CELEBRITIES COOK!
Dom DeLuise
The Great Chef, Comedian and Actor

By Mike McLeod

In addition to being an accomplished comedian and actor, Dom DeLuise is also an accomplished chef and cookbook author. On his website (www.domdeluise.com), he features a new recipe every month, along with his mother's famous Marinara Sauce.

Dom has had a talent for making people laugh ever since he was very young. From the beginning, he found it helped relieve stressful situations at home. Dom was born in Brooklyn to John and Vincenza DeLuise, a hardworking Italian family. When his natural gift for comedy exhibited itself at school, his teacher made a personal visit to his home (an unheard of thing at that time) to laud young Dom's talents to his parents and encourage them to send him to a performing arts school. Even though his father made a living with his hands, he and Dom's mother both heartily supported their son.

After graduating from the High School of Performing Arts, Dom's first paying role was as a dog in "Bernie's Christmas Wish." Years later, Dom would again assume a canine persona as the voice of Itchy from the animated movie, All Dogs Go To Heaven.

"After the movie debuted, they told me they'd asked kids which dog they liked best, and they said 'Itchy.'"

Dom's talents have taken him behind the scenes of many movies, including working with Steven Spielberg on several American Tail (Fievel the Mouse) movies.

"It was great to work with Steven. I heard him tell the crew, 'Keep the tape running when Dom is on,' because I ad lib a lot, and they use the outtakes."

When Mel Brooks approached Dom about a voice over for the sci-fi genre parody, Spaceballs, Dom turned him down. But he eventually relented and became the voice for Pizza the Hut.

Of course, you have also seen Dom on the big screen. His movie credits include: Fail Safe, Blazing Saddles, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Smokey and the Bandit II, History of the World I, The Busybody, The Glass Bottom Boat, Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, The Cannonball Run I & II, The Twelve Chairs, dozens more, and Dom's favorite, The End.

Dom was a hit on TV, too. He's had his own TV series twice, hosted Candid Camera and The Tonight Show, he often appeared on The Dean Martin Show and The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, and in recent years guest starred on Stargate.

Over his career, Dom has worked with most of the greats: Charlie Chaplin, Mae West, Jackie Gleason, Marlon Brando and Danny Kaye. He has performed for Presidents Ford, Reagan, Bush and Clinton. In fact, he has worked with so many famous people, he is writing a book about his experiences with them. Experiences like playing cards with Milton Berle and dealing him four aces.

At 18, Dom met Danny Thomas. "We spent all evening walking to Harlem, and the sun was rising when we came back. I was thrilled."

In 1968, Jackie Gleason guided Dom in his first TV series, The Dom DeLuise Variety Show.
Some of Dom's most vivid memories are from working with the legendary Mae West.

"She was a good writer. She came to work every day ready to work. If you met her you'd love her."

Mae West was the same off-screen as she was on-screen. "She invited me to dinner once, and when I said I'd bring my wife, she told me, 'No wives.' The dinner was for men only."

Even during the breaks in filming, Dom reports that Mae West maintained her sex symbol image. "Mae West was always calm, filled with confidence, and I felt she was very, very sexy.

Once, she was standing in makeup waiting for a shoot to begin. I said to her, 'Miss West, there are 300 men waiting outside, and they all think you are sexy. What shall I tell them?" With one hand on her head and the other on her hip, she said, 'Send two home, I'm tired tonight.'"

Dom loved playing her straight man during those off-camera moments. "Once I commented on her jewelry saying, 'Goodness, look at those beautiful diamonds!' She tartly replied, 'Goodness had nothing to do with it.'"

"When I mentioned that she had a lot of men in her life, she confided, 'It's not the men in my life; it's the life in my men.'"

Dom also worked with Dean Martin for many years on his show. "I was a young man at the time, and I thought he didn't need me. I heard him sing a song once, and I got choked up. I complimented him on how beautiful it was, and he replied, 'Was it?' I was so surprised that Dean Martin would need a compliment on his voice."

Dom also worked with another legendary singer, Frank Sinatra. After hearing Frank sing, "One For My Baby," Dom commented that the song was great, but it was different. "Frank said, 'Thanks, I've been working on it.' That seemed strange to me that Frank Sinatra had to work on a song."

In addition to cooking, Dom DeLuise also has a passion for collecting. "I collect antique watches," Dom said enthusiastically.

Why watches, I wondered?

"Because my wife doesn't want me to bring big things into our house." It seems Dom collects quite a few other things, too.

"I bought by first watch in England. I was thrilled, but I was not very experienced. When I got home, I examined it and saw 'Made in Camden, NJ' on it."

Despite that minor setback, Dom continued collecting watches, and today, his collection boasts all kinds of timepieces -- key wind pocket watches, large watches called "Goliaths," railroad pocket watches, and even Mickey Mouse watches.

"I love looking at them. Some are very complicated, and I have some watches that were made so you can actually take the works out. One watch requires the works to be taken out to wind it."

"I have many old watches, and they still work. How is it they can't make a watch today that will keep good time? I have a few Mickey Mouse watches, and they keep perfect time."

Dom is a collector at heart. Looking around his house as we spoke on the phone, he listed the collectibles he saw. "I have about 15 cookie jars, the kind from England that are made of wood and brass. They hold about eight cookies each. Today, you can eat eight cookies at one time. I have some bronzes, Remingtons. Sometime after I bought two bronze horses, I was performing at the Metropolitan Opera, and I rented Lucian Pavarotti's apartment while there. I really admire him. Well, in his apartment I saw the identical two bronze horses. I love the idea that we're the same (in what we collect) but we don't sing alike."

"I also like to buy old jewelry and give it to my wife. She says, 'Stop!'"

Interviewing Dom DeLuise was a delight, and he is just as funny and warm in person-well, over the phone-as he is on TV and in the movies.

Ironically, after Dom talked about being surprised that Dean Martin needed a compliment, it was my turn to be surprised. As I was ending our conversation, I said, "I have to tell you that whenever I've told friends I am going to interview Dom DeLuise, their faces just light up."

His humble and appreciative reply was, "Really? That's so nice."

Dom DeLuise's Beef Satay
In Thailand, a satay is what we know as a kabob.

In a medium saucepan heat olive oil and sauté onion and garlic. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and chili powder. Saute until onion is tender.

In a bowl, mix the coconut milk, peanut butter, lemon peel, lemon juice, soy sauce and brown sugar. Pour into onion mixture and heat thoroughly (do not boil).

Place beef on skewers and brush with warm sauce. Grill beef over charcoal, or under a hot broiler. Turn and baste beef often.

Serve with warm brown rice.       Serves 6-8

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