The classic Rickles-Sinatra story has been told in several obits about Mr. Warmth. I remember The Chairman of the Board telling it on the Tonight Show back in the 70s—and his appearance was interrupted by none other than Don Rickles.
One evening before he was married, Rickles was having drinks with a woman at a hotel in Las Vegas. Rickles’s companion noticed Sinatra and his entourage sitting in a roped off area. When Don told her he knew Sinatra, she didn’t believe him. So, Rickles excused himself, went over to Sinatra’s table, told him the woman was a big fan and asked if he’d come over and say hello.
About 10 minutes later, after Rickles returned to his table, Sinatra ambled over and said “Hi Don, how the hell are you doing?” Rickles replied (in a loud voice) “Can’t you see I’m with someone, Frank? Beat it.”
The room fell totally silent until Sinatra doubled over in laughter. Few people could get by with that sort of prank on Sinatra. Rickles was in that select group.
Until I read his obituary, I never knew that Rickles was a grad of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where his classmates included Jason Robards and Tom Poston, among others. Rickles turned to comedy because he could never find steady work as an actor.
“Until I read his obituary, I never knew that Rickles was a grad of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where his classmates included Jason Robards and Tom Poston, among others. Rickles turned to comedy because he could never find steady work as an actor.”
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Yup. I’m not sure how many dramatic roles he got, but I remember him playing a criminal named “Lyle Delp” several times on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” in the 1960s.
From what I understand it was Sinatra who encouraged Rickles in his comedic career.
Gonna miss him, but a lot of the TV venues he was often seen are long gone, e.g. Carson’s “Tonight”, Dean Martin’s roasts and like classic TV.
Probably the first mainstream comedian who wasn’t PC with his material. There was Lenny Bruce and others, but they really couldn’t do their then risque, and now non-PC, full act on mass media.