Nancy Sinatra says drinking Dean Martin was part of his ‘performance’: ‘Dean was very disciplined’ and ‘played golf every morning’
Nancy Sinatra said on Twitter on Wednesday that the late Dean Martin was not a heavy drinker but was more of an “actress.”
Nancy, 82, responded to a user on Twitter who said Martin “looked like drunk” during a 1965 group appearance that included his Rat Pack racing mates Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr., as well as Johnny Carson and Quincy Jones.
Nancy replied, “That’s a lie. Dean was very disciplined and played golf every morning. The drinking was part of the professional role, an act.”
The Latest: Nancy Sinatra said on Twitter Wednesday that the late Dean Martin was not a heavy drinker but that it was an “act.”
The These Boots Are Made for Walkin’ singer addressed the issue with another user to defend Martin, who died on Christmas Day 1995.
The user said, “Nancy! One only had to look at recent photos of Dean to see that he had lived the life of an alcoholic! It’s not a crime, it was a condition he was willing to live with.
“He was a tremendous star and entertainer and will forever be loved by those who knew him personally and as an audience!
Nancy replied no, saying that after the death of his son Dean Jr. in 1987 at age 35 in a plane crash while in military training, Dean was “just a shell” of himself.
Nancy, 82, responded to a user on Twitter who said Martin “looked like drunk” during a 1965 group appearance that included his Rat Pack racing mates Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr., as well as Johnny Carson and Quincy Jones
Nancy said that after the death of his son Dean Jr. in 1987 at age 35 in a plane crash while in military training, Dean was “just a shell” of himself
“His face reflected his pain and sadness at the loss of his son,” said the New Jersey native. “After Dean Jr. died, he was never the same.”
Nancy thanked a user who said the 2021 documentary Dean Martin: King of Cool enlightened her on the showbiz aspect of his drinking personality.
“I always thought Dean Martin was a drunk too,” said the user. “That’s when I realized it was all theatre. He was really a quiet, sober, very private person.’
Nancy retweeted a number of users who chimed in with supportive comments.
One said: “Dean and the Rat Pack were professionals. They couldn’t perform if they were really drunk,” while another said, “No way [Martin] could have done everything as well as he did if he had been drunk all the time.’
The legendary entertainer was pictured at an event in 1988