Don Rickles

For the radio and television announcer, see Donald Rickles.
Don Rickles

Rickles in 1973
Birth name Donald Jay Rickles
Born (1926-05-08) May 8, 1926
Queens, New York, U.S.
Medium Stand-up, film, television
Nationality American
Years active 1948–present
Genres Improvisational comedy, observational comedy, musical comedy, insult comedy
Subject(s) United States culture, racism, self-deprecation, everyday life, religion, current events
Influences Milton Berle
Influenced Jay Leno, David Letterman, Jon Stewart, Howard Stern, Russell Peters, Jimmy Fallon[1] Dave Attell,[2] Lisa Lampanelli[3] Jerry Seinfeld, Norm Macdonald, Todd Glass, Artie Lange, Larry the Cable Guy, Robert Smigel (as Triumph the Insult Dog), Kathy Griffin, Bianca Del Rio
Spouse Barbara Sklar (m. 1965)
Children 2
Notable works and roles Hello Dummy!
Run Silent, Run Deep
Kelly's Heroes
Casino
Toy Story

Donald Jay "Don" Rickles (born May 8, 1926) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and voice actor. Best known as an insult comic, he is also an actor, playing both comedic and dramatic roles on film. He received widespread exposure as a frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Late Show with David Letterman.

Early life

Rickles was born Donald Jay Rickles in the New York City borough of Queens on May 8, 1926[4] to Max Rickles (1897–1953), who emigrated in 1903 with his parents Joseph and Frances Rickles (Richters) from Kaunas, Lithuania[5] (then in the Russian Empire), and Etta (Feldman) Rickles (1901–1984), born in New York to immigrant parents from the Austrian Empire.[6][7][8][9] His family was Jewish and spoke Yiddish at home. Rickles grew up in the Jackson Heights area.[4]

After graduating from Newtown High School, Rickles enlisted in the U.S. 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.[10] 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 stand-up 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, and he incorporated them into his act.[11] When he began his career in the early 1950s, he started calling ill-mannered members of the audience "hockey puck[s]".[12] His style was similar to that of an older insult comic, Jack E. Leonard, though Rickles denies Leonard influenced his style.[13]

Career

1950s–1960s

While working in a Miami Beach nightclub known as "Murray Franklin's" early in his career, he 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!"[4][14] 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.[14][15] During a Dean Martin Roast special, Rickles was among those who took part in a roast of Sinatra.[16]

Rickles earned the nicknames "The Merchant of Venom" and "Mr. Warmth"[11][17] for his poking fun at people of all ethnicities and walks of life. When he is introduced to an audience or on a television talk show, Spanish matador music, "La Virgen de la Macarena", will usually be played, subtly foreshadowing someone is about to be metaphorically gored. Rickles has said, "I always pictured myself facing the audience as the matador."[13]

In 1958, Rickles made his film debut in a serious part in Run Silent, Run Deep with Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster.[17] 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 played 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 (played by Ray Milland).

Rickles and Lorne Greene on The Don Rickles Show, 1968

Rickles appeared in the popular 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.[18] 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.[11]

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.[19] Rickles also made frequent appearances on The Dean Martin Show and became a fixture on The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast specials.[17]

In 1968, Rickles released a live comedy album, Hello, Dummy!, which reached #54 on The Billboard 200 album chart.[20] 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 Andy Griffith Show and I Dream of Jeannie.

1970s–1980s

Rickles and Louise Sorel in The Don Rickles Show

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, 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, Rickles 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 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.[21][22][23]

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 stipulated he would not perform unless Rickles was allowed to perform with him. Rickles considers this performance the highlight of his career.[24] In 1990, he appeared in the second season of Tales from the Crypt in the episode "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 once 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 played Billy Sherbert in Casino, and voiced Mr. Potato Head in Toy Story (1995) and reprised his role in Toy Story 2 (1999). Rickles starred in one of his most popular, and critically acclaimed, comedic roles 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–present

Rickles without the comb over on stage at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City on January 12, 2008

In February 2007, Rickles made a cameo appearance as himself in a strange, recurring dream sequence woven through an episode titled "Sub Conscious" of the CBS dramatic series, The Unit.[25] Rickles' 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 an 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. To this 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."[26] Rickles reprised his role of Mr. Potato Head for Toy Story Midway Mania! attraction at Disney California Adventure Park, Disney's Hollywood Studios[27] and Toy Story 3.

