
Don Rickles
The Merchant of Venom
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Narrated by:
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Johnny Heller
About this listen
Riding 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. Sex, race, religion, nationality, physical appearance, political leanings—nothing and no one was safe from the "Planned Parenthood Poster Boy," as Johnny Carson referred to him.
The Merchant of Venom traces Don Rickles's career from his rise in the 1950s to a late-in-life resurgence thanks to the Toy Story franchise, his role in Martin Scorsese's Casino, and scores of TV appearances from Carson to Seth Meyers. In the intervening decades, Rickles conquered every medium he worked in, including film, television, and on stage. He was idolized by a generation of younger comedians including Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, and Jay Leno, and performed in the shadow of a shocking open secret: he was the nicest man in town.
An in-depth portrait of the personal and singular professional life of Don Rickles, The Merchant of Venom delivers a hilarious, moving, and long-overdue look at the real man behind the sting.
©2022 Michael Seth Starr (P)2022 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
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In this definitive biography of one of Hollywood's most beloved stars, Michael Munn reveals the truth behind the diffident, earnest and kindly persona of Jimmy Stewart. Drawn from the author's formal interviews and informal meetings with the star and his friendship with Stewart's wife, Gloria, is this portrait of a man who came from the Presbyterian traditions of Pennsylvania to become one of the silver screen's enduring legends.
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Don't waste your money
- By Deann on 09-01-21
By: Michael Munn
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Sinatra and the Jack Pack
- The Extraordinary Friendship Between Frank Sinatra and John F. Kennedy - Why They Bonded and What Went Wrong
- By: Michael Sheridan, David Harvey
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Frank Sinatra desperately wanted to be part of John F. Kennedy, Jr.'s gang. He had his own famed "Rat Pack", made up of hard drinking, womanizing individuals like himself - guys like Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Peter Lawford - but the guy "Ol' Blue Eyes" really wanted to hang with was Lawford's brother-in-law, the real chairman of the board, John F. Kennedy. In Sinatra and the Jack Pack, Michael Sheridan delves deep into the acclaimed singer's relationship with the former president.
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I'm blown away by my naïvety.
- By barbara crowell on 09-06-17
By: Michael Sheridan, and others
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Tragic Hollywood, Beautiful, Glamorous And Dead
- By: Jackie Ganiy
- Narrated by: Virtual Voice
- Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Have you always been fascinated by the morbid side of Hollywood? Did you cut your teeth on books like Hollywood Babylon, and shows like Mysteries And Scandals? This book promises to deliver all the salacious details about the stars you remember, not for their films, but for their tragic short lives. What really happened to Natalie Wood aboard The Splendor that cold November night? Was Jayne Mansfield really decapitated? Just how decadent were the days of the silent movies? Maybe you think you've heard it all? Trust me, you haven't! Chock full of new details, shocking photos and even a ...
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AI Generated Narrator Incredibly Irritating
- By Anonymous on 05-06-25
By: Jackie Ganiy
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You Couldn't Ignore Me If You Tried
- The Brat Pack, John Hughes, and Their Impact on a Generation
- By: Susannah Gora
- Narrated by: Kelli Tager
- Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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The landscape that the Brat Pack memorialized is rich with cultural themes and significance, and has influenced an entire generation who still believe that life always turns out like an '80s movie. You Couldn't Ignore Me If You Tried takes us back to that era, through Susannah Gora's interviews with key players such as Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Andrew McCarthy, and John Cusack, and mines all the material from the movies to the music to the way the films were made to show how they helped shape our visions for romance, friendship, society, and success.
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Brings me back to my teenage years! Fantastic Narration! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- By Amazmama on 06-24-22
By: Susannah Gora
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Harlow in Hollywood
- The Blonde Bombshell in the Glamour Capital, 1928-1937
- By: Darrell Rooney, Mark A. Vieira
- Narrated by: Christina Delaine
- Length: 4 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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In her short decade in Hollywood, Jean Harlow created a new genre of movie star - her fans idolized her for her peerless image, her beautiful body, and her gorgeous façade. Harlow in Hollywood is the story of how a town and an industry created her, a story that's never been told before. In this book, renowned Harlow expert Darrell Rooney and Hollywood historian Mark Vieira team up to present the most beautiful - and accurate - book on Harlow ever produced.
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A quick listen
- By Michelle on 07-26-22
By: Darrell Rooney, and others
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Marlene Dietrich
- The Life
- By: Maria Riva
- Narrated by: Christa Lewis
- Length: 33 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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With intimate detail, author Maria Riva reveals the rich life of her mother, Marlene Dietrich, the charismatic star of stage and screen whose career spanned much of the 20th century. Opening with Dietrich's childhood in Schöneberg, Riva's biography introduces us to an energetic, disciplined, and ambitious young actress whose own mother equated show business with a world of vagabonds and thieves.
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Wow
- By Tabitha McIntyre on 10-03-20
By: Maria Riva
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In Black and White
- The Life of Sammy Davis, Jr.
- By: Wil Haygood
- Narrated by: Kevin Free
- Length: 23 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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This biography of entertainment legend Sammy Davis, Jr. is an enthralling portrait of one of the most recognizable figures from the golden age of American show business. Davis, a guarded man who protected his private life with great vigor, lived an extraordinary life in the limelight, while also forging new uncharted paths across racial lines.
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Sammy Plus
- By James Gordon on 07-02-06
By: Wil Haygood
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Lies My Mother Told Me
- The World According to Joan
- By: Melissa Rivers
- Narrated by: Melissa Rivers
- Length: 6 hrs
- Unabridged
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If you think Joan Rivers said funny, outrageous, and ridiculous things onstage, wait 'til you hear the funny, outrageous, and ridiculous things she said offstage...things that will make you laugh out loud...and keep Melissa in therapy for the foreseeable future. The only thing my mother loved more than making people laugh was lying...or as she'd say, "embellishing." Her motto was: "Why let the truth ruin a good story?" This book contains some of those stories.
