Feb. 28 (UPI) — Richard Lewis died Tuesday night in his Los Angeles home of cardiac arrest at the age of 76. Deadline and Variety confirmed the news Wednesday.
A prolific standup comedian, Lewis most recently appeared in the current season of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Playing a version of himself, Lewis frequently appeared on the comedy as a Hollywood friend of Larry David‘s.
On stage, Lewis often joked about his anxiety and fear of death. Last year, Lewis announced he had been diagnosed with Parkinson‘s disease and retired from standup.
Fellow comedians commemorated Lewis on social media. Albert Brooks wrote, “The world needed him now more than ever.”
Michael McKean shared, “Procol Harum has lost another fan, and the rest of us have lost a very good man.”
Lewis starred on the sitcom Anything But Love with Jamie Lee Curtis for four seasons from 1989 – 1992 and the short-lived Daddy Dearest with Don Rickles.
On film, Lewis appeared in John Candy‘s final film, Wagon’s East, played the villain Prince John in Mel Brooks‘ Robin Hood: Men in Tights and recently Adam Sandler‘s Sandy Wexler. In drama, Lewis appeared in Leaving Las Vegas, Drunks and episodes of The Dead Zone, Alias, Tales from the Crypt and more.
Lewis is survived by his wife Joyce Lapinsky.
