THE LAST DAYS OF TONY MARTIN JR.

Tony Martin Jr. was driving north on the I-5 expressway on October 31, 2003, presumable on his way home. He had just passed the Templin Highway interchange, and was just north of it when he lost control of his car. His car veered towards the guardrail, but the section that he would have hit had been removed after being destroyed a week earlier by a previous accident. His car ran off the embankment and reportedly rolled several times, injuring Tony Martin Jr. very severely. He suffered from severe brain injuries, a broken pelvis, broken knee, and serious cranial fractures. He spent 5 weeks in a coma before awakening.

His mental level was found to have been reduced to that of a 5 year-old child. Liv Lindeland Martin sued the State of California in 2006, for the missing guardrail. The State of California's position was that there had not been time to repair the guardrail in the 6 days since it's original damage and removal, because at that same time, all available CalTrans personnel were occupied with forest fire and wildfire control on the expressways in other areas, that even if the guardrail would have been in place, it would not have saved him from the injuries, and that the original accident was Tony Martin Jr.s' fault for losing control of his car, which was NOT caused by any road condition or highway problem.

The State of California lost their case, and Liv Lindeland Martin was awarded $893,000 in direct damages, and future damages for the perpetual around-the-clock care of Tony Martin Jr. of $9,200.000.00. Tony Martin Jr. died on April 10th, 2011. Tony Martin Sr. died July 27th, 2012. Liv Lindeland Martin settled the Martin estate, and moved back to her native Norway in late 2012...

MY FIVE FAVORITE MALE SINGERS

I love making lists of my favorites. It goes back to when I was a child. Is it the OCD in me? Or is it the desire to rank everything? I am not sure. I last published a list of my favorite male singers in 2019, so I wanted to see if the pandemic and two years changed anything! 

Here is the countdown:

5. TONY MARTIN (1913-2012)
Tony sang for an amazing nine decades, and he had one of the strongest pipes in the business. Although he recorded in the 1930s and 1940s prolifically, his biggest hits came in the 1950s with "Kiss Of Fire", "There's No Tomorrow", and many others. I had the pleasure of seeing him in concert in 1999, and although he was 86 then - he still had it! His later years were sad as he mourned the death of his wife dancer Cyd Charisse, as well as the death of his son. However he gave millions of fans hours of enjoyment with his records. (ranking in 2013: 10, ranking in 2019: 4)

4. BILLY ECKSTINE (1914-1993)

Billy Eckstine was born in my hometown of Pittsburgh, and like Tony Martin, Billy had such a smooth sounding voice. Just listen to his version of "I Apologize", and it will instantly get rid of any headache that you may have. Another big hit at the time for Billy was "My Foolish Heart". In the 60s and 70s, Eckstine recorded for Motown Records and smaller labels with mixed results, but the voice was still there. He did a lot of live performances at the time and toured with Sarah Vaughan. I highly recommend  their album together on the Mercury label of Irving Berlin songs from 1958. Billy died in Pittsburgh, and I was attending college near where his funeral procession was in 1993. (new to list)

3. DEAN MARTIN (1917-1995)

Dino Crocetti made singing look so easy. His records for Capitol, and later Reprise make it seem like Dean never tried. He made singing seem so effortlessly, but in reality he was a dedicated performer, especially in the 1950s and 1960s. Dean became more famous for his television show, which was on the air from 1965 to 1974, but he recorded countless hits like "That's Amore", "Memories Are Made Of This" and "Sway". Dean kind of gave up after 1987 when his son was killed in an airplane crash. I highly recommend an early album Dean did for Capitol called Swinging Down Yonder in 1955. One of my prized possessions are the various Bear Family CD box sets of Dino's complete output. What a singer he was! (ranking in 2013: 2, ranking in 2019: 2)

2. BUDDY CLARK (1912-1949)

Buddy spent countless years being a radio and big band singer. He had the personality and charisma for being a movie star, but unfortunately he did not have the looks. In 1946 he signed with Columbia Records and scored his biggest hit with the song "Linda" recorded in November of that year, but hitting its peak in the following spring. 1947 also saw hits for Clark with such titles as "How Are Things in Glocca Morra?" (from the musical Finian's Rainbow), which made the Top Ten, "Peg O' My Heart", "An Apple Blossom Wedding", and "I'll Dance at Your Wedding". The following year he had another major hit with "Love Somebody" (a duet with Doris Day, selling a million and reaching #1 on the charts) and nine more chart hits, and extended his success into 1949 with a number of hits, both solo and duetting with Day and Dinah Shore. Buddy's life ended tragically on October 1, 1949 in an airplane crash. He died way too young. (ranking in 2013: 5, ranking in 2019: 6)

1. BING CROSBY (1903-1977)

Bing has been one of my favorite singers for decades now, and I don't see that ever changing! From the 1920s to 1970s Bing recorded songs that I love like: "My Kinda Love" (in 1929), "Pennies From Heaven" (in 1936), "Blue Skies" (in 1946), "I Love You Samantha" (in 1956), "Younger Than Springtime" (in 1963), and one of his last recordings "Once In A While" (in 1977). Bing also recorded with everyone in the business like: the Dorsey Brothers, Duke Ellington, Frances Langford, Woody Herman, Louis Jordan, Louis Armstrong, Lee Wiley, and the list goes on and on! Many people said if you couldn't sing with Bing, then you couldn't sing and that was the truth. Bing recorded prolifically on Brunswick and Decca for over 25 years, and his voice was recorded more than any human voice in the history of the world. Even horrible songs that Bing was forced to record was made listenable by Bing's voice. There is no one who has ever matched Bing or ever will! (ranking in 2013: 1, ranking in 2019: 1)

It is hard coming up with five favorites so here are some of the singers that are runners up and make up my top ten favorite male singers list: Dick Haymes (1918-1980), Nat King Cole (1919-1965), Al Bowlly (1898-1941), Al Jolson (1886-1950), and Frank Sinatra (1915-1998).

MUSIC BREAK: TONY MARTIN - GOD BLESS AMERICA

MISSED OBITS: NICO CHARISSE

I am sad to report that Nico Charisse, the last surviving child of dancer Cyd Charisse died this past October. I regret that I did not learn about this sooner. Nico had a tough life in later years, and may he rest in peace.

