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Vegas Community Online is excited to acknowledge...
Don “Mr. Warmth” Rickles
 Legendary comedian Don Rickles, who has starred in Las Vegas showrooms longer than any other performer in the history of the gambling mecca, has signed for a third consecutive year of performances with The Orleans. The new contract marks “Mr. Warmth’s” 51st consecutive year performing in Las Vegas. His first scheduled engagement will be Feb. 20 and 21, 2010. [Excerpt from Jackie Brett’s Vegas View column here on VCO.]
The following is from Don Rickles official Web site:
Don 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. 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.
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. 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.”
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.
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 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”.
Rickles has been married for over 41 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. Visit Don’s Official Web site at www.mrwarmthdonrickles.com.
From Wikipedia the following:
Donald Jay “Don” Rickles (born May 8, 1926) 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. [read more]
Filmography
- Run Silent, Run Deep (1958)
- The Rabbit Trap (1959)
- The Rat Race (1960)
- X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963)
- Muscle Beach Party (1964)
- Bikini Beach (1964)
- Pajama Party (1964)
- Beach Blanket Bingo (1965)
- Enter Laughing (1967)
- The Money Jungle (1968)
- Where It’s At (1969)
- Kelly’s Heroes (1970)
- The Love Machine (1971)
- Keaton’s Cop (1988)
- Innocent Blood (1992)
- Casino (1995)
- Toy Story (1995) (voice)
- Redux Riding Hood (1997) (short subject) (voice)
- Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen’s (1997) (documentary)
- Quest for Camelot (1998) (voice)
- Dirty Work (1998)
- Dennis the Menace Strikes Again (1998)
- Toy Story 2 (1999) (voice)
- Goodnight, We Love You (2004) (documentary)
- The J-K Conspiracy (2004) (documentary)
- The Aristocrats (2005) (documentary)
- The Last Laugh (2006) (documentary)
- Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project (2007) (documentary)
- Toy Story 3 (2010) (voice of Mr.Potato Head)
Selected Television Work
- The DuPont Show with June Allyson (1959 episode - “No Place to Hide” and the 1960 episode - “The Women Who”)
- The Twilight Zone (1961 episode - Mr. Dingle, the Strong)
- The Addams Family (1964 episode - Hallowe’en With the Addams Family)
- The Andy Griffith Show (1965) (Guest Star)
- Gilligan’s Island (1966) (Guest Star)
- Kibbee Hates Fitch (1965) (unsold pilot)
- The Munsters (1965 episode - Dance With Me, Herman)
- Get Smart (1968 episode - The Little Black Book, Parts I and II)
- Laugh-In (1968-1969)
- The Don Rickles Show (1968-1969)
- The Don Rickles Show (1972)
- C.P.O. Sharkey (1976-1978)
- For the Love of It (1980) (TV movie)
- Foul-Ups, Bleeps & Blunders (1984-1985)
- Don Rickles: Rickles on the Loose (1986) (television special)
- Tales from the Crypt (The Ventriloquist’s Dummy) (1990)
- Daddy Dearest (1993)
- The Wool Cap (2004) (TV movie)
- The Catch (2005) (unsold pilot)
- Live with Regis and Kelly (2007)
- The Daily Show (2007)
- Jimmy Kimmel Live (2007)
- Late Show with David Letterman (2008)
- The Daily Show (2008)
- Late Night with Conan O’Brien (2008)
- Jimmy Kimmel Live (2009)
- Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (2009)
- Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (2009)
- Late Show with David Letterman (2009)
Discography
- Hello Dummy! (1968)
- Don Rickles Speaks! (1969)
Books
- Rickles’ Book: A Memoir by Don Rickles with David Ritz (Simon & Schuster, 2007), ISBN 978-0-7432-9305-1
- Rickles’ Letters by Don Rickles with David Ritz (Simon & Schuster, 2008), ISBN 978-1416596639
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