That's So Raven
Format	Family Teen sitcom Supernatural
Created by	Michael Poryes Susan Sherman
Starring	Raven-Symoné Orlando Brown Kyle Massey Anneliese van der Pol T'Keyah Crystal Keymah (seasons 1-3) Rondell Sheridan
Theme music composer	John Coda
Opening theme	"That's So Raven", by Raven-Symoné, Orlando Brown and Anneliese van der Pol
Ending theme	"That's So Raven (instrumental)" (used in seasons 1–3 and most episodes of season 4)
Country of origin	United States
Language(s)	English
No. of seasons	4
No. of episodes	100 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Michael Poryes (season 1) Sean McNamara David Brookwell (seasons 1–3) Dennis Rinsler Marc Warren (season 3+) Raven-Symoné (season 4)
Location(s)	Sunset Gower Studios Hollywood Center Studios Los Angeles, California San Francisco, California
Camera setup	Videotape; Multi-camera
Running time	approx. 23 minutes
Production company(s)	Disney Channel Original Productions (entire run) Brookwell McNamara Entertainment (seasons 1–3) That So Productions Warren & Rinsler Productions (both; season 4)
Broadcast
Original channel	Disney Channel/ABC
Picture format	480i
Original run	January 17, 2003 (2003-01-17) – November 10, 2007 (2007-11-10)
Chronology
Followed by	Cory in the House (2007-2008)
External links
Official Website

That's So Raven is an American teen sitcom television series. It debuted on the Disney Channel on January 17, 2003, and ended its run on November 10, 2007. The show spawned Disney Channel's first spin-off series: Cory in the House. The series was nominated in 2005 and 2007 for Emmy Awards for outstanding children's programming.^[1]

The show is a modern-day sitcom with a teenage twist in the vein of Bewitched.^{[citation needed]} Producers added supernatural abilities that Raven, the main character, as that would get her into curious situations. The show is set (but was not produced) in San Francisco and revolves around teenager Raven Baxter, played by Raven-Symoné, her friends Eddie (Orlando Brown) and Chelsea (Anneliese van der Pol), and her family members focusing on brother Cory (Kyle Massey). The title character draws on her talent, ingenuity, psychic powers and a variety of disguises to get into and out of amusing adolescent and pre-adolescent situations.

Reruns of episodes aired on the ABC Kids Saturday morning segment of Disney-owned ABC broadcast network in the United States until August 27, 2011, when the block was discontinued. Reruns currently air in Canada on Family and VRAK.TV, with some episodes also available on DVD. No announcement has been made as to whether the show will get complete season releases on DVD or Blu-ray. That's So Raven is still popular in syndication, garnering higher ratings than any other Disney Channel show.^[2]

Production[link]

The name for the main character changed several times prior to production, starting with Dawn Baxter in a show named The Future Is On Me. Names changed to Rose Baxter in a show called Absolutely Psychic but finally settling on Raven Baxter when actress Raven-Symoné won the lead part, with the show titled That's So Raven. Symoné originally auditioned for the role of the best friend, Stacey^[3] but was changed due to ratings. Raven-Symoné is credited simply as "Raven" throughout the series.

The show filmed a special pilot episode on April 12, 2001 and the first season was filmed from November 9, 2001 – June 2002.^[4]The first season premiered on Disney Channel UK in September 2002 and in the United States on January 17, 2003.

That's So Raven was responsible for many firsts for Disney Channel: the series was the highest-rated series in the history of Disney Channel and the first series to garner more than three-million viewers; the longest-running original series in Disney Channel history (and first Disney-produced series to reach 100 episodes) until October 14, 2011 when the Disney Channel Original Series Wizards of Waverly Place beat the record ending the series with 106 episodes. The first Disney-produced series to produce a spinoff (Cory in the House) and one of only three live action original series, where the lead and most of the supporting main characters are minorities (The Famous Jett Jackson and Cory in the House being the others).

In addition, it was also the first Disney Channel sitcom to be shot on videotape, to use a multi-camera format, to be shot in front of a studio audience or use a laugh track,^{[citation needed]} and to use the simulated film look created by FilmLook, Inc. (all of which has become standard on all Disney Channel comedies, though a 'filmized' appearance will be given to all of the channel's videotaped sitcoms produced from 2009 onward, as the live-action Disney Channel Original Series begin being produced in high definition).

The first three seasons were produced by Brookwell McNamara Entertainment. The company later left at the end of season 3, being replaced by Warren & Rinsler Productions. Raven-Symoné then received a producer credit for the show's fourth and final season, with the credit being called "That So Productions". It became the first Disney Channel series to create a spin-off, Cory in the House, which followed her younger brother, Cory, as his dad becomes the head chef for the President of the United States, causing the two of them to move to Washington D.C.

In the fourth season of That's So Raven and on Cory in the House, Victor states that Tanya (T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh) is in England as a lawyer. The show shot its final few episodes in January 2006, but they weren't all aired until a year later, with the series finale airing in March 2007 and the second-to-last episode shown that November.

Opening sequence[link]

The show's title theme song was written by John Coda, who also composed the music cues to signify scene changes and commercial breaks for this series as well as Even Stevens. It was produced by Jeffrey "Def Jef" Fortson and Christopher B. Pearman and was performed by Raven-Symoné, Anneliese van der Pol and Orlando Brown.

Each season had opening credits composed of footage from the episodes of that season. Each season also made an exception to the guideline by showing footage from the previous seasons, most of the time when it was needed. For example, if footage being shown was of the characters dancing, then footage of a character or characters would be shown. When originally broadcast, season two followed the guideline, but when season three began airing, the opening credits from season two were replaced with the opening credits from season three for daytime network rebroadcasts and subsequent syndication.

Each opening sequence, before going to the title card, always ended with the main cast being together (in clips that were not part of any episode). Seasons one, two, and three were of the Baxters sitting on their living room couch, and season four was of the Baxters (with the exception of Tanya), Eddie, and Chelsea coming down the Baxters' living room stairs.

At the end of the opening credits, Raven stands next to the title card and says, "Yep, that's me." This remained in season four, except with a new addition. Raven's catchphrase "Oh, snap!" was dubbed in right before she says, "Yep, that's me."

Raven-Symoné performs most of the theme, while Brown performs a rap near the end of the theme and some scattered vocals in the beginning of the theme. Van der Pol sings the show's title in the chorus. A full-length version of this theme was heard in a music video which aired a few months before the show's U.S. premiere and also can be heard on the show's first soundtrack, released in 2004.

In Disney Channel Asia, an Asian version^{[clarification needed]} of the show's theme song was made. The music video debuted on January 17, 2007, back-to-back with the 100th episode of That's So Raven.

Episodes[link]

The series is the second longest running Disney Channel Original Series, with its popularity extending the show's contract from 65 to 100 episodes. The last episodes produced were "The Way We Were", but then the crossover called "Checkin' Out" was produced as part of "That's So Suite Life of Hannah Montana". Although it was chronologically the last episode, it did not air last; instead, "When There's Smoke" aired last.

_{^*Three season 1 episodes were left unaired until season 2 episodes began airing.}

Characters[link]

Main characters[link]

• Raven Lydia Baxter, played by Raven-Symoné (credited as Raven), is the main character. Aged 14–15 (Season 1), 15–16 (Season 2), 16–17 (Season 3), 17–18 (Season 4). She is almost an ordinary teenager, but she has psychic abilities. She has a sassy attitude, a grand personality, and is well known for her style. She also loves fashion, and designs her own clothing. She has friends and a loving family, and she goes to public school. However, on various occasions, she gets "psychic visions" about what may or may not happen later. She is only able to "see" a small segment of some future event, and she frequently errs on what it really means, in which case her attempts to change these events only end up making it happen or making it worse. Her main catchphrases are "Oh snap!", "Ya nasty!", "How ya'll doin'?", and "Oh, no he didn't!" She abruptly says, "I'm okay!" if she falls down in one of her disguises. And, if big guys throw her, she tells them to do it "gently!" In addition, when she disapproves of something, she exclaims "Gotta go!" When she makes an appearance on Cory In The House, her father exclaims, "You didn't get kicked out of design school because they don't give out refunds!", which shows she is attending design school. Raven is also a master of disguise, which fits in with her trouble-making antics and passion for becoming a fashion designer, like her idol, Donna Cabonna, whom she worked for as an intern. Raven Baxter is extremely allergic to mushrooms, and her favorite drink is orange juice. According to Chelsea, her favorite gemstone is diamond, her favorite vegetable is corn, and her favorite animal is stuffed. Often referred to as Rae, Raven does not enjoy nature or camping.

• Edward "Eddie" Thomas, played by Orlando Brown, Aged 14–15 (Season 1), 15–16 (Season 2), 16–17 (Season 3), 17–18 (Season 4). He is Raven's male best friend. He is an aspiring rapper, and is a guard on the school basketball team. He is like a "big brother" to Cory Baxter. He briefly attempts to start a romantic relationship with Raven, and is shown in 2 visions to be Raven's future husband. Occasionally, he says "Told ya! Told ya twice!" after he tells Raven not to do something that they both knew she would do. Another common catchphrase of his is "Holla!" after he finishes talking to his friends or girls that he likes. His parents are divorced, which is mentioned several times throughout the series.

• Chelsea Ophelia Daniels, played by Anneliese van der Pol, Aged 14–15 (Season 1), 15–16 (Season 2), 16–17 (Season 3), 17–18 (Season 4). Often referred to as Chels, She is Raven's female best friend. She is an environmentalist, vegetarian, and closet artist. She is portrayed as being dimwitted (although earlier seasons portray her to be almost as smart as Raven, but to extreme limits); at times, her stupidity is so potent that she is frequently oblivious to what should be obvious and unable to discern sarcasm from sincerity. She usually uses the catchphrases "That makes more sense!" or '"This is awkward!" She also likes to make jokes, which only she would laugh at. Despite her apparent lack of common sense and intelligence, she has a few surprises up her sleeve—such as occasionally knowing certain "smart" things, which usually tends to surprise everyone else. In Season 1, it is revealed that Raven and Chelsea's friendship goes all the way back to when they were in pre-school, but she was also shown to be dimwitted back then because she did not notice Raven blowing out the candles on her birthday cake. It should also be noted that Chelsea was just as caring when she was young as she is now because one of her unfulfilled wishes on that same birthday was to stop global warming. She is quite similar to Newt (from Cory in the House) in personality. Occasionally, Chelsea refers to a specific relative, Cousin Earl, at times.

