Don Rickles

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Don Rickles
Birth name Donald Jay Rickles
Born May 8, 1926 (1926-05-08) (age 82)
New York, New York
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, marriage, everyday life
Influenced Russell Peters,[1] Dave Attell,[2] Lisa Lampanelli,[3] Jay Leno[citation needed]
Spouse Barbara Sklar (1965 – Present) (2 children)
Notable works and roles Hello Dummy!
Sgt. Crapgame in Kelly's Heroes
C.P.O. Sharkey in C.P.O. Sharkey
Billy Sherbert in Casino
Mr. Potato Head in Toy Story and Toy Story 2
For the radio and television announcer, see Donald Rickles (announcer).

Donald Jay Rickles (born May 8, 1926 in New York City, New York)[4] is an American comedian and actor.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life and career

Rickles was born in the New York City borough of Queens to Jewish parents Max and Etta Rickles. He grew up in the borough's Jackson Heights neighborhood.[4] 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.[5]

[edit] Career success

[edit] 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!"[4][6] Sinatra, whose pet name for Rickles was "bullet-head", enjoyed Rickles so much that he encouraged fellow celebrities to see Rickles' act and be insulted by him. Sinatra's support helped Rickles become a popular headline performer in Las Vegas.[6]

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."[5]

In 1958, he made his film debut in Run Silent, Run Deep Throughout the 1960s, he appeared frequently on television in sitcoms and dramatic series. 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 reported in his memoirs that at a White House dinner, Barbara Bush teased him about his decision to appear in those films: "Was your career really going that badly?" He also took a rare dramatic turn in the Roger Corman film X: The Man With 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.
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, making his first appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1965. He became a frequent guest and guest host and would make over 100 appearances on The Tonight Show throughout its run during Carson's era. An early Carson-Rickles Tonight highlight happened 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 began making frequent appearances on The Dean Martin Show and became a fixture on Martin's roast specials, which continued until 1984.

In 1968, he came out with the live comedy album Hello, Dummy! which reached #54 on Billboard's Hot 100.[7] 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.

[edit] 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 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!

[edit] 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.[8]

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 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 starred in "Dirty Work" with Norm Macdonald and Artie Lange. He played to role of MacDonald and Lange's boss at the movie theater in which they worked.

[edit] 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 2008.[9] 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."[8]

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.[10]

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 reprised the role of Mr. Potato Head in the Toy Story Midway Mania! attraction at Disney's California Adventure and Disney's Hollywood Studios.[11] He will voice the character again in Toy Story 3.

[edit] 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".

[edit] Works

[edit] Filmography

[edit] Selected television work

[edit] Discography

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

[edit] See also

United States Navy Portal

[edit] 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. ^ a b MacPherson, Guy (2006-10-06). Don Rickles Interview. The Comedy Couch. Retrieved on 2007-05-17.
  6. ^ a b Biography. The Hockey Puck. Retrieved on 2007-05-17.
  7. ^ Don Rickles Charts & Awards. All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2007-05-17.
  8. ^ a b Darrow, Chuck (2007-03-16). Insults still flying from legendary Don Rickles. The Daily Record. Retrieved on 2007-05-17.
  9. ^ Pollstar--Don Rickles Concert Dates. Retrieved on 2008-01-05.
  10. ^ "The Unit: Sub Conscious", from TV.com
  11. ^ Barnes, Brooke (2008-02-10). Will Disney Keep Us Amused?. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-03-18.

[edit] External links


Persondata
NAME Donald Jay Rickles
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Don Rickles
SHORT DESCRIPTION American comedian, actor
DATE OF BIRTH May 08, 1926
PLACE OF BIRTH Queens, New York City, New York, United States of America
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH