I’m glad Mr. Rickles had a long and prosperous life (90) because he was a WWII Veteran that participated in the horrors of war unlike other Showbiz types (*cough* St. Reagan and Clint Eastwood).
My brother and I knew of him as the mean guy who insulted everybody on The Tonight Show and those Dean Martin Roasts you could still see on NBC. We were always puzzled how the subjects of his barbs laughed instead of getting angry. As we grew older, we then had a better idea. Rickles’ short-lived SitCom was something we also watched, CPO Sharkey. Being a Navy vet, I’m confident he knew the role down pat.
Outside of comedy, he was a legitimate “serious” actor but those demonstrations for me were in the vampire movie Innocent Blood.
Farewell Mr. Rickles, thank you for all your rat-a-tat style of putdowns.
One of the saddest things about growing old, I think, is the ever-growing list of dead celebrities younger family and friends never heard of. For example, my teenage grandson has no idea how significant Bob Hope was, or Bing Crosby, or Gene Kelly, or Danny Kaye. And certainly not Don Rickles.
I watched Don recently with Jerry Seinfeld on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Definitely recommended.
RIP indeed, Mr. Rickles. Thanks for making insult comedy an art form.
And now, I need to rewatch Innocent Blood.