• Cory Baxter, played by Kyle Massey, Aged 10–11 (Season 1), 11–12 (Season 2), 12–13 (Season 3), 13–14 (Season 4), is Raven's younger brother who sometimes acts as the main antagonist of the series. He and Raven often argue, but in the long run, they care deeply for each other. Even as he gets older, he claims that playing pranks on Raven is one of his guilty pleasures. Cory has two best friends, William and Larry. Together, the 3 boys form the band "Cory and the Boys", with Cory as the drummer and lead singer, while Larry is the guitarist. William starts out playing the clarinet, and then plays the keyboard. The band has one song: "Feelin' the Love". Cory is an aspiring businessman. He is shown to be obsessed with money, and often creates "get-rich-quick" schemes behind his parents' backs, in which he always gets into trouble. Cory also has a close relationship with his pet rat, Lionel. Earlier in the series, he had a crush on Chelsea. His catchphrase is "Cha-ching". He and Victor are the main characters in the TSR spin-off series Cory in the House.

• Victor Baxter, played by Rondell Sheridan, is the father of Raven and Cory, and husband of Tanya. He starts out as a chef in a restaurant, but he later opens his own restaurant, The Chill Grill. His biggest rival is Leonard Stevenson. In Cory in the House, he gets a job as the President's chef, and it is unknown what became of his restaurant. His catchphrases are "Here comes the pain!" and "I'll go pack!" (Cory in the House)

• Tanya Baxter, played by T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh, is the mother of Raven and Cory. She is a firm, but fun and caring mother who, despite the antics of her children, is always there for them. She halted her studies to raise her family, but decided once the children were older to continue studying law. Before that, she briefly worked as Raven's English teacher at the request of Raven's school principal. Her catchphrase is "Momma like!" She has a very competitive nature to her personality. It's learned that her mother, Viv, is also psychic. In season 4, Tanya is not present, saying that she went off to England to attend law school.

Recurring characters[link]

Señorita Rodriguez, played by Rose Abdoo

Señorita Rodriguez is the Spanish teacher at Chelsea Daniels, Eddie Thomas, and Raven Baxter's school. She also sponsors the Bayside Barracudian newspaper. Other roles she has taken on include teaching the 'Drama Club', advising the "Bayside Outdoor Club", and creating/leading the "FLUB" (Future Leaders United in Business) Club. Retailers say she takes too many freebies. She has appeared in several episodes throughout the series. Whenever she is in a conversation with someone, she quickly gets their hopes up with positive responses, followed by a sly laugh, and an abrupt "NO!" with a negative tone—her catchphrase.

Devon Carter, played by Lil' J

Devon Carter is Raven's steady boyfriend from Seasons 2-4. He previously had braces on his teeth and bad acne, and was known as "Bucktooth Carter". After he had his braces removed and his face "cleared up" over the summer, and came back to school, Raven and Alana were constantly fighting to be his girlfriend. He eventually becomes Raven's boyfriend, and continues to be, even after he moves to Seattle. Although he and his family move to Seattle, he still sees Raven occasionally (when his father visits San Francisco on business trips). Even though they say they are each other's "only love", we also see Raven have numerous crushes between Devon's visits. Devon has a little sister named Nadine who is sweet and innocent when he's around, but Nadine is revealed to be extremely bratty behind his back.

Alana Rivera, played by Adrienne Bailon

Alana was Raven's former best friend until the 4th grade when she portrayed "Tooth Decay" in a school play. She finds great pleasure in teasing and bullying Raven. She hangs out with her "posse", which includes followers Muffy and Loka. She was first introduced in Season 2 in the episode "Run Raven Run". In the same episode, we learn that Alana and Raven were previously friends in elementary school, but a fourth grade school play had them both competing for the role of the Tooth Fairy (which Raven got, while Alana portrayed the tooth decay), and would ultimately end their friendship. Alana and Raven almost became friends again when Raven "teamed up" with Alana's "posse" (in the episode "Clothes Minded"), which happens after Chelsea and Eddie do not support Raven's school "protest". In the episode Run Raven Run, Raven and Alana briefly become friends until Chelsea reveals that Raven put chewing gum in Alana's hair. This causes her to get her head shaved and covered up. Alana, Muffy, and Loka also spend the night at Raven's house in the episode "Shake, Rattle, and Rae". In this episode, Raven and Alana almost become friends again, until Alana announces that "the score is 1-0". She was replaced in season 3 by Bianca (Erica Rivera), because, according to Muffy, she was so bad, she got sent to military school, while Bianca was so bad that she got kicked out of military school.

Muffy, played by Ashley Drane

Muffy is a member of Alana's (and, later on, Bianca's) posse. Her role in the posse is to record important events (like an organizer) and tends to explain what Alana (and, later on, Bianca) say which is usually brief. She took over as Raven's foremost enemy after Bianca left. There is some speculation that she might be psychic because she knows everything that Alana and Bianca are thinking. She also has a younger sister, Buffy, who is Sydney's age, and enemy.

Loka, played by Andrea Edwards

Loka is a member of Alana's (and, later on, Bianca's) posse. She is rough, and she did the "bad work" for Alana (and then Bianca). She is a tall girl, whom nobody likes to mess with. She is also romantically interested in Eddie; she likes to give him arm punches every time she sees him. She is obsessed with the boy band "Boyz in Motion", and also loves S'mores, as seen in the episode Shake, Rattle, and Rae. She even shows compassion (briefly) for Raven in the season 3 episode "Boyz 'N Commotion". Loka is shown to be nicer than Muffy or Bianca in personality and sort of became friends with Raven.

William, played by Frankie Ryan Manriquez

William is one of Cory's best friends. He is known to be very smart, and loves ducks. He is afraid of girls, and he can play the clarinet and keyboard. His classmates call him "Captain Brainypants". He "invents" many different gadgets in various episodes, such as the "remote-controlled refrigerator opener". He once does Raven's science project, in exchange for her designing him a new wardrobe to look "cooler". It has been implied that William is younger than Cory, but it is not known how much younger.

Larry, played by David Henrie

Larry is Cory's other best friend. He is Jewish, as revealed in the episode "Raven, Sydney, And The Man", when he invites Cory to his Bar Mitzvah. He is the guitar player in "Cory and the Boys". He also has a yellow sweater that he wears all the time during the winter, as mentioned in the episode "The Lying Game", although no other reference to this is made. He takes cotillion class, as revealed in the episode "Mad Hot Cotillion". He is also known to be over-worried, and slightly strange, at times.

Stanley played by Bobb'e J. Thompson

Stanley is Eddie's next-door neighbor, who is obsessed with Raven. He serves as the primary antagonist of the show, he has a frenemy relationship with Eddie and Cory, although he is usually seen scamming them. Stanley was originally brought in as a love interest for Raven's next-door neighbor, Sierra, but he becomes much more interested in Raven, and in one episode, Loka. Stanley is rude, obnoxious, mean, sarcastic, and deceptive to everyone. He is a young salesman, who usually tricks Cory into buying something that would eventually go wrong. Stanley is always trying desperately to get Raven to like him, but he suddenly leaves her alone after seeing her kiss Andre in the episode "Mr. Perfect". He loves to eat cheese sandwiches. He also competes against Chelsea in a ping-pong match, and loses. In the same episode ("Taken To The Cleaners"), he asks Victor to make him a cheese sandwich in the shape of a ping-pong paddle. His catchphrases include "My brotha!", which he exclaims whenever he is trying to "show someone up"; and "I may have said that, but I say a lot of things." This is a partial denial of his ability to be nice to other people. He appears primarily in Seasons 3 and 4, in the episodes "Opportunity Shocks"; "Taken To The Cleaners"; "The Grill Next Door"; "Mr. Perfect"; "The Four Aces"; "Driving Miss Lazy"; "Sister Act"; "Checkin' Out"; "Fur Better or Worse" and "When 6021 Met 4267". He also appeared in the Cory in the House episode "Uninvited Pest" when he covets the "Presidential Medal" Cory was going to receive for his "Young Businessperson of the Year" Project. He got into the "Up with Goodness" program, feigned an ankle injury, and stole Cory's presentation. It is also noted that he has a fear of bones, which helps Cory prove that Stanley faked the injury and stole his presentation.

Sydney, played by Sydney Park

Sydney is a girl at Bayside Community Center, whom Raven mentors. When they first meet, Sydney embarrasses Raven by constantly insulting her. However, when Raven learns that Sydney is a foster child, they quickly develop a friendship. Sydney is an aspiring comedian, and she even "performed" at Cory's "Bro Mitzvah" in the episode "Raven, Sydney, and the Man". Raven and Sydney are now very close friends, and even enter a Little Miss and Her Big Sis pageant. Raven and Sydney are often compared as sisters, although they are not actually related.

Donna Cabonna, played by Anne-Marie Johnson

Donna Cabonna is a world-renowned fashion designer, and Raven's arrogant, snooty, trashy boss. Her name is a parody of real-life designers Donna Karan and Dolce & Gabbana. Donna has started Raven as an intern, in which she is often stuck with many tedious jobs such as getting Donna her coffee and picking after her dog Coco. In one episode in Season 4, she makes Raven her "temporary assistant" when Tiffany goes on a business trip. Raven's full devotion to her boss causes Devon to break up with her, but they quickly re-unite after a brief talk. Donna has a boyfriend named Teddy (Richard Steven Horvitz), who is much shorter than her, with whom she plays "break-up and make-up" every weekend. Despite the many conflicts between Raven and her boss, Donna is very supportive of Raven and believes that she could go far in the fashion industry with her talents.

