The performance featured a choir of singers and dancers dressed in red, white, and blue. Joining Dean and Kate were legendary stars Barbara Eden, Mickey Rooney, and Norm Crosby. While the three men wore tuxedos, Barbara Eden wore a pink dress, and Kate Smith was in a sequined red and black gown.
The performance began with Dean and Kate singing ‘Yankee Doodle Dandy,’ followed by ‘My Old Kentucky Home’ with the others joining in. The medley then transitioned to ‘You’re a Grand Old Flag,’ with the stage filled with singers and dancers. The audience loved it, and Dean stepped towards the camera to quote President Roosevelt’s introduction of Kate Smith 30 years prior as she began ‘God Bless America.’
Kate Smith was known as ‘The Songbird of the South’ for her popularity during World War II, and had an illustrious radio and television career spanning five decades. The performance saw her delivering another epic rendition of ‘God Bless America’ penned by Irving Berlin, with the orchestra playing the familiar fanfare as her voice soared to the song’s final high note.
The audience was blown away by the majestic performance.
The performance was a stirring salute to America and featured the biggest stars of the era. ‘The Dean Martin Show’ ran from 1965 to 1974 for a total of 264 episodes, with its theme song being Dean’s 1964 hit ‘Everybody Loves Somebody.’ Dean closed the performance with the same song.
Overall, the performance showcased a powerful display of patriotism that left the audience feeling proud to be American. Dean Martin was known for his many special guests over the years, but his collaboration with Kate Smith on ‘The Dean Martin Show’ remains one of his most iconic performances.
