Richard Lewis Death: Jamie Lee Curtis, Cheryl Hines And More Curb Your Enthusiasm Castmates Pay Tribute To Late Comedian

Remembering Richard Lewis: Tributes Pour in from Curb Your Enthusiasm castmates to the late comedian. known as The Prince of Pain, he rose to fame in the 1970s with his anxious comedy style.

By Sweta Choudhury

Published on Feb 29, 2024 | 05:42 PM IST | 108.8K

Richard Lewis in Curb Your Enthusiasm- IMDb

TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains references to death.

On social media, tributes are pouring in from Richard Lewis's friends and co-stars, including Larry David, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Cheryl Hines who are celebrating the life and works of the late actor-comedian.

Richard Lewis, who is known for his role on the show Curb Your Enthusiasm, passed away on Tuesday night at his Los Angeles residence following a heart attack, as confirmed by his publicist to The Hollywood Reporter. The actor, known for Anything but Love, disclosed last April about his battle with Parkinson’s disease, announcing his retirement from stand-up comedy.

Larry David, the star and creator of Curb Your Enthusiasm, shared in a statement: “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 the sweetest. But today he made me sob and for that, I’ll never forgive him.”

Who was Richard Richard Lewis?

Richard Lewis was known as The Prince of Pain. He rose to fame in the 1970s with his anxious comedy while battling addiction issues and depression openly, maintaining sobriety for years. Furthermore, as recognized by Comedy Central and GQ, he was absent from Season 11 of Curb Your Enthusiasm due to health issues. The actor's role in Curb Your Enthusiasm, where he played a version of himself alongside Larry David, showed how funny and witty he was. The show's last season is streaming now on HBO.

Heartfelt tributes from his loved ones

A spokesperson from HBO wrote, “We are heartbroken to learn that Richard Lewis has passed away. His comedic brilliance, wit and talent were unmatched. Richard will always be a cherished member of the HBO and Curb Your Enthusiasm families, our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends and all the fans who could count on Richard to brighten their days with laughter.”

Furthermore, Lewis’ another Curb Your Enthusiasm co-star Cheryl Hines who plays Larry’s wife, Cheryl David, shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, writing, “When I was young, I had the biggest crush on Richard Lewis. He was the funniest person on stage and the most handsome comedian. Then, when I was cast on Curb Your Enthusiasm, I got to work with him and it was a dream come true.”

The actress continued, “Through the years, I learned who Richard really was and the gifts he gave. Yes, he was the comedian I fell in love with, but he was also one of the most loving people I know. He would take the 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. To be loved by Richard Lewis. A true gift. I love you, Richard. You will be missed. Sending my love to Joyce and to all of Richard’s family. Larry, Richard adored you. But you know that.”

Furthermore, Lewis’ Anything but Love co-star Jamie Lee Curtis also wrote in a heartfelt message, “I remember exactly where I was when I saw a billboard of him about a stand up special on Sunset Boulevard when we were casting the ABC pilot Anything But Love and asked the casting people to bring him in to audition to play my best friend/maybe boyfriend, Marty Gold. I thought he was handsome. He made me laugh, which is the one thing that a strong, capable woman, can’t really do for herself. He got the part when I snort laughed when he mispronounced the word Bundt cake. He blew everyone else away It was a love triangle show and they didn’t pick up that pilot but they came back to me and said that the chemistry with Richard was so great and could we revamp the original pilot which is the show we ended up making for a couple years.”

The Oscar-winning actress added, “Richard’s last text to me, was hoping that I could convince ABC/Disney to put out another boxed set of episodes of the show. He also is the reason I am sober. He helped me. I am forever grateful for him for that act of grace alone. He found love with Joyce and that, of course, besides his sobriety, is what mattered most to him. I’m weeping as I write this. Strange way of saying thank you to a sweet and funny man. Rest in laughter, Richard.”

National Comedy Center executive director Journey Gunderson shared in a statement to THR, “Richard Lewis was part of a changing of the guard in stand-up history during the 1970s; his work exemplified and anticipated the deeply personal, raw, introspective and yes, neurotic, tone that has come to color so much contemporary comedy. His influence on the art form was profound, and we are proud to preserve his enduring contribution to comedy’s heritage.”

Lastly, Joyce Lapinsky, Lewis's wife, expressed gratitude for the love the actor received from his dear ones and fans and requested privacy during this challenging time.

The gifted actor will be truly missed for his iconic comic timing, the characters he played on screen, and the series of great works that he has left behind.