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Could not finish this audio book
- By Fla on 05-10-22
By: Melissa Rivers
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Seinfeldia
- How a Show About Nothing Changed Everything
- By: Jennifer Keishin Armstrong
- Narrated by: Christina Delaine
- Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Comedians Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld never thought anyone would watch their silly little sitcom about a New York comedian sitting around talking to his friends. NBC executives didn't think anyone would watch either, but they bought it anyway, hiding it away in the TV dead zone of summer. But against all odds, viewers began to watch, first a few and then many, until nine years later nearly 40 million Americans were tuning in weekly.
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This bad narration is making me thirsty...
- By Audio Gra Gra on 10-06-16
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The Late Shift
- Letterman, Leno, & the Network Battle for the Night
- By: Bill Carter
- Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray
- Length: 13 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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When beloved host Johnny Carson announced his retirement after 30 years on The Tonight Show, millions of Americans mourned. But inside the television industry, the news ignited a battle between two amazing talents - Jay Leno and David Letterman - who both yearned to occupy the departing legend's chair. For NBC, it would be a decision with millions of dollars at stake. Soon these two comedians with strikingly different styles, who had once shared a friendship as they worked the clubs together, would be engaged in a fierce competition for the prize.
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Very detailed, spectacular, and riveting!
- By John Collins on 02-09-21
By: Bill Carter
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Rat Pack Confidential
- Frank, Dean, Sammy, Peter, Joey and the Last Great Show Biz Party
- By: Shawn Levy
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Frank Sinatra. Dean Martin. Sammy Davis, Jr. Peter Lawford. Joey Bishop. They call themselves The Clan. But to an awed world, they are known as The Rat Pack. They had it all. Fame. Gorgeous women. A fabulous playground of a city and all the money in the world. The backing of fearsome crime lords and the blessing of the President of the United States. But the dark side - over the thin line between pleasure and debauchery, between swinging self-confidence and brutal arrogance - took its toll. In four years, their great ride was over, and showbiz was never the same.
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If. You Are A Fan, Skip This Book
- By redheadmomx2 on 01-26-21
By: Shawn Levy
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The Cake and the Rain
- A Memoir
- By: Jimmy Webb
- Narrated by: Jimmy Webb
- Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Jimmy Webb's words have been sung to his music by a rich and deep roster of pop artists, including Glen Campbell, Art Garfunkel, Frank Sinatra, Donna Summer, and Linda Ronstadt. He's the only artist ever to win Grammy Awards for music, lyrics, and orchestration, and his chart-topping career has, so far, lasted 50 years, most recently with a Kanye West rap hit and a new classical nocturne. Now Webb delivers a snapshot of his life from 1955 to 1970, from the proverbial humble beginnings into a moneyed and manic international world of beautiful women, drugs, cars, and planes.
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This Book is Hard to Listen to
- By Robert Alexander on 01-14-21
By: Jimmy Webb
What listeners say about Don Rickles
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- JIM HOWELL
- 07-16-24
In defense of…
While giving the author full credit for his fact-gathering to ensure that this spans Don’s entire career, more often than not, this comes off more like a compilation of articles/reviews from Variety or the Hollywood Reporter than a deep-delving bio. It is also apparent that the author is a diehard fan, because he refuses to delve into criticism of Don for very long at all, and always uses a piece of every chapter to defend Don‘s act or intentions. While I realize that Don was controversial then - and in today’s“must be politically correct or else“ culture, even more so now - it became unnecessary about halfway through the book to keep revisiting that. It became redundant – much like some of the writing in the book about other topics. The narration was solid, and his old – style, close – to – the – vest narration fit the content well.
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- EJ
- 09-30-24
Wonderful book!
As a lifelong fan of Rickles, I was absolutely glued to every word of this biography. Immensely enjoyable and I’ve already recommended it to multiple people.
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- pearl nemser-gingola
- 03-15-23
Funniest Man!!!
Brought tears to my eyes!!!
Loved that guy!
There will be only one Don Rickles
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- DavidF
- 04-19-24
Great, but could have been even greater!
Previous generations of my family absolutely *LOVED* Don Rickles. My earliest memories of him were from the watching the Dean Martin Roasts with my great uncle and great aunt.
This story was very good and included a lot of information about his early years, but it quickly tapered off after the 1970s. I was hoping for a lot more information and context about his new-age/present-day relationships and roles (Leno, Letterman, Toy Story, etc).
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- Nick Christopoulos
- 03-07-23
It’s Rickles..
What more needs to be said , he was a great performer, that beat the odds
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- Mike Sinks
- 11-06-23
Love Rickles, but This Isn’t Him
I love Don Rickles. He’s a titan and belongs on the Rushmore of comedians. However, he didn’t write this. The first 3/4 of this book are little more than a glorified filmography and series of show dates, with a few life details sprinkled in. You don’t actually learn much about him other than he is who you thought he was. It isn’t until around Chapter 16 (right as the author decides to fast-forward through two decades at a rapid clip) where you start to actually learn about the guy. Those last six chapters were extremely interesting. I only with that most of the book was like that.
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- Amazon Customer
- 03-17-23
Meh
A very superficial book. Many chapters were mere calendar readings of Don's bookings for a year. Not much depth.
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- marc bodi brower
- 09-04-23
Narration doesn’t do Don justice
Just my opinion, I love Dons humour and comic style, this is just a story about a man , but doesn’t come near to feeling the bite of his venom. Alas he couldn’t be reading it himself first person
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