Rickles, Don, 1926-2017

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Donald Jay Rickles (May 8, 1926 – April 6, 2017), nicknamed the Merchant of Venom and Mr. Warmth, was an American stand-up comedian and actor. He became known especially for his insult comedy. His film roles include Run Silent, Run Deep (1958) with Clark Gable, Carl Reiner's Enter Laughing (1967), the Clint Eastwood-led Kelly's Heroes (1970), and Martin Scorsese's Casino (1995) with Robert De Niro. From 1976 to 1978, Rickles had a two-season starring role in the NBC television sitcom C.P.O. Sharkey, having previously starred in the eponymous sitcom The Don Rickles Show (1972).

A veteran headline performer at Las Vegas hotel-casinos and peripheral member of the Rat Pack via friendship with Frank Sinatra, Rickles received widespread exposure as a frequent guest on talk and variety shows, including The Dean Martin Show, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Late Show with David Letterman, and later voicing Mr. Potato Head in the Toy Story franchise. He won a Primetime Emmy Award for the 2007 documentary Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project. In 2014, he was honored by fellow comedians at the Apollo Theater which was taped and released on Spike TV entitled, Don Rickles: One Night Only.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn John Eldon Thayer collection of motion picture memorabilia, 1916-1979. Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
referencedIn Gypsy Rose Lee papers, 1910-1970 The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.
creatorOf Don Rickles Collection, undated University of Minnesota Libraries Children's Literature Research Collections
contributorOf Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel, 1798 - 2007. Official Military Personnel Files, 1885 - 1998. National Archives at St. Louis
Relation Name
associatedWith Lee, Gypsy Rose, 1914-1970 person
acquaintanceOf Reagan, Ronald, 1911-2004 person
acquaintanceOf Sinatra, Frank person
associatedWith Thayer, John Eldon, 1899-1980 person
memberOf United States. Navy corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
New York City NY US
Los Angeles CA US
Subject
Comedy
Comedy
Comedy films
Comedy programs
Comedy sketches
Television acting
Television actors and actresses
Occupation
Actors
Actors, American
Comedian
Comedians
Activity

Person

Birth 1926-05-08

Death 2017-04-06

Male

Americans

English

Information

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SNAC ID: 45500716