Richard Lewis, Legendary Comedian and Curb Your Enthusiasm Star, Dies at 76

Richard Lewis, the legendary comedian known for playing himself on Curb Your Enthusiasm, has died at age 76. Lewis revealed last year that he had Parkinson’s Disease and was leaving stand-up. Deadline reports that Lewis died in his home last night after suffering a heart attack. His passing has since been confirmed by his publicist, Jeff Abraham. While Lewis had stopped performing live, he has been seen in the latest season of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Lewis’ death comes only about a week after appearing in the episode, “Vertical Drop, Horizontal Tug.”

“His wife, Joyce Lapinsky, thanks everyone for all the love, friendship, and support and asks for privacy at this time,” Abraham shared.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Englewood, New Jersey, Lewis got his start in comedy in 1971. Within a few years, Lewis had appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and became known for his “brutally honest” approach to stand-up, having been declared a “new breed” of comedian. Lewis’ first acting gig came in 1979 when he starred in the TV movie Diary of a Young Comic. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Lewis became a well-known comic and made many appearances on big talk shows in addition to starring in his own comedy specials, including Richard Lewis: I’m in Pain, Richard Lewis: I’m Exhausted, Richard Lewis: I’m Doomed, and more.

Lewis’ film credits also included The Wrong Guys (1988), Once Upon a Crime… (1992), Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993), Drunks (1995), Leaving Las Vegas (1995), Game Day (1999), Vamps (2012), She’s Funny That Way (2014), and more. Lewis was also known for starring in the sitcom Anything But Love opposite Jamie Lee Curtis, which ran for four seasons from 1989 to 2002. His television credits also included Daddy Dearest (1993), Tales From the Crypt (1994), Rude Awakening (1996), Alias (2003), Two and a Half Men (2004), 7th Heaven (2002-20024), The Dead Zone (2004), The Simpsons (2006), and more.

In addition to over 60 film and television credits and a longstanding stand-up career, Lewis was well known for appearing in all 12 seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm. He’s been involved with the series since its inception in 1999 and played a huge role in the show’s pilot, “The Pants Tent,” in 2000. The show is coming to an end this year, but it’s currently unclear how many more episodes will feature Lewis. 

“Two years ago, I started walking a little stiffly. I was shuffling my feet and I went to a neurologist and they gave me a brain scan and I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. And that was two years ago,” Lewis revealed last year. “But luckily, I got it late in life and they say it progresses very slowly if at all. And I’m on the right meds so I’m cool. I just wanted you to know that’s where it’s been at. I’m finished with stand up. I’m just focusing on writing and acting. I have Parkinson’s Disease, but I’m under a doctor’s care, and everything is cool. And I love my wife. I love my little puppy dog. And I love all my friends and my fans and now you know where it’s been at the last three and a half years.”

Many famous names in comedy have already posted about Lewis’ passing, including Patton Oswalt, who shared a photo of the comedian on Instagram. Our thoughts are with Lewis’ friends and family at this difficult time. 

Photo by Tibrina Hobson/FilmMagic