Los Angeles, 1965. Paramount Studios, SoundStage 7. The set was supposed to be fun, a family comedy, light-hearted, something kids could watch, but what was happening behind the cameras was anything but light-hearted. 10-year-old Tommy Chen stood in the middle of the living room set, lights blazing down on him, cameras pointed at his face, 30 crew members watching, and director Alan Crawford screaming, “No, no, you’re doing it wrong.

” Tommy flinched. tried again. “Dad, I finished my homework. Can I go outside and play?” The line came out shaky, nervous. Crawford exploded. “Again? It’s a simple line. Are you even trying?” Tommy’s lip trembled. He was trying. He’d been trying for an hour. I’m sorry, Mr. Crawford. I’ll don’t apologize. Just do it right. Tommy took a breath.

 Started again. Dad, I finished my Stop. Crawford stormed onto the set, got right in Tommy’s face. Are you stupid? It’s seven words. A trained monkey could do this. Tommy’s eyes filled with tears. I’m sorry. Don’t cry. We don’t have time for crying. Crawford turned to the crew. This is what happens when you cast kids who’ve never been on a real set.

 You waste everyone’s time and money. Tommy broke, tears streaming down his face, trying to hold back sobs. The crew looked away, uncomfortable, angry, but nobody said anything. Nobody could. Alan Crawford was one of the most powerful directors in Hollywood. You didn’t challenge Alan Crawford. Not if you wanted to keep working.

 In his trailer, Dean Martin was reviewing Tomorrow’s Scenes. He’d produced and starred in a dozen films. This one, Dad’s Home, was supposed to be Easy, a fun family comedy about a father reconnecting with his kids. Dean had handpicked the cast. Tommy Chen, the young actor playing his son, had impressed him at auditions. Natural, sweet, talented.

 Dean’s assistant, Pete, knocked on the door. Dean, we’ve got a problem on set. Dean looked up. What kind of problem? Crawford’s going off on the kid again. Dean sat down his script again. Third time today. Dean stood up. Where’s Tommy now? Still on set. Crawford won’t let him take a break until he gets the line right. Dean’s jaw tightened.

 He walked out of the trailer. Soundstage 7. Dean walked through the heavy soundstage doors. The first thing he heard was Crawford’s voice. Loud. Harsh. You’re wasting film. Do you know how much film costs? Then he saw Tommy small standing alone in the middle of the set, crying. Crawford standing over him, red-faced, furious. I don’t care if you’re upset.

You signed a contract. You’re here to work. Dean walked onto the set. Allan. His voice wasn’t loud, but it cut through everything. The set went silent. Crawford turned. Dean, I’m in the middle of Step away from the kid. Crawford’s face flushed deeper. I’m trying to get a performance out of him. You’re terrorizing a 10-year-old.

 That’s not directing. That’s abuse. Abuse? Dean, come on. I’m just being firm. Kids need discipline. Dean walked past Crawford, knelt down to Tommy’s level. Hey, buddy. Tommy looked at him, face wet with tears, trying to stop crying. You okay? Tommy shook his head. Did he call you stupid? Tommy nodded.

 Dean put a hand on Tommy’s shoulder. You’re not stupid. You’re a good actor and this is not your fault. He stood up, faced Crawford. You’re fired. The soundstage went dead silent. Crawford laughed. What? You heard me. You’re fired. Get off my set, Dean. You can’t. I’m under contract. Watch me. Crawford’s laugh died. You’re serious. Completely. Dean, listen.

 I’ve been directing for 20 years. I know how to handle child actors. Sometimes you have to be tough. Tough is giving clear direction. This is cruelty. I never touched him. You don’t have to touch someone to hurt them. Allan, you called a 10-year-old stupid. You told him a monkey could do his job.

 You screamed at him in front of 30 people. That’s abuse. He needs to learn. He’s 10. He’s not a soldier. He’s not an employee at a factory. He’s a child. Crawford’s voice rose. You’re overreacting. This is how sets work. You think Hitchcock coddles his actors? You think Ford doesn’t yell? I don’t care what Hitchcock does.

 I don’t care what Ford does. This is my production, my set, my name on the poster, and you just verbally abused a child while working for me. The studio won’t let you fire me. The studio will do whatever I tell them because without me, there’s no movie. Without you, we just hire another director.” Crawford looked around at the crew watching, at Tommy still crying, at Dean’s face, calm but absolutely immovable.