Tiffany, played by Jodi Shilling

Tiffany is Donna's "personal assistant", and Raven's primary nemesis in the fourth season. Ever since their first meeting, Tiffany and Raven do not each other. On Raven's first day working for Donna (in the episode "Dues & Don'ts"), Tiffany lies to Raven by telling her that Donna Cabonna's office belongs to Raven. They are constantly "competing" to be Donna's favorite assistant. She apparently shares many similarities with Muffy.

Abandoned film project[link]

In 2010, to promote her latest film Vampires Suck, Anneliese van der Pol revealed in an interview that a That's So Raven film had been written but never happened. "The storyline saw us going to France. She was going to start a fashion line in France. Eddie and I were going to fly out and meet her. Of course, something tragic happens. We have to rescue the situation.", van der Pol admitted that Raven's schedule at the time was booked solid for a year and the possibility of the film seemed unlikely. "But no, It's not ever happening. If I hear something, I will be the first to sign on.", van der Pol commented on reprising her role of Chelsea Daniels.^[5]

Merchandise[link]

The That's So Raven franchise has been modeled after fellow Disney Channel hit Lizzie McGuire. Raven has a clothing line, DVD releases, novels, bedroom sets, a perfume, a GirlTalk board game,^[6] three video games^[7] and two soundtracks, That's So Raven: Songs from and inspired by the hit TV show and That's So Raven Too!.

In February 2005, That's So Raven toys were featured in the McDonald's Happy Meal. In April 2005, a doll based on Raven Baxter was released^[8] and another was released the following year.

In September 2005, the show also spawned a fragrance and an MP3 player. That same month, the clothing line was shipped to Macy's stores. As of 2006, That's So Raven merchandise has made $400 million.^[9]

Soundtrack albums[link]

• That's So Raven
• That's So Raven Too!

Series novelizations[link]

1. What You See Is What You Get – Smell Of Victory & A Dog By Any Other Name
2. Rescue Me – Driven To Insanity & Mother Dearest
3. In Raven We Trust – Test Of Friendship & Saturday Afternoon Fever
4. Step Up – Dissin' Cousins & Party Animal
5. Family Affair – If I Only Had A Job & Teach Your Children Well
6. 2 Good 2 B True – To See Or Not To See & Ye Olde Dating Game
7. Tell It Like It Is – Campaign In The Neck & Separation Anxiety
8. Dueling Divas' – A Fight At The Opera & The Parties
9. Showtime! – Wake Up, Victor & A Fish Called Raven
10. Psyched – Psychics Wanted & Saving Psychic Raven
11. Boyfriend Blues – Four's A Crowd & Blue In The Face
12. Be Mine – Hearts And Minds & Close Encounters Of The Nerd Kind
13. The Real Deal – That's So Not Raven & Run Raven Run
14. Over The Top – Out Of Control & He's Got The Power
15. Rebel Raven – Clothes Minded & Spa Day Afternoon
16. Superstar – Radio Heads & The Road To Audition
17. House Party – Hizzouse Party & Leave It To Diva
18. Queen Of Hearts – There Goes The Bride & Royal Treatment
19. Raven Rocks – A Goat's Tale & Boyz 'N Motion
20. Extreme Fever – Extreme Cory & When There's Smoke

Video games[link]

That's So Raven has spawned three video games:

• That's So Raven, Game Boy Advance
• That's So Raven 2, Game Boy Advance
• That's So Raven: Psychic on the Scene, Nintendo DS

DVD releases[link]

The Complete Season[link]

To date not announced the launch of DVD with the full season of the series. But is available on the iTunes Store, only the last three seasons.

Volume Releases[link]

^[10]

^[11][12][13]

Other Releases[link]

Spin-off[link]

[edit] Cory in the House

Cory in the House is the first Disney Channel spin-off and premiered on January 12, 2007. It was the one chosen out of the many pitched and proposed spin-offs that were to have aired after the completion of That's So Raven, including one about Raven going off to college. Originally Raven-Symoné was offered her own spin-off, but she declined it, therefore Disney Channel decided to give the spin-off to Kyle Massey.

The storyline involves Cory and his father Victor adjusting to life in Washington, D.C.; Victor has received a job as the Head Chef to the President. The show takes place while Raven is attending fashion college and Cory's mom is still in London.

The series is similar to its sister show, That's So Raven. Cory has two best friends, one a boy, Newton Livingston III (Jason Dolley), and one a girl, Meena Paroom (Maiara Walsh). Note that in That's So Raven, the main character also has two best friends, one a boy and one a girl. Cory attends a middle school in Washington, D.C. Also in the series, the president's daughter Sophie (Madison Pettis) constantly pesters Cory, like Cory did to Raven in That's So Raven. Cory also participates in crazy situations in which he learns a moral lesson and will most likely get punished. Candy Smiles plays in Cory's love-life multiple times, and Stickler continuously spies on Cory, Newton and especially Meena.

In one episode, Raven-Symoné guest starred as Raven Baxter, who came to show designs of new tour guide uniforms to President Martinez (John D'Aquino). Unfortunately, she has a vision of a clock falling on the President, and tackles him, earning the Secret Service a chance to chase her around the grounds. Cory poses as his sister to display the uniforms, modeled by Newton and Meena. Raven is discovered outside the Oval Office window, and chased, until she actually does save Mr. Martinez from the clock. The episode ends with the credits sequence for That's So Pooshnick, a show from Meena's country about a psychic girl who can see the past and always ends up messing up trying to stop the vision from happening again.

Awards and nominations[link]

• BAFTA Awards

2003: Best International—Walter Barnett & Lee Shullat Chemel (Nominated)

• BET Comedy Awards

2005: Outstanding Comedy Series(Nominated)

2005: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series—Raven-Symoné (Nominated)

2004: Outstanding Comedy Series(Nominated)

2004: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series—Raven-Symoné (Nominated)

• Casting Society of America

2006: Best Children's TV Programming—Joey Paul Jensen (Nominated)

2005: Best Children's TV Programming—Joey Paul Jensen (Won)

• Emmy Awards

2007: Outstanding Children's Program (Nominated)

2005: Outstanding Children's Program (Nominated)

• Genesis Awards

2005: Children's Programming for episode "A Goat's Tale" (Nominated)

• Image Awards

2008: Outstanding Children's Program (Won)

2008: Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Program (Series or Special)—Raven-Symoné (Won)

2007: Outstanding Children's Program (Won)

2007: Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Program (Series or Special)—Raven-Symoné (Won)

2007: Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series—Raven-Symoné (Nominated)

2007: Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Program (Series or Special)—Kyle Massey (Nominated)

2006: Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Program (Series or Special)—Raven-Symoné (Won)

2006: Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series—Eric Dean Seaton (Nominated)

2005: Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Program (Series or Special)—Raven-Symoné (Won)

2004: Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Program (Series or Special)—Raven-Symoné (Won)

• Kids' Choice Awards

2008: Favorite Television Actress—Raven-Symoné (Nominated)

2007: Favorite Television Actress—Raven-Symoné (Nominated)

2006: Favorite Television Actress—Raven-Symoné (Nominated)

2006: Favorite Television Show (Nominated)

2005: Favorite Television Actress—Raven-Symoné (Won)

2004: Favorite Television Actress—Raven-Symoné (Won)

• NAMIC Vision Awards

2008: Best Performance—Comedy—Raven-Symoné (Nominated)

2005: Best Comedic Performance—Raven-Symoné (Nominated)

2004: Best Comedic Performance—Raven-Symoné (Nominated)

• Teen Choice Awards

2006: TV—Choice Actress: Comedy—Raven-Symoné (Nominated)

• 2005: Choice TV Actress: Comedy—Raven-Symoné (Nominated)
• 2005: Choice TV Show: Comedy (Nominated)
• 2004: Choice TV Actress: Comedy—Raven-Symoné (Nominated)
• 2004: Choice TV Show: Comedy (Nominated)
• Writers Guild of America

2007: Children's Episodic & Specials—Deborah Swisher for episode "Fur Better or Worse" (Nominated)

• Young Artist Awards

2007: Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama): Leading Young Actor—Kyle Massey (Won)

2006: Best Family Television Series (Comedy) (Nominated)

2005: Best Performance in a Television Series: Guest Starring Young Actor—Christopher Malpede (Won)

2005: Outstanding Young Performers in a TV Series—Raven-Symoné, Orlando Brown, Anneliese van der Pol & Kyle Massey (Won)

2004: Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama): Leading Young Actress—Raven-Symoné (Nominated)

2004: Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama): Leading Young Actor—Kyle Massey (Nominated)

• Teen Film/TV Series International Awards

2008: Best TV Series of the Year (Won)

2008: Best TV Series of the Season (Won)

2008: Best Comedy TV Series (Won)

2008: Best Actress: Lead Role on TV Series—Raven-Symoné (Won)

2008: Best Actor: Support Role on TV Serie—Anneliese van der Pol (Won)

2008: Best Actor: Lead Role on TV Series—Orlando Brown (Nominated)

2008: Best Actress: Support Role on TV Serie—Kyle Massey (Nominated)

2008: Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Television Series—Lead Casting Season 4 (Won)

2007: Best TV Series of the Year (Won)

2007: Best TV Series of the Season (Won)

2007: Best Comedy TV Series (Won)

2007: Best Actress: Lead Role on TV Series—Raven-Symoné (Won)

2007: Best Actor: Support Role on TV Serie—Anneliese van der Pol (Won)

2007: Best Actor: Lead Role on TV Series—Orlando Brown (Nominated)

2007: Best Actress: Support Role on TV Serie—Kyle Massey (Nominated)

2007: Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Television Series—Lead Casting Season 3 (Won)

2006: Best TV Series of the Year (Won)

2006: Best TV Series of the Season (Won)

2006: Best Comedy TV Series (Won)

2006: Best Actress: Lead Role on TV Series—Raven-Symoné (Won)

2006: Best Actor: Support Role on TV Serie—Anneliese van der Pol (Won)

