The series starred Don Rickles in the title role, with Peter Isacksen, Elizabeth Allen, Harrison Page, and Richard X. Slattery in the cast. Rickles was already well-known for the indiscriminate insult comedy he used in his stand-up routines and in guest appearances on other TV shows and specials.
Don Rickles is U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Otto Sharkey, an abrasive career Navy man stationed at a San Diego naval base. Sharkey initially comes off as callous, sarcastic and insulting to everyone around him. Underneath his harsh exterior, he genuinely cared for his men and often went to great measures to help them.