Don Rickles became famous for his sharp humor that relied on advertising imagery and cultural stereotypes. His jokes cannot be called typical. The comedian often mocked his audience. However, even using offensive techniques, he won the affection of millions of people. Rickles has become a beloved person in the entertainment industry for more than 60 years on stage, TV and cinematography. Read more about the King of Insults on queenski.com.
A brilliant comedian
Don was born on May 8, 1926 in Queens to a Jewish family. The boy developed wit and sarcasm from his early years. After coming of age, he went to the Philippines for military service during World War II. In 1948, he graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Unable to find work in acting, Don earned his living by selling used cars, life insurance and cosmetics. In 1953, he moved to Los Angeles, where he received cameo roles on television. At the same time, he organized stand-up comedy in nightclubs. These were humorous performances for a live audience.
Don noticed that mocking the audience gets more laughs than pre-scripted jokes. Thus, he made offensive comedy his signature style. Although the harsh remarks often focused on appearance, race or ethnicity, audiences admired the comedian’s wit. That is why the satirist was nicknamed the King of Insults.
In the late 1950s, many celebrities became his fans. One of them was the actor and singer Frank Sinatra, whom Rickles mocked during one of his performances. The satirist joked about Sinatra’s singing, love life and alleged ties to organized crime. Don called Frank his best friend and participated with him in many shows and events.
In 1959, Don began performing in Las Vegas, steadily gaining new fans through his stand-ups. He led shows at resorts and casinos and was a beloved person there. Even in his 80s, Don continued to work. Rickles’ humorous style is demonstrated by his albums Hello Dummy! (1968) and Don Rickles Speaks! (1969). These albums prove that the Queens native is a comedic genius.
Don also was famous for his improvisations. His ability to think quickly and react with witty jokes engaged the audience and created memorable moments. The comedian spoke at the inaugurations of Republicans Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, although he was a staunch Democrat.
After one of the performances, he became friends with ‘Crazy Joe’, the Italian-American mobster Joseph Gallo. After the arrest, a young man was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Don mercilessly scolded him during his shows. However, Joe invited the comedian to a Manhattan restaurant to celebrate his birthday. Rickles refused, which saved his life. A shootout erupted in the restaurant that night, resulting in Gallo’s death.
Don often began his stand-up performance with jeers from the audience sitting in the front rows near the stage. Once, a comedian kissed a woman’s hand and asked:
‘What did you have for dinner? Fish?’
Another time, he made fun of the young man:
‘Look at that guy’s stare. It’s because he locks himself in the bathroom too often’.
Don gleefully sang the song I’m a Nice Guy and mocked blacks and gays, the Irish and Italians, paying particular attention to the Jews. He often used the phrase ‘hockey puck’ in his speeches because it reminded him of swearing. However, Rickles did not use abusive language.
Cinematography and TV career
In parallel with humorous shows, Don developed as an actor. One of the first appearances was the minor role of a naval officer in the drama Run Silent, Run Deep. The movie chronicles World War II submarine combat in the Pacific and explores themes of revenge, endurance, courage, loyalty and honor.
In 1960, Rickles appeared in the drama The Rat Race. It tells the story of a jazz saxophonist who travels to New York in search of work. He meets Peggy, a model who was evicted from her apartment and was left with no money. They find their place in the sun in a bustling metropolis. In the 1960s, Rickles also starred in several teen beach movies, such as Bikini Beach.
The popularity of the actor was promoted by his appearance on the famous The Tonight Show. Later, Don was invited to other talk shows and variety shows, such as The Dean Martin Show. In the mid-1960s, he had cameo roles in many TV series.
In 1993, Don joined the cast of the TV sitcom Daddy Dearest. It tells the story of psychologist Steven Mitchell, who lives in Manhattan with his young son and father. The latter is a used car salesman who constantly insults and humiliates his son. Don Rickles played Mitchell’s father.
Other comedian’s works include the adventure comedy Kelly’s Heroes (1970), the criminal gangster drama Casino (1995), etc. He also voiced Mr. Potato in the Toy Story cartoon series.
Private life
In 1965, Don married 10 years younger Barbara Sklar, a native of Philadelphia. They complemented each other and were incredibly devoted to love. Their marriage was called one of the happiest in show business, although Don often mocked his wife in his shows.
The couple met thanks to Rickles’ film agent, for whom Barbara worked as a secretary. According to Don, he fell in love when Barbara did not appreciate his sense of humor. The couple became parents of two children, actress Mindy and Larry. Their son became a producer and died of pneumonia at the age of 41. As the comedian wrote in his memoirs, his grandchildren considered his greatest achievement to be voicing Mr. Potato in Toy Story.
Barbara helped create a documentary about her husband. Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project aired in 2007 and won an Emmy Award. The film chronicles the life and career of Don and reveals the uniqueness of his talent, as well as influence on the comedy world.
The couple lived together for 52 years until Rickles’ death. He died from kidney failure at the age of 90 in 2017. Barbara passed away 4 years later from Non-Hodgkin’s malignant lymphomas, a group of tumors of the lymphatic system.
5 interesting facts
- Don received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2000. This cemented his status as a comedy legend.
- Rickles is a well-known philanthropist. He actively supported numerous organizations, such as the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center and the Lighthouse for the Blind.
- Although Don has worked in Las Vegas for over 50 years, he has never gambled. Therefore, the money earned in Vegas did not stay in this city.
- The comedian’s best friend was Bob Newhart, an actor and singer. They often vacationed together with their families and participated in various shows, such as Newhart.
- Don was a devoted son but often called his mother ‘Jewish Patton’ during shows (George Smith Patton was an American general, commander of the Third US Army during World War II).