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Don Rickles

 
Artist: Don Rickles
 
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Jackie Gleason

Followers:

Jackie Martling, The Jerky Boys
  • Born: May 08, 1926, New York, NY
  • Active: '60s, '70s
  • Genres: Comedy
  • Instrument: Vocals, Main Performer, Performer
  • Representative Albums: "Hello Dummy!," "Don Rickles Speaks!"

Biography

Don Rickles was the ultimate putdown artist, comedy's unquestioned master of the insult. No one -- regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or cultural standing -- escaped the vicious taunts of "Mr. Warmth"; even audience members, as well as other celebrities, were fair game for his delirious rages of verbal abuse. Born Donald Jay Rickles in New York City on May 8, 1926, he initially set out to become a serious actor, and even attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts; however, his short, stocky physique and balding head firmly typecast him as a character actor, and he found work infrequently. During a long dry spell between acting assignments, Rickles began working up a nightclub act. At the outset, his material was traditional and tame; however, when annoyed by hecklers he shot back with a string of brutal, rapid-fire putdowns, much to the delight of the audience.

As a result, Rickles gradually transformed himself into the so-called "Merchant of Venom," a loud-mouthed misanthrope attacking everyone in range. Nonetheless, by 1957 he was still struggling when he landed a gig at Slate Brothers, a small nightclub in Hollywood. During his set, Frank Sinatra appeared in the audience, prompting Rickles to remark "Make yourself at home, Frank -- hit somebody." Immediately, Sinatra became one of Rickles' biggest boosters, and soon the comedian was the hottest ticket in town as celebrities lined up to be the next target of a flurry of insults. Within two years, Rickles made his Las Vegas debut, quickly graduating to headliner status in the main room of the Hotel Sahara. In 1958, he also made his film debut in Run Silent, Run Deep, and went on to appear in small roles in a number of films -- primarily in the Frankie Avalon/Annette Funicello beach party movies -- and television series. Rickles rose to national prominence thanks to his frequent appearances with Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show, where he first performed in 1965; after several years as a regular guest on the program, in 1968 the ABC network offered him his own variety series, titled The Don Rickles Show.

Concurrently, Rickles also signed to the Warner Bros. label to record his first comedy album, 1968's Hello Dummy!, a live set recorded in Vegas spotlighting his crowd-taunting antics as well as an almost surreal rant about his wife's sexual fetishes. The follow-up, 1969's Don Rickles Speaks!, featured a group of five panelists (Rosalind Ross, Dick Whittington, Pat McCormick, Don Richmond, and Joe Smith) posing questions to which the comedian shot back with ad-libbed answers touching upon television, sports, Sinatra, and other comics. Despite remaining a fixture on the couch of The Tonight Show as well as Dean Martin's series of celebrity roasts, Rickles found mainstream audiences reluctant to embrace him; the first Don Rickles Show was canceled after just 13 weeks, while a 1972 sitcom of the same name fared just slightly better. Only 1976's C.P.O. Sharkey found any real measure of success, although it lasted just two seasons; 1993's Daddy Dearest, co-starring the neurotic comedian Richard Lewis, stayed on the schedule for barely two months. Throughout his career, however, Rickles remained a huge Vegas draw, and in 1995 he enjoyed a major Hollywood renaissance with high-profile supporting roles in Martin Scorsese's Casino and as the voice of Mr. Potato Head in John Lasseter's breakthrough computer-animated tale Toy Story. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
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Actor: Don Rickles
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Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Actors
  • Born: May 08, 1926 in New York City, New York
  • Occupation: Actor
  • Active: '60s-2000s
  • Major Genres: Comedy
  • Career Highlights: Toy Story 2, Toy Story, X: The Man with X-Ray Eyes
  • First Major Screen Credit: Run Silent, Run Deep (1958)

