Jamie Lee Curtis offered some extremely sad comments about her close friend and Curb Your Enthusiasm star Richard Lewis, who died of a heart attack on Tuesday at the age of 76.
The 65-year-old actress costarred with the comedian in the four-season sitcom Anything But Love (1989–1992), and she also played the witch in Halloween.
She posted on her primary Instagram account on Wednesday after finding out about the actor’s untimely death. The first person to break the news was Bette Midler.
On social media, Curtis posted a number of old pictures of herself with Lewis and a long letter expressing gratitude to the late star for being “the reason I am sober.”
This month, Jamie marked 25 years sober after overcoming an opioid addiction.
“I just learned that my friend Richard Lewis has died.” I vividly remember exactly where I was on Sunset Boulevard when I saw a billboard for a stand-up concert that featured him. During the casting round of the ABC pilot Anything But Love, I asked to have him brought in to try out for the part of Marty Gold, my best friend and future boyfriend.
“I thought he looked good.” Although it’s difficult for strong women to make themselves laugh, someone managed to make me laugh. His mispronunciation of “Bundt cake” made me laugh out loud, but he got the point.
“He blew everyone else away,” Jamie said.
“The chemistry with Richard was so great,” they replied to me, even if they eventually decided not to pick up the pilot for the drama about the love triangle. Would it be possible to redesign the original pilot? In this way, we ended up producing the show for two years.
He also did stand-up comedy, but he hated performing in front of real people. On the other hand, I found it to be amazing.
He would hide his markings on items, door frames, and even my face in close-ups. Additionally, he always had a clipboard with his lines scrawled on it. As it happens, he was a fairly competent actress. It’s both profound and hilarious.
She went on to say, “We grieved together over the death of our friend and co-star Richard Frank and over the death of our friend and producer John Ritter.”
“In his last text message to me, Richard hoped that I could get ABC/Disney to release another boxed set of episodes of the show,” she wrote in a fan letter.
Jamie said, “He’s also the reason I’m sober.” He helped me. I will always be grateful to him for the favor he performed for me.
She said, “He found love with Joyce, and that, of course, along with being sober, was what mattered most to him,” in reference to his wife, Joyce Lapinsky. My eyes well up with tears as I write this.
To a good and funny man, this is a strange way to thank him. Richard, may you rest in laughter. “My Marty, I love you, Hannah!” she finally cried.
In a second post, Jamie also shared her sorrow over the death of her longtime friend and former co-star.
She added another old picture of herself and Lewis, with the lyrics to the Anything But Love theme song.
“In the third and final season of the TV show ANYTHING BUT LOVE, which aired on ABC for a few years, the great singer-songwriter JD Souther wrote this beautiful theme song,” Curtis explained.
“Find it on YouTube and listen to it. If not, I’ve written it down for you right here.” Today, my friend Richard Lewis will receive them.
She sang a song called “If we had never met/And the world got on without us/ Just as if we were never that at all,” which would have left us trying to survive and looking for the next big thing.
“Anything but love will do and hearts that beat like thunder.”For everyone but you, anything other than love would do.
Curb Your Enthusiasm actor Larry David, along with other celebrities and social media users, paid tribute to the late Richard Lewis.
According to him, “He’s been like a brother to me for most of my life,” at HBO. “Richard and I were born three days apart in the same hospital.”
“He was the funniest and nicest person at the same time, which doesn’t happen very often.” “But today he made me cry, and I’ll never forgive him for that,” the comedian stated in a Variety interview.
Cheryl Hines, who costarred with Richard Lewis on the well-liked sitcom, recalls, “I had the biggest crush on him when I was young.”
“There was no one funnier or more handsome on stage than him.” Working with him on Curb Your Enthusiasm was a dream come true for me.
“Over the years, I learned more about Richard and the gifts he gave.” I fell in love with him because he was funny and one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.
“Especially in the last few years,” Cheryl went on, “he would take the time to tell the people he loved how much they meant to him.” He told me how much he loved and valued me in between takes on Curb.
“To be loved by Richard Lewis.” A real gift.
Richard, I love you so much. We shall miss you. I love you and all of Richard’s family, Joyce.
Lawrence, Richard loved you. However, you are well aware of that.
The passing of Richard Lewis has left an undeniable void in the lives of his friends, family, and fans. Jamie Lee Curtis’s heartfelt tribute not only highlights the profound impact Lewis had on her personal life and career but also reveals the depth of their friendship.
Her emotional reflections, coupled with her gratitude for his role in her sobriety journey, offer a glimpse into the kindness and humor that defined his character. Through their work on *Anything But Love* and their shared moments of grief and joy, Curtis’s memories remind us of the irreplaceable bond they shared.
Tributes from other notable figures, including Larry David and Cheryl Hines, further underscore the unique legacy Richard Lewis leaves behind. Known for his razor-sharp wit and warm heart, he was more than just a talented comedian and actor—he was a cherished friend and confidant. Larry David’s reflections on their lifelong connection and Cheryl Hines’s admiration for his ability to express love and gratitude to those around him paint a picture of a man whose impact went far beyond the stage and screen.
As these tributes pour in, it becomes clear that Richard Lewis’s legacy is not just one of laughter but also of love and humanity. His ability to touch the lives of those around him, both personally and professionally, ensures that his memory will be celebrated for years to come. May he be remembered as a man who brought joy to countless lives and as someone whose kindness and humor will continue to inspire all who knew him. Rest in peace, Richard Lewis.