Comedy legend Don Rickles will entertain crowds at Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on November 30 at 8 p.m. Tickets go on sale Friday, October 28 at noon.
Don Rickles is one of comedy’s most famous funnymen and is regarded among the world’s top entertainers. For over 50 years, he has appeared in top showrooms in Atlantic City and Las Vegas as well as concert halls throughout the U.S. and abroad.
New York City native Rickles performed in high school plays and at neighborhood dances before starting to work in small nightclubs. He graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York and served in the U.S. Navy. In 1946, he discovered his “calling” by talking directly to the audience and throwing “off the cuff” lines at them. The laughs came and “the rest,” as they say, “is history.”
A small step forward in Rickles’ career occurred in 1957 at a Hollywood nightclub. One night, Frank Sinatra wandered in. The yet unknown Rickles eyed Sinatra and said, “I just saw your movie, ‘The Pride and the Passion,’ and I want to tell you, the cannon was great.” And, “Make yourself at home, Frank. Hit somebody.” Sinatra doubled up laughing and became one of Rickles’ biggest boosters among Hollywood celebrities. Rickles soon became the “in” comic among the Hollywood stars, who flocked to his nightclub engagements to become the targets of his barbs.
He credits his October 7, 1965 appearance on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show as a key night in his rise to fame when his freewheeling performance became the talk of the show business industry and caused nationwide comment among the press and public. Two years later, he appeared on The Dean Martin Show and was so popular, he was invited back. Unbeknownst to him, celebrities including Danny Thomas, Jackie Cooper, Bob Newhart, Lena Horne, Dean Martin, Ernest Borgnine, Don Adams, Ricardo Montalban, Pat Boone and Bob Hope.
Since that time, he has starred in prime time series for ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX and has appeared with such TV talk show hosts as David Letterman, Jay Leno, Regis Philbin, Jimmy Kimmel and Craig Ferguson. In 2008 he received an Emmy for his performance in the highly acclaimed, John Landis-directed documentary Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project, which debuted on HBO in 2007. The show was also honored with an Emmy as Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special and is now available on DVD.
Rickles also made his mark in films like Casino, Toy Story 1, 2 & 3 for Walt Disney Pictures, and the now cult classic, Kelly’s Heroes, as well as early career roles in Run Silent, Run Deep and Rat Race. Rickles was recently seen in the TNT television movie The Wool Cap, which stars William H. Macy. Additionally, he has starred in live stage productions and, along the way, has had two best-selling comedy albums.
Over the course of his career, Rickles has received numerous accolades and awards including Caesar’s Palace’s first-ever Laurel Award and the United States Comedy & Arts Festival’s 2007 Pinnacle Award. In 2009, TV Land honored him with the “Legend Award.”
Well known for his many charitable involvements, Rickles was instrumental in spearheading the fundraising with friends for the Barbara and Don Rickles Gymnasium at Sinai Temple in West Los Angeles, California.
In addition to his impressive achievements, he recently became a best-selling author with the 2007 release of Rickles’ Book. His second book for Simon & Schuster, Rickles’ Letters, was released in 2008.
Tickets are $69, $59 and $49*; all seats are reserved and available at all Ticketmaster outlets online at www.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone: 1-800-745-3000. Doors open one-hour prior to show start time. *Additional fees may apply