Comedian Don Rickles dead at 90

Legendary comedian Don Rickles has passed away at the age of 90 in his home and the cause of death was kidney failure.
Renowned for his insult comedy, Rickles was a force to reckon with who, for 60 years, earned a living by making fun of people from all walks of life, including singing legend Frank Sinatra, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Born on May 8, 1926, in New York, Rickels was raised in the Jackson Heights neighbourhood of Queens.
Following graduation from Newtown High School, he served in the U S Navy during World War II, then studied acting and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Rickles was sarcastically nicknamed "Mr Warmth", who had a mock disdain for one and all - from public figures to the ones who paid tickets to watch his show.
He went unnoticed for years as a more conventional stand-up comedian, but Rickles discovered his biggest strength when he turned the tables on his hecklers.

Rickles shot to fame after he insulted the hot-tempered Sinatra, who was deemed as a spoilt sport.
When the superstar singer and actor walked into a Miami Beach club in 1957 where Rickles was performing, the comedian greeted the "New York, New York" singer from the stage: "Make yourself at home, Frank. Hit somebody" and Sinatra too roared with laughter.

Rickles then assaulted people with his comedy- famous or ordinary ones like the Jews, Asians, African Americans, the Irish, Puerto Ricans, red-headed women, short men and others, who loved his performances.
In June 2012 when, during the American Film Institute's tribute to actress Shirley MacLaine, Rickles joked that he "shouldn't make fun of the blacks. President Obama is a personal friend of mine. He was over to the house yesterday, but the mop broke."
He made numerous appearances on "The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts" that ran on NBC from the mid-1970s to the mid-80s.
Talk show host and comedian Johnny Carson provided Rickles a late-night stage by making him one of the most-visiting guests of "The Tonight Show".

At age 32, Rickles landed a small part in Robert Wise's submarine drama "Run Silent, Run Deep" (1958), starring Clark Gable. In 1960, he was cast in "The Rat Race" with Tony Curtis and Debbie Reynolds.
He also appeared in films such as "Kelly's Heroes" (1970), "Pajama Party" (1964), "Beach Blanket Bingo" (1965) and Martin Scorsese's "Casino" (1995). He also voice acted as Mr Potato Head in the "Toy Story" films.
He had two series titled "The Don Rickles Show"; each ran a handful of episodes.
Rickles is survived by wife of 52 years, daughter Mindy, son-in-law Ed and grandchildren Ethan and Harrison.