bergenPAC Presents Don Rickles, 6/20

Don Rickles is best known for his appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, but he has graced audiences everywhere with hi impeccable insult comedy. "Priceless" is how the legendary Don Rickles is most described. He has earned a slew of nicknames including "Mr Warmth" and: "The Merchant of Venom," due to his no-holes barn approach to stand-up. Now you have a chance to experience his explicit humor and magnetic stage presence LIVE at Bergen Performing Arts Center on Thursday June 20th at 8PM.

In a career that has lasted nearly 65 years, Don Rickles has starred in nearly three dozen movies, including "Kelly's Heroes" and "Casino." But honestly, does anyone think of the 85-year-old Rickles as anything but the seminal and iconic insult comic? Even his nickname, "Mr. Warmth," is an ironic reference to his offensive and insensitive stage personality.

After the Golden Era of Hollywood ended, Don Rickles is one man still living to tell his tales. One of the most respected talents in entertainment, Rickles got his start in the night clubs, toiling for over 20 years, until 1958, when Don made his film debut in Run Silent Run Deep (1958). The movie was a big hit. Afterward, Rickles continued acting, starring in films like X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963), Bikini Beach (1964), Enter Laughing (1967), and Kelly's Heroes (1970). In 1973, Don became a regular on Dean Martin's Celebrity Roasts. From 1973 until 1984, Don appeared frequently on Dean's show, paying tribute to some of his friends, like Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, and was even the roast master on the roast for Dean Martin himself. In 1976, Don his own TV series "CPO Sharkey" (1976), which enjoyed a two year run. After 1984, Don began taking it easy, appearing in a few minor film roles. But in 1995, Don made a big comeback, appearing with Tom Hanks and Tim Allen in Toy Story(1995) in the role of the grouchy Mr. Potato Head. In 1999, he returned as Mr. Potato Head in Toy Story 2 (1999).