2006: Best Actor: Lead Role on TV Series—Orlando Brown (Nominated)

2006: Best Actress: Support Role on TV Serie—Kyle Massey (Nominated)

2006: Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Television Series—Lead Casting Season 2 (Won)

2005: Best TV Series of the Year (Won)

2005: Best TV Series of the Season (Won)

2005: Best Comedy TV Series (Won)

2005: Best Actress: Lead Role on TV Series—Raven-Symoné (Won)

2005: Best Actor: Support Role on TV Serie—Anneliese van der Pol (Won)

2005: Best Actor: Lead Role on TV Series—Orlando Brown (Nominated)

2005: Best Actress: Support Role on TV Serie—Kyle Massey (Nominated)

2005: Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Television Series—Lead Casting Season 2 (Won)

2004: Best TV Series of the Year (Won)

2004: Best TV Series of the Season (Won)

2004: Best Comedy TV Series (Won)

2004: Best New TV Series of the Year (Won)

2004: Best Actress: Lead Role on TV Series—Raven-Symoné (Won)

2004: Best Actress: Support Role on TV Serie—Anneliese van der Pol (Won)

2004: Best Actor: Lead Role on TV Series—Orlando Brown (Nominated)

2004: Best Actor: Support Role on TV Serie—Kyle Massey (Nominated)

2004: Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Television Series—Lead Casting Season 1 (Won)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: That's So Raven

• Official website
• That's So Raven at the Internet Movie Database
• That's So Raven at TV.com
• That's So Raven mini-site at Wikia

Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg performing at the Snoop Dogg Supafest in April 2011.
Background information
Birth name	Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr.
Born	(1971-10-20) October 20, 1971 (age 40)
Origin	Long Beach, California, United States
Genres	Hip hop
Occupations	Rapper
Years active	1992–present
Labels	Death Row, No Limit, Priority, Star Trak, Geffen, Doggystyle
Associated acts	Tha Dogg Pound, Tha Eastsidaz, 213, Dr. Dre, Warren G, Nate Dogg, 2Pac, Pharell, R. Kelly, Ice Cube, Akon, Game, Brandy Norwood, Eminem, Wiz Khalifa
Website	snoopdogg.com

Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. (born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (formerly known as Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school. Shortly after graduation, he was arrested for cocaine possession and spent six months in Wayside County Jail. His music career began in 1992 after his release when he was discovered by Dr. Dre. He collaborated on several tracks on Dre's solo debut, The Chronic and on the titular theme song to the film Deep Cover.

Snoop's debut album Doggystyle, was released in 1993 under Death Row Records making a debut at No.1 on both the Billboard 200 and R&B charts. Selling almost a million copies in the first week of its release, Doggystyle quickly became certified 4× platinum in 1994 and spawned several hit singles, including "What's My Name" and "Gin & Juice". In 1994, Snoop released a soundtrack on Death Row Records for the short film Murder Was The Case, starring himself. In early 1996, Snoop Dogg was cleared of charges over his bodyguard's 1993 murder of Philip Woldemariam. His second album, late 1996's Tha Doggfather, also debuted at No.1 on both charts with "Snoop's Upside Ya Head" as the lead single. The album sold only half as well, being certified double platinum in 1997.

Tha Doggfather was his last release for Death Row before he signed with No Limit Records, where he recorded his next three albums. Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told in 1998, No Limit Top Dogg in 1999 (making it his last album of the 90s), and Tha Last Meal in 2000, which was his last No Limit Records album. Snoop then signed with Priority/Capitol/EMI Records in 2002, where he released his album Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss. Then he signed with Geffen Records in 2004 for his next three albums R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, and Ego Trippin'. Malice 'n Wonderland (2009) and Doggumentary (2011), his most recent release, were on Priority.

In addition to music, Snoop Dogg has starred in motion pictures and hosted several television shows: Doggy Fizzle Televizzle, Snoop Dogg's Father Hood and Dogg After Dark. He also coaches a youth football league and high school football team. He has run into many legal troubles, some of which caused him to be legally banned from the UK and Australia, although the UK ban was later reversed after a long legal battle.^[1] He is the cousin of Nate Dogg, Daz Dillinger, RBX and Lil' ½ Dead and the cousin of R&B singers Brandy and Ray J. Starting September 2009, Snoop was hired by EMI as the chairman of a reactivated Priority Records.^[2]

Life and career[link]

Early life[link]

Named after his stepfather, Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Sr. (December 10, 1948 – November 9, 1985, Los Angeles), Calvin Broadus was born October 20, 1971 at the Los Altos Hospital in Long Beach, California, the second of three sons of Beverly Broadus (née Tate; born April 27, 1951, McComb, Mississippi).^[3][4][5] His father, Vernall Varnado (born December 13, 1949, Magnolia, Mississippi),^[3] was a Vietnam veteran, singer, and mail carrier who was said to be frequently absent from his life.^[6] Broadus' parents nicknamed him "Snoopy" as a child because of his appearance, but usually addressed him as Calvin at home.^[7][8] His mother and stepfather divorced in 1975. At an early age, Broadus began singing in Golgotha Trinity Baptist Church and playing piano; when he was in sixth grade, he began rapping.^[9][10] He attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School, and was convicted for cocaine possession, serving six months at the Wayside County Jail.^[7]

As a teenager, Snoop Dogg frequently ran into trouble with the law. Snoop Dogg was a member of the Rollin' 20 Crips gang in the Eastside of Long Beach,^[11][12] although he stated in 1993 that he never joined a gang.^[9] Shortly after graduating from high school, he was arrested for possession of cocaine.^[7] Snoop Dogg's conviction caused him to be frequently in and out of prison for the first three years after he graduated from high school. Snoop, along with his cousins Nate Dogg and Lil' ½ Dead and friend Warren G, recorded home made tapes as a group called 213, named after the Long Beach area code at the time. One of his early solo freestyles over En Vogue's "Hold On" had made it to a mixtape which was heard by influential producer Dr. Dre, who phoned to invite him to an audition. Former N.W.A member The D.O.C. taught him how to structure his lyrics and separate the thematics into verses, hooks and chorus.^[13]

[edit] 1992–93: Doggystyle

When he began recording, Broadus took the stage name Snoop Doggy Dogg. Dr. Dre began working with Snoop Dogg, first on the theme song of the 1992 film Deep Cover, and then on Dr. Dre's debut solo album The Chronic with the other members of his former starting group, Tha Dogg Pound. The huge success of Snoop Dogg's debut Doggystyle was partially because of this intense exposure.^[7]

To fuel the ascendance of West Coast G-funk hip hop, the singles "Who Am I (What's My Name)?" and "Gin and Juice" reached the top ten most-played songs in the United States, and the album stayed on the Billboard charts for several months.^[7] Gangsta rap became the center of arguments for censorship and labeling, with Snoop Dogg often used as an example of violent and misogynistic musicians.^[14] Doggystyle, much like The Chronic, featured a host of rappers signed to or affiliated with the Death Row label including Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, Nate Dogg and others. Rolling Stone music critic Touré asserted that Snoop had a relatively soft vocal delivery compared to other rappers: "Snoop's vocal style is part of what distinguishes him: where many rappers scream, figuratively and literally, he speaks softly."^[9]

A short film about Snoop Dogg's murder trial called Murder Was The Case, was released in 1994, along with an accompanying soundtrack. On July 6, 1995, Doggy Style Records, Inc., a record label founded by Snoop Dogg, was registered with the California Secretary of State as business entity number C1923139.^[15]

[edit] 1996–97: Tha Doggfather

After Snoop Dogg was acquitted of murder charges on February 20, 1996, he and the mother of his son and their kennel of 20 pit bulls moved into a 5,000-square-foot (460 m²) home in the hills of Claremont, California and by August 1996 Doggy Style Records, a subsidiary of Death Row Records, signed The Gap Band's Charlie Wilson as one of the record label's first artists.^[16]

However, by the time Snoop Dogg's second album, Tha Doggfather, was released in November 1996, the price of living (or sometimes just imitating) the gangsta life had become very evident. Among the many notable hip hop industry deaths and convictions were the death of Snoop Dogg's friend and labelmate 2Pac and the racketeering indictment of Death Row co-founder Suge Knight.^[7] Dr. Dre had left Death Row earlier in 1996 because of a contract dispute, so Snoop Dogg co-produced Tha Doggfather with Daz Dillinger and DJ Pooh.

This album featured a distinct change of style as compared to Doggystyle, and the leadoff single, "Snoop's Upside Ya Head", featured a collaboration with Gap Band frontman Charlie Wilson. While the album sold reasonably well, it was not as successful as its predecessor. However, Tha Doggfather had a somewhat softer approach to the G-funk style. The immediate aftermath of Dr. Dre's withdrawal from Death Row Records, realizing that he was subject to an iron-clad time-based contract (i.e., that Death Row practically owned anything he produced for a number of years), Snoop Dogg refused to produce any more tracks for Suge Knight, other than the insulting "Fuck Death Row", until his contract expired.^[11] In an interview with Neil Strauss in 1998, Snoop Dogg stated that though he had been given lavish gifts by his former label they had withheld royalty payments to the artist.^[17]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic said that after Tha Doggfather, Snoop Dogg began "moving away from his gangsta roots toward a calmer lyrical aesthetic":^[7] for instance, Snoop participated in the 1997 Lollapalooza concert tour, which featured mainly alternative rock music. Troy J. Augusto of Variety noticed that Snoop's set at Lollapalooza attracted "much dancing, and, strangely, even a small mosh pit" in the audience.^[18]

[edit] 1998–2000: No Limit, Top Dogg and Tha Last Meal

Snoop signed with Master P's No Limit Records (distributed by Priority/EMI Records) in 1998 and debuted on the label with Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told that year. His other albums from No Limit were No Limit Top Dogg in 1999 (selling over 1,503,865 copies) and Tha Last Meal in 2000 (selling over 1,000,000).^[7] In 2001, his autobiography, Tha Doggfather, was published.

