Don Rickles

Donald Jay Rickles (May 8, 1926 – April 6, 2017) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, and author. He is widely regarded as being one of the best insult comics of all time. His prominent film roles included Run Silent, Run Deep (1958) with Clark Gable and Kelly's Heroes (1970) with Clint Eastwood, and beginning in 1976 he enjoyed a two-year run starring in the NBC television sitcom C.P.O. Sharkey.
He received widespread exposure as a popular guest on numerous talk and variety shows, including The Dean Martin Show, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Late Show with David Letterman, and later voiced Mr. Potato Head in the Toy Story franchise. He won a Primetime Emmy Award for the 2007 documentary Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project.
==Early life==
Donald Jay Rickles was born to Jewish parents in New York City, on May 8, 1926. His father, Max Rickles (1897-1953), emigrated in 1903 with his Lithuanian parents from KaunasWorld War I draft registration, NY City, #31-9-149-B, Max S. Rickles, born August 12, 1897 in Kovna (Kaunas), Russia (then in the Russian Empire), and his mother, Etta (née Feldman) (1898-1984), was born in New York City to Austrian immigrant parents.US Census, 1930. Queens, New York, Supervisor's District 33, sheet 6A, family #136US Census, 1920. NY City, Enumerationer's district 1508, Sheet 33A, family #138 Rickles grew up in Jackson Heights.Witchel, Alex. " I'm No Howard Stern, You Dummy", The New York Times, August 25, 1996. Accessed October 8, 2007.
After graduating from Newtown High School, Rickles enlisted in the United States Navy and served during World War II on the motor torpedo boat tender USS Cyrene (AGP-13) as a seaman first class. He was honorably discharged in 1946. Two years later, intending to be a dramatic actor, he studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and then played bit parts on television. Frustrated by a lack of acting work, Rickles began performing comedy in clubs in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles. He became known as an insult comedian when he responded to his hecklers. The audience enjoyed these insults more than his prepared material, so he incorporated them into his act.
When he began his career in the early 1950s, he started calling ill-mannered members of the audience "hockey pucks".The Tonight Show with Jay Leno April 15, 2009 His style was similar to that of an older insult comic, Jack E. Leonard, though Rickles denied Leonard influenced his style. During an interview on Larry King Live, Rickles credited Milton Berle's comedy style for inspiring him to enter show business.Don Rickles on Larry King Show, 1985
==Career==
===1950s–1960s===
While working in the "Murray Franklin's" nightclub in Miami Beach, Florida, early in his career, Rickles spotted Frank Sinatra and remarked to him, "I just saw your movie The Pride and the Passion and I want to tell you, the cannon's acting was great." He added, "Make yourself at home, Frank. Hit somebody!" Sinatra, whose pet name for Rickles was "bullet-head", enjoyed him so much that he encouraged other celebrities to see Rickles' act and be insulted by him. Sinatra's support helped Rickles become a popular headline performer in Las Vegas. During a Dean Martin Celebrity Roast special, Rickles was among those who took part in roasting Sinatra,Don Rickles roasts Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin special and Rickles, too, was also roasted during another show in the series.
Rickles earned the nicknames "The Merchant of Venom" and "Mr. Warmth" for his poking fun at people of all ethnicities and walks of life. When he was introduced to an audience or on a television talk show, Spanish matador music, "La Virgen de la Macarena", would usually be played, subtly foreshadowing someone was about to be metaphorically gored. Rickles said, "I always pictured myself facing the audience as the matador."
In 1958, he made his film debut in a serious part in Run Silent, Run Deep with Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster. Throughout the 1960s, he often appeared on television in sitcoms and dramatic series. Rickles guest-starred in Get Smart as Sid, an old war buddy of Max who comes to stay with him. In an episode of the 1960s drama series Run for Your Life, Rickles portrayed a distressed comedian whose act culminates when he strangles a patron while imploring the patron to "Laugh!" Rickles took a dramatic turn in the low-budget Roger Corman film X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes as a carnival barker out to exploit the title character (portrayed by Ray Milland).
Rickles appeared in the Beach Party film series. He recalled in his 2007 memoir that at a White House dinner, Barbara Bush teased him about his decision to appear in those films. Rickles' agent, Jack Gilardi, was married to Annette Funicello when Rickles was cast in the Beach Party films. He subsequently began appearing more frequently on television talk shows, first appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1965.