Here is his obituary:
Nico Finklea Charisse, 77, of Los Angeles, California, passed away on Monday October 28, 2019, in Lakewood, California. He was born to Nico and Cyd Charisse on May 7, 1942 in Los Angeles, California. Nico was a veteran of the Army and served as Second Lieutenant at Camp San Luis Obispo. During his time there he fell in love with the San Luis Obispo area and later moved his family from Beverly Hills to Atascadero, California.

After the military, Nico received his Juris Doctor degree and practiced law until the early 2000s.

Nico spent his retirement living along the beautiful Kern River, a place where he had enjoyed fishing and camping throughout his life. Nico is survived by his children, daughter Gabrielle (Tom) McDougall of Long Beach, California. Son, Nico L. Charisse of Paso Robles, California. His grandchildren; Hailey, Nick, Ethan, Taylor, Ella, and Jackson and a brother, Marc Charisse of Spring Grove, Pennsylvania.

Nico is preceded in death by wife Sheilah Snodgrass Charisse, brother Tony Martin Jr., step-father Tony Martin Sr., and his parents. A graveside service will be held at Glen Haven Memorial Park in Sylmar, California on Saturday, November 9, 2019 at noon...

Here is an article I wrote on Nico Charisse Jr back in January of 2015...

Nico Charisse Jr: A Hollywood Offspring Story

MY FIVE FAVORITE MALE SINGERS

Music has played such an important part in my life. It really is the soundtrack to my life. As everyone knows, I love the old singers. I last published my favorite male singer list in 2013, so here is my updated list. They all had a way with a song...

5. DICK HAYMES (1918-1980)   

Dick Haymes burst on the scene in the early 1940s after paying his dues as a vocalist with the Harry James and Tommy Dorsey Orchestras. His deep baritone highlighted many songs of the era like: "You'll Never Know', "Little White Lies", and "It Might As Well Be Spring". Signed with Decca Records, Dick got second choice of songs due to Bing Crosby being the main crooner at the studio. Dick had trouble with alcohol and marriages in the 1950s and 1960s, but his voice remained rebust and engaging until his death from lung cancer. 2013 ranking: 6

4. TONY MARTIN (1913-2012)

I had the opportunity to see and hear Tony Martin perform live in 1999, and he remained a great vocalist throughout his career. His recording career started in the mid 1930s, and he emerged as a very capable singer. He had numerous hits throughout his career like: "It's A Blue World", "Tennement Symphony", "I Get Ideas", "Stranger In Paradise", and "All The Things You Are" among countless other songs. He faced a lot of heart ache in later years. His wife, the beautiful Cyd Charisse died in 2008, and his only son Tony Jr died in 2011. 2013 ranking: 10

3. BOBBY DARIN (1936-1973)

Bobby Darin filled more living and life in his 37 years on this earth than most people do in a lifetime. He burst on the scene with his hit "Splish Splash" in 1958. He wanted to be bigger than Sinatra, and in ways he was a more dynamic performer. He had many signature songs like "Mack The Knife", "Beyond The Sea", and "Artificial Flowers". He acted in movies, was a top draw in Las Vegas, and made countless records. Unfortunately, his life was cut short when he had heart surgery and never recovered. He was way too young to die.  2013 ranking: 3

2. DEAN MARTIN (1917-1995)

Dean Martin was one of those singers that made singing look so easy. It looked like he was lazy but in the 1940s and 1950s he worked hard to become a great crooner like his idols Bing Crosby and The Mills Brothers. He gained wide recognition being a part of a comedy team with Jerry Lewis, but when he broke up with Lewis in 1956, Dean became a superstar. He had numerous hits in his career like "That's Amore", "Memories Are Made Of This", "Sway", and "Volare" among others. He was one of the biggest television stars of his time, headlining his own variety series from 1965 to 1974. Dean was never the same after his son was killed in 1987, and Dino died alone on Christmas Day 1995.  2013 ranking: 2

1. BING CROSBY (1903-1977)

Bing Crosby has the most widely recorded voice in the history of humankind. During World War II, Bing was voted the most widely respected person in the world. He recorded his first record in 1925, but it was not until the 1930s that Bing soared to super stardom. He first recorded with Brunswick Records and had hits like: "Please", "Brother Can You Spare A Dime", and "I Surrender Dear". He made his starring movie debut in 1932's The Big Broadcast. Bing was a top movie draw at Paramount Studio from 1932 to 1956, and he was signed to Decca Records from 1935 to 1957. Bing was the first multi media star, and I could write for pages what Bing did for the entertainment industry. He was and is and has been my favorite singer for decades. I doubt that will ever change.  2013 ranking: 1

Again, this is just my list and only my top five favorites. My five runners up would be: Buddy Clark (1912-1949), Vic Damone (1928-2018), Nat King Cole (1919-1965),  Al Jolson (1886-1950),  and Frank Sinatra (1915-1998). I have numerous singers that I love and collect, but these are my favorite...

MUSIC BREAK: TONY MARTIN - ALFIE

PHOTOS OF THE DAY: EVEN MORE FINAL PICTURES OF THE STARS

Here is the third edition of this photo series showcasing class Hollywood stars and celebrities in their final pictures. Some of the pictures are sad and not for everyone to see, but it does show that these legends that we have built up to be larger than life are just mortal people as well...

Other additions in the series:
More Final Pictures Of The Stars-October 30, 2013

Final Pictures Of The Stars-March 28, 2012

Elizabeth Taylor - photo is from January of 2011, she died on March 23, 2011.

David Bowie - photo is from January 5, 2016, he died five days later.

Greta Garbo - photo is from March 31, 1990, she died on April 15, 1990

Ella Fitzgerald (with Tony Martin) - photo is from November of 1993, she died on June 15, 1996.

Joseph Cotten (with his wife) -  photo is from 1992, he died on February 6, 1994.

Patty Andrews. - photo is from December of 2012, she died on January 30, 2013.

TONY MARTIN AND HIS TENEMENT SYMPHONY

Here is an excellent article (way too good for me to have written it) on the great crooner Tony Martin and his version of the haunting Tenement Symphony. The source of the great article is below...

I guess my first impression of Tony Martin consisted of three words: "Please Go Away."

This was also my first impression of Allan Jones and Kenny Baker, who also got in the way of the Marx Brothers by stopping the movie for a song. The excuse in Martin's case, was he played a song-plugger in "The Big Store."

