On the morning of December 25, 1995, Beverly Hills was still and unusually quiet. The streets were empty, hushed under the weight of Christmas morning, when the news began to spread from Sunset Boulevard: Dean Martin had passed away. He died at 3:30 a.m. in his home on North Canon Drive, due to acute respiratory failure caused by emphysema. He was 78. The house was dimly lit, a private space far removed from the glamour of his Rat Pack days. His longtime housekeeper and his daughter Gina were present. Gina had been spending most nights there in the final weeks, sensing the time was near.

Introduction The Quiet Goodbye of a Legend: Dean Martin, 1917–1995 On the morning of December...