He became a frequent guest and guest host, appearing more than 100 times on The Tonight Show during Carson's era. An early Carson-Rickles Tonight highlight occurred in 1968 when, while two Japanese women treated Carson to a bath and massage by foot, Rickles walked onto the set. He also made frequent appearances on The Dean Martin Show and became a fixture on The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast specials.
In 1968, Rickles released a live comedy album Hello, Dummy!, which reached #54 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The 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 made guest appearances on The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Munsters, The Addams Family, The Mothers-in-Law, Gilligan's Island, Get Smart, The Twilight Zone, The Andy Griffith Show, Gomer Pyle and I Dream of Jeannie.
===1970s–1980s===
In 1970, Rickles had a notable role as Crapgame in Kelly's Heroes, sharing the marquee poster with co-stars Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Donald Sutherland and Carroll O'Connor. In 1972, he starred in The Don Rickles Show with comedy writer Pat McCormick as his sidekick, which lasted for 13 episodes. He also starred in a series of television specials. In his memoir, Rickles acknowledged a scripted sitcom was not well-suited to his ad-lib style of performing.
Starting in 1973, he became a popular comedian appearing on The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast specials. In 1976–1978, he starred in C.P.O. Sharkey, which lasted two seasons. The series is primarily remembered for the cigarette box incident when Johnny Carson did an impromptu surprise visit during an episode's taping because he was "incensed" Rickles broke his cigarette box while he chatted with Bob Newhart (who was sitting in for Carson as the guest host of The Tonight Show) on the previous night's show. The incident was often replayed in Tonight Show retrospectives and was considered a highlight of the 1970s era of the series.
Rickles occasionally appeared as a panelist on Hollywood Squares and was depicted in comic book form by Jack Kirby during his work on the Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen series (part of Jack Kirby's Fourth World).
===1980s–1990s===
In the early 1980s, Rickles began performing with Steve Lawrence in concerts in Las Vegas. In 1983, the duo co-hosted Foul-Ups, Bleeps & Blunders, an imitation of TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes. In 1985, when Frank Sinatra was asked to perform at Ronald Reagan's Second Inaugural Ball, he insisted that Rickles be allowed to perform and do it unrehearsed. Rickles considered this performance the highlight of his career.
In 1990, he appeared in the second season of Tales from the Crypt in "The Ventriloquist's Dummy." In 1992, he was cast in Innocent Blood, directed by John Landis. In his memoir, Rickles wrote that he recalled that Landis was a "Production Assistant" to Brian G. Hutton during the filming of Kelly's Heroes. During the filming of Innocent Blood, Rickles would kid Landis by ordering him to get coffee or to run other errands befitting his one-time "gofer" status.
In 1993, Rickles starred in another short-lived sitcom Daddy Dearest, with Richard Lewis. In 1995, he portrayed Billy Sherbert in Casino and voiced Mr. Potato Head in the 1995 Disney movie Toy Story and reprised the role in its 1999 sequel Toy Story 2. Rickles starred as George Wilson in 1998's Dennis the Menace Strikes Again. In 1998, he portrayed a film theater manager in Dirty Work and voiced Cornwall, one of the heads of a two-headed dragon, in Quest for Camelot.
===2000s–2017===
Rickles made a cameo appearance as himself in a recurring dream sequence in "Sub Conscious," an episode of The Unit, which aired in February 2007.
A memoir titled Rickles' Book was released on May 8, 2007 by Simon & Schuster. Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project, a documentary about Rickles directed by John Landis, made its debut on HBO on December 2, 2007. Rickles won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program, besting a number of notable comics, including David Letterman, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert. Rickles remarked, "Stephen Colbert's a funny man, but he's too young. He has got plenty of time to win awards, but this may be my last year and I think that I made it count. On second thought it was probably just a mercy award for an old man." Rickles reprised his role of Mr. Potato Head for the Toy Story Midway Mania! attraction at Disney California Adventure Park, Disney's Hollywood Studios and the 2010 film Toy Story 3. He was reported to reprise his role for Toy Story 4 but died before recording any dialogue. Josh Cooley said they will use unused archive recordings of Rickles for the film to honor him.
