 7, 1973 (Show #908) Roasters: Marty Allen, Elsie Birdwell, Joey Bishop, Foster Brooks, Ruth Buzzi, Mike Connors, William Conrad, Norm Crosby, Cass Elliot, Redd Foxx, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Barry Goldwater, William Holden, Gene Kelly, John Lindsay, Dick Martin, Donald O'Connor, Charles Nelson Reilly, Don Rickles, Dan Rowan, Nipsey Russell, Ward Wood, Robert Wood 12. Monty Hall, December 14, 1973 (Show #912) Roasters: Birch Bayh, Jack Carter, Rocky Graziano, Gene Kelly, Art Linkletter, Audrey Meadows, Donald O'Connor, Bert Parks 13. Jack Klugman & Tony Randall, December 21, 1973 (Show #910) Roasters: Leonard Barr, Gary Burghoff, Ruth Buzzi, Jack Carter, Mike Connors, Doug Kershaw, Loretta Lynn, Laffit Pincay, Jr., Soupy Sales, Jackie Vernon 14. Zsa Zsa Gabor, January 11, 1974 (Show #906) Roasters: Ruth Buzzi, Sue Cameron, Donna Fargo, Buddy Hackett, Corbett Monica, Donald O'Connor, Charles Nelson Reilly, Lonnie Schorr, Mel Tillis 15. Leo Durocher, January 18, 1974 (Show #917) Roasters: Foster Brooks, Jack Carter, Chuck Connors, Dizzy Dean, Alex Karras, Gene Kelly, Gladys Knight, Bobby Riggs, Maury Wills 16. Truman Capote, January 25, 1974 (Show #920) Roasters: Foster Brooks, Rocky Graziano, Ted Knight, Rich Little, Audrey Meadows, Anna Moffo, Donald O'Connor, Johnny Russell, Jean Simmons, Joseph Wambaugh 17. Don Rickles, February 8, 1974 (Show #918) Roasters: Joey Bishop, Foster Brooks, Charlie Callas, Eugene Cernan, Carol Channing, Phyllis Diller, Kirk Douglas, Lorne Greene, Pat Henry, Casey Kasem, Jack Klugman, Rich Little, Dick Martin, Bob Newhart, Cliff Robertson, Dan Rowan, Nipsey Russell, Telly Savalas, George C. Scott 18. Ralph Nader, February 15, 1974 (Show #919) Roasters: James Brolin, Foster Brooks, Ruth Buzzi, Donna Fargo, Jackie Gayle, Jack Klugman, Steve Landesberg, Rich Little, Mort Sahl, Jane Withers 19. Jack Benny, February 22, 1974 (Show #923) Roasters: Pearl Bailey, Joey Bishop, Foster Brooks, Gary Burghoff, George Burns, Jack Carter, Norm Crosby, Florence Henderson, Rich Little, Dick Martin, Zubin Mehta, Wayne Newton, Mark Spitz, Jimmy Stewart, Demond Wilson, 20. Redd Foxx, March 1, 1974 (Show #915) Roasters: Jim Bailey, John Barbour, Joey Bishop, Foster Brooks, Norm Crosby, Jackie Gayle, Rich Little, LaWanda Page, Don Rickles, Nipsey Russell, Slappy White, Demond Wilson 21. Bobby Riggs, March 6, 1974 (Show #916) Roasters: Lynn Anderson, Jack Carter, Rosemary Casals, Chuck Connors, Leo Durocher, Alex Karras, Wayne Newton, Vincent Price, Don Rice 22. George Washington (portrayed by Jan Leighton), March 15, 1974 (Show #922) Roasters: Leonard Barr, Foster Brooks (as Washington's press secretary), Jack Carter, Euell Gibbons, Steve Lawrence (as Washington's aide-de-camp), Dick Martin, Audrey Meadows (as Martha Washington), Corbett Monica, Nipsey Russell, Henny Youngman 23. Dan Rowan & Dick Martin, March 25, 1974 Roasters: Joey Bishop, Foster Brooks, Ruth Buzzi, Richard Dawson, Arte Johnson, Steve Lawrence, Audrey Meadows, Bob Newhart, Nipsey Russell 24. Hank Aaron, March 29, 1974 (Show #921) Roasters: Lynn Anderson, Jackie Bavene, Joey Bishop, Foster Brooks, Norm Crosby, Dizzy Dean, Eddie Mathews, Audrey Meadows, Lou Rawls, Jeannie Rineal, Rodney Allen Rippy, Nipsey Russell 25. Joe Namath, April 5, 1974 (Show #925) Roasters: Joey Bishop, Foster Brooks, Paul "Bear" Bryant, Charlie Callas, Dick Butkus, Angie Dickinson, Weeb Ewbank, David Janssen, Rich Little, Audrey Meadows, Don Meredith, Corbett Monica, Jim Plunkett, Nipsey Russell, Fulton J. Sheen, Slappy White
