Don Rickles 'always' told his daughter to 'keep his name alive'
Don Rickles told his daughter to keep his name alive.
The legendary comedian's daughter Mindy Rickles revealed she uses her maiden name for her own stand-up career to honour a request from her late dad, who died from kidney failure at the age of 90 in 2017.
She told Closer magazine in the US: "He always told me, 'Keep my name alive', and that's a big reason I use my maiden name, Rickles.
"He wanted to be known as a nice guy, as he sang in his act, and that he really loved his family."
Mindy, 55, admitted her father was "nervous" when she told him she wanted to go into stand-up comedy.
She explained: "He was nervous for me because he knows that the business is full of rejection and he didn't want me to get hurt."
However, he was won over by the idea once he saw her performing and realised she knew how to handle a live crowd.
She added: "He grew very proud of me. He lent an ear if I had a bad night and was always there for me."
Humour was a big part of their family life, and Mindy revealed her mum always saw the funny side when their marriage made its way into his material.
She said: "My father would imitate her on stage or make fun of her jewellery obsession, but she laughed.
"That's one of the reasons their marriage lasted so long. She had a wonderful sense of humour."
While the whole family used to travel together, Mindy also recalled her mum sending photos from trips when she was exploring the local area.
She said: "If my dad was busy working, my mom would explore the town they were in by herself. She'd send me pictures from the middle of nowhere."