Biography

Believe it or don't: comedian Don Rickles--the "Merchant of Venom," "The Caliph of Calumny," "Mister Warmth"--was once a dedicated student at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. As a movie-struck kid, Rickles aspired to share the Big Screen with such idols as Clark Gable and James Cagney. He got his wish in his first film, 1958's Run Silent Run Deep, wherein Gable topped the cast. Rickles went on to receive critical plaudits for his villainous performance in 1960's The Rat Race, and also popped up with regularity on such TV series as The Thin Man and The Twilight Zone. But truly good roles for a short, baldpated young character actor were relatively few and far between. During a long period between acting assignments, Rickles decided to work up a nightclub act. He began as a traditional stand-up comic, but when annoyed by hecklers, he instinctively insulted the insulters back as a defense mechanism. Audiences laughed harder at his impromptu insults than his prepared material, and thus the dye was cast for Rickle's show-business future. The story goes that, upon spotting Frank Sinatra in one of his audiences, Rickles impulsively cried out "Come right in, Frank. Make yourself at home. Hit somebody." The normally combative Sinatra exploded with laughter, and from that point on Rickles was "in." While the bulk of his fame and fortune rested upon his nightclub work, Rickles still kept a hand in acting, playing guest spots on TV programs like F Troop, The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, I Spy and Run for Your Life (he was particularly good in the last-named series as a washed-up comedian facing a statutory rape charge). As his own vitriolic "self" (though rumors persist that Rickles is a pussycat off-camera), he convulsed the stars of such variety series as The Dean Martin Show and The Andy Williams Show. When Dean Martin altered his series to a "roast" format in the early 1970s, Rickles could always be counted upon for a steady stream of hilarious invectives; conversely, he took it as well as he dished it out when the Friar's Club elected him Entertainer of the Year in 1974. The one sore spot in Rickles' latter-day career was his failure to sustain a weekly TV series. The 1968 variety outing The Don Rickles Show was axed after thirteen weeks, while a 1972 sitcom of the same name barely survived the season. He had better luck as star of the 1976 comedy series C.P.O. Sharkey, which lasted two years; but in 1993, Daddy Dearest, which co-starred Rickles with "neurotic" comedian Richard Lewis, was on and off in only two months. In comparison, Rickles has done quite well in films, with choice secondary roles in such productions as Where It's At?, Kelly's Heroes (1970) and several of the "Beach Party" frivolities. In 1995, after several years away from films, Don Rickles resurfaced with a solid supporting part in Martin Scorsese's Casino, and as the voice of a singularly abrasive Mr. Potato Head in the animated Toy Story. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
 
Wikipedia: Don Rickles
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Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
Don Rickles
Rickles on stage at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City on January 12, 2008
Birth name Donald Jay Rickles
Born May 8, 1926 (1926-05-08) (age 83)
Queens, New York, United States
Medium Stand-up, television, film
Nationality American
Years active 1948 – present
Genres Improvisational comedy, observational comedy, musical comedy, insult comedy
Subject(s) American culture, race relations, self-deprecation, World War II, Frank Sinatra, marriage, everyday life, Jewish humor
Influenced Jay Leno, Russell Peters, Kathy Griffin[1] Dave Attell,[2] Lisa Lampanelli,[3]
Spouse Barbara Sklar (1965 – Present) (2 children)
Notable works and roles Hello Dummy!
Q M 1/C Ruby in Run Silent, Run Deep
Sgt. Crapgame in Kelly's Heroes
C.P.O. Sharkey in C.P.O. Sharkey
Billy Sherbert in Casino
For the radio and television announcer, see Donald Rickles (announcer).

Donald Jay "Don" Rickles (born May 8, 1926)[4] is an American comedian and actor. A frequent guest on the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Rickles has acted in comedic and dramatic roles, but is best known as an insult comic. However, unlike many insult comics who only find short-lived success, Rickles has enjoyed a sustained career in insult performance.

Contents

Biography

Early life and career

Rickles was born in the New York City borough of Queens to Jewish parents Max and Etta Rickles. His father was born in Russia.[5]. He grew up in the Jackson Heights area.[4] After graduating from Newtown High School, he served in the U.S. Navy in World War II on the USS Cyrene as a S1/c. 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 by a lack of acting work, he began doing stand-up comedy. He became known as an insult comedian by responding to hecklers. The audience liked these insults more than his prepared material, so he incorporated them into his act. When he began his career in the early 1950s, (he told Jay Leno April 15, 2009 on The Tonight Show) that he started calling ill-mannered members of the audience in burlesque houses a Hockey Puck. His style was similar to an older insult comic, Jack E. Leonard, though Rickles has denied that Leonard influenced his style.[6]

Career

1950s–1960s

While working in a Miami Beach nightclub known as Murray Franklin's nightclub early in his career, he spotted Frank Sinatra. Rickles said "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][7] Sinatra, whose pet name for Rickles was "bullet-head", enjoyed Rickles 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.[7]

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 is 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."[6]

In 1958, he made his film debut in a serious part in Run Silent, Run Deep starring Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster. Throughout the 1960s, he appeared frequently 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. The two-part team-up with Don Adams was a sensation well-received by the audience. In an episode of the 1960s drama series Run for Your Life, Rickles played a distressed comedian whose act culminates with him strangling a patron while imploring the patron to "Laugh!" He also appeared in the popular Beach Party film series. He recalled in his memoirs that at a White House dinner, Barbara Bush teased him about his decision to appear in those films. She asked, "Was your career really going that badly?" He also took a dramatic turn in the Roger Corman film X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes as a carnival barker out to exploit the protagonist.

Don Rickles (left) makes a surprise appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Frank Sinatra was one of the guests that night.

