Jamie Lee Curtis has shared a deeply moving tribute to her close friend, Richard Lewis, the beloved star of Curb Your Enthusiasm, who passed away on Tuesday at 76 after suffering a heart attack.
Jamie, known for her iconic role as the witch in Halloween, and Richard, a gifted comedian, co-starred in the sitcom Anything But Love for four seasons from 1989 to 1992. Their friendship was forged during those years and endured long after the show ended.
The tragic news of Richard’s passing reached Jamie on Wednesday. She took to Instagram to express her sorrow, sharing a heartfelt post with her followers. The news had first been broken by Bette Midler, but it was Jamie’s words that truly captured the depth of her loss.
In a heartfelt statement, Jamie called Richard “the reason I am sober,” alongside several nostalgic photos of the two of them together. This was especially poignant as Jamie had recently celebrated 25 years of sobriety after a long battle with opiate addiction.
“I just learned about the passing of my dear friend Richard Lewis,” Jamie began. “I can still see it clearly—standing on Sunset Boulevard, staring at a poster for one of his stand-up specials. When we were casting for the ABC pilot Anything But Love, I insisted that he come in to audition for the role of Marty Gold, my best friend and potential love interest.”
Jamie continued, “I thought he had such a unique look. And he made me laugh—really laugh. I remember he mispronounced the word ‘bundt cake’ during his audition, but it just made the scene even funnier. He blew everyone else away.”
Even though the initial pilot for Anything But Love wasn’t picked up as a love triangle show, Jamie revealed how they reworked it, and the chemistry between her and Richard led to the show running for two more years. “The response from the network was clear—they saw how great Richard and I were together.”
Jamie also shared some behind-the-scenes moments, recalling how Richard, despite his talent, wasn’t a fan of performing stand-up in front of live audiences. “But I thought he was incredible,” she admitted.
She described how Richard would cleverly hide his lines around the set—even on her face during close-ups. “He carried a clipboard with his lines written on it everywhere. It turns out he was a brilliant character actor—hilarious and deep.”
Their friendship grew even closer as they shared grief over the loss of mutual friends. “We mourned together when our friend and producer John Ritter passed away, and again when our co-star Richard Frank died,” Jamie said.
In one of his last messages to Jamie, Richard had asked her to try and get another boxed set of the show’s episodes from ABC/Disney. “Even in his final days, he was thinking about our time on the show,” Jamie shared with her followers.
“He’s also the reason I’m sober,” Jamie repeated, expressing her deep gratitude. “He helped me through some of my darkest moments, and I will always be thankful for his kindness.”
Jamie spoke tenderly about Richard’s relationship with his wife, Joyce Lapinsky. “He found true love with Joyce, and that, along with his sobriety, was what mattered most to him,” she said, admitting that writing these words brought tears to her eyes. “It’s strange to express gratitude in this way, but Richard, I hope you’re laughing wherever you are. My dear Marty, I love you.”
In another post, Jamie shared more memories of their time together, including a few lines from the theme song of Anything But Love. She mentioned that the song for the third and final season was written by the legendary JD Souther. “It’s such a beautiful song,” Jamie said. “If you can, find it on YouTube and listen. But if not, I’ve recorded it here for you, Richard.”
She quoted the lyrics, “We would still be searching for the next big thing and trying not to fall… If we had never met/And the world got on without us/Just as if we were never that at all.”
Celebrities and fans alike have been sharing their own tributes to Richard. Larry David, Richard’s co-star on Curb Your Enthusiasm, spoke to HBO about their deep bond. “He’s been like a brother to me for most of my life,” Larry said. “We were born just three days apart in the same hospital.”
Larry added with his signature humor, “He was the sweetest and funniest guy you could ever meet. But today, he made me cry, and I’ll never forgive him for that.”
Cheryl Hines, another Curb co-star, also remembered Richard fondly. “I had the biggest crush on Richard Lewis when I was younger,” she confessed. “No one was more charming or funnier on stage. Working with him on Curb Your Enthusiasm was a dream come true.”
As she got to know Richard better, Cheryl discovered more about the man behind the jokes. “He wasn’t just funny; he was one of the kindest people I’ve ever known,” she said. “In the last few years, he always made sure to tell the people he loved how much they meant to him.”
She finished with a heartfelt message: “To be loved by Richard Lewis was a real gift. I love you, Richard. You will be deeply missed. And I love you, Joyce, and the entire Lewis family. Richard, you were so loved—but you already knew that.”
Richard Lewis’s passing has left a void in the lives of those who knew him, but his legacy of laughter, kindness, and love will live on in their hearts forever.
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