"He would have been overwhelmed with joy and deeply moved, just as I am," Joyce Lapinsky, the beloved wife of the late actor, Richard Lewis, penned in a heartfelt statement posted on his social media page. As tributes poured in following his untimely departure, Joyce expressed her sincere gratitude for the outpouring of love and condolences.
Richard Lewis, a renowned actor and comedian, peacefully passed away at his Los Angeles home on Tuesday night, succumbing to a heart attack at the age of 76, as confirmed by his publicist to The Hollywood Reporter. In a touching tribute shared on his former Twitter account, now known as X, Joyce, his loving wife, thanked everyone for their kind words and expressions of sorrow.
"This is Joyce, Richard's wife," she began. "Thank you for your loving tributes. He would have been beyond thrilled and deeply touched, just as I am." She continued, sharing that in response to the numerous inquiries, she knew that Richard would appreciate donations made in his memory to the Los Angeles-based charity Comedy Gives Back or any charity of choice.
Last April, the Curb Your Enthusiasm star and comedian had revealed his battle with Parkinson's disease, announcing his retirement from stand-up comedy. "For the last three-and-a-half years, I've had sort of a rocky time," he had said on social media. Despite stepping away from the show in 2021, Richard returned for its now-airing final season, displaying remarkable resilience even while grappling with his illness. The show's executive producer, Jeff Schaffer, praised his dedication and courage.
Following the news of Richard's demise, numerous figures in Hollywood took to social media to remember and pay tribute to him. Among them were Larry David, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Cheryl Hines. Larry David shared a statement, expressing, "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. He possessed 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."
Cheryl Hines, Richard's co-star on Curb Your Enthusiasm, posted a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, recalling, "When I was young, I had the biggest crush on Richard Lewis. He was the funniest person on stage and the most handsome comedian. Then, when I was cast on Curb Your Enthusiasm, it was a dream come true to work with him." She continued, "Through the years, I learned who Richard really was and the gifts he gave. Yes, he was the comedian I fell in love with, but he was also one of the most loving people I know. He took time to tell the people he loved what they meant to him — especially in recent years. In between takes on Curb, he would tell me how special I was to him and how much he loved me. To be loved by Richard Lewis was a true gift. I love you, Richard. You will be deeply missed. Sending my love to Joyce and to all of Richard's family. Larry, Richard adored you. But you know that."
Meanwhile, Jamie Lee Curtis, Richard's co-star from the hit series Anything but Love, penned a moving message, recalling, "I remember exactly where I was when I saw a billboard of him promoting a stand-up special on Sunset Boulevard. We were casting the ABC pilot for Anything but Love, and I asked the casting people to bring him in to audition for the role of Marty Gold, my best friend/maybe boyfriend. I thought he was handsome and he made me laugh, which is something a strong, capable woman can't really do for herself. He got the part when I snort-laughed at his mispronunciation of the word 'Bundt cake.' He blew everyone else away. It was meant to be a love triangle show, but they saw the chemistry between Richard and me and asked if we could revamp the original pilot, which ultimately became the show we made for a couple of years."
