Dean Martin was a natural entertainer, known not only for his singing ability but also for his great showmanship on the stage. With Martin, it wasn’t just about the song—it was about the whole package. With songs such as “That’s Amore” and movies like Rio Bravo, he took the world by storm. Later, Dean Martin, along with other famous entertainers such as Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr., forged the ultimate group of performers: The Rat Pack, an inglorious name for a finely honed group of musical superstars.

As successful as Martin was on the stage, however, his personal life wasn’t always easy. He had a hardscrabble upbringing where he struggled for every crumb. After dropping out of school, he labored in a steel mill, delivered bootleg liquor, served as a croupier in an illegal casino, and even had a brief career in amateur boxing. The latter earned him little apart from a broken nose and broken knuckles, but nevertheless, no one could keep Dean Martin’s spirit down for long. This is his life—this is his story.