Richard Lewis, an acclaimed comedian known for exploring his neuroses in frantic, stream-of-consciousness diatribes while dressed in all-black, leading to his nickname The Prince of Pain, has died. He was 76.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Lewis, who revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2023, died at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday night after suffering a heart attack, according to his publicist Jeff Abraham.
"His wife, Joyce Lapinsky, thanks everyone for all the love, friendship and support and asks for privacy at this time," Abraham said.
A regular performer in clubs and on late-night TV for decades, Lewis also played Marty Gold, the romantic co-lead opposite Jamie Lee Curtis, in Anything But Love and the reliably neurotic Prince John in Mel Brooks' Robin Hood: Men In Tights. He reintroduced himself to a new generation opposite Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm.
"I'm paranoid about everything in my life. Even at home. On my stationary bike, I have a rear-view mirror, which I'm not thrilled about," he once joked onstage.
To Jimmy Kimmel he said: "This morning, I tried to go to bed. I couldn't sleep. I counted sheep but I only had six of them and they all had hip replacements."
David paid tribute to Lewis in a written statement: "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 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."
Comedy Central named Lewis one of the top 50 stand-up comedians of all time and he earned a berth in GQ magazine's list of the 20th Century's Most Influential Humorists. He lent his humour for charity causes, including Comic Relief and Comedy Gives Back.
"Watching his stand-up is like sitting in on a very funny and often dark therapy session," the Los Angeles Times said in 2014.
The Philadelphia's City Paper called him "the Jimi Hendrix of monologists." Mel Brooks once said he "may just be the Franz Kafka of modern-day comedy."
with Reuters
Australian Associated Press
