Everything about Don Rickles totally explained
» For the radio and television announcer, see Donald Rickles (announcer).
Donald Jay Rickles (born
May 8,
1926 in
New York City, New York) After graduating from
Newtown High School, he served in the
U.S. Navy in
World War II aboard the
USS Cyrene as a
S1/c until he was
honorably discharged in
1946. Two years later he studied at the
American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and played occasional bit parts on
television. Frustrated with the lack of acting work, he began doing
stand-up comedy. He eventually became known as an
insult comedian by learning to respond to
hecklers. The audience liked these insults more than his prepared material, so he developed them as part of his act. His act reminded some observers of the older insult comic
Jack E. Leonard, though Rickles has denied that Leonard had any influence on his style.
Career success
1950s-1960s
While working in a
Los Angeles nightclub early in his career, he spotted
Frank Sinatra, and said "I just saw your movie,
The Pride and the Passion and I want to tell you, the
cannon's acting was great." and "Make yourself at home, Frank: hit somebody!"
Rickles earned the nicknames "The Merchant of Venom" and "Mr. Warmth" for his insult comedy in which he pokes fun at people of all ethnicities and walks of life. Often when he's introduced to an audience or on a television talk show,
Spanish matador music, usually "La Virgen de la Macarena", will be played subtly foreshadowing that someone is about to be metaphorically gored. Rickles has said "I always pictured myself facing the audience as the matador." That same year he starred in his own
variety show on ABC,
The Don Rickles Show, with comedy writer Pat McCormick as his sidekick. The show lasted one season. During the 1960s, Rickles also made guest appearances on
The Dick Van Dyke Show,
Gilligan's Island and
I Dream of Jeannie.
1970s-1980s
In
1970, Rickles had a notable role as the
con man Sgt. Crapgame in the hit film
Kelly's Heroes with
Clint Eastwood. In
1972, he starred in the sitcom
The Don Rickles Show which lasted for thirteen episodes. He also starred in a series of television specials. In his memoir, Rickles acknowledged that a scripted sitcom wasn't well-suited to his ad-lib style of performing.
In
1976, he began starring in the sitcom
C.P.O. Sharkey which lasted for two seasons. It is mostly remembered for the
cigarette box incident where
Johnny Carson visited during a show's taping because he was incensed that Rickles had broken his cigarette box while he was guest hosting. This incident was often replayed in
Tonight Show retrospectives and was considered a highlight of the
1970s era of the show.
From time to time he appeared as a panelist on
Hollywood Squares:
Q. You go down to a brook and you catch a
frog. Then you rub it on your face! Just what is that supposed to do?
Rickles: That's supposed to put you in the state
hospital!
1980s-1990s
In the early
1980s. Rickles began performing with singer
Steve Lawrence in concerts in Las Vegas. In 1983, the duo co-hosted the short-lived
ABC-TV series
Foul-Ups, Bleeps & Blunders, an imitation of
NBC's
TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes.
In
1985, when Frank Sinatra was asked to perform at
Ronald Reagan's Second Inaugural Ball he stated he wouldn't perform unless Rickles was allowed to perform with him. Rickles considers this performance the highlight of his career. He has no plans to retire as he recently said in an interview: "I'm in good health. I'm working better than I ever have. The audiences are great. Why should I retire? I'm like a fighter. The bell rings and you come out and fight. My energy comes alive. And I still enjoy it."
In February 2007, Rickles made a
cameo appearance (as himself) in a strange, recurring
dream sequence that was woven through an episode (titled
"Sub Conscious") of the CBS
dramatic series,
The Unit.
Rickles'
memoir,
Rickles' Book, was released on
May 8,
2007 by
Simon & Schuster., a
documentary about Rickles directed by
John Landis, made its debut on
HBO on
December 2,
2007.
Rickles reprised the role of Mr. Potato Head in the
Toy Story Midway Mania! attraction at
Disney's California Adventure and
Disney's Hollywood Studios. He will voice the character again in
Toy Story 3.
Personal life
Rickles has been married for over 42 years to his wife, Barbara, who is from Philadelphia. They have a daughter, Mindy, a son, Larry and two grandchildren, Ethan and Harrison Mann. According to Rickles' memoir, his grandchildren are much more impressed by his having played "
Mr. Potato Head" than by any of his other career achievements.
Rickles and his wife Barbara are close friends with comedian
Bob Newhart and his wife, Ginny, and they often vacation together. Rickles and Newhart appeared together on
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on
January 24,
2005, the Monday following Johnny Carson's death, reminiscing about their many guest appearances on Carson's show, including footage of the "cigarette box incident".
Works
Filmography
Selected television work
The Andy Griffith Show (1965) (Guest Star)
Kibbee Hates Fitch (1965) (unsold pilot)
The Munsters (1965 episode - Dance With Me, Herman)
The Don Rickles Show (1968-1969)
The Don Rickles Show (1972)
C.P.O. Sharkey (1976-1978)
For the Love of It (1980) (TV movie)
Foul-Ups, Bleeps & Blunders (1984-1985)
Don Rickles: Rickles on the Loose (1986) (television special)
Daddy Dearest (1993)
The Wool Cap (2004) (TV movie)
The Catch (2005) (unsold pilot)
Live with Regis and Kelly (2007)
The Daily Show (2007)
Jimmy Kimmel Live (2007)
Late Show with David Letterman (2008)
Discography
Hello Dummy! (1968)
Don Rickles Speaks! (1969)Further Information
Get more info on 'Don Rickles'.
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