Martin's big number in the film was the infamous "Tenement Symphony" a grandly pretentious exercise in fake-Gershwin with florid and sappy lyrics (Sid Kuller, who later produced a peculiar album of adorable things kids say, set to music, was a culprit) about the harmonious melting pot that was "the tenements." This was specifically the Lower East Side ("the blacks" were in Harlem and "the PR's" in Spanish Harlem, both uptown).

Thanks to "The Big Store," generations who don't care a damn about big band singers, and couldn't name most of them, know who Tony Martin is. Some know him derisively while others are more loving, as reactions to this song range from loathing to "so bad it's good" laughter. Oddly, there wasn't a "melting pot" presence among customers in "The Big Store," except for Chico Marx, and some stereotypical over-populating Italian immigrants looking for bedding.

Despite being so memorable (mostly for all the wrong reasons), Tony's song was not released as a single until 1948. The earliest versions were 1941 (Larry Clinton) and 1944 (Anne Shelton and the transportation-challenged Dorothy Carless). It's last significant cover versions were in the 50's (Arthur Godfrey and Marion Marlowe) and 60's (Sammy Davis Jr.) From there, the musical tenement was pretty much condemned.

Readers under 30 (if there are any) should know that "The Cohens and the Kellys" is a reference to an ancient ethnic play and comedy film series, and that "Oh Marie" was an Italian song, thus hilarious when referenced to an Italian girl going out with a Jew:

Schubert wrote a symphony
Too bad he didn’t finish it
Gershwin took a chord in ‘G’
Proceeded to diminish it
I sought a variation on a theme that I thought pretty
And I found my inspiration on the east side of the city

The Cohens and the Kellys, The Campbells and Vermicellis
All form a part of my tenement symphony

The Cohen’s pianola, The Kellys and their victrola
All warm the heart of my tenement symphony

The Campbells come tumb’lin’ down the stairs! Hoodlya! Hoodlya! Hoodlya!
"Oh Marie, oh Marie" you’ll be late for your date with Izzy!

And from this confusion, I dreamed of a grand illusion
It’s my tenement symphony in four flats!

The kid on the first floor practicing the minuet.

The kid on the second floor yelling for the dinner that he didn't get.
The guy on the third floor waking from his slumber by the guy on the fourth floor practicing the rhumba!

The songs of the ghetto inspired the allegretto!
You'll find them in my tenement symphony!
The cry of the vendor made a lullaby sweet and tender!
I combined them in my tenement symphony!
The yelling of children will greet your ears: "Doolya doolya doolya!
Holy gee Holy gee! Gotta stop! There's a cop!"
Aaaaand from this confusion, I dreamed of a grand illusion. It's my tenement symphony in four flats!!
Speaking of ethnic diversity, few knew that Tony Martin was Jewish. He seemed to have more in common with Perry Como. He was born "Alvin Morris," and got an early break when he appeared in "Sing, Baby, Sing," with one of the era's best loved and now forgotten female vocalists, Alice Faye. Could anyone under 50 even name a hit song for either Tony or Alice?

They were married in 1937 and divorced in 1940. By then, Martin could be spotted in many a spotty "variety" movie…a mix of song, story, and maybe a laugh or two. "The Big Store" arrived in 1941, and after World War II, Tony returned home for hit singles (the best known, though maybe not in his version these days, is "To Each His Own"). He married Cyd Charisse in 1948, and in the mid-50's, made more movies that nobody wants to see these days, including "Here Come the Girls" and "Hit the Deck." Interest in Tony Martin…as well as Perry Como and most others of that type, waned in the 60's, and competition came from a new generation of easy-going singers, such as Allan Jones' son Jack Jones, and everyone's huckleberry friend, Andy Williams. To say nothing of Wayne Newton.

But Tony Martin's stuff still sold to old fans who were finally giving up their 78's for vinyl and CD, and the New York nightclub Feinstein's booked him in 2008, when he was in his 90's. He got as decent reviews as ex-Marx Brothers vocalist Kitty Carlisle did when she also turned up at that club for a few nights of "yes, I'm still alive, I can still sing, and look, I'm not wetting the floor."

Reviewing the show, NY Times cabaret reviewer Stephen Holden called Tony "his generation's Last Man Standing," a reference to late colleagues Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Frank Sinatra and Russ Columbo…and a nice snub of Tony Bennett.

We'll let Holden finish up this obit. He made it look so easy, he was so easily overlooked. But, quoth The Times, despite the "laid-back persona...Mr. Martin rarely appeared out of black tie. Young swains of the 1950s preparing for their first prom could avail themselves of a popular tuxedo model called the Tony Martin.In a sense Mr. Martin represented an earlier fantasy, stemming from the 19th-century European operettas and musicals, that of the impossibly elegant troubadour warbling to equally elegant (and mythical) audiences at nightclubs and balls. In the 1940s Mr. Martin was to popular song what Fred Astaire was to dance."

SOURCE

MUSIC BREAK: TONY MARTIN - TENEMENT SYMPHONY

NICO CHARISSE: A HOLLYWOOD OFFSPRING STORY

You probably do not recognize the name Nico Charisse, but he is the son of famous parents dancer Cyd Charisse (1921-2008) and singer Tony Martin (1913-2012). Actually his real father was Nico Charisse Sr (1906-1971). Nico Sr. was actually his mother's dance teacher and Cyd married the much older dance teacher in 1939 at the young age of 18. The age difference and Cyd making a move to Hollywood was too much for the marriage, and the couple divorced on February 17, 1947. The elder Nico would remarry and have another child in the 1950s.

Nico Jr. would be pratically adopted by Tony Martin after Martin married Cyd on May 18, 1948. With two parents now happy and in love, as well as with a new half brother Tony Martin Jr born on August 28, 1950, Nico had pretty much a perfect Hollywood family and upbringing. His parents were both healthy and raised their sons without the drama that face other Hollywood families.

In the late 1960s, Nico met the beautiful Shelia Marie Snodgrass. They were married and life seemed pretty good for the couple. Nico was going to school to become a lawyer, and he was admitted to the star bar in 1977 and began practicing law in California. Tragedy would strike the family when Shelia was killed on May 25, 1979 when the American Airlines Flight 191 crashed just outside of Chicago. All 258 passengers and 13 crew on board were killed, along with two people on the ground. It is the deadliest aviation accident to occur on U.S. soil. The disaster and investigation received widespread coverage in the media, assisted by new news gathering technologies. The impact on the public was increased by the dramatic effect of an amateur photo taken of the aircraft rolling which was published on the front page of the Chicago Tribune on the Sunday following the crash (the crash was on a Friday).

