TLDR: Dean Martin fathered seven biological children across his first two marriages and adopted one during his third. His son Dean Paul Martin Jr., a California Air National Guard captain, died when his F-4C Phantom II jet crashed into Mt. San Gorgonio during a snowstorm on March 21, 1987. His remains were recovered four days later. The loss destroyed Martin. Close friends and biographers document that he never recovered, becoming a candle without a flame who sat alone at the same restaurant table every night until his death eight years later.
Rich Little, the impressionist who knew Dean Martin for decades, described the aftermath of Dean Paul’s death with simple precision: “When Dean Paul died, the vital essence of Dean Martin died with him.”
Paul Anka identified the 1987 crash as the definitive turning point that permanently altered Martin’s life. Author William Keck described his final years as those of “a candle without a flame.”
Eight years passed between the crash and Martin’s death on Christmas Day 1995. He spent most of them alone.
The Crash That Broke Him
Dean Paul Martin Jr., known as Dino, was born November 17, 1951.
He had pursued several careers before settling into military service, including a pop music career as part of the 1960s teen trio Dino, Desi and Billy, a professional tennis career that reached a world ranking, and an acting career that included a starring role in a television series.
On the afternoon of March 21, 1987, Captain Dean Paul Martin Jr. took off from March Air Force Base in an F-4C Phantom II on a routine training exercise over the San Bernardino Mountains.
His weapons systems officer, Captain Ramon Ortiz, was aboard. Ten minutes after takeoff, the aircraft disappeared from radar during a severe snowstorm.
A massive four-day search was launched across the snow-covered terrain of Mt. San Gorgonio, the highest peak in Southern California at 11,503 feet, located approximately 90 miles east of Los Angeles.
On March 25, search teams located the shattered wreckage of the F-4C just below the summit in Wood Canyon in Riverside County. On March 26 and 27, military recovery teams retrieved the remains of both Captain Martin and Captain Ortiz.
Investigators concluded the jet had struck the mountain at approximately 400 miles per hour, killing both men instantly. The crash was attributed to pilot disorientation caused by the blinding snowstorm.
The answer to the frequently searched question “Was Dean Martin’s son found?” is yes. Dean Paul Martin Jr. was located and his remains recovered within six days of the crash.
What the Loss Did to Dean Martin
Martin immediately withdrew from performing and closed the gates of his Beverly Hills home.
His daily routine in the years that followed became compressed and isolated. Every evening he traveled to La Famiglia, his favorite Italian restaurant in Beverly Hills, where he sat entirely alone at his designated table, quietly eating pasta.
Restaurant observers noted that his isolation was so complete that he wore the same outfit every evening, making photographs taken months apart appear identical.
He turned down multiple multi-million-dollar performance offers. He attempted the 1988 Together Again tour with Frank Sinatra out of loyalty, but left after five shows, too emotionally shattered to continue.
He retired from all public appearances in early 1995 and entered absolute seclusion.
He was diagnosed with pulmonary emphysema and subsequently small cell lung cancer, the result of a lifetime of heavy smoking.
On Christmas Day 1995, alone in his bedroom in Beverly Hills with only hired household staff present, Dean Martin died of acute respiratory failure. He was 78.
In a conversation with his private nurse on his final Christmas morning, watching his younger self perform on a televised holiday program, he remarked: “Everything since then has just been my body taking eight years to catch up.”
The Rest of His Children
From his first marriage to Betty McDonald, Martin had four children.
Craig Martin, born 1942, worked as a television production coordinator on The Dean Martin Show and as a producer on Sha Na Na.
Claudia Martin, born 1944, pursued acting and died of breast cancer in 2001 at 56.
Gail Martin, born 1945, worked as a professional singer and hosted her father’s NBC summer replacement series.
Deana Martin, born 1948, is an active singer, actress, and author who continues performing her father’s songbook.
From his second marriage to Jeanne Biegger, Martin had three children including Dean Paul Jr. Ricci Martin, born 1953, was a musician who fronted a band and collaborated with Carl Wilson before dying in 2016 at 62.
Ricci’s three daughters, and the rest of Dean Martin’s grandchildren, mostly built lives far from the spotlight, except for one who ended up on reality television without anyone realizing who she was.
Gina Martin, born 1956, lived privately and married Beach Boys singer Carl Wilson in 1987, remaining with him until his death in 1998.
During his third marriage to Catherine Hawn, Martin adopted her daughter Sasha, ensuring she was financially provided for even after the marriage ended in 1976.
His estate at death was estimated at approximately $30 million, distributed through the Dean Martin Family Trust.
Under his 1973 divorce settlement, Jeanne Biegger received a 50 percent share of all royalties from records made during their marriage.
She outlived Martin by over twenty years, dying in 2016. For the full story of the show that defined his television career, see our Dean Martin Show cast where they are now.
Dean Martin’s Children: Frequently Asked Questions
Was Dean Martin’s son found after the plane crash?
Yes. Dean Paul Martin Jr. disappeared on March 21, 1987, when his F-4C Phantom II jet crashed into Mt. San Gorgonio during a snowstorm on a training exercise. The wreckage was located on March 25, 1987, just below the summit in Wood Canyon, Riverside County. His remains and those of his weapons systems officer Ramon Ortiz were recovered on March 26 and 27.
What disease did Dean Martin have?
Dean Martin was diagnosed with pulmonary emphysema and subsequently small cell lung cancer, both caused by a lifetime of heavy cigarette smoking. He died on Christmas Day 1995 at age 78 from acute respiratory failure caused by these conditions. His decline was significantly accelerated by the severe depression that followed his son Dean Paul’s death in 1987.
How many children did Dean Martin have?
Dean Martin had seven biological children and one adopted daughter. From his first marriage to Betty McDonald: Craig, Claudia, Gail, and Deana. From his second marriage to Jeanne Biegger: Dean Paul Jr., Ricci, and Gina. During his third marriage to Catherine Hawn he adopted her daughter Sasha. Of the biological children, Claudia died of breast cancer in 2001, Ricci died in 2016, and Dean Paul Jr. died in a military jet crash in 1987.