In 2009, Rickles appeared on Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List and met Griffin's mother Maggie to fulfill one item on Maggie's "bucket list". In 2010, he appeared in a commercial during Super Bowl XLIV as a talking rose and appeared on the 37th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards on CBS TV on June 27, 2010. In 2011, Rickles reunited with his Casino co-star Joe Pesci in a Snickers advertisement highlighting the actors known for their "short fuses." Rickles also portrayed the late husband of Elka (Betty White) on Hot in Cleveland— a "surprise" because his character was thought to be dead.
On May 28, 2014, Rickles was honored by Spike TV's "One Night Only: An All-Star Comedy Tribute to Don Rickles". Recorded live at New York City's Apollo Theater, Jerry Seinfeld was the master of ceremonies for the two-hour special, with live monologues by Johnny Depp, Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Jon Stewart, David Letterman, Tracy Morgan, Brian Williams, Regis Philbin, Amy Poehler, and Tina Fey. Recorded segments included bits from Bob Newhart, Bill Cosby, Jimmy Kimmel, and Eddie Murphy.
He was still a frequent guest on late night talk shows, including Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, among other late night shows during the later months of his life. On May 11, 2015, Rickles appeared as a guest on one of the final episodes of The Late Show with David Letterman. He also made a cameo appearance in Grandfathered.
In a 2014 interview, Rickles dismissed thoughts of retiring, saying: "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." Until his death in 2017, despite being impeded by multiple surgeries following a bout with necrotizing fasciitis in 2013, Rickles continued touring across the United States.
==Personal life==
On March 14, 1965, Rickles married Barbara Sklar of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He admitted having a very difficult time romantically in his 20s and 30s, finally meeting Sklar through his agent when he was 38 years old and falling for her when she failed to get his sense of humor. They had two children, Mindy and Larry Rickles. According to Rickles' memoir, his grandchildren Ethan and Harrison Mann are much more impressed by his role as Mr. Potato Head than by any of his other achievements.
He befriended mobster "Crazy" Joe Gallo following a performance at the Copacabana in 1972. Gallo, whom Rickles had ribbed mercilessly during his set despite being warned not to do so, accepted Rickles's ribbings in good humor and invited him to Umberto's Clam House after the show. Rickles declined the offer. That night, a gunfight erupted at Umberto's, killing Gallo.
Rickles performed at the inaugurations of Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush with his friend Frank Sinatra, although Rickles himself was a "lifelong Democrat".https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2017/04/06/don-rickles-dies-90/100127122/
He considered comedian Bob Newhart to be his best friend, and their wives were also close friends. 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. The two also appeared together on the television sitcom Newhart and for previous episodes of The Tonight Show, where Newhart or Rickles were guest-hosts. They and their wives often vacationed together.
==Death==
Rickles died of kidney failure on April 6, 2017, at his home in Beverly Hills, California. He was interred at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery.
===Tributes===
For Rickles' 88th birthday in 2014, a number of stars helped celebrate it with a televised special titled One Night Only: An All Star Tribute to Don Rickles."Highlights from One Night Only: An All-Star Tribute to Don Rickles", The Comic's Comic, May 28, 2014 Those involved who gave tributes to Rickles included David Letterman, Jon Stewart, Jerry Seinfeld, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, Nathan Lane, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, Tracy Morgan, Johnny Depp, Brian Williams and Regis Philbin. Those who appeared in pre-taped bits include Bob Newhart, Eddie Murphy, Jimmy Kimmel, and Bill Cosby.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSSXZcQ6Sqw Seinfeld described him as a part of the "Mount Rushmore of Stand-up Comedy" with George Carlin, Richard Pryor, and Bill Cosby."Jerry Seinfeld tribute to Don Rickles", for his 88th birthday 
Upon hearing of Rickles' death, a number of television hosts paid tribute to his comedic talents, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers and David Letterman among them.https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/late-night-hosts-remember-funny-sharp-generous-don-rickles-991896
Barbra Streisand, Tom Hanks, Billy Crystal, Mel Brooks, Tim Allen, John Lasseter, Whoopi Goldberg, Ron Howard, Conan O'Brien, Chris Rock, Patton Oswalt, Jim Carrey, Ricky Gervais, all paid their respects on Twitter.https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/don-rickles-dead-celebrities-react-bob-newhart-tom-hanks-1202025158/
Bob Newhart said in a statement, "He was called 'The Merchant of Venom,' but in truth, he was one of the kindest, caring and most sensitive human beings we have ever known. We are devastated, and our world will never be the same. We were totally unprepared for this." The Hollywood Reporter, April 6, 2017
Martin Scorsese, who directed him in Casino in 1995, stated: "Don Rickles was a giant, a legend … and I can hear his voice now, skewering me for being so lofty. I had the honor of working with him on my picture Casino. He was a professional. He kept me doubled over with laughter every day on the set—yet he was a complete pro.""Martin Scorsese pays tribute to Don Rickles: 'He made comedy into an art form'", Entertainment Weekly, April 6, 2017
The Academy Awards honored Don Rickles in the 90th edition In Memoriam segment. Toy Story 4 will be dedicated to him.
