Robert De Niro and Don Rickles in Casino (1995)
[on Robert De Niro] De Niro is sitting there, he's one of the great actors of our time. You ask him.
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Poll: Goodbye Mr. Warmth
Legendary insult comic Don Rickles has passed away at the age of 90. He got his break when he spied Frank Sinatra at a club in Miami Beach and said, "I just saw your movie, The Pride and the Passion and I want to tell you, the cannon's acting was great." Sinatra admired Rickles' daring and he encouraged other celebrities to go see his act. This led to gigs headlining in Vegas and he became well-known and in high demand for acting gigs in movies and on TV and especially late night talk show appearances and live performances.
Rickles' nicknames, "The Merchant of Venom" and "Mr. Warmth" were a nod to his act, not his real-life persona. Rickles was married to his wife Barbara for 52 years and was a long-time best friend to fellow comic Bob Newhart. "He was called 'The Merchant of Venom,' but in truth, he was one of the kindest, caring and most sensitive human beings we have ever known," Newhart said, referring to himself and his wife. "We are devastated and our world will never be the same. We were totally unprepared for this."
While Mr. Rickles had more than 80 acting jobs, including his most recent role as Mr. Potatohead in the Toy Story movies, he is best known for his sharp one-liners. Which of his best quotes makes you laugh most?
Results of 295 votes:
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Frank Sinatra at a recording session / June, 1964
[on Frank Sinatra] When you enter a room, you have to kiss his ring. I don't mind, but he has it in his back pocket. -
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Don Rickles
[on his comedy style] You know, every night when I go out on stage, there's always one nagging fear in the back of my mind. I'm always afraid that somewhere out there, there is one person in the audie…
