Richard Lewis was an American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer, rose to fame during the 1980s, gaining recognition for his dark, neurotic, and self-deprecating comedic style.
Bio/Wiki
Age-76 years
Full name-Richard Philip Lewis
Height-171.5 cm
Weight-78kg
Born-29 June 1947
Birthplace-United States
Death date- 27 February 2024
Spouse-Joyce Lapinsky (m. 2005–2024)
Profession-American comedian and actor
Nationality- American
Cause of Death
US comedian Richard Lewis, The Prince of Pain, passed away at the age of 76.
Lewis, who disclosed his diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in 2023, passed away at his residence in Los Angeles on Tuesday night following a heart attack, as confirmed by his publicist Jeff Abraham.
Lewis frequently incorporated his struggles with anxiety, depression, and numerous therapy sessions into his comedy routines. Additionally, he openly discussed battling an eating disorder stemming from body dysmorphia in interviews.
Family
Richard Philip Lewis was born to Bill and Blanche. His father co-owned Ambassador Caterers in nearby Teaneck, New Jersey, while his mother pursued acting in community theater. Lewis was the youngest of three siblings.
Wife
Lewis met Joyce Lapinsky in 1998, where Lapinsky was employed in music publishing. They became engaged in 2004 and tied the knot in 2005.
Children
Lewis and Joyce Lapinsky did not have any children together.
Education
After graduating from Dwight Morrow High School in 1965, Richard Philip Lewis went on to attend Ohio State University, where he earned a degree in marketing.
Career
Lewis initially ventured into stand-up comedy at an open-mic night in Greenwich Village in 1971. By the following year, while balancing a day job as a copywriter at an advertising agency, he began writing and regularly performing stand-up. His breakthrough came when comedian David Brenner discovered him in Greenwich Village and facilitated his introduction to the comedy clubs in Los Angeles, leading to Lewis’s inaugural appearance on The Tonight Show. By the mid-1970s, Lewis had graced The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and publications like the New York Daily News and New York Magazine hailed him as part of the emerging generation of comedians alongside luminaries such as Richard Pryor and Woody Allen.
Lewis achieved broader recognition in the 1980s and 1990s with frequent appearances on talk shows like The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman, and The Howard Stern Show. He also ventured into producing comedy specials like “I’m in Pain” (1985), followed by “I’m Exhausted,” “I’m Doomed,” and “Richard Lewis: The Magical Misery Tour,” all airing on HBO in subsequent years. Additionally, he enjoyed success on television, co-starring with Jamie Lee Curtis in the sitcom “Anything but Love” from 1989 to 1992 and appearing in other series and films such as “Daddy Dearest” (1993) and “Hiller and Diller” (1998).
Lewis’s film credits include roles in “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” (1993) and “Drunks” (1995), where he portrayed a struggling alcoholic and drug addict. He also appeared in “Leaving Las Vegas” (1995) and “Hugo Pool” (1997).
GQ magazine named Lewis one of “The 20th Century’s Most Influential Humorists,” while Comedy Central ranked him 45th on their list of the “100 Greatest Standups of All Time” in 2004. Lewis contends its popularity traces back to his appearances on David Letterman’s show.
Net Worth
At the time of his passing, Richard Lewis had an estimated net worth of $8 million.
