Comedian Richard Lewis has died of a heart attack.
The actor and stand-up comedian died at his Los Angeles home after a heart attack. He was 76.
Outside comedy circles, Richard was most well-known for his semi-fictionalised role as ‘Richard’ on the sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm.
In 2023, Richard announced his retirement from stand-up comedy as he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Curb Your Enthusiasm creator Larry David released a statement in light of Richard’s death.
“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,” Larry said.
“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.”
Larry had been open about his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction in his early years, with much of his comedy centred around his journey towards sobriety as well as his mental health challenges. He said his decision to get sober was driven in part by the 1994 death of his Wagons East co-star John Candy.
A representative of HBO, the network behind Curb Your Enthusiasm, released a statement.
“We are heartbroken to learn that Richard Lewis has passed away,” it said.
“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.”
Lewis is survived by his wife, Joyce Lapinsky.