[edit] 2002: Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$

In 2002 he released the album Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$, on Priority/Capitol/EMI Records, selling over 1,300,000 copies. The album featured the hit singles "From tha Chuuuch to da Palace" and "Beautiful", featuring guest vocals by Pharrell. By this stage in his career, Snoop Dogg had left behind his "gangster" image and embraced a "pimp" image.

[edit] 2004–05: R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece

In 2004, Snoop signed to Geffen Records/Star Trak Entertainment both of which are distributed through Interscope Records; Star Trak is headed by producer duo The Neptunes, which produced several tracks for Snoop's 2004 release R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece. "Drop It Like It's Hot" (featuring Pharrell), the first single released from the album, was a hit and became Snoop Dogg's first single to reach number one. His third release was "Signs", featuring Justin Timberlake and Charlie Wilson, which entered the UK chart at #2. This was his highest entry ever in the UK chart. The album sold 1,724,000 copies in the U.S. alone, and most of its singles were heavily played on radio and television. Snoop Dogg joined Warren G and Nate Dogg to form the group 213 and released album The Hard Way in 2004. Debuting at No.4 on the Billboard 200 and No.1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, it included single "Groupie Luv". Together with fellow rappers Lil' Jon, Xzibit and David Banner, Snoop Dogg appeared in the music video for Korn's "Twisted Transistor".

[edit] 2006: Tha Blue Carpet Treatment

Snoop Dogg's appeared on two tracks from Ice Cube's 2006 album Laugh Now, Cry Later, including the single "Go to Church", and on several tracks on Tha Dogg Pound's Cali Iz Active the same year. Also, his latest song, "Real Talk", was leaked over the Internet in the summer of 2006 and a video was later released on the Internet. "Real Talk" was a dedication to former Crips leader Stanley "Tookie" Williams and a diss to Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Governor of California. Two other singles on which Snoop made a guest performance were "Keep Bouncing" by Too $hort (also with will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas) and "Gangsta Walk" by Coolio.

Snoop's 2006 album, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, debuted on the Billboard 200 at No.5 and has sold over 850,000 copies. The album and the second single "That's That Shit" featuring R. Kelly were well received by critics. In the album, he collaborated in a video with E-40 and other West Coast rappers for his single "Candy (Drippin' Like Water)".

[edit] 2007–08: Ego Trippin'

In July 2007, Snoop Dogg also made history by becoming the first artist to release a track as a ringtone prior to its release as a single, which was "It's the D.O.G." On July 7, 2007, Snoop Dogg performed at the Live Earth concert, Hamburg.^[19] Snoop Dogg has ventured into singing for Bollywood with his first ever rap for an Indian movie Singh Is Kinng; the title of the song is also "Singh is Kinng". He also appears in the movie as himself.^[20] The album featuring the song was released on June 8, 2008 on Junglee Music Records.^[21] He released his ninth studio album, Ego Trippin' (selling 400,000 copies in the U.S.), along with the first single, "Sexual Eruption". The single peaked at No.7 on the Billboard 100, featuring Snoop using autotune. The album featured production from QDT (Quik-Dogg-Teddy).

[edit] 2009–10: Malice n Wonderland and More Malice

Snoop was appointed an executive position at Priority Records. His tenth studio album, Malice n Wonderland, was released on December 8, 2009. The first single from the album, "Gangsta Luv", featuring The-Dream, peaked at No.35 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album debuted at No.23 on the Billboard 200, selling 61,000 copies its first week, making it his lowest charting album. His third single, "I Wanna Rock", peaked at No.41 on the Billboard Hot 100. Snoop features on the latest Gorillaz album, Plastic Beach. The fourth single from Malice n Wonderland, titled "Pronto", featuring Soulja Boy Tell 'Em, was released on iTunes on December 1, 2009. Snoop re-released the album under the name More Malice.

[edit] 2011–12: Doggumentary

Snoop collaborated with Katy Perry on the first single from her second mainstream album, "California Gurls", which was released on May 11, 2010. Snoop can also be heard on the track "Flashing" by Dr. Dre and on Curren$y's song "Seat Change". He was also featured on a new single from Australian singer Jessica Mauboy, titled "Get 'em Girls" (released September 2010). Snoop's latest effort was backing American recording artist, Emii, on her second single entitled "Mr. Romeo" (released October 26, 2010 as a follow-up to "Magic"). Snoop also collaborated with American comedy troupe The Lonely Island in their song "Turtleneck & Chain", in their 2011 album Turtleneck & Chain.

Snoop Dogg's newest studio album is Doggumentary. The album went through several tentative titles including Doggystyle 2: Tha Doggumentary and Doggumentary Music: 0020 before being released under the final title Doggumentary during March 2011.^[22] Snoop was featured on Gorillaz' latest album Plastic Beach on a track called: "Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach" with the The Hypnotic Brass, he also completed another track with them entitled "Sumthing Like This Night" which does not appear on Plastic Beach, yet does appear on Doggumentary. He also appears on the latest Tech N9ne album All 6's and 7's (released June 7, 2011) on a track called "Pornographic" which also features E-40 and Krizz Kaliko.

[edit] 2012–present: Reincarnated

On February 4, 2012, Snoop Dogg announced a new documentary alongside his new upcoming studio album entitled Reincarnated.^[23] Snoop Dogg is set to headline the Osheaga Festival in Montreal, Canada this summer. ^[24]

Other ventures[link]

Media appearances[link]

Snoop Dogg has appeared on television and in films throughout his career. In 1998, Snoop had a cameo appearance in the film Half Baked as the "Scavenger Smoker".^[25] In 2000, Snoop (as "Michael J. Corleone") directed Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle, a pornographic film produced by Hustler. The film, combining hip hop with x-rated material, was a huge success and won "Top Selling Release of the Year" at the 2002 AVN Awards.^[26] Snoop then directed Snoop Dogg's Hustlaz: Diary of a Pimp in 2002 (using the nickname "Snoop Scorsese").^[27]

In 2001, Snoop lent his voice to the animated show King of the Hill, in which he played a white pimp named Alabaster Jones.^[28] He played a lead character in the movie The Wash with Dr. Dre. He portrayed a drug dealer in a wheelchair in the film Training Day, featuring Denzel Washington.^[29] In 2001, Snoop starred in the horror film Bones, with him playing a murdered mobster who returns from the dead to exact his revenge against those who murdered him.

In 2002, Snoop hosted, starred in, and produced his own MTV sketch comedy show entitled Doggy Fizzle Televizzle. Snoop was filmed for a brief cameo appearance in the television movie It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002), but his performance was omitted from the final cut of the movie.^[30] On November 8, 2004, Snoop Dogg was starred in the episode "Two of a Kind" of NBC's series Las Vegas.^[31]

In 2004, Snoop appeared on the Showtime series The L Word as the character "Slim Daddy". He also notably played the drug dealer-turned-informant character of Huggy Bear, in the 2004 remake film of the 1970s TV-series of the same name, Starsky & Hutch. He appeared as himself in the episode "MILF Money" of Weeds,^[32] and made an appearance on the TV shows Entourage^[33] and Monk,^[34] for which he recorded a version of the theme, in July 2007.

Snoop Dogg at WrestleMania XXIV at Orlando's Citrus Bowl with Ashley Massaro and tag team partner Maria, March 30, 2008

Snoop founded his own production company, Snoopadelic Films, in 2005. Their debut film was Boss'n Up, a film inspired by Snoop Dogg's album R&G, starring Lil Jon and Trina.^[35]

In December 2007, his reality show Snoop Dogg's Father Hood premiered on the E! channel.^[36] Snoop Dogg joined the NBA's Entertainment League.^[37] On March 30, 2008 he appeared at WrestleMania XXIV as a Master of Ceremonies for a tag team match between Maria and Ashley Massaro as they took on Beth Phoenix and Melina.^[38]

On May 8 and May 9, 2008, Snoop appeared as himself on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live, with a new opening theme recorded by the artist presented for both episodes. In the episodes, Snoop performs at the bachelorette party for character Adriana Cramer, and credits Bo Buchanan with helping him get his start in show business.^[39][40] On February 24, 2010, Snoop Dogg reprised his role, performing his song "I Wanna Rock" from his new album, Malice n Wonderland, as well as once again performing a special remixed, vocal rendition of the show's opening theme.^[41] In recent interviews he has explained that, as a child, One Life to Live was one of his favorite shows, and he still regards the show fondly. He has also stated that he has always been a particular fan of Robert S. Woods, who has portrayed the character of Bo Buchanan since 1979.

In 2009, Snoop Dogg appeared in Sacha Baron Cohen's film Brüno as himself performing a rap addition to the song "Dove Of Peace".^[42] On October 19, 2009, Snoop Dogg was the guest host of WWE Raw.

In July 2009, Snoop revealed his desire to appear in the popular soap opera Coronation Street while touring in the UK. However ITV bosses were said to be less keen.^[43]

In 2010, Snoop Dogg appeared in an episode of I Get That a Lot on CBS as a parking-lot attendant.

In June 2010, Snoop created a music video for True Blood accompanying a song he wrote for one of the main characters of the show entitled "Oh Sookie."^[44][45]

In March 2011, Snoop participated in Comedy Central's Roast of Donald Trump with other comedians and media personalities.^[46]

January 2, 2012, appeared on the The Price Is Right and raised $72,000 for his charity, Snoop Youth Football League.

Endorsements[link]

Snoop Dogg performing live in Hawaii, July 23, 2005.