 You’re making a mistake, Martin. No, hiring you was the mistake. I’m fixing it now. Crawford threw his clipboard onto the floor. Fine. Fine. But you’ll regret this. I’ve got friends in this town. Powerful friends. I’ll make sure everyone knows what you did. Good. Make sure they know exactly what I did. That I fired a director for screaming at a 10-year-old child.

 Please spread that story everywhere. Crawford stared at him, then stormed off the set. The crew remained frozen. Dean turned to his assistant director. Mark, you’re directing for the rest of the day. Tomorrow, we’ll find a replacement. Mark nodded. Yes, sir. Dean looked at Tommy, still standing there, still crying. Tommy, come with me.

Dean’s trailer. Dean sat Tommy down, handed him a tissue. You okay, buddy? Tommy wiped his face. I’m sorry I couldn’t get the line right. Hey, look at me. Tommy looked up. This wasn’t your fault. Not any of it. You understand? But I kept messing up. You were nervous because a grown man was screaming at you. That would make anyone nervous.

That’s not a failure. That’s a normal reaction to being treated badly. Mr. Crawford said I was wasting everyone’s time. Mr. Crawford was wrong about everything. But what if I really am bad at this? What if I can’t do it? Dean knelt down. Tommy, I’ve been in this business 40 years. I’ve worked with hundreds of actors, and I’m telling you, you’re good. Really good.

 That’s why I cast you. Really? Really? But being good at acting doesn’t mean you should accept being treated like that ever by anyone. Tommy nodded slowly. Can I ask you something? Dean said. Okay. Has Mr. Crawford been mean to you before today? Tommy looked down. Sometimes. How many times? I don’t know. A lot.

 Dean’s face hardened. Did you tell anyone? My mom told me that directors are supposed to be tough. that I should just try harder. Dean felt anger rise in his chest. Not at Tommy’s mother. She was just trying to help her son succeed in a difficult industry, but at a system that made children think they deserve to be abused. Your mom was trying to help.

 But she was wrong. Directors can be demanding. They can push you to do better, but they can’t call you names. They can’t make you cry. And they definitely can’t make you feel worthless. What if other directors are like Mr. Crawford? Then I’ll fire them, too. That evening, Dean called Tommy’s parents to his office. Mrs.

 Chen arrived looking worried. Mr. Martin, is Tommy in trouble? No, Tommy’s not in trouble. I am. She looked confused. Dean gestured for them to sit. I fired the director today. Alan Crawford. Mr. Chen’s eyes widened. Because of Tommy? Because Crawford was abusing Tommy. Abusing? He screamed at your son. Called him stupid.

Told him a monkey could do his job better. made him cry. And when Tommy cried, Crawford yelled at him for that, too. Mrs. Chen’s hand went to her mouth,” Dean continued. “I should have stopped it sooner. I didn’t know it had been happening for days, but I know now. And I’m sorry I didn’t protect your son better.” Mr.

 Martin, you don’t have to apologize. “Yes, I do. This was my production, my set, my responsibility, and I let a grown man terrorize a 10-year-old child.” Mr. Chen spoke quietly. What happens now? Now I’m implementing new rules. No director working on any production I’m involved with can yell at a child. Not once, not ever.

 That’s very kind, but it’s not kind. It’s basic human decency, and it should have been the rule from the beginning. Mrs. Chen was crying now. Most directors don’t care how they treat child actors. They just want the shot. I care. And from now on, everyone who works for me will care, too. The next day, Dean called a meeting with the studio. The executives were furious.

Dean, you can’t just fire a director mid-production. I already did. Crawford’s threatening to sue. Let him. I’ll counter sue for creating a hostile work environment for a minor. This is going to cost us time and money. Then you should have hired a director who doesn’t abuse children. The studio head, Walter Herzog, rubbed his temples.

 Dean, we understand you were upset, but I wasn’t upset. I was seeing clearly for the first time. Crawford was abusing Tommy for days and nobody stopped him. Not the crew, not the producers, nobody. Because that’s how things work on sets. Directors yell, actors take it. That’s the system. It’s always been the system.

Then the system is wrong. And I’m changing it. You can’t change an entire industry. Watch me. Dean didn’t just fire Crawford. He called every producer he knew. Alan Crawford. Don’t hire him. Not for anything involving children. Dean, he’s one of the best. He verbally abuses kids. I saw it. Fired him for it.

If you hire him, I won’t work with you. Most of them agreed. Dean Martin was too valuable to lose. By the end of the week, Crawford couldn’t get work on any major studio production. But Dean didn’t stop there. He drafted a document, child actor safety protocols. The rules were simple.

