Don Rickles

Don Rickles was the ultimate putdown artist, comedy's unquestioned master of the insult. No one -- regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or cultural standing -- escaped the vicious taunts of "Mr. Warmth"; even audience members, as well as other celebrities, were fair game for his delirious rages of verbal abuse. Born Donald Jay Rickles in New York City on May 8, 1926, he initially set out to become a serious actor, and even attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts; however, his short, stocky physique and balding head firmly typecast him as a character actor, and he found work infrequently. During a long dry spell between acting assignments, Rickles began working up a nightclub act. At the outset, his material was traditional and tame; however, when annoyed by hecklers he shot back with a string of brutal, rapid-fire putdowns, much to the delight of the audience. As a result, Rickles gradually transformed himself into the so-called "Merchant of Venom," a loud-mouthed misanthrope attacking everyone in range. Nonetheless, by 1957 he was still struggling when he landed a gig at Slate Brothers, a small nightclub in Hollywood. During his set, Frank Sinatra appeared in the audience, prompting Rickles to remark "Make yourself at home, Frank -- hit somebody." Immediately, Sinatra became one of Rickles' biggest boosters, and soon the comedian was the hottest ticket in town as celebrities lined up to be the next target of a flurry of insults. Within two years, Rickles made his Las Vegas debut, quickly graduating to headliner status in the main room of the Hotel Sahara. In 1958, he also made his film debut in Run Silent, Run Deep, and went on to appear in small roles in a number of films -- primarily in the Frankie Avalon/Annette Funicello beach party movies...