Richard Lewis, Prolific Comedian, Dead At 76
Stand-up comedian Richard Lewis has tragically passed away at the age of 76. The news broke after his good friend, Bette Midler, revealed on X (formerly known as Twitter) that he had died. Without any further context, Midler tweeted, "On a sad note, the great Richard Lewis has died." His publicist soon after confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that Lewis had died peacefully at his Los Angeles home following a heart attack.
Lewis rose to stardom in the early '70s after writing for various comedians and eventually taking the leap to do his own stand-up. He grew in popularity thanks to several stand-up specials, including "Richard Lewis: I'm Doomed" and "Richard Lewis: The Magical Misery Tour."
After years of doing stand-up and TV appearances, Lewis revealed in 2023 that he would be taking a step back due to being diagnosed with Parkinsons disease, per CBS. He shared, "I went to a neurologist and they gave me a brain scan and I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and that was about two years ago. But luckily I got it late in life and they say you progress very slowly if at all and I'm on the right meds so I'm cool."
Richard Lewis knew he wouldn't come back to stand up after retiring
Richard Lewis was a staple of stand-up comedy for decades before he announced that he was hanging up the mic. When the comedian revealed he'd been diagnosed with Parkinsons disease in 2023, he also announced that he was retiring from stand-up. While many hoped that they could see a potential return of Lewis to the comedic stage, he knew he was done.
He told Vanity Fair in February 2024, "On my last tour, I knew it was my last. It was the best I've ever been onstage. I said, 'This is it. Fifty years. I'm exhausted.' I did about six cities. People showed me how much they care about my work. And I would never go on again. Not to mention, my body's been beaten up by four surgeries." While he may have retired from stand-up, Lewis did reveal that he was going to continue writing and acting.
The comedian, who starred on "Curb Your Enthusiasm" alongside Larry David for 24 years, had most recently been seen in Season 12 of the show. His final episode aired in February 2024, just weeks before his death. Lewis had even shared his excitement for the episode on X, writing, "What a night! I loved Episode 3 of #curbyourenthusiasm..." From acting to comedy, there was nothing that Lewis couldn't do, and his comedy will be remembered long after his death.