As his career progressed, he made more and more appearances on television talk shows, first appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1965. He became a frequent guest and even a guest host and would appear over 100 times on The Tonight Show during Carson's era. An early Carson-Rickles Tonight highlight took place in 1968 when, while two Japanese women treated Carson to a bath and massage by foot, Rickles walked onto the set. At one point, he decided to play massage therapist to the prone and towel-clad Carson. Rickles leaned over and wrapped his arms around Carson, ad-libbing, "I'm so lonely, Johnny!" Carson broke into hysterical laughter, got up, grabbed Rickles, and tossed the suit-clad comedian into the bathtub. Rickles also made frequent appearances on The Dean Martin Show and became a fixture on Martin's roast specials, which continued until 1984.

In 1968, Rickles came out with the live comedy album, Hello, Dummy!, which reached #54 on Billboard's Hot 100.[8] 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, Gilligan's Island, Get Smart, The Andy Griffith Show 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 was not 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 Bob Newhart 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 would not perform unless Rickles was allowed to perform with him. Rickles considers this performance the highlight of his career.[9]

In 1992, he was cast in the film Innocent Blood, directed by John Landis. In his memoir, Rickles reported that he recalled the then-unknown Landis being a "Production Assistant" to director Brian G. Hutton during the filming of Kelly's Heroes. During the filming of Innocent Blood, he would sometimes tease Landis by yelling at him to go get coffee or to run other errands befitting his one-time "gofer" status.

In 1993, he starred in another short-lived sitcom, Daddy Dearest, with comedian Richard Lewis. In 1995, he made a return to film in two high-profile projects: a dramatic role as Robert De Niro's trusted colleague in Martin Scorsese's Casino, and voicing Mr. Potato Head in the Pixar computer-animated film Toy Story. He reprised the latter role in Toy Story 2. In 1998 he portrayed a movie theater manager in "Dirty Work", starring Norm Macdonald and Artie Lange.

2000s–present

Rickles continues to be very active on the stand up comedy scene to this day. He is still a popular performer in Las Vegas and has many dates booked through the end of 2009.[10] 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."[9]

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.[11]

Rickles' memoir, 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 himself won a Primetime Emmy for this documentary in 2008.

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.[12] He will voice the character again in Toy Story 3.

Personal life

Rickles has been married for over 43 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. In 2008, Rickles won two Emmy awards, beating out a number of notable comics, including Stephen Colbert. To this he said, "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."[13]

Rickles is a life-long Democrat. However, he performed at the inaugurations of Republican presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush with his friend Frank Sinatra.[14]

Rickles considers comedian Bob Newhart to be his best friend. In fact, if one were to drop in at Bob's house, the doormat reads, "The Newharts...The Rickles' best friends."[citation needed] Rickles, Newhart, and their two wives 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".

Rickles also appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on March 17, 2009, with Regis Philbin who stalked him in search of an interview and later was part of an act with him.

In early 2009, Rickles met Kathy Griffin's mother, Maggie, to fulfill one item on Maggie's "bucket list". The episode aired on July 6, 2009.

Works

Filmography

Selected television work

Discography

  • Hello Dummy! (1968)
  • Don Rickles Speaks! (1969)

Further reading

References

  1. ^ Gauntlet Entertainment - Comedy Preview: Russell Peters won't a hurt you real bad - 2005-11-24
  2. ^ Insomniac's Dave Attell, Pt. 1 | Cracked.com
  3. ^ Reno/Tahoe - Look out: Here comes Lisa Lampanelli - sacbee.com
  4. ^ a b c Witchel, Alex. " I'm No Howard Stern, You Dummy", The New York Times, August 25, 1996. Accessed October 8, 2007.
  5. ^ http://www.hulu.com/watch/55113/mr-warmth-the-don-rickles-project-mr-warmth---the-don-rickles-project
  6. ^ a b MacPherson, Guy (2006-10-06). "Don Rickles Interview". The Comedy Couch. http://www.comedycouch.com/interviews/drickles.htm. Retrieved on 2007-05-17. 
  7. ^ a b "Biography". The Hockey Puck. http://www.thehockeypuck.com/bio.html. Retrieved on 2007-05-17. 
  8. ^ "Don Rickles Charts & Awards". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=DON. Retrieved on 2007-05-17. 
  9. ^ a b Darrow, Chuck (2007-03-16). "Insults still flying from legendary Don Rickles". The Daily Record. http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070316/ENT09/703160315/1091/ENT. Retrieved on 2007-05-17. 
  10. ^ "Pollstar--Don Rickles Concert Dates". http://www.pollstar.com/tour/searchall.pl?By=Artist&Content=rickles. Retrieved on 2008-01-05. 
  11. ^ "The Unit: Sub Conscious", from TV.com
  12. ^ Barnes, Brooke (2008-02-10). "Will Disney Keep Us Amused?". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/business/media/10ride.html. Retrieved on 2008-03-18. 
  13. ^ John Stewart Can't Win an Emmy for his Showdown with Jim Cramer
  14. ^ "Time Magazine Interview: Don Rickles", from Time Magazine

External links



This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 

 

Copyrights:

Artist. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Actor. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Don Rickles".  Read more

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