{"product_id":"don-rickles-isbn-9780806541730","title":"Don Rickles","description":"\u003cb\u003eAn entertaining, hilarious, biting biography of “Mr. Warmth,” the infamously prickly comic who dominated Hollywood and Las Vegas for decades, making an artform out of heckling his friends, family and \u003ci\u003eespecially\u003c\/i\u003e his audiences - and they couldn’t get enough of it.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHaving ridden a wave of success that lasted more than sixty years, Don Rickles is best known as the “insult” comic who skewered presidents, royalty, celebrities, and friends and fans alike. But there was more to “Mr. Warmth” than a devilish ear-to-ear grin and lightning-fast put-downs. Rickles was a loving husband, an adoring father who suffered a devastating loss, and a loyal friend to the likes of Bob Newhart and Frank Sinatra. Don was also a young student at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and intended to become a serious actor. But it was in small nightclubs where Rickles found success, steamrolling hecklers, honing his acerbic put-downs, and teaching the world to love being insulted.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eDon Rickles, The Merchant of Venom\u003c\/i\u003e traces career from his rise in the 1950s to a late-in-life resurgence thanks to the \u003ci\u003eToy Story\u003c\/i\u003e franchise, his role in Scorsese’s \u003ci\u003eCasino\u003c\/i\u003e, and scores of TV appearances from Carson to Seth Meyers. In the intervening decades, Rickles conquered every medium, including the stage, where the Vegas legend was still performing at the age of eighty-five. In his highly memorable career, he was idolized by a generation of younger comedians including Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, and many others. And all along, Rickles performed in the shadow of a shocking open secret: he was the nicest man in town.\u003cb\u003ePraise For Michael Seth Starr’s Celebrity Biographies\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Michael Seth Starr hits the ground running with \u003ci\u003eNothin’ Comes Easy\u003c\/i\u003e, his edgy but admiring biography of the comic who won respect by claiming he never got any. Rodney Dangerfield didn’t just work his way up in show business—he crawled, and Starr has traced every step, even those that went missing along the way. This is a worthy narrative of not only Dangerfield but also of a century of American humor that is sadly vanishing from living memory. It’s something of a literary marvel, too: a biography of a funny man that is genuinely funny to read.” \u003cb\u003e—Nat Segaloff\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Exorcist Legacy\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSay Hello to My Little Friend\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Rambo Report\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Insightful and funny . . . A fun biography that should appeal to Don Rickles fans and those interested in the history of stand-up comedy.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e on \u003ci\u003eDon Rickles\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Acclaimed biographer Michael Seth Starr offers a fascinating, comprehensive take on the career of Captain Kirk himself.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eEntertainment Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e, 30 best holiday books of the year, on \u003ci\u003eShatner\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“​In 1966, a Canadian actor named William Shatner was cast as Captain Kirk on a low-budget TV series set to premiere on NBC. And the rest is history: As Shatner approaches his 90th birthday, Starr takes a comprehensive look at the legendary performer.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eNew York Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e on \u003ci\u003eShatner\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Starr successfully paints a complete portrait of the legendary drummer, whose contributions to rock ’n’ roll, he argues, have largely been overshadowed by his iconic bandmates. With aplomb, Starr creates an intimate picture of Liverpool and Hamburg during the 1950s and ’60s that puts the rest of Ringo’s life (including his later battles with alcoholism and drug addiction) into fascinating perspective . . . revealing the nuanced and passionate man who was the backbone of the Beatles.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e on \u003ci\u003eRingo: With a Little Help\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Clearly the definitive biography of one of the most famous musicians—or, heck, people—of the last century.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eHouston Chronicle\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e on \u003ci\u003eRingo: With a Little Help\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Until Ringo pens his memoirs (if he ever does), this biography will serve as the most complete and up-to-date telling of his life story.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e on \u003ci\u003eRingo: With a Little Help\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A clear and well-written portrait of a superb performer and a wonderful human being, with emphasis on the word ‘human.’” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eThe New York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e on \u003ci\u003eArt Carney: A Biography\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e​”TV’s beloved Ed Norton finally gets his due in a breezy, often incisive biography.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e on \u003ci\u003eArt Carney: A Biography\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The thing about a biography of a celebrity who’s slipped under the radar (comedian and TV star Foxx died in 1991) is that, if you do it right, you can, in effect, bring back to life a fascinating character. Starr, who’s also written bios of Art Carney and Raymond Burr, does it right . . . An excellent biography, respectful and compassionate about its subject and revealing and perceptive about American popular culture.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e, Starred Review, on \u003ci\u003eBlack and Blue: The Redd Foxx Story\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Starr reconstructs Foxx’s life in a raw, honest manner, interspersing fascinating historical facts along the way. This well-presented biography will be especially valuable to those who were not around when Foxx was at the top of his game. Recommended for anyone interested in TV and African American history.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e on \u003ci\u003eBlack and Blue: The Redd Foxx Story\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A quick and fluid read, Starr’s book succeeds at bringing Darin the human being to life.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e on \u003ci\u003eBobby Darin: A Life \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eMichael Seth Starr\u003c\/b\u003e covered television at the\u003ci\u003e New York Post\u003c\/i\u003e as a reporter, columnist, critic, and editor for over 28 years. He has written a filmography of Peter Sellers and biographies of Rodney Dangerfield, Don Rickles, Bob Newhart, Art Carney, Joey Bishop, Bobby Darin, Raymond Burr, William Shatner, Redd Foxx, and Ringo Starr. He has made frequent appearances on television including \u003ci\u003eThe Today Show\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e Access Hollywood\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eGood Morning America\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e The Early Show\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eLarry King Live\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e Extra\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e Inside Edition\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e Entertainment Tonight\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eTavis Smiley\u003c\/i\u003e. He lives in New Jersey and can be found online at MichaelSethStarr.com.","brand":"Citadel","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46301744890085,"sku":"NP9780806541730","price":17.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780806541730.jpg?v=1767725499","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/don-rickles-isbn-9780806541730","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}