• St. Ides
• Snoop Dogg 40 Oz Malt liquor
• Adidas Originals
• Boost Mobile cell phone
• Chrysler 300
• Colt 45 Blast
• Metro PCS Samsung Galaxy 4G
• Orbit Gum
• AOL commercial with Jerry Stiller
• Cal Worthington's Ford dealership in Long Beach, California
• "Snoop Doggs" – foot-long hot dogs manufactured in Massachusetts, a joint venture with Platinum One Media^[47]
• "Snoop Dogg Board Company (SDBC)" – skateboards and Luggage fabrication company (with Pentagon Distribution)
• "Snooperbowl" and "Snoop Youth Football league"^[48]
• "Chronic Candy" – candy that tastes like marijuana (from Switzerland and is currently banned in some cities of US)
• Love Don't Live Here No More, Doggy Tales Vol.1 – love novel (co-written by David E. Talbert, published by Atria and Snoopadelic Films) ISBN 0-7432-7363-X^[49]
• Tha Doggfather : The Times, Trials, And Hardcore Truths Of Snoop Dogg – autobiography (published by William Morrow) Hardcover ISBN 0-688-17158-3, Paperback ISBN 0-06-107607-4^[50]
• Fear & Respect (project cancelled as of March 1, 2006) – PlayStation 2 video game (developed by Midway Games)
• "Doggy Biscuitz" – shoe brand (in partnership with Pony International)^[51]
• "Snoop Dogg Clothing" – streetwear (distributed at Macy's)
• "WRFF" – unique design scooters (in cooperation with Salton, Inc.)^[52]
• "Hip Hop Gaming League" – a celebrity online gaming competition (hosted by Global Gaming League)^[53]
• "Snoop Dogg figures" (Vital Toys, SOTA Toys)^[54]
• "Snoop Dogg Boxing" – mobile phone game (Sony Pictures Mobile)
• "Snoop Dogg Pet Accessory Line" (in conjunction with Jakks Pacific)^[55]
• Snoop Dogg is a celebrity voice of a TomTom GPS navigation system.^[56][57] He stated on George Lopez's talk show Lopez Tonight that he is tired of hearing directions from the same woman.
• In August 2008, Snoop Dogg announced the launch of a new streetwear line called Rich & Infamous, via a partnership with Robert Thorne Co. The line was unveiled during the Magic Tradeshow in Las Vegas.^[58]
• "Hack is Wack" – Promoting Norton AntiVirus.^[59]
• "Coffee Cup With A Cause" with 7 Eleven.^[60]
• "Serious Pimp" clothing line.^[61]
• "iFizzle" iPhone Application.^[62]
• "Vybe Mobile"^[63]
• "Pepsi Max" – Zero Calories^[64]

Style and rap skills[link]

Kool Moe Dee ranks Snoop at No.33 in his book There's a God on the Mic, and says he has "an ultra-smooth, laidback delivery",^[65] and "flavor-filled melodic rhyming".^[66] Peter Shapiro describes Snoop's delivery as a "molasses drawl"^[67] and Allmusic notes his "drawled, laconic rhyming" style.^[7] Kool Moe Dee refers to Snoop's use of vocabulary, saying he "keeps it real simple...he simplifies it and he's effective in his simplicity".^[68]

Snoop is known to freestyle some of his lyrics on the spot for some songs – in the book How to Rap, Lady of Rage says, "Snoop Dogg, when I worked with him earlier in his career, that's how created his stuff... he would freestyle, he wasn't a writer then, he was a freestyler,"^[69] and The D.O.C. states, "Snoop's [rap] was a one take willy, but his shit was all freestyle. He hadn't written nothing down. He just came in and started busting. The song was "Tha Shiznit"—that was all freestyle. He started busting and when we got to the break, Dre cut the machine off, did the chorus and told Snoop to come back in. He did that throughout the record. That's when Snoop was in the zone then."

Peter Shapiro says that Snoop debuted on "Deep Cover" with a "shockingly original flow – which sounded like a Slick Rick born in South Carolina instead of South London"^[70] and adds that he "showed where his style came from by covering Slick Rick's 'La Di Da Di'".^[67] Referring to Snoop's flow, Kool Moe Dee calls him "one of the smoothest, funkiest flow-ers in the game".^[66] How to Rap also notes that Snoop is known to use syncopation in his flow to give it a laidback quality,^[71] as well as 'linking with rhythm' in his compound rhymes,^[72] using alliteration,^[73] and employing a "sparse" flow with good use of pauses.^[74]

Snoop re-popularized the use of -izzle speak, particularly in the pop and hip-hop music industry.^[75]

Personal life[link]

Snoop Dogg in August 2009

Broadus's father left the family when Broadus was three months old. Snoop married his high school sweetheart, Shante Taylor, on June 12, 1997. On May 21, 2004, he filed for divorce from Shante, citing irreconcilable differences.^[76] The couple renewed their wedding vows on January 12, 2008.^[77] R&B singers Brandy and Ray J are his first cousins.^[78] In 2002, the rapper announced he was giving up marijuana, one of his image trademarks, for good.^[79] According to his IMDb biography, Snoop is a fan of the thrash metal band Metallica^[80] and performed their song "Sad But True" on the band's 2003 MTV Icon Special which is available on YouTube.^[81] A DNA test read by George Lopez on Lopez Tonight revealed Snoop Dogg to be of 0% East Asian, 23% Native American, 6% European, and 71% African descent.^[82]

Snoop is an avid fan of hometown teams Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Lakers. Snoop is also an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan.^[83] and is often seen wearing Pittsburgh Steelers apparel. Snoop has mentioned that his love for the Steelers began in the 1970s during the team's dynasty years while watching the team with his grandfather growing up in L.A.^[84] In the 2005 offseason, Snoop mentioned that he wanted to be an NFL head coach, "probably for the Steelers".^[85] The following year, he was in attendance for the Steelers' victory in Super Bowl XL and later in Super Bowl XLIII. He is also a fan of the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys, often wearing a No.5 jersey, and has been seen at Raiders training camps.^[86] He did his own free style rap based on his similarities with Tony Romo.^[87][88] He is also a fan of the USC Trojans Football team. He has also shown affection for the New England Patriots, as he has been seen performing at the Gillette Stadium and picked the Patriots as the favorite to win Super Bowl XXXIX against the Eagles.^[89][90] On August 6, 2009, Snoop visited the training camp of the Baltimore Ravens at McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland.^[91] He was invited by Ray Lewis the day after his concert at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland.

A certified football coach, Snoop Dogg has been head coach for his son's youth football teams and the John A. Rowland High School team.^[92][93]

Snoop Dogg is an avid hockey fan; he sported a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey (with the name and number 'GIN AND JUICE' 94 on the back) and a jersey of the now-defunct Springfield (MA) Indians of the American Hockey League in his 1994 music video, "Gin And Juice". On the E! show, Snoop Dogg’s Father Hood, Snoop Dogg and his family received lessons on playing hockey from the Anaheim Ducks, then returning to the Honda Center to cheer on the Ducks against the Vancouver Canucks in the episode Snow in da Hood.^[94]

In 2009, it was revealed that Snoop Dogg was a member of the Nation of Islam. On March 1, 2009, he made an appearance at the Nation of Islam's annual Saviours' Day holiday, where he praised minister Louis Farrakhan. Snoop claimed to be a member of the Nation of Islam, but he declined to give the date on which he joined. He also donated $1,000 to the organization.^[95][96][97]

Snoop claimed in a 2006 interview with Rolling Stone magazine that unlike other hip hop artists who've superficially adopted the pimp persona, he was an actual professional pimp in 2003 and 2004, saying "That shit was my natural calling and once I got involved with it, it became fun. It was like shootin' layups for me. I was makin' 'em every time." He goes on to say that upon the advice of some of the other pimps he knew, he eventually gave up pimping to spend more time with his family.^[98]

Legal issues[link]

Mug shot of Snoop Dogg taken in September 1993.

Shortly after graduating from high school, he was arrested for possession of cocaine.^[7]

While recording Doggystyle in August 1993, Snoop Dogg was arrested in connection with the death of Phillip Woldermarian, a member of a rival gang who was shot and killed by Snoop's bodyguard, McKinley Lee; Snoop was charged with murder along with Lee as he was driving the vehicle from which the shooting had commenced. Snoop and Lee were defended by Johnnie Cochran.^[99] Both Snoop and Lee were acquitted; Lee was acquitted on grounds of self-defense, but Snoop Dogg remained entangled in the legal battles around the case for three years.^[100]

In July 1993, Snoop was stopped for a traffic violation and a firearm was found by police while conducting a search of his car. In February 1997, he pleaded guilty to possession of a handgun and was ordered to record three public service announcements, pay a $1,000 fine, and serve three years' probation.^[101][102]

In May 1998, Snoop Dogg was fined and arrested for a misdemeanor of marijuana possession.^[103]

In October 2001, Snoop Dogg was arrested again for a misdemeanor of marijuana possession.^[103] In 2002 he pleaded no contest and was fined a total of $398.30 and received a suspended 30-day jail sentence.^[104]

Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, and The Game were sued for assaulting a fan on stage at a May 2005 concert at the White River Amphitheatre in Auburn, Washington. The accuser, Richard Monroe, Jr., claimed he was beaten by the artists' entourage while mounting the stage.^[105] He alleged that he reacted to an "open invite" to come on stage. Before he could, Snoop’s bodyguards grabbed him and he was beaten unconscious by crewmembers, including the rapper and producer Soopafly; Snoop and The Game were included in the suit for not intervening. The lawsuit focuses on a pecuniary claim of $22 million in punitive and compensatory damages, battery, negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.^[106] The concerned parties appeared in court in April 2009.