 No director can raise their voice at a child actor ever. Child actors get breaks every hour. No exceptions. Parents or guardians must be present on set at all times. Any crew member who witnesses abuse must report it immediately. Violations result in immediate termination. Dean sent it to every producer in Hollywood. These are my terms.

 If you want me to work on your project, you implement these rules. Some producers complained. Dean, you’re making things difficult. Good. Things should be difficult for people who want to exploit children. Within a year, other stars joined Dean’s movement. Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Shirley Mlan. By 1968, the Screen Actors Guild officially adopted most of Dean’s protocols as industry standards.

Directors who violated them faced penalties, suspensions, in extreme cases, blacklisting. The culture began to shift. Not overnight, not completely, but it shifted. Tommy Chen kept acting. He worked steadily through his teens and 20s. Never a superstar, but a working actor, a good life. In 1987, he was asked about his career in an interview.

Any regrets? One, that I didn’t speak up sooner about what was happening on that set, the Alan Crawford incident. Yeah, I was just a kid. I thought I had to accept being treated that way, that it was part of the job. What changed? Dean Martin changed. He showed me that adults can protect children instead of exploiting them.

 That power can be used to create safety instead of fear. Do you think the industry has changed? Yes. Not perfectly, but yes. Because Dean didn’t just fire one director. He created a system. He made it clear that abusing kids has consequences. Real consequences. Would you have kept acting if Dean hadn’t intervened? Tommy thought about it. Probably not.

 I was 10 years old and already thinking about quitting. Already believing I was stupid and worthless. If Dean hadn’t stopped Crawford, I think I would have quit before my 11th birthday. So, he saved your career? He saved more than my career. He saved my childhood, my self-worth, my belief that I deserve to be treated with dignity.

 At Dean’s funeral in 1995, Tommy Chen spoke. His voice broke multiple times. Dean Martin didn’t just fire a director who was mean to me. He changed an entire industry. He looked at the crowd, friends, family, colleagues. Before Dean, child actors were expected to take abuse, to endure it, to smile and pretend everything was fine because that’s how Hollywood worked. Dean said no.

 He said children deserve protection, deserve safety, deserve to work without fear. And he didn’t just say it. He enforced it. He used his power, his fame, his connections, his leverage to make sure kids like me could work without being terrorized. Tommy’s voice dropped to a whisper. I’m 40 now. I have kids of my own.

 And when they ask me what Dean Martin was like, I don’t tell them about his movies or his music or his fame. I tell them about the day he walked onto a set, saw a 10-year-old kid crying, and said, “This stops now.” I tell them that Dean Martin taught me that real men protect children. That power is worthless if you don’t use it to defend people who can’t defend themselves.

 I tell them that Dean Martin saved me. Alan Crawford never directed again. He tried, called old friends, begged for chances, but Dean’s campaign had worked. Every major studio knew the story. Most of them had children. Most of them agreed with Dean. Crawford ended up teaching film classes at a community college in Arizona.

 In 1993, two years before Dean died, Crawford gave an interview. Do you regret how you treated Tommy Chen? Crawford was 71 years old, gray, tired every day? What would you say to him now? That I was wrong? That he was a talented kid and I was a bully? That I used my power to hurt someone who couldn’t fight back? Why did you do it? Because I could? Because the system allowed it.

 because nobody had ever told me it was wrong. Until Dean Martin. Until Dean Martin. Do you resent him for blacklisting you? Crawford shook his head. No. He did what he should have done. What someone should have done to me years earlier. He drew a line and he enforced it. If you could go back, I’d apologize to Tommy.

 I’d tell him he was good. That he was trying his best. That my anger had nothing to do with him and everything to do with me. Crawford died in 1998, never directed another film. This is the story of 1965 when a famous director screamed at a 10-year-old actor when that actor cried and nobody helped him until Dean Martin walked onto the set.

 Dean didn’t negotiate, didn’t compromise, didn’t give second chances. He fired the director immediately. And then he did something even more important. He changed the system. He created rules, safety protocols, consequences for abuse. He used his power to protect children he’d never meet. Tommy Chen was saved that day, but so were thousands of other child actors because Dean Martine understood something fundamental.

 Children deserve protection. Not someday, not eventually. Now. And if you have power, you have a responsibility to use it for people who don’t. That’s not being soft. That’s being strong. That’s being a man. That’s being Dean Martin.