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Donald Jay Rickles was born in Queens, New York on May 8, 1926. During World War II, he served in the Navy. He worked in the insurance business, but had trouble getting his customers to buy a policy. He decided to try acting and studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. When he found it difficult to get acting jobs, he turned to stand-up comedy. He became a very popular insult comedian. In 1965, he made the first of numerous appearances on The Tonight Show. He appeared in several movies including Run Silent, Run Deep; Bikini Beach; Muscle Beach Party; Pajama Party; Beach Blanket Bingo; and Casino. He was also the voice of Mr. Potato Head in Toy Story and its sequels. His memoir, Rickles' Book, was published in 2007. He died from kidney failure on April 6, 2017 at the age of 90. (Bowker Author Biography)
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