Comedian and sitcom star dies at age 76
Legendary comedian and sitcom star Richard Lewis has passed away at the age of 76.
The Curb Your Enthusiasm actor, who has been candid in recent years about his struggle with Parkinson's, died of a heart attack, according to his publicist.
Curb Your Enthusiasm creator Larry David shared an emotional tribute to his friend and co-star, sharing how the men had been friends their whole lives.
“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,” David wrote in a statement Wednesday, shared by HBO.
“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.”
In April 2023, Lewis took to X, formerly Twitter, to explain his ongoing health issues, sharing how he had undergone a series of surgeries.
“Three and a half years ago, I was in the middle of a tour and then I finally ended it with a show I said ‘You know, I’m at the top of my game, after 50 years almost I’m just gonna call it quits.’”
“Then, out of the blue, the s**t hit the fan. I had four surgeries back to back to back to back. It was incredible, I couldn’t believe it. It was bad luck but it’s life, you know?”
“I had back surgery, then I had a shoulder surgery, then I had a shoulder replacement surgery, and a hip replacement. So, you know, there was much where I was just focusing on [physical therapy].”
He added that amidst his physical health battle, he had received a devastating neurological diagnosis.
“On top of all that, 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.”
While being candid about his health problems, Lewis also became known for his dark jokes about his battles with addiction and neurosis.
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