It's a Code Blue World

(Props to Monty)

Or

There’s No Tomorrow

Tony Martin, who your grandparents might vaguely remember and who shows that it may be possible to outlive celebrity, has died at the age of 98. The last of the big-name singer-actors from the golden age of Hollywood musicals, Martin was Sinatra without the staying power. Or the Mob ties. He was a featured vocalist on the Burns and Allen radio program, generally flirting with Gracie. He appeared in 30 films, mostly in the late 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s and primarily musicals. Two songs performed by Martin were nominated for Academy Awards - For Every Man There's a Woman from Casbah and It’s a Blue World, from Music in My Heart. His career was put on hold for World War II, where allegations that he had bribed his way into an officer’s commission in the Navy prompted him to give up boats for a band – joining Glenn Miller’s band in the United States Army Air Forces. His film career never really recovered, and after Hollywood lost interest, he continued performing on stage, in a cabaret act with his wife Cyd Charisse, and as a solo act well into his 90s. One of Martin’s other career highlights was the worst ad-lib in the history of the Friar’s Club. During the Friar’s Roast of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in November 1958, Harry Parke had just completed his routine and after returning to his seat, had collapsed into Milton Berle’s lap. Trying to distract the audience, Berle told Martin to sing something. So as Parke lay on the floor dying of a heart attack, Martin broke into “There’s No Tomorrow.”