As The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast 26. Bob Hope, October 31, 1974 (Show #1001) Roasters: Neil Armstrong, Johnny Bench, Jack Benny, Milton Berle, Omar Bradley, Foster Brooks, Howard Cosell, Phyllis Diller, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Billy Graham, Dolores Hope, Henry Kissinger, Rich Little, Ronald Reagan, Don Rickles, Sugar Ray Robinson, Ginger Rogers, Nipsey Russell, Mark Spitz, James Stewart, John Wayne, Flip Wilson 27. Telly Savalas, November 15, 1974 Roasters: Ernest Borgnine, Foster Brooks, Howard Cosell, Dom DeLuise, Angie Dickinson, Phyllis Diller, Peter Graves, Casey Kasem, Alex Karras, George Kennedy, Rich Little, Dick Martin, Darren McGavin, Don Rickles, Richard Roundtree, Dan Rowan, Nipsey Russell, Robert Stack, Shelley Winters 28. Lucille Ball, February 8, 1975 Roasters: Jack Benny, Milton Berle, Foster Brooks, Ruth Buzzi, Phyllis Diller, Totie Fields, Gale Gordon, Henry Fonda, Bob Hope, Dick Martin, Rich Little, Gary Morton, Don Rickles, Ginger Rogers, Dan Rowan, Nipsey Russell, Vivian Vance. Note:* This roast was Jack Benny's last television appearance, airing five weeks after his death in December 1974. 29. Jackie Gleason, February 27, 1975 Roasters: Milton Berle, Foster Brooks, Sid Caesar, Art Carney, Phyllis Diller, Frank Gorshin, Jane Kean, Gene Kelly, Sheila MacRae, Audrey Meadows, Nipsey Russell, Danny Thomas, Sandy Herdt 30. Sammy Davis Jr., April 25, 1975 (Show #1005) Roasters: Milton Berle, Joey Bishop, Foster Brooks, Wilt Chamberlain, Norm Crosby, Altovise Davis, Phyllis Diller, Frank Gorshin, Jan Murray, Freddie Prinze, Don Rickles, Nipsey Russell, Danny Thomas, Dionne Warwick 31. Michael Landon, May 16, 1975 Roasters: Amanda Blake, Joey Bishop, Ernest Borgnine, Sid Caesar, Norm Crosby, Phyllis Diller, Euell Gibbons, Lorne Greene, Guy Marks, Jan Murray, Don Rickles, Cliff Robertson, Victor Sen Yung 32. Evel Knievel, November 10, 1975 Roasters: Milton Berle, Ernest Borgnine, Joyce Brothers, Ruth Buzzi, Glen Campbell, Charlie Callas, William Conrad, Jackie Cooper, Georgia Engel, Barry Goldwater, Sandy Herdt, Gabe Kaplan, Audrey Meadows, Don Rickles, Cliff Robertson, Nipsey Russell, Isabel Sanford, McLean Stevenson 33. Valerie Harper, November 20, 1975 Roasters: Jack Albertson, Edward Asner, Milton Berle, Red Buttons, Foster Brooks, Jack Carter, Phyllis Diller, Georgia Engel, Chad Everett, Jamie Farr, Eva Gabor, Harold Gould, David Groh, Julie Kavner, Rich Little, Nipsey Russell, Isabel Sanford, Richard Schaal, Nancy Walker, Shelley Winters 34. Muhammad Ali, February 19, 1976 Roasters: Red Buttons, Foster Brooks, Ruth Buzzi, Charlie Callas, Wilt Chamberlain, Howard Cosell, Billy Crystal, Georgia Engel, Rocky Graziano, Sherman Hemsley, Gabe Kaplan, Gene Kelly, Tony Orlando, Floyd Patterson, Freddie Prinze, Nipsey Russell, Isabel Sanford, Orson Welles 35. Dean Martin, February 27, 1976