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Legendary standup comedian and 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' actor Richard Lewis has died at the age of 76, Variety.com reported on Wednesday (February 28).
Lewis' death comes nearly one year after he announced his Parkinson's Disease diagnosis and retirement from standup in April 2023. The Brooklyn native recently appeared as a semi-fictionalized version of himself on the ongoing 12th and final season of 'Curb' alongside his lifelong friend Larry David having initially missed the majority of Season 11 while recovering from three surgeries.
“When I walked in and they applauded, I felt like a million bucks. Larry doesn’t like to hug, and he hugged me and told me how happy he was after we shot our scene," Lewis told Variety after making a surprise one episode appearance in 2021.
Lewis is best known for his neurotic, self-deprecating comedic style, rising to prominence on the standup circuit in the 1980s and 1990s after initially making his acting debut in the 1979 made-for-television film 'Diary of a Young Comic.' The comedian was featured in the 1985 Showtime comedy special 'I'm in Pain,' as well as HBO's specials 'I'm Exhausted' in 1988, 'I'm Doomed' in 1990 and 'Richard Lewis: The Magical Misery Tour' in 1997.
Lewis also starred opposite Jamie Lee Curtis in the ABC sitcom 'Anything but Love,' which ran for four seasons and 56 episodes from 1989 to 1992.
On the podcast The History Of Curb Your Enthusiasm with Jeff Garlin and Susie Essman, the pair discussed Curb star Larry David's relationship with Lewis.
Hear more from the podcast here.