==Filmography==
===Film===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
1958	Run Silent, Run Deep 	Quartermaster 1st Class Ruby	
1959	The Rabbit Trap 	Mike O'Halloran 	
1960	The Rat Race 	Nellie 	
1963	X: The Man with the X-ray Eyes 	Crane 	
1964	Muscle Beach Party 	Jack Fanny 	
1964	Bikini Beach 	Big Drag 	
1964	Pajama Party 	Big Bang The Martian 	
1965	Beach Blanket Bingo 	Big Drop 	
1967	Enter Laughing 	Harry Hamburger 	
1967	The Money Jungle 	Harry Darkwater 	
1969	Where It's At 	Willie 	
1970	Kelly's Heroes 	Staff Sergeant "Crapgame" 	
1971	The Love Machine 	Announcer 	Uncredited cameo
1990	Keaton's Cop 	Jake 	
1992	Innocent Blood 	Emmanuel "Manny" Bergman 	
1995	Casino 	Billy Sherbert 	
1995	Toy Story 	Mr. Potato Head 	Voice
1997	Redux Riding Hood 	The Boss 	VoiceShort film
1998	Quest for Camelot 	Cornwall 	Voice
1998	Dirty Work 	Mr. Hamilton 	
1998	Dennis the Menace Strikes Again	George Wilson 	Direct-to-DVD
1999	Toy Story 2 	Mr. Potato Head 	Voice
2004	The J-K Conspiracy 	Himself 	
2010	Toy Story 3 	Mr. Potato Head 	Voice
2011	Hawaiian Vacation 	Mr. Potato Head 	VoiceShort film
2011	Zookeeper 	Jim the Bullfrog 	Voice
2011	Small Fry 	Mr. Potato Head 	VoiceShort film
2012	Partysaurus Rex 	Mr. Potato Head 	VoiceShort film
2019	Toy Story 4 	Mr. Potato Head 	Voice; Posthumous release
===Television===
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
1955 	Stage 7 	Announcer 	Episode: "A Note of Fear"
1955–1956	Cavalcade of America 	Commentator 	2 episodes
1956 	Chevron Hall of Stars 	Announcer 	2 episodes
1956 	Four Star Playhouse 	Announcer 	UncreditedEpisode: "The Listener"
1957 	M Squad 	 	Scenes deletedEpisode: "Pete Loves Mary"
1959 	The Thin Man 	Eddie 	Episode: "The Cat Kicker"
1959–1960	The DuPont Show with June Allyson 	Reporter / Newscaster / Announcer 	3 episodes
1961 	The Twilight Zone 	Bettor 	Episode: "Mr. Dingle, the Strong"
1961 	Wagon Train 	Joe Carder 	Episode: "Wagon to Fort Anderson"
1961 	Hennesey 	Chief Petty Officer Ernie Schmidt 	Episode: "Professional Sailor"
1962 	The Dick Powell Show 	Newscaster 	Episode: "Seeds of April"
1962 	Cain's Hundred 	Dave Molloy 	Episode: "Blood Money"
1963–1965	Burke's Law 	Swifty Piedmont / Frank Cross / Lou Kronkeit	3 episodes
1964 	The Addams Family 	Claude 	Episode: "Halloween With the Addams Family"
1964 	The Dick Van Dyke Show 	Lyle Delp 	2 episodes
1965 	The Beverly Hillbillies 	Fred 	Episode: "Jed's Temptation"
1965 	Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. 	Sergeant Jim Mason 	Episode: "My Buddy, the War Hero"
1965 	The Munsters 	"Doc" Happy Havemeyer 	Episode: "Dance with Me, Herman"
1965 	The Andy Griffith Show 	Newton Munroe 	Episode: "The Luck of Newton Munroe"
1965–1966	Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre	Linny 	2 episodes
1966–1967	Run for Your Life 	Willy Hatch / Leo Mazinov 	2 episodes
1966–1967	F Troop 	Bald Eagle 	Episode: "The Return of Bald Eagle"
1966 	The Wild Wild West 	Asmodeus 	Episode: "The Night of the Druid's Blood"
1966 	The Bob Hope Show 	 	October 19
1966 	Gilligan's Island 	Norbert Wiley 	Episode: "The Kidnapper"