On April 26, 2006, Snoop Dogg and members of his entourage were arrested after being turned away from British Airways' first class lounge at Heathrow Airport. Snoop and his party were not allowed to enter the lounge because some of the entourage were flying first class, other members in economy class. After the group was escorted outside, they vandalized a duty-free shop by throwing whiskey bottles. Seven police officers were injured in the midst of the disturbance. After a night in jail, Snoop and the other men were released on bail on April 27, but he was unable to perform at the Premier Foods People's Concert in Johannesburg on the same day. As part of his bail conditions, he had to return to the police station in May. The group has been banned by British Airways for "the foreseeable future."^[107][108] When Snoop Dogg appeared at a London police station on May 11, he was cautioned for affray under Section 4 of the Public Order Act for use of threatening words or behavior.^[109] On May 15, the Home Office decided that Snoop Dogg should be denied entry to the United Kingdom for the foreseeable future due to the incident at Heathrow as well as his previous convictions in the United States for drugs and firearms offenses.^[110][111] Snoop Dogg's visa card was rejected by local authorities on March 24, 2007 because of the Heathrow incident.^[112] A concert at London's Wembley Arena on March 27 went ahead with Diddy (with whom he toured Europe) and the rest of the show. However the decision affected four more British performances in Cardiff, Manchester and Glasgow^[113] and Budapest (due to rescheduling).^[114] As of March 2010, Snoop Dogg has been allowed back into the UK.^[1]

On September 27, 2006, Snoop Dogg was detained at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California by airport security, after airport screeners found a collapsible police baton in Snoop's carry-on bag. The baton was confiscated but Snoop was allowed to board the flight. He has been charged with various weapons violations stemming from this incident. Donald Etra, Snoop's lawyer, told deputies the baton was a prop for a musical sketch. Snoop was sentenced to three years' probation and 160 hours of community service starting on September 20, 2007.^[115]

Snoop Dogg was arrested again on October 26, 2006 at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California while parked in a passenger loading zone. Approached by airport security for a traffic infraction, he was found in possession of marijuana and a firearm, according to a police statement. He was transported to Burbank Police Department Jail, booked, and released on $35,000 bond. He faced firearm and drug possession charges on December 12 at Burbank Superior Court.^[116]

He was again arrested on November 29, 2006, after performing on The Tonight Show, for possession of marijuana and a firearm.^[117]

Snoop was arrested again on March 12, 2007 in Stockholm, Sweden after performing in a concert with P. Diddy in Stockholm's Globe Arena after he and a female companion reportedly "reeked" of marijuana. They were released four hours later after providing a urine sample. The results on urine determined whether charges would be pressed. However the rapper denied all charges.^[118][119]

On April 26, 2007, the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship banned him from entering the country on character grounds, citing his prior criminal convictions. He had been scheduled to appear at the MTV Australia Video Music Awards on April 29, 2007.^[120] Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship lifted the ban in September 2008 and had granted him visa to tour Australia. DIAC said "In making this decision, the department weighed his criminal convictions against his previous behaviour while in Australia, recent conduct – including charity work – and any likely risk to the Australian community ... We took into account all relevant factors and, on balance, the department decided to grant the visa."^[121]

Snoop Dogg's many legal issues forced San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom to withdraw his plan to issue a proclamation to the rapper.^[122]

Snoop Dogg was banned from Parkpop, a festival in the Netherlands on June 27, 2010, where he was scheduled to perform. The mayor and law enforcement officials asked organizers of the festival to find an artist more “open and friendly” to play the event.^[123]

Snoop Dogg was arrested again on January 7, 2012 for possession of Marijuana charge after Border control agents discovered a small amount of marijuana on his tour bus. Snoop Dogg was stopped at the same Sierra Blanca, Texas, checkpoint where country singer Willie Nelson was arrested for marijuana possession in 2010. The agents conducted a routine inspection of his tour bus at the U.S.– Mexico border checkpoint, east of El Paso, Texas and thought they smelled marijuana. Snoop Dogg was issued a citation for possession of drug paraphernalia, released and given a court date of Friday, January 20, 2012.^{[citation needed]}

Discography[link]

• Doggystyle (1993)
• Tha Doggfather (1996)
• Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told (1998)
• No Limit Top Dogg (1999)
• Tha Last Meal (2000)
• Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss (2002)
• R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece (2004)
• Tha Blue Carpet Treatment (2006)
• Ego Trippin' (2008)
• Malice n Wonderland (2009)
• Doggumentary (2011)
• Reincarnated (2012)

Filmography[link]

• 1994: Murder Was the Case (Platinum)
• 1998: Caught Up
• 1998: Half Baked (cameo appearance)
• 1998: Da Game of Life
• 1998: Hot Boyz
• 1998: Ride
• 1999: Whiteboyz
• 1999: Urban Menace
• 2000: Tha Eastsidaz
• 2000: Up in Smoke Tour
• 2001: Baby Boy
• 2001: Training Day
• 2001: King of the Hill (voice)
• 2001: Bones
• 2001: The Wash
• 2003: Malibu's Most Wanted
• 2003: Old School
• 2004: Starsky & Hutch
• 2004: Soul Plane
• 2004: Volcano High
• 2005: Boss'n Up
• 2005: Racing Stripes (voice)
• 2006: The Tenants
• 2006: Weeds: Himself
• 2006: Hood of Horror
• 2007: Arthur and the Invisibles (voice)
• 2007: Monk
  • During the opening credits, he covered the title song by Randy Newman "It's a Jungle out There".
• 2007: The Boondocks
• 2008: Singh Is Kinng (as Himself)
• 2008: Snoop Dogg's Father Hood (as Himself)
• 2009: Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder (voice)
• 2009: Dogg After Dark: Himself
• 2009: Xavier: Renegade Angel (voice)
• 2009: Brüno (cameo appearance)
• 2009: Falling Up
• 2010: Down for Life
• 2010: One Life to Live as Calvin Broadus
• 2010: Straight Outta L.A. (as Himself)
• 2010: Freaknik: The Musical
• 2010: Malice n Wonderland as Malice
• 2010: Big Time Christmas as Himself
• 2011: 90210 (TV series) as Himself
• 2011: Roast of Donald Trump

Awards[link]

Snoop Dogg was also a judge for the 7th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers.^[124]

Further reading[link]

	Book: Snoop Dogg
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

• Snoop Dogg (1999). Tha Doggfather: The Times, Trials, and Hardcore Truths of Snoop Dogg. New York, N.Y., U.S.: William Morrow and Company. ISBN 0-688-17158-3 

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Snoop Dogg

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Snoop Dogg

• Official website
• Snoop Dogg at Geffen Records
• Snoop Dogg at Allmusic
• Snoop Dogg at MTV
• Snoop Dogg discography at Discogs
• Snoop Dogg at the Internet Movie Database

{{Navbox musical artist | name = Tha Dogg Pound | title = Tha Dogg Pound | bodyclass = hlist | background = group_or_band | above =

• Kurupt (discography)
• Daz Dillinger (discography)

• Snoop Dogg
• {{small|Big C-Style))
• {{small|The D.O.C.))
• Nate Dogg
• Soopafly
• Bad Azz
• RBX
• Lady of Rage
• Lil' C-Style
• Tray Deee
• Warren G
• Goldie Loc
• Lil' Half Dead
• Roscoe
• Big Pimpin'
• {{small|Lil' Pimpin'))
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• {{small|Slip Capone))
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• {{small|Mr. Malik a.k.a. Lil Hershey Loc))
• {{small|Mac Lucci))
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Dean Martin
Photo 1960
Background information
Birth name	Dino Paul Crocetti
Also known as	Dean Martin The King of Cool Dino Dino Martini
Born	(1917-06-07)June 7, 1917 Steubenville, Ohio, U.S.
Died	December 25, 1995(1995-12-25) (aged 78) Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Genres	Big band, easy listening, pop standard, country
Occupations	Musician, singer, actor, comedian, film producer
Years active	1939–1995
Labels	Capitol, Reprise

Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?". Nicknamed the "King of Cool",^[1][2] he was one of the members of the "Rat Pack" and a major star in four areas of show business: concert stage/night clubs, recordings, motion pictures, and television.

Early life[link]

Martin was born in Steubenville, Ohio, to Italian parents, Gaetano and Angela Crocetti (née Barra). His father was from Montesilvano, Pescara, Abruzzo, Italy, and his mother was an Italian of part Neapolitan and part Sicilian ancestry. Martin was the younger of two sons. His brother was named Bill. Martin spoke only Italian until he started school. He attended Grant Elementary School in Steubenville, and took up the drums as a hobby as a teenager. He was the target of much ridicule for his broken English and ultimately dropped out of Steubenville High School in the 10th grade because he thought that he was smarter than his teachers.^[3] He delivered bootleg liquor, served as a speakeasy croupier, was a blackjack dealer, worked in a steel mill and boxed as welterweight. He grew up a neighbor to Jimmy the Greek.

At the age of 15, he was a boxer who billed himself as "Kid Crochet". His prizefighting years earned him a broken nose (later straightened), a scarred lip, and many sets of broken knuckles (a result of not being able to afford the tape used to wrap boxers' hands). Of his twelve bouts, he would later say "I won all but eleven."^[4] For a time, he roomed with Sonny King, who, like Martin, was just starting in show business and had little money. It is said that Martin and King held bare-knuckle matches in their apartment, fighting until one of them was knocked out; people paid to watch. Martin knocked out King in the first round of an amateur boxing match.^[5]

Eventually, Martin gave up boxing. He worked as a roulette stickman and croupier in an illegal casino behind a tobacco shop where he had started as a stock boy. At the same time, he sang with local bands, calling himself "Dino Martini" (after the famous Metropolitan Opera tenor, Nino Martini). He got his first break working for the Ernie McKay Orchestra. He sang in a crooning style influenced by Harry Mills (of the Mills Brothers), among others. In the early 1940s, he started singing for bandleader Sammy Watkins, who suggested that he change his name to Dean Martin.

In October 1941, Martin married Elizabeth Anne McDonald. During their marriage (ended by divorce in 1949), they had four children. Martin worked for various bands throughout the early 1940s, mostly on looks and personality until he developed his own singing style. Martin famously flopped at the Riobamba, a high class nightclub in New York,^[6] when he followed Frank Sinatra in 1943, but it was the setting for their meeting.

Martin was drafted into the United States Army in 1944 during World War II, serving a year stationed in Akron, Ohio. He was then reclassified as 4-F and was discharged (possibly because of a double hernia; Jerry Lewis referred to the surgery that Martin needed for this in his autobiography).

By 1946, Martin was doing relatively well, but was still little more than an East Coast nightclub singer with a common style, similar to that of Bing Crosby. He drew audiences to the clubs where he played, but he inspired none of the fanatical popularity enjoyed by Sinatra.

