Many fellow entertainers weighed in after the beloved comic and ‚Curb Your Enthusiasm‘ star passed away at the age of 76.
Richard Lewis was a staple of the American comedy scene since the early 1970s. In that time he made a lot of friends (and fans). He even spent the last quarter century of his life periodically sparring onscreen with one of them, his Curb Your Enthusiasm colleague Larry David. David was among the many who were quick to release tributes to the beloved comic after he passed away on Wednesday at the age of 76.
“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 said in a statement, which was released 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.”
For many, news of Lewis’ passing came from Bette Midler.
On a sad note, the great Richard Lewis has died.
bettemidler (@BetteMidler) February 28, 2024
Soon thereafter the floodgates were opened. Cheryl Hines, his longtime fellow Curb co-star, spoke, like many, about his kindness. “He would take time to tell the people he loved what they meant to him,” Hines recalled. “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. A true gift. I love you Richard. You will be missed.”
He would take time to tell the people he loved what they meant to him. 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. A true gift.
I love you Richard. You will be missed. #RichardLewis pic.twitter.com/7zJzKVPSfH
— Cheryl Hines (@CherylHines) February 28, 2024
Frequent Curb director Robert B. Wiede also paid tribute.
1984. 2004. 2023.
Reeling from the news. The suddenness of it.
I love you, Pal. Always have. Always will. #RichardLewis pic.twitter.com/KA3JseSyjo
— Robert B. Weide (@BobWeide) February 28, 2024
Jamie Lee Curtis, who starred alongside Lewis in the early ‘90s sitcom Anything But Love was among them.
“I remember exactly where I was when I saw a billboard of him about a stand up special on Sunset Boulevard when we were casting the ABC pilot Anything But Love and asked the casting people to bring him in to audition to play my best friend/maybe boyfriend, Marty Gold,” Curtis recalled. “I thought he was handsome. He made me laugh, which is the one thing that a strong, capable woman, can’t really do for herself.