Nico remarried a second time - unfortunately unsuccessfully. His career as a lawyer was almost ruined when he was disciplined for misconduct. Charisse's misconduct involved three separate clients and included failing to properly maintain and supervise his client trust account, keep clients informed about the status of their case, perform legal services competently, and improper withdrawal from representation.

In one instance, Charisse was employed by a client who maintained that trees in his orchard were damaged by a crop dusting company. Charisse filed the complaint but did not comply with fast track rules; the case was dismissed and he was sanctioned for failing to appear at a hearing.

His client was unsuccessful at many attempts to check on the status of his case and Charisse did not tell him that the case was dismissed. The client requested an accounting and refund of unearned fees, which Charisse neglected to do.

In mitigation, Charisse was suffering from extreme clinical depression which was exacerbated by a personal family law matter, including a child custody fight from his second wife. Charisse was suffering from alcoholism at the time of his misconduct, but has received inpatient treatment and is involved in a continuing program of sobriety. Nico rose above these tough times and continued to practice law until he retired in 2007.

After receiving the National Medal Of Freedom from President George Bush in 2006, Cyd Charisse began having heart troubles. She suffered a massive heart attack on June 16, 2008 and died the following day at the age of 86. Nico openly wept at the funeral of his mother who was buried at the Hillside Memorial Park.

More tragedy struck on April 10, 2011 when his half brother Tony Martin Jr died at the age of 60. I have not discovered the exact cause of death, but it was reported that Tony Martin Jr had been in ill health for years, and his parents had to pay most of the medical bills. It was also reported that Tony Jr was in a car accident in 2001, but I am not sure if that contributed to his death.

At this point Nico helped to care for the now elderly Tony Martin Sr. Tony was always a pillar of health and energy and performed into 2008, but after the death of his beloved Cyd and then the death of their only son together, Tony Sr. stopped performing. Tony Martin Sr. died on the evening of July 27, 2012 at the age of 98. Nico Jr has had a lot of tragedy in his life, and despite having a happy upbringing from his famous parents, you never quite know where life will take you.

UPDATE: Sadly Nico died on October 28, 2019...

PHOTOS OF THE DAY: TONY MARTIN

On Christmas Day 2013, it will mark the 100th birthday of singer, actor, and entertainer Tony Martin. I was hoping Tony would make it to his 100th birthday, but unfortunately he died on July 27, 2012. Here are some great picture memories on this underrated crooner...



WITH 1ST WIFE ALICE FAYE (1915-1998)

WITH RITA HAYWORTH (1918-1987)

WITH  2ND WIFE CYD CHARISSE (1921-2008)

MEMORIES OF TONY MARTIN

Here is a great article from the Huffington Post on the late Tony Martin. Martin was a very underrated crooner...


I was privileged to know Tony Martin in the last few decades of his life. He died Friday (he died in July of 2012) night at his West L.A. home at the age of 98. Last night at dinner someone noted that Frank Sinatra said about Tony, "He had the best pipes of any one of us." My dear friend Ginny Mancini was very friendly with Tony and his wife of 60 years, Cyd Charisse, so we would occasionally double-date. Tony was the most charming, fun and provocative dinner companion. We once compared war stories; I pontificated about my Korean service and he quietly told me of his three Army years in the Far East during World War II, ending up singing in Captain Glenn Miller's band. Cyd Charisse may have been the most beautiful woman I ever encountered. When we met she was already suffering from some hearing problems (as am I), so she was the quiet one among us. But no red-blooded boy on the planet will ever recover from seeing her steaming dance with Gene Kelly in the movie, Singing in the Rain.

Tony and Cyd performed a nightclub act for many years, she danced enchantedly while he sang "I Get Ideas" and "It's Magic." Even into his 90s he was up-and-eager for any challenge. I remember seeing him a few years ago at the Catalina Bar and Grill in Hollywood, sitting on a stool with a hot jazz group behind him, singing his classics and joking with the enthusiastic crowd, especially when he forgot some lyrics. A 2009 New York Times review of his five-night appearance at Feinstein's in New York said, "The rich timbre of his voice was surprisingly unchanged from what is was in the 1940s and '50s. He sang perfectly-recollected versions of songs associated with him such as 'I Surrender, Dear' and 'There's No Tomorrow." (which Tony said was passed on to him by Perry Como, according to the review.

And there was a night at a beautiful Mancini dinner party when, after dinner, Tony's long-time accompanist appeared and Mr. Martin sang his heart out... there wasn't a dry eye in the crowd. "Stranger in Paradise," "La Vie en Rose," "Fools Rush In" (oh, my, so beautiful!) and Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine." My favorite: "I'll See You in My Dreams."

I am of a certain age, so I well remember when Tony was in his heyday as the last big star of Hollywood's golden age of musicals. Whenever TCM shows the 1948 remake of Pepe LeMoko called Casbah, I watch entranced as he sings For Every Man There's a Woman. He told me that he had appeared in some two dozen movies, starting in the late '30s, and I know that the handsome devil had met and married the reigning queen of films, blonde bombshell Alice Faye, while co-starring in Sally, Irene and Mary in 1937... a marriage which did not last very long. From '38 to '56 he was a major recording star, with 14 top-10 hits in those years. He told me that his recording career virtually ended when rock-n-roll ascended. I remember his doing a 15-minute TV show in the mid-50s, on which Dinah Shore made an appearance. (Dear Dinah, whom I met at the invitation of Kirk Douglas' wife, Anne, who seated us together at a dinner party and whom I dated 'til she died unexpectedly.) It was on this show, directed by Bud Yorkin, where Ginny -- then married to composer Hank Mancini -- went back to work as part of his backup singing group... and established a friendship with Tony which lasted through the years. Tony was the featured singer on the Burns-and-Allen TV show, and Wikipedia tells the story of Gracie, adoring him, saying, "Oh, Tony, you look so tired. Why don't you rest your lips on mine." Funny.

with Ginny Mancini

From Wikipedia, I learned that he was born Alvin Morris to Jewish immigrant parents in San Francisco on Christmas Day in 1913. His parents divorced when he was young, and he once mentioned that his grandmother gave him a saxophone when he was 10, and he was hooked on music. He broke into films in the mid-'30s and built a remarkable career after returning from the Second World War.

