By [ad_1]
Richard Lewis, one among America’s most beloved and revered stand-up comics who additionally performed a fictionalized model of himself on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, died final night time at his dwelling in Los Angeles after struggling a coronary heart assault. He was 76.
His loss of life was confirmed by his publicist Jeff Abraham. Lewis had been residing with Parkinson’s illness, a analysis he revealed in April, 2023.
“His spouse, Joyce Lapinsky, thanks everybody for all of the love, friendship and assist and asks for privateness at the moment,” Abraham stated.
Born Richard Philip Lewis in Brooklyn on June 29, 1947, Lewis received his begin within the New York and Los Angeles comedy scenes of the Seventies together with such soon-to-be-stars as Andy Kaufman, Richard Belzer and Elayne Boosler. He shortly turned a favourite of late night time exhibits together with The Tonight Present Starring Johnny Carson, developed a singular stage persona almost as darkish because the all-black garments he favored. His stand-up performances might greatest be described as straddling comedy and remedy.
Lewis’ web site prominently encompasses a quote from comedy nice Mel Brooks: “Richard Lewis may be the Franz Kafka of modern-day comedy.”
Self-deprecating, razor-sharp and brutally trustworthy about his addictions and neurosis, Lewis was the uncommon comedian who might rival the curmudgeonly however extremely relatable outlook on life honed by his longtime pal and Curb Your Enthusiasm co-star Larry David.
Making his performing debut within the 1979 NBC particular Diary of a Younger Comedian, a 90 minute movie aired within the Saturday Night time Stay slot, Lewis’ nationwide profile grew considerably over the following 20 years as his edgy observations had been welcomed and celebrated by discuss hosts David Letterman, Jay Leno and, on radio, Howard Stern.
TV comedy specials adopted, his first Showtime particular, pointedly titled I’m In Ache, aired in 1985. He turned on of the premiere presences on HBO with comedy specials in 1988, 1990 and 1997.
Though his humor was hardly a simple match for sitcoms of the period, he co-starred for a number of seasons within the late ’80s-early ’90s with Jamie Lee Curtis on Something however Love, and with Don Rickles on 1993’s Daddy Dearest. In 1998 he co-starred with Kevin Nealon within the sitcom Hiller and Diller.
Movie credit included 1993’s Robin Hood: Males in Tights, during which he performed Prince John, and 1995’s Drunks. Additionally that yr, he appeared in Leaving Las Vegas.
Lewis started what would arguably be his signature position – primarily based, fittingly sufficient, on himself – in 2000 when he was solid by his childhood pal Larry David on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. The 2 New Yorkers had met at summer season camp after they had been 12 and re-established their friendship on the New York comedy circuit a decade later.
In an announcement, HBO stated, “We’re heartbroken to study that Richard Lewis has handed away. His comedic brilliance, wit and expertise had been unmatched. Richard will at all times be a cherished member of the HBO and Curb Your Enthusiasm households, our heartfelt condolences exit to his household, pals and all of the followers who might depend on Richard to brighten their days with laughter.”
Though he largely retired from performing following his Parkinson’s analysis, he returned to Curb periodically, most lately through the present’s present (and closing) season.
Along with his a few years of taking part in the nation’s comedy golf equipment – he titled his seemingly unending tour the Tracks of My Fears tour – Lewis wrote two memoirs: The Different Nice Despair (2000) and, with co-author Carl Nicholas Titolo, Reflections From Hell: Richard Lewis’ Information on How To not Stay (2015).
He launched a 2-DVD field set titled A Bundle of Nerves that documented his profession over the span of 40 years, and a DVD field set referred to as Concert events from Hell collected three of his early HBO and Showtime specials.
Lewis’ comedy was unremittingly confessional and probing, concerning a lifelong wrestle with nervousness and a hard-won sobriety after many years of alcoholism. He embraced, with each humor and self-awareness, a nickname that got here early in his profession: The Prince of Ache.
