Don Rickles, legendary comic, dead at 90

Don Rickles attends the Primetime Emmy Awards on September 21, 2008. The comedian died Thursday at age 90. File Photo by Scott Harms/UPI

April 6 (UPI) — Legendary comic Don Rickles died Thursday at age 90.

The actor and insult comic, who was sarcastically known as “Mr. Warmth,” died at his home in Los Angeles of kidney failure, publicist Paul Shefrin confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.

Rickles came to fame as a stand-up comedian in the 1950s after catching Frank Sinatra‘s attention. He made his film debut in the 1958 movie “Run Silent, Run Deep,” and was a frequent guest on “The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson” in the 1960s.

Rickles appeared as an actor on “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “The Andy Griffith Show” and ‘Gilligan’s Island” before landing his own variety show on ABC, “The Don Rickles Show,” in 1968.

Rickles is survived by his wife Barbara Sklar, whom he married in 1965, and daughter Mindy Rickles. Sources told TMZ Sklar was by the comic’s side at the time of his death.

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