Remember him playing Gaylord Ravenal in the Showboat segment of the film Till The Clouds Roll By? Twice songs which he sang in movie musicals were nominated for Academy Award; the one I mentioned from Casbah and also "It's a Blue World" from Music in my Heart. And I still love seeing him singing to Hedy LaMarr, Judy Garland and Lana Turner in 1941's Ziegfield Girl... the song was "You Stepped Out of Dream." Being a huge Marx Bros. fan, I kidded him about his appearing in their classic film The Big Store, and he told me that he remained friends with Groucho until the latter's death. He married Cyd in 1948 and they remained a stunning, fascinating couple until her death in 2008. So I want to imagine that this weekend, somewhere up there, God assembled a big audience of music fans and Tony sang his heart out to an enthusiastic audience. Ginny and I can hear him now...

SOURCE

THE PASSING SCENE OF 2012

I say this every year, but it is hard to believe that another year is over with. On a personal note, 2012 was a pretty good year for me - but I just wish time would stand still for a second so I can catch my breath. Unfortunately with every year we lose more and more great stars. Many of those stars were icons of the golden age of entertainment. Here are some of the talents in enterainment that passed away in 2012...

Andy Griffith

ANDY GRIFFITH, 86, actor - Andy Griffith was one of the true talents in television, and his two TV shows - The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968) and Matlock (1986-1995) spoke to generations of television viewers. In 1957, Griffith made his film début, starring in the film A Face in the Crowd. Although he plays a "country boy," this country boy is manipulative and power-hungry, a drifter who becomes a television host and uses his show as a gateway to political power. Of all of the entertainment people who died in 2012, I think Griffith's death made me the saddest. Mayberry might have been a fictional place, but I wanted to escape to there because of Griffith. (July 3rd)

ETTA JAMES, 73, singer - Etta James had a long career as a jazz singer, and nothing stopped her from singing except for ill health in the last couple years of her life. What wedding party would not be complete without the strains of James' "At Last" being played. (Jan. 20th)

HARRY CAREY JR, 91, actor - Harry was a character actor best known for Western roles in films directed by John Ford. In a more than 50-year career, Carey made over 90 films and was a member of the John Ford Stock Company, making several films with the legendary director. Many of those starred John Wayne and included: She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, The Searchers, 3 Godfathers, and Rio Grande. (Dec. 27th)

DAVID BRUBECK, 91, jazz musician - David Brubeck was considered to be one of the foremost exponents of progressive jazz. He wrote a number of jazz standards, including "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "The Duke". Brubeck's style ranged from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills. His music is known for employing unusual time signatures, and superimposing contrasting rhythms, meters, and tonalities. (Dec. 5th)

PAULA KELLY JR, age unknown, singer - Paula Kelly Jr was born into a musical family. Her mother Paula Kelly (1920-1993) was an original singer with the Glenn Miller Orchestra. When her mother retired in 1978, Paula Jr took over in the Modernaires. (Apr. 26th)

MAX BYGRAVES, 89, entertainer - British born Max Bygraves never made it big in the United States, but he was a favorite entertainer in England for years. He was known for his singalong albums, as well as popular singles like "Things Ain't What It Used To Be". (Aug 31st)

Tony Martin

TONY MARTIN, 98, SINGER - Tony Martin was one of the last original vocalists from the 1930s. He made his first recording in 1932 and would spend nearly the next 70 years entertaining audiences. Some of his hit songs included: "Why Did You Leave Heaven", "You Stepped Out Of A Dream", "There's No Tomorrow", and "Kiss Of Fire". He never became a major Hollywood actor but he appeared in some popular films like: Ziegfeld Girl (1941), Til The Clouds Roll By (1946), and Hit The Deck (1955). He was married to actress Alice Faye from 1936 to 1940, and to dancer Cyd Charisse from 1948 until her death in 2008. They had one son together Tony Martin Jr, born in 1950 who sadly died in 2011. Tony Martin continued to sing until literally he was not able to sing anymore. (July 27th)

DOROTHY MCGUIRE, 84, singer - Dorothy was one of the trio of McGuire Sisters, who along with Christine (1926-2017) and Phyllis (born 1931) had numerous hits during the 1950s like "Sugartime" and "Sincerely". The group broke up in 1968 but reunited in 1986 to perform mostly in Las Vegas. The last time the trio appeared together was on a PBS special in 2004. (Sept. 7th)

IRVING FEIN, 101, agent - Irving Fein was the long time friend and manager of Jack Benny and George Burns. Fein was responsible for Benny's lucrative television contracts as well as for getting Burn's role in "The Sunshine Boys" (1975) which wone Burns an Oscar. Fein managed Jack Benny until Benny's death in 1974, and he managed George Burns until Burn's death in 1996. (Aug 10th)

SUSAN LUCKEY, 74, actress - Susan Luckey was most famous for the role of Mayor Shinn's daughter Zaneeta in the 1962 classic The Music Man. Besides her role in The Music Man, Luckey starred alongside Shirley Jones in the 1956 film Carousel … and was one of the Native Americans in the original Broadway production of “Peter Pan.” (Nov.29th)

CHARLES DURNING, 89 - actor - Not only was Charles Durning a great actor, but he was one of the soldiers that stormed the beaches at Normandy on June 6, 1944. With appearances in over 100 films, Durning's memorable roles include police officers in the Oscar-winning The Sting (1973) and crime drama Dog Day Afternoon (1975), along with the comedies Tootsie, To Be Or Not To Be and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, the last two of which earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor. He won a Tony award for his portrayal of Big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in 1990. (Dec. 24th).

VERONIQUE PECK, 80, widow of Gregory Peck - Veronique Peck was a French born American model who was married to actor Georgory Peck from 1955 until his death in 2003. The couple had a son and a daughter together. (Aug. 17th)

Ann Rutherford

ANN RUTHERFORD, 94 ACTRESS - Ann Rutherford was one of the last surving cast members of Gone With The Wind. (Olivia DeHavilland is still alive). She made her last movie in 1976, but she remained a favorite among movie fans.  In the 1970s, Rutherford made two guest appearances on television as Aggie Harrison, the mother of Suzanne Pleshette's character Emily Hartley on The Bob Newhart Show. During the 1990s, Rutherford was offered the role of Rose Calvert in the film Titanic (1997), but turned it down. The role instead went to actress Gloria Stuart. (June 11th).

