Tommy Ruben (CPO Sharkey, son of Aaron Ruben)
30 August 2025

Tommy Ruben (CPO Sharkey, son of Aaron Ruben)

Ian Talks Comedy

About

Tommy Ruben joined me to discuss the closed knit cast of CPO Sharkey; growing up in Larchont, NY and his dad working for Sgt. Bilko; his dad Aaron, writing for Fred Allen, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, The Andy Griffith Show and creating Gomer Pyle USMC; Don Rickles getting booed on Comic Relief; Sharkey's scripts scripts had ad-libs written in; being a class clown; guest starring on MASH; going to the Oakwood School; his dad''s film, The Comic; his father liked to build sitcoms around someone; creating CPO Sharkey; Polish jokes got the most letters; his first scene; episodes focusing on his character; the Johnny Carson incident and how has dad was mad; NBC wasn't all in on Don; Bob Newhart; his brother writing the punk rock episode; appearing in More American Graffiti with Cindy Williams; the difference in Drew Barrymore and James garner's acting methods; appearing and writing and episodes of The Stockard Channing Show; Rhonda Bates; being in his brothers movies; almost getting The Hardy Boys Show; and studying photography at the School of Visual Arts.