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."[28] Rickles also played the late husband of Elka (Betty White) on the TV Land original comedy 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".[29] 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.

"The camaraderie and the comedy made the show a cross between a traditional roast and a dignified lifetime achievement award, spanning emotions ranging from admiration and gratitude to, well, degradation. And as the evening reached its climax, when Rickles got his say after all that had said about him and his nearly 60-year-long career, fittingly, he had the last laugh." - TV Week[30]

At 90, he is still a frequent guest on late night talk shows, including Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.[24][31][32] 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 in the show 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."[33] As of 2016, despite being impeded by multiple surgeries following a bout with necrotizing fasciitis in 2013, Rickles continues touring across the United States.[10]

Personal life

On March 14, 1965, Rickles married Philadelphia native Barbara Sklar. He admitted having a very difficult time romantically in his 20s and 30s (he married at the relatively old age of 38), finally meeting Barbara through his agent and falling for her when she failed to get his sense of humor.[34][35] They had two children, Mindy and Larry Rickles (1970–2011).[36] 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.

Although a lifelong Democrat, he performed at the inaugurations of Republican presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush with his friend Frank Sinatra.[37]

Rickles considers comedian Bob Newhart to be his best friend, and their wives are also close friends.[38] 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, which included footage of the "cigarette box incident". 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. Rickles, Newhart and their wives often vacation together.[38]

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
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 (voice) Short film
1998 Quest for Camelot Cornwall (voice)
1998 Dirty Work Mr. Hamilton
1998 Dennis the Menace Strikes Again George Wilson
1999 Toy Story 2 Mr. Potato Head (voice)
2010 Toy Story 3
2011 Hawaiian Vacation Short film
2011 Zookeeper Jim the Bullfrog (voice)
2011 Small Fry Mr. Potato Head (voice) Short film
2012 Partysaurus Rex
2019 Toy Story 4

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1955 Stage 7 Announcer Episode: "A Note of Fear"
1956 Chevron Hall of Stars Announcer 2 episodes
1955–1956 Cavalcade of America Commentator 2 episodes
1956 Four Star Playhouse Announcer Uncredited
Episode: "The Listener"
1957 M Squad N/A Scenes deleted
Episode: "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
1964 The Addams Family Claude Episode: "Halloween With the Addams Family"
1964 The Dick Van Dyke Show Lyle Delp 2 episodes
1963–1965 Burke's Law Swifty Piedmont / Frank Cross / Lou Kronkeit 3 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 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 N/A October 19
1965–1966 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Linny 2 episodes
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"
1966–1967 Run for Your Life Willy Hatch / Leo Mazinov 2 episodes
1968–1969 Get Smart Sid Krimm / Guard Episodes: "The Little Black Book - Parts 1&2"

Episode: "To Sire, with Love - Part 2"

1972 The Don Rickles Show Don Robinson
1974 Sanford and Son Fight Announcer (voice) Episode: "Once a Thief"
1975 Buy This Tape, You Hockey Puck Himself Standup Comedy special
1976 Medical Center N/A 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, Sam's Father 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 Television film
2007 The Unit Himself
Priest
Episode: "Sub-Conscious"
2011 Hot in Cleveland Bobby 2 episodes
2013 Toy Story of Terror! Mr. Potato Head (voice) Short
2014 Toy Story That Time Forgot Mr. Potato Head (voice) Television film

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
1996 Animated Storybook: Toy Story Mr. Potato Head Voice
1999 Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue Mr. Potato Head Voice
2001 Toy Story Racer Mr. Potato Head Voice

Other

Theme park

Discography

Books

Awards and nominations

Year Award Work Result
2000 Hollywood Walk of Fame Won
2008 Primetime Emmy Award for Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project Won
2009 Legend Award Won
2012 The Johnny Carson Award For a lifetime of comedic excellence Won
2013 Friars Club Lifetime Achievement Award Won