GEORGE LINDSEY, 83, ACTOR - George Lindsey was a popular actor on television starring on The Andy Griffith Show from 1964-1968,  Mayberry RFD from 1968 to 1971, and Hee Haw from 1972-1992. His character of "Goober" was the cousin of Jim Nabor's character "Gomer Pyle". He published his autobiography in 1995 and last appeared on television in 2009. (May 6th)

LARRY HAGMAN, 81, ACTOR - Larry Hagman was best known for playing ruthless oil baron J. R. Ewing in the prime time television soap opera Dallas from 1978 to 1991, and befuddled astronaut Major Anthony "Tony" Nelson in the sitcom I Dream of Jeannie from 1965 to 1970. Hagman had supporting roles in numerous films including Fail-Safe, Nixon, and Primary Colors. His television appearances also included guest roles on dozens of shows spanning from the late 1950s up until his death, and a reprisal of his signature role on the 2012 revival of Dallas. He was the son of legendary singer and actress Mary Martin (1913-1990). (Nov. 23rd)

ANDY WILLIAMS, 84, SINGER - Andy Williams was a popular crooner for generations beginning in the 1940s. He started out with his brothers in a singing group, and soon became one of the most popular entertainers in the 1950s and 1960s. He starred on his own variety show from 1962 through 1971, and his recording of "Moon River" is a beloved classic. (Sept 25th)

MARVIN HAMLISH, 68, SONGWRITER - Marvin Hamlish composed some of the most popular movie and pop songs of the 1970s like "The Way We Were", "The Entertainer", and "Nobody Does It Better". Shortly before his death, Hamlisch scored the musical version of The Nutty Professor, based on the 1963 Jerry Lewis film. (Aug 6th)

HERB REED, 83, SINGER - Herb Reed  was a founding member of The Platters, who were known for their hits during the 1950s and 1960s. Reed, who was the last surviving original member of the group, which he co-founded with four other musicians in 1953, is credited with creating The Platters' name. (June 4th)

Jack Clugman

JACK KLUGMAN, 90, ACTOR - Jack Klugman was one of the truly gifted character actors. He was the last remaining cast member from the movie Twelve Angry Men (1957). Klugman also showed off his acting skills in four memorable episodes of The Twilight Zone on television in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He was most widely known for his hit television series The Odd Couple from 1970 to 1975 and Quincy from 1976 to 1983. (Dec. 24th)

RUSSELL ARMS, 92, SINGER - Russell Arms was best known as a  vocalist on Your Hit Parade, an NBC television series that reviewed the popular songs of the day and on which a regular cast of vocalists would perform the top seven songs of the week from 1952 to 1957. Arms and Eileen Wilson were the only surviving lead performers from the show. (Feb 10th).

JOAN ROBERTS, 95, ACTRESS - One of the original and last stars of the broadway musical "Oklahoma", which debuted in 1943. She originated the role of "Laurie". Roberts was in retirement for many years on Long Island, New York, when she appeared as Heidi Schiller in the 2001 Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's Follies. (Aug. 13th)

MARIA COLE, 89, WIDOW OF NAT KING COLE - Maria Cole was a one time singer with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, who retired from the limelight when she married singer Nat King Cole in 1948. They have three children together and remained married until Cole's death in 1965. She never remarried. (July 10th)

RICHARD ZANUCK, 77, FILM PRODUCER - Richard Zanuck was a legendary film producer who produced some of the greatest blockbusters in modern movies from Jaws (1975) to Alice In Wonderland (2010). The last movie he produced was 2012's unsuccessful Dark Shadows remake. Richard was also the song of movie mogul Daryl F. Zanuck (1902-1979). (July 13th)

PEGGY AHERN, 95, CHILD ACTRESS - Peggy was best known for her appearance in eight of the Our Gang series of films released between 1924 and 1927. The Our Gang series, which were also known The Little Rascals or Hal Roach's Rascals, were a series of comedic, short, silent films created by director and producer Hal Roach. Ahern was one of the last surviving cast members from a Hal Roach film. (Oct. 24th)

Celeste Holm

CELESTE HOLM, 95, ACTRESS - Celeste Holm was a legendary actress of Hollywood's golden age. Holm won an Academy Award for her performance in Gentleman's Agreement (1947), and was Oscar nominated for her roles in Come to the Stable (1949) and All About Eve (1950). She originated the role of Ado Annie in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Oklahoma" in 1943. Holm's last role was in a movie that will not be released until 2013 - College Debts. (July 15th)

GLORIA LLOYD, 87, DAUGHTER OF HAROLD LLOYD - Gloria Lloyd, also known as Gloria Lloyd Roberts, was an American actress and model. She was the eldest child of the silent film comedian Harold Lloyd (1893-1971) and actress Mildred Davis (1901-1969). Gloria appeared in the 1946 film Temptation, and in a number of documentaries about her father. (Feb 10th)

PHYLLIS DILLER, 95, COMEDIAN - Phyllis Diller was a legendary funny woman who was pratically discovered by Bob Hope. She created a stage persona of a wild-haired and eccentrically dressed housewife who made self-deprecating jokes about her age and appearance, her terrible cooking, and a husband named "Fang", while pretending to smoke from a long cigarette holder. Diller's signature was her unusual laugh. (Aug. 20th)

MARJORIE LANE, 100, SINGER - Marjorie Lane was best known for dubbing the voice of actress Eleanor Powell in the movies Born to Dance (1936), Broadway Melody of 1936 (1936), Rosalie (1937) and Broadway Melody of 1938 (1938). Lane was married to actor Brian Donlevy from 1936 to 1947, and they had one child. Her career in film did not extend beyond the 1930s. (Oct. 2nd)

FRANK CADY, 96, ACTOR - Frank Cady was best known for his recurring and popular role as storekeeper Sam Drucker in three American television series during the 1960s — Petticoat Junction, Green Acres, and The Beverly Hillbillies. (June 8th)

ERNEST BORGNINE, 95, ACTOR - Ernest Borgnine was one of the most active movie and television star of his generation. Like the late Celeste Holm, Borgnine worked until the end as well. He was an unconventional lead in many films of the 1950s, winning an Oscar in 1955 for Marty. On television, he played Quinton McHale in the 1962–1966 series McHale's Navy and co-starred in the mid-1980s action series Airwolf, in addition to a wide variety of other roles. Borgnine earned an Emmy Award nomination at age 92 for his work on the series ER. (July 8th)

Ernest Borgnine

These great and talented people who left us in 2012 are gone, but are they ever truly forgotten. We have their movie legacy on film or their signing voices on record. All lives eventually end, but their memories live on in their works and creations...

