was easy? Guys there wanted strippers,
not comics. But it was a job. One
night at the strip club, the owner said
to me, 'Come on, make fun of my
customers.' So I did."
Among his proudest moments was
the dedication in 1982, of the Barbara
and Don Rickles Gymnasium at Sinai
Temple in West Los Angeles, Calif ...
The gymnasium was built from funds
raised by Rickles and many of his star
friends during a special performance
at the Ahmanson Theater in the Los
Angeles Music Center.
He and Barbara are members of
Sinai Temple, where they attend ser-
vices on Jewish holidays.
Stories galore about Rickles are told
of people sometimes not safe from
him even off the stage ... Like the one
supposedly of a stranger in a Las Vegas
lobby who approached while Rickles
vas on the phone, and introduced
himself, "Hi, I'm Ron" ... "Well, that's
your problem," a nonchalant Rickles
told Ron before resuming his phone
conversation ... On stage, he might
point at someone and ask, "Who picks
out your clothes — Ray Charles?"
It was back in 1957 when he
launched his famous line as Frank
Sinatra strolled into the small Slate
Brothers night club in Hollywood,
where Don Rickles, an unknown
comedian, was performing ... When
Sinatra walked into the club, Rickles
told him he had just seen his new film,
The Pride and the Passion. "I want to
tell you, Frank, the cannon was great,"
Rickles cracked. "And make yourself at
home, Frank. Hit someone." ... It's
said that Sinatra- doubled over laugh-
ing, and from that time on became
one of Don's biggest fans ... After that
day, Hollywood's stars were flocking to
become the brunt of Rickles' soon-to-
be-famous insults.
Also particularly memorable was his
remark as Bob Hope one time walked
into the studio and took a seat ... It
was during the Vietnam War ...
Rickles snapped, "What's Bob Hope
doing here? Is the war over?"
At age 73, Rick-les is hotter than
ever .... with shows in Las Vegas
(Sheraton Desert Inn, Oct. 7-10, and
Dec. 29-31), Atlantic City, Reno and
Lake Tahoe ... While he may be old
enough to retire, Rickles has no inten-
tion of slowing down.
He has appeared in numerous films
... In Martin Scorsese's Casino with
Robert De Niro and Sharon Stone as
De Niro's druggie/alcoholic wife,
Rickles had the role of casino manager
Billy Sherbert ... De Niro played Sam
(Ace) Rothstein, the Jewish front man
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8/27
1999
Detroit Jewish News. 107
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