Alleged Mafia connections[link]

A biography of Martin titled Dean Martin: King of the Road, by Michael Freedland, alleged that he had links to the Mafia early in his career. According to this book, Martin received help with his singing career from members of the Chicago Outfit, who owned saloons in the city, and later performed in shows hosted by these bosses when he was a star. The mob bosses were Tony Accardo and Sam Giancana. Freedland suggests that Martin felt little sympathy for the Mafia and did small favors for them only if it was not inconvenient for him. Another book, The Animal in Hollywood by John L. Smith, depicted Martin's longtime friendship with Mafia mobsters Johnny Roselli and Anthony Fiato. Smith suggested that Fiato did many favors for Martin, such as recovering money from two swindlers who had cheated his ex-wife Betty out of thousands of dollars of her alimony.^[7]

Career[link]

Teaming with Jerry Lewis[link]

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis

Martin attracted the attention of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Columbia Pictures, but a Hollywood contract was not forthcoming. He met comic Jerry Lewis at the Glass Hat Club in New York, where both men were performing. Martin and Lewis formed a fast friendship which led to their participation in each other's acts and the ultimate formation of a music-comedy team.

Martin and Lewis's official debut together occurred at Atlantic City's 500 Club on July 24, 1946, and they were not well received. The owner, Skinny D'Amato, warned them that if they did not come up with a better act for their second show later that night, they would be fired. Huddling together in the alley behind the club, Lewis and Martin agreed to "go for broke", to throw out the pre-scripted gags and to improvise. Martin sang and Lewis came out dressed as a busboy, dropping plates and making a shambles of both Martin's performance and the club's sense of decorum until Lewis was chased from the room as Martin pelted him with breadrolls. They did slapstick, reeled off old vaudeville jokes, and did whatever else popped into their heads at the moment. This time, the audience doubled over in laughter. This success led to a series of well-paying engagements on the Eastern seaboard, culminating in a triumphant run at New York's Copacabana. Patrons were convulsed by the act, which consisted primarily of Lewis interrupting and heckling Martin while he was trying to sing, and ultimately the two of them chasing each other around the stage and having as much fun as possible. The secret, both said, is that they essentially ignored the audience and played to one another.

The team made its TV debut on the very first broadcast of CBS-TV network's Toast of the Town (later called The Ed Sullivan Show) with Ed Sullivan and Rodgers & Hammerstein appearing on this same inaugural telecast of June 20, 1948. A radio series commenced in 1949, the same year Martin and Lewis were signed by Paramount producer Hal B. Wallis as comedy relief for the movie My Friend Irma.

Their agent, Abby Greshler, negotiated for them one of Hollywood's best deals: although they received only a modest $75,000 between them for their films with Wallis, Martin and Lewis were free to do one outside film a year, which they would co-produce through their own York Productions. They also had complete control of their club, record, radio and television appearances, and it was through these endeavors that they earned millions of dollars.

In Dean & Me, Lewis calls Martin one of the great comic geniuses of all time. But the harsh comments from the critics, as well as frustration with the formulaic similarity of Martin and Lewis movies, which producer Hal Wallis stubbornly refused to change, led to Martin's dissatisfaction.^[8] He put less enthusiasm into the work, leading to escalating arguments with Lewis. They finally could not work together, especially after Martin told his partner he was "nothing to me but a dollar sign". The act broke up in 1956, 10 years to the day from the first official teaming.

Martin's first solo film, Ten Thousand Bedrooms (1957), was a box office failure. He was still popular as a singer, but with rock and roll surging to the fore, the era of the pop crooner was waning.

Solo career[link]

Dean Martin in the film Ada (1961)

Never totally comfortable in films, Martin wanted to be known as a real actor. Though offered a fraction of his former salary to co-star in a war drama, The Young Lions (1957), he was ecstatic to receive the part because it would be a dramatic showcase with the two most intriguing young actors of the period and he could learn from Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift. Tony Randall already had the part, but talent agency MCA realized that with this movie, Martin would become a triple threat: they could make money from his work in night clubs, movies, and records. Martin replaced Randall and the film turned out to be the beginning of Martin's spectacular comeback. Success would continue as Martin starred alongside Frank Sinatra for the first time in a highly acclaimed Vincente Minnelli drama, Some Came Running (1958). By the mid '60s, Martin was a top movie, recording, television, and nightclub star, while Lewis' film career declined. Martin was acclaimed for his performance as Dude in Rio Bravo (1959), directed by Howard Hawks and also starring John Wayne and singer Ricky Nelson. He teamed up again with Wayne in The Sons of Katie Elder (1965), somewhat unconvincingly cast as brothers.

In 1960, Martin was cast in the motion picture version of the Judy Holliday hit stage play Bells Are Ringing. Martin played a satiric variation of his own womanizing persona as Vegas singer "Dino" in Billy Wilder's comedy Kiss Me, Stupid (1964) with Kim Novak, and he was not above poking fun at his image in films such as the Matt Helm spy spoofs of the 1960s, in which he was a co-producer. Indeed, in the second Matt Helm film Murderers' Row (1966), Helm, about to be executed, receives a last cigarette, and tells the provider, "I'll remember you from the great beyond," continuing sotto voce, "somewhere around Steubenville, I hope."

With John Wayne in Rio Bravo

As a singer, Martin copied the styles of Harry Mills (of the Mills Brothers), Bing Crosby, and Perry Como until he developed his own and could hold his own in duets with Sinatra and Crosby. Like Sinatra, he could not read music, but he recorded more than 100 albums and 600 songs. His signature tune, "Everybody Loves Somebody", knocked The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" out of the number-one spot in the United States in 1964. This was followed by the similarly-styled "The Door is Still Open to My Heart", which reached number six later that year. Elvis Presley was said to have been influenced by Martin, and patterned "Love Me Tender" after his style. Martin, like Elvis, was influenced by country music. By 1965, some of Martin's albums, such as Dean "Tex" Martin, The Hit Sound Of Dean Martin, Welcome To My World and Gentle On My Mind were composed of country and western songs made famous by artists like Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and Buck Owens. Martin hosted country performers on his TV show and was named "Man Of the Year" by the Country Music Association in 1966. "Ain't That a Kick in the Head", a song Martin performed in Ocean's 11 that never became a hit at the time, has enjoyed a spectacular revival in the media and pop culture.

For three decades, Martin was among the most popular acts in Las Vegas. Martin sang and was one of the smoothest comics in the business, benefiting from the decade of raucous comedy with Lewis. Martin's daughter, Gail, also sang in Vegas and on his TV show, co-hosting his summer replacement series on NBC. Though often thought of as a ladies' man, Martin spent a lot of time with his family; as second wife Jeanne put it, prior to the couple's divorce, "He was home every night for dinner."

The Rat Pack[link]

As Martin's solo career grew, he and Frank Sinatra became close friends. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Martin and Sinatra, along with friends Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, and Sammy Davis, Jr. formed the legendary Rat Pack, so called by the public after an earlier group of social friends, the Holmby Hills Rat Pack centered on Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, of which Sinatra had been a member.

Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra

The Martin-Sinatra-Davis-Lawford-Bishop group referred to themselves as "The Summit" or "The Clan" and never as "The Rat Pack", although this has remained their identity in the popular imagination. The men made films together, formed an important part of the Hollywood social scene in those years, and were politically influential (through Lawford's marriage to Patricia Kennedy, sister of President John F. Kennedy).

The Rat Pack were legendary for their Las Vegas Strip performances. For example, the marquee at the Sands Hotel might read DEAN MARTIN---MAYBE FRANK---MAYBE SAMMY. Las Vegas rooms were at a premium when the Rat Pack would appear, with many visitors sleeping in hotel lobbies or cars to get a chance to see the three men together. Their appearances were unprecedentedly valuable because the city would always become flooded with high rollers, wealthy gamblers who would routinely leave substantial fortunes in the casinos' coffers. Their act (always in tuxedo) consisted of each singing individual numbers, duets and trios, along with much seemingly improvised slapstick and chatter. In the socially-charged 1960s, their jokes revolved around adult themes, such as Sinatra's infamous womanizing and Martin's legendary drinking, as well as many at the expense of Davis's race and religion. Davis famously practiced Judaism and used Yiddish phrases onstage, eliciting much merriment from both his stage-mates and his audiences.^{[citation needed]} It was all good-natured male bonding, never vicious, rarely foul-mouthed,^{[citation needed]} and the three had great respect for each other. The Rat Pack was largely responsible for the integration of Las Vegas. Sinatra and Martin were active supporters of the Civil Rights Movement and refused to perform in clubs that would not allow African-American or Jewish performers.^[9]

Posthumously, the Rat Pack has experienced a popular revival, inspiring the George Clooney/Brad Pitt "Ocean's" trilogy.

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast[link]

In 1965, Martin launched his weekly NBC comedy-variety series, The Dean Martin Show, which exploited his public image as a lazy, carefree boozer. There he perfected his famous laid-back persona of the half-drunk crooner suavely hitting on beautiful women with hilarious remarks that would get anyone else slapped, and making snappy if slurred remarks about fellow celebrities during his famous roasts. During an interview he stated, and this may have been tongue-in-cheek, that he had someone record them on cassette tape so he could listen to them; this is evidenced by his comments to this effect on the British TV documentary 'Wine, Women and Song' which was aired in 1983.

The TV show was a success. Martin prided himself on memorizing whole scripts – not merely his own lines.^{[citation needed]} He disliked rehearsing because he firmly believed his best performances were his first.^{[citation needed]} The show's loose format prompted quick-witted improvisation from Martin and the cast. On occasion, he made remarks in Italian, some mild obscenities that brought angry mail from offended, Italian-speaking viewers.^{[citation needed]} This prompted a battle between Martin and NBC censors, who insisted on more scrutiny of the show's content. The show was often in the Top Ten. Martin, deeply appreciative of the efforts of the show's producer, his friend Greg Garrison, later made a handshake deal giving Garrison, a pioneer TV producer in the 1950s, 50% ownership of the show. However, the validity of that ownership is currently the subject of a lawsuit brought by NBC Universal.