Richard Lewis and Jamie Lee Curtis were the hosts at the 5th Annual Prism Awards on April 4, 2001 at CBS Television City, Los Angeles, CA.Photo:Kevin Winter/Getty
Kevin Winter/Getty
Jamie Lee Curtisis remembering her friend and formerAnything but Lovecostar Richard Lewis.
“I’ve just read that my friend Richard Lewis has died,” she shared alongside several snapshots from the sitcom. “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 pilotAnything But Loveand asked the casting people to bring him in to audition to play my best friend/maybe boyfriend, Marty Gold.”
TheEverything Everywhere All at Oncestar recalled thinking Lewis was “handsome,” adding, “He made me laugh, which is the one thing that a strong, capable woman, can’t really do for herself. He got the part when I snort laughed when he mispronounced the word Bundt cake.”
“He blew everyone else away,” she remembered. “It was a love triangle show and they didn’t pick up that pilot but they came back to me and said that the chemistry with Richard was so great and could we revamp the original pilot which is the show we ended up making for a couple years.”
Anything but Love— which ran for four seasons from 1989 to 1992 — chronicled Marty Gold (Lewis) and Hannah Miller (Curtis) as they navigated their mutual romantic attraction while working together at a Chicago magazine.
Jamie Lee Curtis and Richard Lewis on “Anything but Love”.ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
“He was also a stand-up comic and hated the live audience, where I, who had never done a play, loved it,” Curtis shared. “He used to hide his lines everywhere on the set, on props, door frames, on my face in a close up and was always carrying a clipboard with his lines on them. It turns out he was a wonderful actor. Deep and so freaking funny.”
TheHalloweenstar concluded her tribute on a personal note while reflecting on the loss of their costar Richard Frank and producer John Ritter.
“We went through the death of our friend and costar, Richard Frank, together and grieved the loss of our producer and friend, John Ritter,” she wrote. “Richard’s last text to me, was hoping that I could convince ABC/Disney to put out another boxed set of episodes of the show.”
She also credited the late actor withher sobriety, writing, “He also is the reason I am sober. He helped me. I am forever grateful for him for that act of grace alone. He found love with Joyce and that, of course, besides his sobriety, is what mattered most to him. I’m weeping as I write this. Strange way of saying thank you to a sweet and funny man. Rest in laughter, Richard. My Marty, I love you, Hannah!”
FormerEllenDeGeneresShowproducerAndy Lassneralso recalled how Lewis helped him while he was struggling with addition in anInstagram tributefollowing the actor’s death.
“I thought I must have been having some sort of drug withdrawal hallucination,” he continued. “‘Take my number and call me tomorrow just to tell me you’re ok.’ I had been through this drill before. Another addict trying to help me because it’s what we are taught to do - help someone else so we ourselves can stay clean. So I called him the next day. We spoke. I gave him my number and said I’d check in again. I didn’t. I relapsed. I went on another run.”
However, Lewis made sure to stay in touch with Lassner. He explained, “The problem was I had given Richard my number and he wouldn’t stop f—ing calling me. I told him I’m doing fine and that he does not need to worry about me. I said I was checking in with someone else daily just so this fellow anxious Jew would stop calling me. He wouldn’t stop. Every single day. ‘Hey it’s Richard. Call me’. I wouldn’t return his call. He was so annoyingly persistent.”
After avoiding his calls, Lassner had a change of heart and decided to accept Lewis' help.
“Then one day, I was holed up in a hotel room on Sunset Boulevard and he called and I answered,” he recalled. “He asked where I was. And I told him. I was tired. I was out of steam. And my wife at the time had cut off my credit cards and ATM card. At some point, the next thing I remember was a knock on the door and there stood Richard. He told me to get my stuff. I did. He then took me to his house. All I remember is he had a refrigerator of just diet cokes. Nothing else. That’s my whole memory other than me staying at his home for a day. Maybe two. He arranged with the legendary Dallas Taylor to get me to rehab.”
“I finally stayed clean and we stayed in touch for years. And then less so. And then not at all,” he continued. “And now he’s gone. He was the menschiest of mensches. And I guess what I want to say is he was one of the many angels in my life who saved me. And my regret today is not staying in touch. Life is fleeting. Stay connected. ❤️❤️”
Lewis' rep Jeff Abraham confirmed the news of Lewis' death at age 76 in a statement to PEOPLE on Wednesday.
“Comedian/Actor Richard Lewis passed away peacefully at his home in Los Angeles last night after suffering a heart attack,” the statement read. “His wife, Joyce Lapinsky, thanks everyone for all the love, friendship and support and asks for privacy at this time.”
Lewis had previouslyannounced his Parkinson’s diagnosisin April 2023 after dealing with it privately since 2021, retiring from his comedy career as a result.
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source: people.com
