DON RICKLES
The Voice of Mr. Potato Head

Frank Sinatra could not have known what he was starting. In 1957 Don Rickles was appearing at Slate Brothers, a small Hollywood nightclub. In wandered Frank, and the still unknown Rickles told him, "Make yourself at home, Frank. Hit somebody." Sinatra doubled over laughing and became Rickles' biggest booster among Hollywood celebrities. Soon stars were flocking to the club to become targets for his insults.

In 1959 Rickles was signed for his first appearance in Las Vegas. He was soon headlining in the main room of the Hotel Sahara. In 1971 he moved to the Riviera, but by 1977 he was back at the Sahara. Ten years later it was the Golden Nugget, followed soon by the Stars' Desert Inn.

Throughout his time in Vegas, Rickles was working in Hollywood as well. He had been limited to acting assignments on situation comedy and dramatic shows, but when he appeared on "The Tonight Show" in 1965, he proved to everyone that there was more he could do. Now the door was open for him to appear on television as a comedian.

After his breakthrough appearance with Johnny Carson, Rickles found himself in the ABC lineup in 1968 with "The Don Rickles Show" and was signed by Warner Bros.-7 Arts Records. With Warner, he released two albums, the first being the best selling "Hello, Dummy!" Then came "C.P.O. Sharkey," "The Big Show," "Foul-Ups, Bleeps and Blunders," "Two Top Bananas," "Don Rickles on the Loose," and "Daddy Dearest."

Then came "Toy Story." John Lasseter called the hiring of Rickles to play Mr. Potato Head® the casting of the decade. See "Toy Story" and you'll soon agree.