THE PASSING SCENE OF 2011

THE PASSING SCENE OF 2010

RIP: TONY MARTIN

I had the pleasure of meeting Tony Martin in 1999, and I have never forgotten the experience. He will be missed...

Tony Martin, Debonair Pop Troubadour, Dies at 98
By FRANK J. PRIAL

Tony Martin, the debonair baritone whose career spanned some 80 years in films and nightclubs and on radio and television, died on Friday at his home in West Los Angeles. He was 98. .

His death was confirmed by business manager, Stan Schneider.

Mr. Martin’s long life in show business began in the late 1920s, when he formed his first band at Oakland Technical High School in California. He was still performing in nightclubs around the country well into the 21st century.

“Tony Martin may be his generation’s Last Man Standing,” Stephen Holden wrote in The New York Times in January 2008. The occasion was a five-night engagement at Feinstein’s at Loews Regency in New York, where Mr. Martin sang his hits from half a century earlier while dropping names of colleagues he had outlived, like Bing Crosby and Perry Como.

After a chorus or two of, say, “The Very Thought of You,” Mr. Martin would interject: “Ray Noble, lovely guy. I met him when I did the Palladium in London, and he asked me to sing that song.”

A few lines of “I Don’t Know Why” would recall Russ Columbo, who popularized it. “I was working with Woody Herman in Tom Gerun’s band in Oakland,” Mr. Martin would tell his audience, “when we heard that both Columbo and Bing Crosby were singing with Gus Arnheim’s band down in L.A. So we drove down to hear them.”

Mr. Martin spoke familiarly of Crosby and later singers. Crosby, who was almost 10 years older than he was, was the first of the popular male singers to develop the laid-back persona that Frank Sinatra would make his own. But Mr. Martin rarely appeared out of black tie. Young swains of the 1950s preparing for their first prom could avail themselves of a popular tuxedo model called the Tony Martin.

In a sense Mr. Martin represented an earlier fantasy, stemming from the 19th-century European operettas and musicals, that of the impossibly elegant troubadour warbling to equally elegant (and mythical) audiences at nightclubs and balls. In the 1940s Mr. Martin was to popular song what Fred Astaire was to dance.

His popularity later helped propel a successful performing partnership with his wife, the dancer and actress Cyd Charisse, in nightclubs and on television. Their marriage lasted 60 years, ending with Ms. Charisse’s death at 86 in June 2008.

Tony Martin was born Alvin Morris in San Francisco on Dec. 25, 1913; his family moved across the bay to Oakland soon after. His parents were well-off Jewish immigrants from Poland who wanted him to be a lawyer. He attended St. Mary’s, a Christian Brothers college in nearby Moraga, where he was in the class of 1934 for a time. “I left in 1932,” he once said, “after one of the brothers told me I was flunking everything and should stick to music.”

He headed for Hollywood, where a new name, his good looks and his voice soon had him working steadily, mostly in small parts, starting with that of a sailor in “Follow the Fleet” (1936), a song-and-dance feature starring Astaire and Rogers. Later that year he appeared in “Sing, Baby, Sing,” starring Alice Faye, whom he married in 1937. That marriage ended in divorce in 1940.

In 1941, in one of the high points of his screen career, he serenaded Judy Garland, Hedy Lamarr and Lana Turner as they floated down a staircase in a number staged by Busby Berkeley in MGM’s “Ziegfeld Girl.”

He eventually won larger roles in musicals like “Here Come the Girls” (1953) and “Hit the Deck” (1955). But his acting rarely drew critical praise, owing at least partly to the sort of films with which his career began — mostly the escapist fluff that audiences were demanding in those grim Depression days. In reviewing Mr. Martin in “Sing and Be Happy” in 1937 Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote that the only depth in the film was to be found in the dimples of Mr. Martin and his female co-star.

Mr. Martin made his radio debut in the early 1930s on “Lucky Strike Hour.” He later became a regular on “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show.” For a time in the 1950s he was the host of “The Tony Martin Show,” a 15-minute television variety series.

From 1938 to 1942 he recorded constantly, mostly for Decca. His hits included “Begin the Beguine,” “There’s No Tomorrow” (an adaptation of “O Sole Mio”) and “I Get Ideas,” taken from an Argentine tango and much criticized at the time for its supposed sexual innuendo.

In World War II Mr. Martin served briefly in the Navy then switched to the Army amid rumors that he had tried to buy a Navy commission. The rumors persisted after the war, even though Mr. Martin had served honorably in the Pacific, and several major labels refused to record him.

He signed instead with Mercury, then a small independent label based in Chicago. When one of his Mercury discs, “To Each His Own,” became a million seller, RCA Victor, one of the major labels, offered him a contract. He remained with RCA for the rest of his career.

Mr. Martin married Ms. Charisse on May 15, 1948, in a City Hall ceremony in Santa Barbara, Calif. They had a son, Tony Martin Jr., who died in 2011. Survivors include Ms. Charisse’s son from her first marriage, Nico Charisse, and two step-grandchildren.

In 1976 Mr. Martin and Ms. Charisse were co-authors, with Dick Kleiner, of “The Two of Us,” a book chronicling their lives together as performers and business partners.

In her last years Ms. Charisse appeared at most of Mr. Martin’s performances, usually sitting quietly in the audience. But she performed with him again in 1997, when they participated in “A Celebration of MGM Musicals” at Carnegie Hall, a show that blended vintage film clips from the 1940s and ’50s with reminiscences by the films’ stars. Mr. Martin later adapted this format for his club dates.

After a sequence from “Ziegfeld Girl,” Mr. Holden of The Times wrote: “Mr. Martin, now 84, came out and sang a beautifully nuanced, pitch-perfect ‘All the Things You Are.’ The voice, with its virile overtones, seemed only to have grown richer over the years, and the audience response was rhapsodic.”

SOURCE

HOLLYWOOD TIDBITS: HARRY EINSTEIN

Harry Einstein (1904-1958) was an American comedian and writer, usually known by the name Harry Parke, but who was variously credited as Harry Einstein, Harold Einstein, Harry "Parkyakarkus" Einstein, Parkyakarkus and Parkyarkarkus. He became famous as the character Parkyakarkus (or Parkyarkarkus) — park your carcass; that is, sit down — who garbled Greek on Eddie Cantor's radio show and appeared in eleven films using this name from 1936 to 1945. Harry also was the father of actor Albert Brooks.