References

  1. Archived June 4, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  2. O'Brien, Daniel. "Insomniac's Dave Attell, Pt. 1". Cracked.com. Retrieved 2015-05-19.
  3. 1 2 3 Witchel, Alex. " I'm No Howard Stern, You Dummy", The New York Times, August 25, 1996. Accessed 2007-10-08.
  4. World War I draft registration, NY City, #31-9-149-B, Max S. Rickles, born 12 Aug 1897 in Kovna (Kaunas), Russia
  5. US Census, 1930. Queens, New York, Supervisor's District 33, sheet 6A, family #136
  6. US Census, 1920. NY City, Enumerationer's district 1508, Sheet 33A, family #138
  7. 55113/mr-warmth-the-don-rickles-project-mr-warmth---the-don-rickles-project
  8. "Don Rickles Biography (1926-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
  9. 1 2 Heller, Karen, (May 26, 2016) "90 Years Old and Still Zinging”, The Washington Post, pages C1 & C2 Retrieved June 4, 2016
  10. 1 2 3 Ankeny, Jason. "Artist Biography". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2016-10-20.
  11. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno April 15, 2009
  12. 1 2 MacPherson, Guy (2006-10-06). "Don Rickles Interview". The Comedy Couch. Retrieved 2007-05-17.
  13. 1 2 "Biography". The Hockey Puck. Retrieved 2007-05-17.
  14. Frank Sinatra and Don Rickles on Johnny Carson Show
  15. Don Rickles roasts Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin special
  16. 1 2 3 King, Susan (2013-06-24). "Don Rickles to be honored for busting people's chops". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2016-10-20.
  17. Rickles, Don and David Ritz (2007). Rickles' Book: A Memoir. Simon & Schuster. p. 202. ISBN 978-0-7432-9305-1.
  18. Video on YouTube
  19. "Don Rickles Charts & Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2007-05-17.
  20. McAvennie, Michael; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1970s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 146. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. In one of Jack Kirby's strangest tales, Jimmy Olsen met real-world funnyman Don Rickles' costumed likeness, 'Goody' Rickles.
  21. Kirby, Jack (w), Kirby, Jack (p), Colletta, Vince (i). "The Guardian Fights Again!!!" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen 139 (July 1971)
  22. Kirby, Jack (w), Kirby, Jack (p), Colletta, Vince (i). "Will The Real Don Rickles Panic?!?" Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen 141 (September 1971)
  23. 1 2 Darrow, Chuck (2007-03-16). "Insults still flying from legendary Don Rickles". The Daily Record. Retrieved 2007-05-17.
  24. TV.com. "The Unit - Season 2, Episode 13: Sub Conscious". TV.com. Retrieved 2015-05-19.
  25. "Gold Derby". Goldderby.latimes.com. Retrieved 2015-05-19.
  26. Barnes, Brooke (2008-02-10). "Will Disney Keep Us Amused?". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  27. "Joe Pesci and Don Rickles Join the Snickers "Party"". The Ad Buzz. 2011-05-18. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
  28. Kaplan, Don (2014-05-27). "Don Rickles and guest-star roasters like Jerry Seinfeld, David Letterman, Amy Poehler and Tina Fey trade shots". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2016-10-20.
  29. "Spike TV's All-Star Don Rickles Tribute: Turning Up the Heat on 'Mr. Warmth'". TVWeek.com. Retrieved 2015-05-19.
  30. "Pollstar—Don Rickles Concert Dates". Retrieved 2008-01-05.
  31. "Don Rickles heckles Jimmy Fallon on 'Tonight Show': 'I never liked you'". Retrieved 2016-03-14.
  32. Stafford, Sabra (2014-05-08). "Comedy legend Don Rickles heads into Turlock". Turlock Journal. Retrieved 2016-10-20.
  33. http://www.mensjournal.com/magazine/don-rickles-survival-skills-20130826
  34. https://www.milwaukeemag.com/2016/08/09/don-rickles-exclusive-interview/
  35. Barnes, Mike (2011-12-06). "Don Rickles' Only Son Dies at 41, Larry Rickles earned an Emmy Award for a 2007 documentary about his dad". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
  36. Stein, Joel (1999-12-05). "Don Rickles". TIME.com. Retrieved 2015-05-19.
  37. 1 2 Emling, Shelley (2013-06-04). "AARP Convention 2013 Brings Don Rickles And Bob Newhart Together For The First Time". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2016-10-20.

Further reading

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Don Rickles.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/28/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.