One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Iconic Comedian Don Rickles Dies At 90
Legendary comedian Don Rickles died Thursday at 90, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The cause of death was kidney failure, according to Rickles' publicist.
1973 publicity photo. (Wikimedia Commons)
The honorary Rat Pack member whose career spanned six decades was born in New York and studied acting after serving in the Navy during World War II. Rickles was best known as an insult comic. He earned the nicknames "The Merchant of Venom" and "Mr. Warmth" for his abrasive style.According to Variety, he started appearing in nightclubs in the 1950s, but didn't see his big break until 1965, when he made his first appearance on The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson. He would go on to appear on the show more than a hundred times.
His long list of television credits include everything from Gilligan's Island to The Twilight Zone, and he appeared in dozens of movies over the last half-century, ranging from the popular 1960s Beach Party series to Casino (1995). He also provided the voice for Mr. Potato Head in the Toy Story movies.
He is survived by his wife Barbara, a daughter and a son, and two grandchildren.
Sponsored message
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
