Richard Lewis

Richard Philip Lewis (June 29, 1947 – February 27, 2024) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer. Lewis came to prominence in the 1980s and became known for his dark, neurotic, and self-deprecating humor. As an actor, he was known for starring in the ABC sitcom Anything but Love from 1989 to 1992, and for playing the role of Prince John in the 1993 film Robin Hood: Men in Tights. Lewis also had a recurring role as a fictionalized version of himself in the HBO comedy series Curb Your Enthusiasm from 2000 to 2024.

Early life and education Lewis was born on June 29, 1947, in Brooklyn, New York City. He was raised in Englewood, New Jersey. He was born into a Jewish family, and was not especially religious. His father, Bill (died 1971), was co-owner of Ambassador Caterers in nearby Teaneck, New Jersey, and his mother, Blanche, was an actress in community theatre. Lewis was the youngest of their three children. His sister was older by 9 years, and his brother by 6. His father's catering business kept him very busy, and his siblings had both left home by the 1960s, leaving Lewis at home alone with his mother, with whom there was friction. He was the recipient of the Fisher College of Business Alumni Achievement Award in November 2023.

Career Lewis first tried stand-up at an open mic in Greenwich Village in 1971. He was discovered by comedian David Brenner while performing in Greenwich Village. Brenner helped Lewis's career by introducing him to the comedy clubs in Los Angeles and getting Lewis his first appearance on The Tonight Show. and publications, such as the New York Daily News and New York magazine, were naming him one of the "new breed" or "class" of comedians; this list containing names such as Robert Klein, Lily Tomlin, Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Andy Kaufman, Richard Belzer, and Elayne Boosler. His influences were Richard Pryor, Buster Keaton, Woody Allen, and Lenny Bruce.

Lewis was known for dark comedy, self-deprecation, and for frank discussions regarding his many neuroses, as well as his struggles with alcoholism and drug addiction. He was noted for wearing all-black attire and for pacing and gesticulating wildly during his stand-up act. In his early days, he was also known for bringing taped-together sheets from a legal pad to his performances; he would lay them across the floor in front of him to remind him of joke premises and topics he wished to cover during his performance. A satirical look at the Hollywood scene, Lewis stars in the film as Billy Gondola (born Gondolstein), a young Jewish comedian who leaves New York City to find fame in Los Angeles. The film's script was co-written by Lewis and Bennett Tramer, and was adapted from a story written by Gary Weis, who also served as the film's director. followed by the specials I'm Exhausted, I'm Doomed, and Richard Lewis: The Magical Misery Tour, all of which aired on HBO in 1988, 1990, and 1997 respectively. From 1989 to 1992, he co-starred with Jamie Lee Curtis on the sitcom Anything but Love. Lewis also appeared in the 1995 drama film Leaving Las Vegas, and the 1997 romantic comedy Hugo Pool.

Into the 2000s, Lewis had recurring roles as a B movie producer on the sitcom Rude Awakening, and as Rabbi Richard Glass on the family drama series 7th Heaven. Lewis first met the show's star and creator, Larry David, at summer camp in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, when they were 12 years old; Lewis claimed that, at the time, they hated each other. and Lewis was ranked 45 on Comedy Central's list of "100 Greatest Standups of All Time" released in 2004.

In 2006, The Yale Book of Quotations included an entry for the expression "the ______ from hell" (as in "the night from hell", "the date from hell". etc.,) that was attributed to Lewis. Lewis also petitioned the editors of Bartlett's Familiar Quotations to include the idiom, which was also worked into the plot of Curb Your Enthusiasm during the episode "The Nanny from Hell". His lawyer sent some video tapes to Bartlett's general editor Justin Kaplan showing Lewis using the phrase. The pair became engaged in 2004 and married the following year. The two starred together in Candy's last film, the Western-themed comedy film Wagons East. The book was reissued in 2008 with an added afterword where Lewis reflected further on his continued struggles with addiction. most episodes of which premiered after his death.

In April 2023, Lewis announced he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease two years earlier. He said he would no longer perform stand-up comedy and was instead "focused on writing and acting". Friends and colleagues, including Curb Your Enthusiasm co-star Cheryl Hines and the show's creator, Larry David, made statements regarding Lewis' death and paid homage to him. He is buried at the Temple of Aaron Cemetery in Roseville, Minnesota.

Filmography Film

Television +Television work by Richard Lewis Year Title Role Notes 1974–1992 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Himself – Guest 22 episodes 1979 Diary of a Young Comic Billy Goldstein Television movie 1988 Tattingers Longo Episode : "Death and Taxis" 1989–1992 Anything but Love Marty Gold 56 episodes V.I.P. Ronald Zane Episode: "Big Top Val" Larry David: Curb Your Enthusiasm Himself Television movie – Pilot 1991 Viewers for Quality Television Best Actor – Quality Comedy Series Anything but Love 2006 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Curb Your Enthusiasm