Don Rickles played U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Otto Sharkey, an abrasive career Navy man stationed at a San Diego naval base, in charge of Company 144, a group of seaman recruits. Sharkey initially comes off as callous, sarcastic and insulting to everyone around him, but underneath his harsh exterior, he genuinely cared for his men and often went to great measures to help with their problems. Rickles was already well-known for his indiscriminate insult comedy he used in his stand-up routines.
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.