Los Angeles: Don Rickles, the king of insult comedy, died on Thursday from kidney failure at his Los Angeles home. He was 90 and would have been 91 on May 8. He is survived by Barbara, his wife of 52 years, as well as their daughter Mindy, who is also a comedienne.
No one was exempted from Rickles’ insults, not fans or presidents or such fellow celebrities as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Johnny Carson.
He comments about people’s looks, their ethnicity, their spouses, their sexual orientation, their jobs or anything else he could think of.
Rickles nicknamed as “Mr. Warmth,” the big-mouthed, bald-headed. His verbal assaults endeared him to audiences. The audience laughed and wanted more.He is best remembered for his appearances on a variety of talk and comedy shows.
One of the best-known skits involved a “Tonight Show” appearance in which Carson was interviewing Sinatra.
He made guest appearances on such TV classics as “The Andy Griffith Show,” “Get Smart,” “The Addams Family” and “Gomer Pyle.”
Rickles, was an Emmy-award winner for outstanding performance in a variety program in 2008.
Rickles funeral services will be private. In lieu of flowers, it is suggested that donations be made to the Larry Rickles Endowment Fund at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.