Dean Martin

From a fan's distance, it may look like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin lived almost parallel lives.

Both were accomplished singers and actors and both were members of the famed Hollywood Rat Pack. Both were huge in Vegas, both had multiple marriages, and both were reported to have ties to organized crime. They were also very good friends who fought for civil rights by refusing to perform in clubs and casinos that wouldn't allow their good friend Sammy Davis Jr. the same courtesies. Both were sons of Italian immigrants. Both were good guys.

But while Sinatra was busy playing politics in the early 1970s and supporting soon-to-be-ousted President Richard Nixon and helping pay the corruption-scandal legal bills of resigned Vice President Spiro Agnew — along with announcing his retirement from show business — Martin was in the middle of his nine-season variety hour, the super-popular Dean Martin Show, which lasted 245 episodes and cemented his image as one of the funniest, most charming men in show business. Who today doesn't remember his signature song, "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime"?

Plus, he was much more handsome than Sinatra and knew how to fall through and destroy a fake piano with a cigarette in one hand and cocktail in the other, without spilling a drop, even if it was really just apple juice. Now that is a skill.

While Frank had some success as an actor, Dean starred in more than 50 films himself, not the least of which was Toys in the Attic, a fabulous Southern Gothic film based on the Lillian Hellman play. Even as a child, I was riveted. And let us not forget Dean in those wonderful Matt Helm movies that poked fun at James Bond.

As for those organized-crime ties, Sinatra was allegedly a wannabe and went to them. Martin had such charm that they came to him, but he did them small favors only when he felt like it. He didn't need them to make him feel important. When you're on your own variety show with, among other luminaries, with your friend Frank Sinatra as a special guest, who has time to impress the mob?

— tim sampso

dean martin

From a fan's distance, it may look like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin lived almost parallel lives.

Both were accomplished singers and actors and both were members of the famed Hollywood Rat Pack. Both were huge in Vegas, both had multiple marriages, and both were reported to have ties to organized crime. They were also very good friends who fought for civil rights by refusing to perform in clubs and casinos that wouldn't allow their good friend Sammy Davis Jr. the same courtesies. Both were sons of Italian immigrants. Both were good guys.

But while Sinatra was busy playing politics in the early 1970s and supporting soon-to-be-ousted President Richard Nixon and helping pay the corruption-scandal legal bills of resigned Vice President Spiro Agnew — along with announcing his retirement from show business — Martin was in the middle of his nine-season variety hour, the super-popular

Dean Martin Show, which lasted 245 episodes and cemented his image as one of the funniest, most charming men in show business. Who today doesn't remember his signature song, "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime"?

Plus, he was much more handsome than Sinatra and knew how to fall through and destroy a fake piano with a cigarette in one hand and cocktail in the other, without spilling a drop, even if it was really just apple juice. Now that is a skill.

While Frank had some success as an actor, Dean starred in more than 50 films himself, not the least of which was Toys in the Attic, a fabulous Southern Gothic film based on the Lillian Hellman play. Even as a child, I was riveted. And let us not forget Dean in those wonderful Matt Helm movies that poked fun at James Bond.

As for those organized-crime ties, Sinatra was allegedly a wannabe and went to them. Martin had such charm that they came to him, but he did them small favors only when he felt like it. He didn't need them to make him feel important. When you're on your own variety show with, among other luminaries, with your friend Frank Sinatra as a special guest, who has time to impress the mob?

— tim sampson

BY THE NUMBERS

5 — Age of Martin Luther King when awarded the Nobel Peace Prize

2,403 — Pages of records kept by the FBI on Frank Sinatra

6 — Number of films featuring both Sinatra and Dean Martin

89 — Age of Joey Bishop, Rat Pack's longest-lived member, at his death in 2007

2 — Films featuring all five members of the Rat Pack

29 — Ranking of St. Louis Cardinals farm system (out of 30) by Baseball America

1955 — Year the first McDonald's was opened by Ray Kroc (on April 15th in Des Plaines, Illinois)

6 — Number of colors that marshmallow PEEPS chicks and bunnies come in (yellow, pink, lavendar, blue, orange, and green)

1.5 million — Number of Creme Eggs produced each day by the Cadbury — the best-selling Easter chocolate

1947 — Year that Jackie Robinson became the first African-American player in Major League Baseball (on April 15th)

14 — Number of fireworks nights at AutoZone Park this season, starting with Opening Night (April 16th)

43 — Number of "holidays" in April; these include include Hug a Newsman Day on April 4th, and Don't Go to Work Unless It's Fun Day, April 3rd