Richard Lewis Memorialized By Hollywood After Unexpected Death

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Richard Lewis
Photo Credit: Joeyjojo86, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Renowned stand-up comedian Richard Lewis passed away at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening. At the time of his death, Lewis was 76 years old.

The cause of demise was a heart attack, occurring just under a year after the comedian had publicized his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis in April 2023.

The confirmation of his death came through Jeff Abraham, his publicist, who also conveyed gratitude from Joyce Lapinsky, Lewis’s wife, toward those showering them with “love, friendship and support” during this period.

The comedian’s most recent role was playing a fictionalized version of himself on the hit television series “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” alongside fellow funnyman Larry David.

“Richard and I were born three days apart in the same hospital and for most of my life he’s been like a brother to me,” David memorialized.

“He had that rare combination of being the funniest person and also the sweetest. But today he made me sob and for that, I’ll never forgive him.”

His final performance is in the upcoming comedy “The Ogilvy Fortune,” which he stars in alongside Keith David, Chevy Chase, and Dennis Miller.

Lewis was born in Brooklyn, New York, on June 29, 1947. He spent his childhood in Englewood, New Jersey and later went on to attend Ohio State University.

His post-college years were marked by a move into the thriving comedy circuits of New York and Los Angeles during the 70s where he emerged along celebrated names like Andy Kaufman and Richard Belzer.

Lewis’ comedic style, characterized by neurotic self-deprecation, resonated with audiences.

He became known for stand-up performances that tread the line between comedy and existential therapy sessions.

Lewis was often clad in all-black attire, reflecting the somber anecdotes from his life he shared on stage.

His unique presence quickly became a staple on late-night television, including appearances on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” and continued on with successor Carson’s Jay Leno and rival late-night host David Letterman.

Lewis’s break into acting came with the 1979 NBC special “Diary of a Young Comic,” and his prominence continued to rise over the following decades.

Throughout his career, Lewis produced TV comedy specials, with his first, “I’m In Pain,” debuting on Showtime in 1985.

Afterwards, he moved onto cable competitor HBO with specials airing in 1988, 1990, and 1997.

Lewis broke into the sitcom world alongside Jamie Lee Curtis in “Anything but Love” and with Don Rickles in the series “Daddy Dearest.” He later worked with Kevin Nealon on the sitcom “Hiller and Diller.”

Curtis released a lengthy statement about her late costar on Instagram Tuesday, recalling their time together on set.

“He was also a stand-up comic and hated the live audience, where I, who had never done a play, loved it,” she wrote.

“He used to hide his lines everywhere on the set, on props, door frames, on my face in a close up and was always carrying a clipboard with his lines on them. It turns out he was a wonderful actor. Deep and so freaking funny.”

Curtis also credited Lewis for getting clean. “He also is the reason I am sober. He helped me. I am forever grateful for him for that act of grace alone,” she added.

Lewis’s comedy, unrelentingly personal and investigative, often dealt with his ongoing struggles with anxiety and sobriety. He quit drinking and doing drugs in 1994.

Aside from starring in popular television series, Lewis also made his mark on the movies, starring in “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” (1993) as Prince John and made an appearance in “Leaving Las Vegas” (1995).

“Besides your remarkable talent there was no one sweeter or more generous than you, my friend. I miss you already & forever. Rest in Power, Richard,” wrote “Robin Hood” costar Cary Elwes.

Despite stepping back from performances due to his health, Lewis recently returned to what is said to be the final season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

Fellow costar Cheryl Hines said that her former teenage crush was “a dream come true to work with.”

“He would take time to tell the people he loved what they meant to him – especially in recent years. In between takes on Curb, he would tell me how special I was to him and how much he loved me,” Hines said in a statement. “I love you Richard.”

Lewis’s long-standing engagements in comedy clubs were a significant part of his career, his “Tracks of My Fears Tour” ran for nearly half of a century.

He also authored two memoirs, “The Other Great Depression,” and with Carl Nicholas Titolo, “Reflections From Hell: Richard Lewis’ Guide on How Not to Live.”

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