Having earned the nicknames “The Merchant of
Venom” and “Mr. Warmth,” (the latter coined affectionately by Johnny Carson),
Rickles’ style of comedy is never mean-spirited and all part of his act. It has
been said that being “zinged” by Rickles is like “wearing a badge of honor.”
Rickles
took his first step toward national fame in 1957, when Rickles spotted Frank
Sinatra in the audience at a nightclub in Miami Beach. The still-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. Make yourself at home,
Frank. Hit somebody.” Sinatra, whose pet name for Rickles was “bullet-head,”
enjoyed Rickles so much that he returned to see him when he was performing in
Los Angeles, and encouraged other celebrities to see his act. Rickles soon
became the “in” comic among Hollywood stars, who flocked to see him to become a
target of his insults. Sinatra’s continuing support helped Rickles become a
popular performer in Las Vegas, where he first started in 1959, and has been a
headliner ever since.
Shortly
after being discovered by Sinatra, Rickles made his acting debut in 1958’s “Run
Silent Run Deep.” The movie was a hit, launching Rickles towards a celebrated
career as a movie, television and theater actor. His still-growing television
and film resume includes roles in “Casino,” “Kelly’s Heroes,” “The Rat Race,”
all three “Toy Story” films, HBO’s “Tales From the Crypt,” and Bravo’s “My Life
on the D-List” with Kathy Griffin. In 2011, he made a surprise appearance in a
“cliff-hanger” episode as the “thought to be dead” husband of Betty White’s
character on the TV Land comedy “Hot In Cleveland.” Later in the year, he
returned to the show for the “payoff.” He recently appeared on Showtime’s new
series “Inside Comedy,” where fellow comedian David Steinberg interviewed him.
In 2000, Rickles received one of the highest honors in the entertainment
business, when he received a star on the famed Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Rickles
has received two Primetime Emmy® Awards, including Best Individual Performance
in a Variety or Musical for the 2008 HBO special “Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles
Project.” In 2009, cable network TV Land honored Rickles with the “Legend
Award.” Rickles’ best-selling memoir “Rickles’ Book” was released in 2007, and
was followed up with the 2008 title “Rickles’ Letters.”
In
spring 2012, Rickles joined David Letterman as the only performers to receive
the prestigious “Johnny Carson Award for Comedic Excellence” at The Comedy
Awards, aired on Comedy Central. The award was presented to Rickles by Jon
Stewart and Robert DeNiro.
Box
Office: 702-284-7777 / 888-365-7111
Sundays
-Thursdays Noon - 8:00pm
Fridays
& Saturdays Noon - 10:00pm
August
16 - 17, 2014
Orleans
Showroom
Tickets
from $79.95 plus taxes and convenience fees
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