Any entertainer will say that they want to die on stage, and Harry nearly did that. Parke died from a heart attack at a Friar's Club Roast of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz on November 24, 1958 in Los Angeles, California. He had just finished his testimonal to a house full of laughter and Art Linkletter's remark, "How come anyone as funny as this isn't on the air?", when Parke slumped onto Milton Berle's lap at the event. Berle asked "Is there a doctor in the house?"; this remark was met with laughter, as the crowd was unaware that Berle was being serious. Emcee Art Linkletter then directed crooner Tony Martin to sing a song to divert the crowd's attention; Martin's unfortunate choice was "There's No Tomorrow." According to the Los Angeles Times account, Desi Arnaz said: "This offering meant so much to me. Now it means nothing. Please, everyone, pray to your God that he will be saved."

He was carried backstage where five specialists who were Friars Club members worked feverishly to save his life. One doctor used his pen knife to make an incision in Parke's chest for open heart massage. Another used the ends of an electric cord as a makeshift defibrillator to shock his heart back to life; only the left side responded with a feeble rhythm. The doctors continued the open heart massage while waiting for the rescue squad. Despite two hours of intense medical effort, Parke was pronounced dead at 1:20 AM local time...

MOVIE REVIEW: ZIEGFELD GIRL

I am a sucker for those all-star movies of classic Hollywood. Where the whole studio would appear in a single movie. A lot of times the talent is merely used to make a cameo appearance in the movie. I enjoy those appearances as well, but a movie that uses the talent effectively in great roles is really a gem of celluloid. One such movie that uses all of the stars in great roles is Ziegfeld Girl (1941).

Set in the 1920s, the film tells the parallel stories of three women who become performers in the renowned Broadway show the Ziegfeld Follies. It was intended to be a 1938 sequel to the 1936 hit The Great Ziegfeld, and even recycled some footage from the earlier film - however the movie underwent many changes in its plot before it was released.

The story here follows three young women who get into the Ziegfeld chorus line.

Lana Turner is an elevator operator in a department store who is seen by the showman and hired by his right hand man (Edward Everett Horton). She is seeing a truck driver (Jimmy Stewart). Turner likes the more lucrative and glamorous lifestyle she is entering (especialy the relationship she picks up with wealthy Ian Hunter). Stewart gradually gets disgusted by the change in her, and turns to "easy, big money" of his own - working as a driver and lieutenant of a bootlegger.

The second follows Hedy Lamarr, the wife of violinist Philip Dorn. Dorn has been struggling (with the help of friend Felix Bressart) to get into public notice as a great classical violinist. While accompanying him to an audition for a violinist at the New Amsterdam Theater, Lamarr is hired for the chorus. Dorn does not want his wife to be a possible sex object for lascivious males. When Hedy refuses to give up a good job, Dorn walks out on her (although he keeps an eye on her career and relationships, especially with the male singer star of the show Tony Martin).

Finally we see Judy acting with her father Charles Winninger at a vaudeville theater in Harlem (this is about 1920 or so). He is "Pop" Gallagher, a tried-and-true old vaudeville comedian and song and dance man. Judy is hired also for the chorus (the one failure of the plot: Judy is still an adorable young woman like "Dorothy" in the WIZARD OF OZ, but is outclassed by Turner and Lamarr or even fellow chorus girl Eve Arden as a statuesque looker), but we see her pushed onto Horton and show director Paul Kelly as a singer by Turner and Lamarr. But her singing is not how Winninger trained her, and he feels he has to let her go off on her own. Instead he meets an old friend, Al Shean (here playing himself), and they go off into the vaudeville hinterlands to perfect an act together.

The film follows the rise and fall or rise of the three young women, with Turner having the hardest fall (as does Stewart). On the way Turner will have two run-ins with a very young (and obnoxious) Dan Daily as a boxing champion. It's an interesting early role for this actor, better recalled for musical and comic parts a decade later. The other supporting players do well too, Arden getting some nice zingers regarding the benefits of being there for stage door johnnies. Horton plays it fairly controlled and not as startled as normal. Kelly is all business, an interesting early come-back role for a fine character actor just getting his life together after years in prison for a tragedy he was not really to blame for. Martin gets to sing "You Look Like a Dream" and several other tunes, his romance doomed when Hedy meets his long-suffering wife. Dorn proves an adept actor, jealous and hurt at Hedy's choice, but willing to meet her half-way at the end. Jackie Cooper (as Lana's brother) is fine as her would-be conscience, and Judy's boy-friend.

Judy Garland had the best numbers with the sentimental "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" and the bouncy "Minnie From Trinidad", but Tony Martin nearly stole the show with his signature number "You Stepped Out Of A Dream". The story of the three Ziegfeld hopefuls was interesting and compelling. One of the girls gained fame being a Ziegfeld girl, one Ziegfeld girl decided that family was her best bet, and one Ziegfeld girl went down the wrong path to self-destruction. Everything about this movie I enjoyed, and it a shame that this film is not remembered more. Florence Ziegfeld sure could put on a show, and even a movie about him was no different!

my rating: 10 out of 10

MISSED OBITS: TONY MARTIN JR.

When looking for stories about classic Hollywood, a lot of the stories appear for one day and get forgotten, or they get buried all together. I was saddened to just discover that tragedy has entered singer Tony Martin's life again.

The only son that Tony had with wife and dancer Cyd Charisse passed away at the age of 60 on April 10, 2011. Tony Martin Jr. was born on August 28, 1950 in Los Angeles, California to two of the most talented people in Hollywood. Tony Martin was a big band singer, live performer, and movie star since the mid 1930s. Cyd Charisse was one of the best dancers of Hollywood's golden age. She was a popular dancer in MGM musicals from 1946 to 1957.

Tony Martin Jr. was a musican, who married beauty starlet Liv Lindeland-Martin. Liv was originally from Norway and a popular Playboy playmate. It is not known if they had any children together.

I have not discovered the cause of death, but it was reported that Tony Martin Jr had been in ill health for years, and his parents had to pay most of the medical bills. It was also reported that Tony Jr was in a car accident in 2001, but I am not sure if that contributed to his death.

This is the second sad death that the elder Tony Martin, who is now 97, has had to deal with. Cyd Charisse passed away on June 17, 2008. Tony Martin Jr. is survived by his wife, his father, and his half brother Nico Charisse...