Steubenville: Dean Martin Mecca

Town Revels In Being The Birthplace Of Legendary Crooner And Rat-Packer

(CBS)  Steubenville, Ohio is dwindling, from losses of population, steel industry jobs, and even its title of "sin city" is gone.

But there's one thing no one can ever take away: Steubenville is — and always will be — the proud birthplace of the late, great Dean Martin, or Dino Crochetti, as he was known here. It's one thing they can and do celebrate at the annual Dean Martin festival. People come from all over the world to pay homage to the entertainment legend.

Rose Angelica, devoted keeper of the flame, shows off the historic sites.

"This is Dean Martin's lot where his house was where he was born," she told Sunday Morning correspondent Bill Geist. "We mark that every year for the fans that come in they make their pilgrimage there. They take blades of grass with them and dirt to save from his lot."

"That's Dean Martin's church where he was an altar boy. He was baptized there and he was in the boy scouts they had their meeting there in the church basement," she said. "Troop number 10."

Angelica said Martin's famous song "That's Amore," is the town's "national anthem."

Fans visit Denovo's Dodge dealership. It's a repository of significant Dean Martin photos. One of the photos dates from 1939; it is of Joe Denovo and Dean Martin.

On the wall of Kroger's supermarket, Dean Martin stands two stories tall, but the artist did not include Dean's ubiquitous highball, which was just part of Martin's shtick.

"It actually was apple juice, Martinellis by the way, Angelica said. "Martinellis that's the brand he used."

One of the things that made Martin so special, was that he was the "only entertainer to have a hit record, a hit TV show and a hit movie out all at the same time," Angelica said.

"Not even Elvis did that or Frank Sinatra," she said.

[earlbaldwin-2009]

Ny wife and I really enjoyed the segment that you did on Stenbenville: Dean Martin Mecca. Is there any way that we can purchase a tape of that segment.

[badger993]

Great piece! Please post the video. Thank you!

[mjv2944]

Always liked him caused he wouldn't kiss Sinatra's as-! He was one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Sure could use a couple like him today.

[deanmartin52]

Hey pallies, like this is just such a way cool Dinostory. Long live our Master of Hip, our King of Cool, the one, the only Dino!!!! BTW, it would be like so great to have this Dinostory put up on your vids. Thanks for keeping the Dinolegacy Dinoalive and Dinowell. Dino's the man, and I am his fan.

[ma626-2009]

June...my favorite time of year. Fun at the Spot. Joe has brought great entertainers in to pay tribute to Dino! Remember Thursday nights watching the Dean Martin Show with my family.
Great Story. Would love to get the video.