Actor, Comedian. Born Donald Jay Rickles, he was best known for a cheerfully belligerent brand of humor that relied heavily on ad-libbed insults and broad cultural stereotypes. At age 18 he enlisted in the United States Navy and served in the Philippines during World War II. After being discharged, he studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City and graduated in 1948. Unable to find acting work, he told jokes and did impressions at bingo parlors and at church and synagogue functions while employed at various sales jobs. In 1953 he moved to Los Angeles, where he accepted small parts on television and began performing stand-up comedy at nightclubs. Realizing that his off-the-cuff responses to hecklers drew more laughs than his written jokes, he soon developed an act that consisted of loudly poking fun at audience members. Although his barbs frequently focused on the physical appearance or the racial or ethnic identity of their targets, many audiences were amused by his exuberant and quick-witted delivery and took delight at being insulted. By the late 1950s, his act was being championed by such celebrities as Frank Sinatra, whom he had notoriously mocked to his face at a 1957 nightclub performance. In 1959 he started performing regularly in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, he embarked on a film career with a supporting part as a naval officer in the World War II drama "Run Silent, Run Deep" in 1958. He later won roles in the romance "The Rat Race" (1960) and in several teen-oriented beach movies, such as "Bikini Beach" (1964). Most audiences, however, were unfamiliar with his irascible comedic persona until 1965, when he began appearing as a frequent guest on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (In his first appearance, he greeted the host by sneering, "Hello, dummy.") His popularity on that late-night program led to bookings on other talk and variety shows, including "The Dean Martin Show." He also had his own variety show in 1968, but it lasted only one season. Starting in the mid 1960s, he made guest appearances on numerous TV sitcoms. He would go on to star in three: "The Don Rickles Show" (1972), in which he played an embattled advertising executive; "C.P.O. Sharkey" (1976–78), which was set among the diverse personnel of a naval training center; and "Daddy Dearest" (1993), about a combative father-son relationship. His other film credits include the madcap war adventure "Kelly's Heroes" (1970), Martin Scorsese's mob drama "Casino" (1995), and the "Toy Story" series of animated films (1995, 1999, 2010), in which he voiced the character of Mr. Potato Head. He remained best known, however, for his stand-up act, which he performed in Las Vegas and on tour well into his eighties. The comedy albums "Hello Dummy! "(1968) and "Don Rickles Speaks!" (1969) showcased his freewheeling humor. In 2007 he released a memoir, "Rickles' Book" (written with David Ritz), and was the subject of an HBO documentary, "Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project," for which he won an Emmy Award.

Actor, Comedian. Born Donald Jay Rickles, he was best known for a cheerfully belligerent brand of humor that relied heavily on ad-libbed insults and broad cultural stereotypes. At age 18 he enlisted in the United States Navy and served in the Philippines during World War II. After being discharged, he studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City and graduated in 1948. Unable to find acting work, he told jokes and did impressions at bingo parlors and at church and synagogue functions while employed at various sales jobs. In 1953 he moved to Los Angeles, where he accepted small parts on television and began performing stand-up comedy at nightclubs. Realizing that his off-the-cuff responses to hecklers drew more laughs than his written jokes, he soon developed an act that consisted of loudly poking fun at audience members. Although his barbs frequently focused on the physical appearance or the racial or ethnic identity of their targets, many audiences were amused by his exuberant and quick-witted delivery and took delight at being insulted. By the late 1950s, his act was being championed by such celebrities as Frank Sinatra, whom he had notoriously mocked to his face at a 1957 nightclub performance. In 1959 he started performing regularly in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, he embarked on a film career with a supporting part as a naval officer in the World War II drama "Run Silent, Run Deep" in 1958. He later won roles in the romance "The Rat Race" (1960) and in several teen-oriented beach movies, such as "Bikini Beach" (1964). Most audiences, however, were unfamiliar with his irascible comedic persona until 1965, when he began appearing as a frequent guest on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (In his first appearance, he greeted the host by sneering, "Hello, dummy.") His popularity on that late-night program led to bookings on other talk and variety shows, including "The Dean Martin Show." He also had his own variety show in 1968, but it lasted only one season. Starting in the mid 1960s, he made guest appearances on numerous TV sitcoms. He would go on to star in three: "The Don Rickles Show" (1972), in which he played an embattled advertising executive; "C.P.O. Sharkey" (1976–78), which was set among the diverse personnel of a naval training center; and "Daddy Dearest" (1993), about a combative father-son relationship. His other film credits include the madcap war adventure "Kelly's Heroes" (1970), Martin Scorsese's mob drama "Casino" (1995), and the "Toy Story" series of animated films (1995, 1999, 2010), in which he voiced the character of Mr. Potato Head. He remained best known, however, for his stand-up act, which he performed in Las Vegas and on tour well into his eighties. The comedy albums "Hello Dummy! "(1968) and "Don Rickles Speaks!" (1969) showcased his freewheeling humor. In 2007 he released a memoir, "Rickles' Book" (written with David Ritz), and was the subject of an HBO documentary, "Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project," for which he won an Emmy Award.

Bio by: Mr. Badger Hawkeye