1967 	The Lucy Show 	Eddie Rickles 	Episode: "Lucy the Fight Manager"
1967 	I Spy 	Frank Bodie 	Episode: "Night Train to Madrid"
1967 	I Dream of Jeannie 	Kiski 	Episode: "My Master, the Weakling"
1968–1969	The Don Rickles Show 	Himself (host) 	17 episodes
1968–1969	Get Smart 	Sid Krimm / Guard 	Episodes: "The Little Black Book – Parts 1&2"
Episode: "To Sire, with Love – Part 2"
1968 	The Carol Burnett Show 	Shoe salesman 	Season 2, Episode 7https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0536599/?ref_=tttr_tr_tt
1972 	The Don Rickles Show 	Don Robinson 	13 episodes
1973 	A Couple of Dons 	Himself 	Television Special
1974 	Sanford and Son 	Fight Announcer (voice) 	Episode: "Once a Thief"
1975 	Buy This Tape, You Hockey Puck 	Himself 	Stand-up special
1976 	Medical Center 	 	Episode: "The Happy State of Depression"
1976–1978	C.P.O. Sharkey 	"C.P.O. Otto Sharkey" 	37 episodes
1982 	Archie Bunker's Place 	Al Snyder 	Episode: "Death of a Lodger"
1983 	Gimme a Break! 	Max 	Episode: "Nell and the Kid"
1985 	George Burns Comedy Week 	Mayor 	Episode: "Disaster at Buzz Creek"
1989 	Newhart 	Don Prince 	Episode: "The Nice Man Cometh"
1990 	Tales from the Crypt 	Mr. Ingles 	Episode: "The Ventriloquist's Dummy"
1991 	Hunter 	Harold Schwan 	Episode: "Ex Marks the Spot"
1993 	Daddy Dearest 	Al Mitchell 	13 episodes
1997 	The Larry Sanders Show 	Himself 	Episode: "Artie and Angie and Hank and Hercules"
1997 	The Single Guy 	Dr. Dick Sloan 	Episode: "Big Baby"
1998 	Murphy Brown 	Leonard, Secretary #90 	Episode: "Dial and Substance"
2002 	The Bernie Mac Show 	Himself 	Episode: "The Sweet Life"
2004 	The Wool Cap 	Ira 	Television film
2005 	The Catch 	Roy Kozikowski 	Pilot
2007 	The Unit 	Himself / Priest 	Episode: "Sub-Conscious"
2011 	Hot in Cleveland 	Bobby 	2 episodes
2013 	Toy Story of Terror! 	Mr. Potato Head 	VoiceTelevision film
2014 	Toy Story That Time Forgot 	Mr. Potato Head 	VoiceTelevision film
2017 	Dinner with Don 	Host 	Web series
===Video games===
Year	Title 	Role
1996	Animated Storybook: Toy Story 	Mr. Potato Head
1999	Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue 	Mr. Potato Head
2001	Toy Story Racer 	Mr. Potato Head
2003	Toy Story: Buzz Lightyear's Blast Up Together	Mr. Potato Head
== Other ==
=== Live shows ===
* Toy Story: The Musical – Mr. Potato Head (voice)
=== Theme park attractions ===
* Toy Story Midway Mania! – Mr. Potato Head
=== Discography ===
* Hello, Dummy! (1968)
* Don Rickles Speaks! (1969)
=== Books ===
* 
* 
== Awards and nominations ==
Year	Award 	Work 	Result	Ref
2000	Hollywood Walk of Fame 	 	 	
2008	Primetime Emmy Award for Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program	Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project 	 	
2009	Legend Award 	 	 	
2012	The Johnny Carson Award 	For a lifetime of comedic excellence	 	
2013	Friars Club Lifetime Achievement Award 	 	 	
==See also==
==References==
==Further reading==
* 
==External links==
* 
* 
* 
* Don Rickles at TVGuide.com
* 
* Don Rickles Mr. Warmth App – iTunes Store
* Don Rickles(Aveleyman)
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