Richard Lewis, the pioneering comedian known for mining the depths of his neuroses in his stand-up and for his recurring role as a fictionalized version of himself on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, died of a heart attack in his Los Angeles home on February 27, Vulture has confirmed. He was 76.
Born in Brooklyn in 1947, Lewis began his career as a stand-up comedian in the 1970s and quickly gained a reputation as a comedian who pushed the boundaries of the form by talking openly about his struggles with mental health and addiction onstage. He made his first appearance as an actor in the 1979 made-for-TV NBC movie Diary of a Young Comic and became a fixture on the late-night talk-show circuit in the 1980s and 1990s, appearing frequently on The Tonight Show and Late Night With David Letterman. Lewis released four acclaimed stand-up specials: Showtime’s I’m in Pain(1985) and I’m Exhausted (1988), I’m Doomed (1990), and The Magical Misery Tour (1997) all on HBO. His accomplished acting career was headlined by his appearance as Prince John in 1993’s Robin Hood: Men in Tights, his starring role in the sitcom Anything But Love alongside Jamie Lee Curtis, and, of course, his scene-stealing appearances on Curb, which is currently airing its 12th and final season on HBO.
In April 2023, Lewis posted an update on social media in which he announced that he’d been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and that, in 2019, he’d retired from stand-up after almost 50 years to focus on his health, writing, and acting. That same year, he launched a podcast titled Richard Lewis: Alive and Unwell, the last episode of which was posted in December 2023 and featured a guided tour of his home. Tributes to the late comedian have begun pouring in on social media since the news of his death, including a post by Albert Brooks that called Lewis “a brilliantly funny man” and a person the “world needed now more than ever.” Comedian Paula Poundstone posted a photo of her with Lewis and Robin Williams. Lewis is survived by his remarkable body of work and his wife, Joyce Lapinsky.
I was so sorry to hear that we lost Richard Lewis. I will miss him very much. He was so funny, and I was so lucky to have him play Prince John in ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS. But I was even luckier to have him in my life.
— Mel Brooks (@MelBrooks) February 29, 2024
Larry David pays tribute to his late friend and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" co-star Richard Lewis.
“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. He had that rare combination of being the funniest person and also… pic.twitter.com/gfOgpga1fu
— Variety (@Variety) February 28, 2024
My hero has passed away. He’s the main reason I wanted to be a standup. I wanted to be half as good as him. I was honored to have been able to call him a friend for the past 20 years. https://t.co/ru075XLRFg
— Jimmy Pardo (@jimmypardo) February 28, 2024
I never met a kinder, more empathetic comedy genius. He was so funny. And deep. As a stand up he was really iconic in the 70s. Cool, funny, self deprecating and hip. He was a friend to my parents and the whole Stiller family. As a kid i remember seeing him at the Improv and… https://t.co/0aRA3xLTGR
— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) February 28, 2024
Ran into Richard Lewis in Improv bathroom 1982, said I'm a fan. RL: "Thanks. You a comic?" me: 'no, just open mics' RL: "Do you go on stage?" me: 'yeah' RL: "Do you tell jokes?" me: 'yeah' RL:"Then you're a comic." He could've just said thanks and left. Never forgot it
— Mike Scully (@scullymike) February 28, 2024
— Paula Poundstone (@paulapoundstone) February 28, 2024
RIP Richard Lewis. A brilliantly funny man who will missed by all. The world needed him now more than ever.
— Albert Brooks (@AlbertBrooks) February 28, 2024
View this post on Instagram
Sleep well Richard…I’ll try to take good care of our face.
— Jon Stewart (@jonstewart) February 28, 2024
On a sad note, the great Richard Lewis has died.
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) February 28, 2024
Absolutely devastated by this news. Richard was my hero when I was a standup. I was lucky enough to get to know him and he was the most wonderful man. So supportive and kind and truly one of the funniest people on the planet. You will be missed, my friend. https://t.co/NX4G9i39xX
— Paul Feig (@paulfeig) February 28, 2024
Related
- Richard Lewis Announces Parkinson’s Diagnosis, Retirement From Stand-up
- Richard Lewis Revisits His ‘Trippy’ BoKu Fruit-Juice Commercials
Hershal Pandya , 2024-02-29 04:33:00
Source link
