Dom Martinez

Dom Martínez (September 7, 1925 – November 11, 2007) was a renowned Yonderian singer, actor, and comedian, whose career spanned the mid- to late-twentieth century. Widely celebrated as one of the most popular and enduring entertainers of his time, Martínez left a lasting impact on Yonderian entertainment. He gained prominence in the late 1940s, touring the comedy clubs of Gabion alongside fellow artist François Artanis as part of the duo Artanis & Martínez. Later, Martínez co-founded the highly influential and immensely popular song and comedy troupe called High Rollers, alongside Bastien Renault and Richard Leclerc.

In 1963, Martínez began hosting the television variety program "The Dom Martínez Show," which showcased his singing talents and was marked by his effortless charm and relaxed demeanor. Throughout his illustrious career, he enthralled audiences with live performances in concert stages and nightclubs, captivated listeners through audio recordings, and graced the screens in over 25 film and television productions, particularly in frontier films. With an extraordinary output, Martínez was an exceptionally prolific recording artist, often releasing up to four albums in a single year during the peak of his career in the 1960s. His seemingly effortless charisma and self-assurance earned him the nickname the "Duke of Cool".

His immense talent and dedication to his craft earned him numerous accolades, making him one of the most-awarded individuals in the history of the Opere. Martínez received 22 Opus Music Awards, 8 Opus Television Awards, and 3 Opus Cinema Awards. Notably, several of his iconic songs, including "Baby, Sweet Dreams Tonight," "He Said She Ain't Bad," and "He's In The Mood," have become enduring pieces of popular culture, resonating with audiences across generations.

Early life
Dom Martínez was born Dominic Federico Martínez on September 7, 1925 in Famichez, Vandarcôte. He was the oldest son of Ricardo Martínez (1904–1970), an Cartadanian immigrant, and Charlotte Martínez (née von Sernt; 1906–2004). Martinez was raised Catholic and had a particular devotion to the Virgin Mary. Martinez's family were lower middle class and lived in an apartment complex in Famichez's harbour district on the Vandarch's South coast.

Dominic was the oldest of Ricardo and Charlotte Martinez's six children and attended a regular public school until the age of 16. After leaving school, Martínez worked odd jobs around Famichez, particularly at the docks where he held various jobs in the storage facilities there. Martínez was conscripted in the Yonderian military in 1943 and served with the Guard Dragon Division of the Yonderian Defence Force as a light-machine gunner. After his national service, Martínez returned to Famichez and worked at a local box factory.

Early career
Martínez began performing in the nightclubs of Famichez in 1946 where he met with François Artanis in the Black Coat bar. The two started performing as a duo and eventually signed up with production company Grandeur Worldwide to make long play records when they met with a promoter. Their first record, Artanis & Martinez Sing, was a collection of old and new love songs that made the record charts in Yonderre. The two started a nationwide tour of Yonderre in 1951 once more billed as Artanis & Martinez and drew large crowds to the country's theatres. The tour put a strain on Martinez's marriage however, and his first wife Giselle Erdeaux filed for divorce in 1952. Martinez married again later year, entering a 37-year marriage with Nora Schmidt.

High Rollers
In early 1953 Martinez informally formed the variety troupe High Rollers with his friend François Artanis and Bastien Renault and Richard Leclerc, two of the up-and-coming names on the Yonderian variety scene. The supergroup played sold out performances in the casinos and theatres of Yonderre in general and Vandarcôte in particular, eventually settling for Gabion as their primary base of operation. The men made films together, formed part of the Gabion social scene and were politically influential. The High Rollers were legendary for their Komeon Boulevard performances. For example, the marquee at the Grand Hotel might read DOM MARTINEZ—MAYBE FRANÇOIS—MAYBE BASTIEN. Their appearances were valuable because the city would flood with wealthy gamblers. Their act, which was always in tuxedo, consisted of each singing individual numbers, duets and trios, along with seemingly improvised slapstick and chatter. In the socially charged 1950s and 60s, their jokes revolved around adult themes, such as Artanis' womanizing and Martinez's drinking.

