The Biography Of A Comedy Icon 'Don Rickles"

Date of Birth: 8 May 1926, New York City, USA

Date of Death:	6 April 2017, Los Angeles, California, USA  (kidney failure)
Birth Name	Donald Jay Rickles
Nicknames	Mr. Warmth The Merchant of Venom Glass Head
Height	5' 6" (1.68 m)

Mini Bio (1)

Don Rickles was born May 8, 1926 in New York. After the Golden Era of Hollywood ended, Don Rickles is one man still living to tell his tales. One of the most respected talents in entertainment, Rickles got his start in the night clubs, toiling for over 20 years, until 1958, when Don made his film debut in Run Silent Run Deep (1958). The movie was a big hit. Afterward, Rickles continued acting, starring in films like X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963), Bikini Beach (1964), Enter Laughing (1967), and Kelly's Heroes (1970). In 1973, Don became a regular on Dean Martin's Celebrity Roasts. From 1973 until 1984, Don appeared frequently on Dean's show, paying tribute to some of his friends, like Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, and was even the roast master on the roast for Dean Martin himself. In 1976, Don his own TV series CPO Sharkey (1976), which enjoyed a two year run. After 1984, Don began taking it easy, appearing in a few minor film roles. But in 1995, Don made a big comeback, appearing with Tom Hanks and Tim Allen in Toy Story (1995) in the role of the grouchy Mr. Potato Head. In 1999, he returned as Mr. Potato Head in Toy Story 2 (1999).

He died April 6, 2017, in Los Angeles.

Spouse (1)

Barbara Rickles

(14 March 1965 - 6 April 2017) (his death) (2 children)

Trade Mark (1)

Good-matured insulting of the audience and society in general

Trivia (15)

Seen by some as an imitator of Jack E. Leonard.

He was a regular on "The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast". He was even a guest of honor on the variety show.

Attended and graduated from Newtown High School in Elmhurst, Queens, New York. Carroll O'Connor is also an alumnus.

Longtime close friends with Bob Newhart. Their families have often traveled together over the years.

Was good friends with Frank Sinatra and Don Adams.

Aspired to be a serious actor and studied drama at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts before doing a stand-up comedy. His classmates included Grace Kelly, Anne Bancroft and Jason Robards.

Father of Mindy Rickles and Larry Rickles.

Grandfather of Ethan Mann and Harrison Mann.

Served in the United States Navy aboard the USS Cyrene in World War II.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Live Theatre at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on October 17, 2000.

When he appeared on the December 13, 1976 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962), he accidentally broke the wooden cigarette box Johnny Carson kept on his desk. When Carson returned to the show the following night and discovered what had happened, he interrupted filming of CPO Sharkey (1976) to confront Rickles.

Became known as an insult comedian when he responded to his hecklers. The audience enjoyed these insults more than his prepared material, and he incorporated them into his act.

Although a lifelong Democrat, he performed at the inaugurations of Republican presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush with his friend Frank Sinatra.

He was the son of Etta (Feldman) and Max Sidney Rickles. His father was a Russian Jewish immigrant. His mother was born in New York, to Austrian Jewish parents.

Donald Jay Rickles passed away on April 6, 2017, a month away from what would have been his 91st birthday on May 8.

Personal Quotes (7)

If I were to insult people and mean it, that wouldn't be funny.

Whatever you do to gain success, you have to hang in there and hope good things happen. Always think positive.

[Asked by Jay Leno if he ever worries that his insult comedy might be too offensive for the audience] You know, every night when I go out on stage, there's always one nagging fear in the back of my mind. I'm always afraid that somewhere out there, there is one person in the audience that I'm NOT going to offend!

[to Frank Sinatra, who arrived during his act] Come on in, Frank. Make yourself at home--hit somebody.

[on Sammy Davis Jr.] You can't get Negro help like that, anymore. Wow, to have a guy who can sing, dance--and dust!

I'm not a big one for jokes. I can't tell a joke, believe it or not. If you gave me a thousand bucks and said, "Don, get up at a party and tell a joke", I'm the worst.

[on Frank Sinatra] When you enter a room, you have to kiss his ring. I don't mind, but he has it in his back pocket.
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