Dean Martin was an American singer, actor, comedian, and producer. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed the "King of Cool" for his seemingly effortless charisma and self-assurance. He was a member of the Rat Pack and a star in concert stages, nightclubs, recordings, motion pictures, and television. He was the host of the television variety program The Dean Martin Show (1965–1974) and The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974–1985). Martin's relaxed, warm vocal style influenced many other popular singers, including Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, and Nat King Cole. Born Dino Paul Crocetti in Steubenville, Ohio, Martin was the son of an Italian father, Gaetano Alfonso Crocetti, and an Italian-American mother, Angela Crocetti. His parents were married in 1914. He had an older brother named William Alfonso Crocetti. He spoke only English until he started school at the age of five. His classmates quickly began calling him "Dean," a nickname that stuck with him throughout his life. Martin dropped out of high school in the tenth grade. He then took a job as a blackjack dealer at Terrace Park Casino in Cincinnati. He served in the United States Army Air Forces in World War II and flew 52 combat missions as a crewman on a B-17 Flying Fortress. He was awarded the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war, he moved to Los Angeles where he met singer Jerry Lewis at the Glass Hat Club in Hollywood. The two quickly became friends and formed a successful comedy team that lasted ten years. They appeared in several films together including My Friend Irma (1949), At War with the Army (1950), That's My Boy (1951), The Stooge (1952), Scared Stiff (1953), and Hollywood or Bust (1956). In 1957, Martin launched his solo career with the album That Old Black Magic. It included his signature song "That's Amore," which became a huge hit and helped him to cross over into the mainstream pop market. His follow-up album, Swingin' Down Yonder, was also a success and cemented his status as a popular crooner. Martin continued to release successful albums throughout the 1950s and 1960s including Pretty Baby (1958