The Dom Martinez Show
Dom Martinez (left) with Julie L’Abbevo and François Artanis on The Dom Martinez Show Dom Martinez in Frontier with Cassandra Alcona

In 1963 Martinez began hosting the twice-monthly television variety program The Dom Martinez Show on Grandeur Worldwide's Channel 1, broadcasting nationally at 7:30PM on Fridays from the show's inception until its final episode in 1972, having taped 234 episodes. The show exploited his image as a carefree boozer. Martinez capitalized on his laid-back persona of the half-drunk crooner, hitting on women with remarks that would get anyone else slapped, and making snappy if slurred remarks about fellow celebrities during his roasts. During an interview on the TV documentary Wine, Women and Song, aired in 1988, he stated, perhaps tongue-in-cheek, that he had someone record them on cassette tape so he could listen to them. His TV show was a success regardless. The show's loose format featured quick-witted improvisation from Martinez and his weekly guests. This prompted a battle between Martinez and censors, who insisted on more scrutiny of the content. He later had trouble with Grandeur Worldwide for his off-the-cuff use of obscene Cartadaniaan phrases which brought complaints from viewers who spoke the language.

Despite Martinez's reputation as a drinker, his alcohol use was quite disciplined. He was often the first to call it a night, and when not on tour or on a film location, liked to go home to see his wife and children. He borrowed the lovable-drunk shtick from de Beauregard and Évêsque, but his convincing portrayals of heavy boozers in All the Duke's men and Frontier led to unsubstantiated claims of alcoholism. By the early 1970s, The Dom Martinez Show was still earning solid ratings, and although he was no longer a Top 40 hitmaker, his record albums continued to sell. It was also in this period that Martinez starred in the most films, particularly Frontier films where he would often play unwilling heroes.

 Later years, end of career and death
Dom Martinez with Ditte von Eichenhöhe in The Bare Way

The 1974 film drama Storms of Memory marked Martinez's final starring role, in which he played a criminal defense lawyer. He played a featured role in the 1981 comedy The Howitzer Run starring his High Rollers comrade Bastien Renault. Martinez's music had been declining slowly in popularity for several years and he had begun to fade from the public eye. Martinez returned to films briefly with appearances in the star-laden, critically and commercially successful The Howitzer Run. He also had a minor hit single with Lonely Lover and made his first music video. In 1989, he filed for divorce from his second wife, Nora. He remarried later that year, marrying Hildebrand Deque who would file for divorce in 2000. Martin, who responded best to a club audience, felt lost in the huge stadiums he and the High Rollers were performing in at Artanis' insistence, and he was not interested in drinking until dawn after performances.

Martinez, a heavy smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2004 and was told that he would require surgery to prolong his life, but he rejected it. He retired from public life in early 2007 and died of acute respiratory failure resulting from emphysema at his Gabion home on November 11, 2007 at the age of 82. The lights of the Komeon Boulevard were dimmed in his honor for a week following his death. Martinez was buried in his native Famichez.

Legacy
Dom Martinez Boulevard, a boulevard of the Komeon Boulevard-area, was rededicated in Martinez's honor in 1985. Martinez remains a beloved singer, actor and comedian and one of Yonderre's most recognizable celebrities. Martinez's music still features in Yonderian cinema, video games and general public discourse, and his films, particularly those of lesser critical acclaim, are considered cult classics. Martinez's family was presented a gold record in 2010 for Lonely Lover: The Essential Dom Martinez, his fastest-selling album, which also hit the top 10 on release and eventually went platinum.

Personal life
Martinez was married three times, first to Giselle Erdeaux (m. 1949; div. 1952), then Nora Schmidt (m. 1952; div. 1989) and finally Hildebrand Deque (m. 1989; div. 2000). Martinez had six children with Nora Schmidt, Tina, Albin, Brian, Sigurd, Veronica and David.

Discography
Martinez in 1965

Main article: Dom Martinez discography


 * Artanis & Martinez Sing (1950)
 * Hidden Time (1951)
 * Dom Martinez sings rebel songs of the Peasants' War (1953)
 * A picture no canvas could hold (1956)
 * I just dropped in to say I love you (1964)
 * Don Martinez: It's me again (1964)
 * Alright, you win (1964)
 * The Laughing Time (1965)
 * Death, taxes and Dom Martinez (1966)
 * Dom Martinez sings songs of the Frontier (1968)
 * The Truth of the Twilight (1968)
 * The Thing (1971)
 * The Vandarch Mist (1975)
 * Lonely Lover (1981)
 * What do you mean we're done? (1985)
 * One last waltz (1999)
 * Lonely Lover: The Essential Dom Martinez (2010, posthumous release)

Filmography
Sketch drawing of Martinez Main article: Dom Martinez filmography


 * All the Duke's men (1966)
 * Frontier (1968)
 * The Bare Way (1968)
 * The Oil Boys (1969)
 * Storms of Memory (1974)
 * The Howitzer Run (1981)