The Hollywood community is in morning once again, with another iconic performer passing away.Don Rickles, the legendary insult comedian and actor,diedat the age of 90, in his Los Angeles home. The actor/comedian’s publicist,Paul Shefrin, confirmed that his client had succumbed to kidney failure earlier today.
The Hollywood Reporterreveals that the funeral services will be private, and that donations can be made in thelate comedian’s name to his son’s organization, the Larry Rickles Endowment Fund at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.Don Rickleswas born June 24, 2025 in New York City, raised in the Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens. He graduated from Newtown High School and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, after which, he returned home and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Don Ricklesgot his start in the entertainment business by performing as a stand-up comedian for several years. While he was generally perceived as a traditional stand-up comic, an encounter withFrank Sinatraduring a 1957 show turned his career around. When the comedian noticed thatFrank Sinatrawas watching his show,Don Ricklestold the legendary performer, “Make yourself at home, Frank. Hit somebody.” WhileSinatranormally did not take kindly to such heckling, he roared with laughter. A year later, thelate actormade his feature film debut in the 1958 classicRun Silent, Run Deep, alongsideClark Gable,Burt LancasterandJack Warden. In 1959, he also signed on for his first Las Vegas appearance, performing his newly-perfected brand of insult comedy at the Hotel Sahara, which lead to gigs at Vegas mainstays such as the Riviera, the Golden Nugget, the Desert Inn and the Sahara.
He became a regular guest onThe Tonight Show, becoming one ofJohnny Carson’s most frequent guests, and more recently, he would often appear on CBS’Late Show with David Letterman, before the talk show host retired in 2015. His brand of insult comedy found the perfect home with theDean Martin Celebrity RoastsTV specials which aired throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, where he would skewer celebrities such asFrank Sinatra,Ronald Reagan,Bob Hope,Lucille Ball,Kirk Douglas,Sammy Davis Jr.andMr. T. While he never ascended to “leading man” status on the big screen, thebeloved comedianappeared in a slew of movies and TV shows while perfecting his comedy routines, such asRat Race, a number ofFrankie AvalonandAnnette Funicellobeach movies entitledMuscle Beach Party,Bikini BeachandBeach Blanket BingoandKelly’s Heroes.
In 1972, he also starred in his own seriesThe Don Rickles Show, but it only lasted seven episodes, and he also starred as the title character inCPO Sharkey, which ran from 1976 to 1978. He also had a memorable role inMartin Scorsese’s 1995 classicCasino, and in the same year, he first voiced the beloved character Mr. Potato Head in Pixar’sToy Story. He would go on to reprise that role in 1999’sToy Story 2, 2010’sToy Story 3and short films such asToy Story Midway Mania,Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation,Toy Story Toons: Small Fry,Toy Story Toons: Partysaurus Rex,Toy Story of TerrorandToy Story That Time Forgot. He was currently working on the upcoming theatrical sequelToy Story 4, which is slated for release in 2019. The actor and comedian issurvived byhis wife Virginia, his daughter Mindy and his grandchildren Ethan and Harrison.Don Ricklesis preceded in death by his son Larry, who produced the Emmy-winning HBO documentaryMr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project, and passed away in 2011 at the age of 41.
