Posted on 05/12/2025 9:04:25 AM PDT by PJ-Comix
One of the most AMAZING scenes in cinematic history came, believe it or not, in the film "Beach Blanket Bingo" when Don Rickles hilariously broke the fourth wall by temporarily stepping out of his role as Big Drop and doing his regular shtick on the cast members. As you can see everybody reacted to Rickles improv comedy as their real selves, not as their movie characters. Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello took Rickles' ribbing in good humor although you can tell they were a bit uncomfortable. However, the most fascinating reaction to Don Rickles was by Jody "Bonehead" McCrea. See, Jody McCrea was the son of Golden Age film star Joel McCrea who starred in many Westerns and Adventure films. Jody McCrea did the same at first but finally wanted to get out from under the shadow of his father by acting as goofy characters in films, especially the beach' movies, first as "Deadhead" and later as "Bonehead."
As you can see Jody McCrea reacting as himself, not "Bonehead," you can tell he is probably not only awestruck at the comedy of Don Rickles but thinking to himelf that he can never come close to that level of comedy so perhaps time for a career change. In fact, after the 1965 "Beach Blanket Bingo," he made only one other Beach movie that year, most likely under contract, as Bonehead again in "How To Stuff a Wild Bikini" and then it was pretty much OVER for Jody McCrea since a few years later in 1970 he quit the movie business to become a cattle rancher in New Mexico.
I don't think he harbored any animosity towards Don Rickles. It's just that he saw a master of comedy at work and realized that perhaps that line of work wasn't for him. And you can see it written on his face in his reaction to Don Rickles as they both broke the fourth wall of the cinema screen.
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PING!
That type of humor doesn't translate very well today. Everybody is just so sensitive.
I miss Rickles.
I used to watch the beginning of the Johnny Carson show to hear what guests were on. Whenever they announced Don Rickles as a guest, I knew not to go to sleep until AFTER I watched the show.
To have Paul Lynde turn to laugh right in your face...ouch.
I’m guessing that what Rickles said about Paul Lynde had to be left on the cutting room floor.
I avoided those stupid teen beach movies because I was a real surfer at the time and would watch Bruce Brown’s documentaries like “Endless Summer”. Maybe I’ll check this one out for the laughs.
I read that of all the actors in the Beach movies, only TWO knew how to surf: Bob Cummings and Jody McCrea.
I doubt this event had anything to do with his retirement. He had several large parts after that, but mainly did TV, and while he did become a rancher after marrying an Indian girl, he worked as an actor on and off until 1981.
I’m 71 and I’ve NEVER found anything Rickles did to be funny. It was, for me, always really embarrassing. For everyone involved, including him.
But now I know where the character in the beach movie in That Thing You Do came from. 🤣
And yes, the wave that has caused the most deaths/injuries is the smaller "Pipeline" in Hawaii due to its shallow break on a coral reef. Sorry. Back to the topic of the thread.
And only one Beach Boy knew how to surf - Dennis Wilson the drummer.
Beach Blanket Bingo was his 4th movie in the Beach Party movie genre.
He was in Muscle Beach Party. In that one, he was an antagonist towards the kids. He played a manager of body builders.
In Bikini Beach he is an ally and supporter of the kids. He owns and runs their hangout as well as a car racing franchise.
In Pajama Party, he’s a Martian on Mars. He has no interaction with the kids. He is just observing them from his home planet.
Big Bang The Martian: That’s what you call an intelligence officer? That’s what I call a nut!
Socum: I call him a nut too, but look how nicely he fits in on earth, chasing Indians and blondes.
Big Bang The Martian: He’s so stupid, he’ll probably catch the Indian.
NAB Hall of Fame - Trek, Larry King, Don Rickles - Raw Footage - 1992
I attended the National Assoc of Broadcasters Convention in 1992 and they were inducting the ST Crew and Don Rickles into the NAB Hall of Fame at a luncheon. Was shocked no other fans seemed to be there. Videoed the bunch of them chewing for 3/4 of an hour. They showed one ST music video but the friends at my table all agreed that mine were much better. Don Rickles appears at 15:45.
Likewise. I'm surprised anyone over the age of 12 thought he was funny.
Rickles was great. No one was safe around him. 🤣
Don Rickles could not perform today.
Don’t quite understand how that destroyed McCrea’s career, Rickles hardly said anything at all to him, compared to the others. Ridiculous.
Rickles didn't intentionally destroy McCrea's career in comedy. It's just that Rickles was so good at comedy, that it made McCrea think that he didn't have a chance at it. You could almost see him thinking that as Rickles was performing.
I didn’t see the epic ness of this
The best Rickles was on Carson
My dad hated him
I liked him alright
Insult comedy
Pryor
Wright
Williams
Winters
Foxx
Better to me
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