Richard Lewis was a well-known American comedian and actor whose nickname was ‘The Prince of Pain.’ He began his comic career with appearances on shows like Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and also appeared in shows such as ‘Robin Hood: Men in Tights’ and ‘Leaving Las Vegas.’ Besides acting, Lewis was also a talented writer, also wrote for Playboy magazine, and also wrote a memoir on his life. Check out to learn more about Richard Lewis’s Wiki, Age, Death, Nationality, Parents, Wife, Career, Net Worth, Bio & More
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Richard Lewis Wiki/Bio
Richard Lewis was born on 29 June 1947 (age: 76 years old; as of 2024) in Brooklyn, New Jersey, USA, and died on February 27, 2024, at the age of 76 years old. He was a Christian by belief and was of White descent. His zodiac sign is Cancer and he is an American.
His Death
Lewis had been facing various health problems for a long time. In 2016, his right was broken falling from his roof. In 2019, he had back surgery for severe back pain. Despite his health struggles, he continued acting, and in 2021, he announced he would only appear in one episode of Season 11 of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
In April 2023, Lewis revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and decided to stop doing stand-up comedy and focus on writing and acting. Sadly, Lewis passed away from a heart attack on February 27, 2024, at the age of 76 years old.
His Memoir
In 2000, Lewis published his memoir, ‘The Other Great Depression,’ in which he discussed his struggles with addiction. In 2015, he released ‘Reflections From Hell: Richard Lewis’ Guide on How Not to Live,’ featuring comedic commentary and observations.
Lewis openly discussed his battles with anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia in his comedy. He also struggled with alcohol and drug abuse, including cocaine and crystal meth. His addictions led to him stopping stand-up comedy from 1991 to 1994.
Richard Lewis Education
Lewis was known as the class clown and often got into trouble at school. He graduated from Dwight Morrow High School in 1965 and then went to Ohio State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Marketing in 1969. In November 2023, he received the Fisher College of Business Alumni Achievement Award.
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Richard Lewis Height & Weight
- Height: 5′ 10″ inches
- Weight: 75 kg approx
- Hair Color: Brown
- Eye Color: Blue
Richard Lewis Biography
- Birth Name: Richard Philip Lewis
- Famous As: Richard Lewis
- Birthdate: June 29, 1947
- Birthplace: New Jersey, USA
- Age: 76 years old
- Gender: Male
- Nationality: American
- Ethnicity: White
- Religion: Christianity
- Zodiac Sign: Cancer
- Profession: Comedian
- Parents: Not Known
- Marital Status: Married
- Wife: Joyce Lapinsky
- Net Worth: 10 million dollars
Richard Lewis Parents
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Lewis grew up in Englewood, New Jersey. He came from a Jewish family but was not very religious. His father ran a catering business, and his mother was an actress in community theater. Lewis was the youngest of three siblings. His father’s work kept him busy, and after some time Lewis lived alone with his mom, which caused friction between them.
Richard Lewis Wife
Lewis met Joyce Lapinsky in 1998 at his Ringo Starr album release party, and from there they started dating each other. Lapinsky worked in music publishing at the time. They got engaged in 2004 and got married in 2005.
Richard Lewis Career
Lewis realized his talent for acting and comedy and decided to pursue comedy professionally after successfully contributing ad copy and comedic material to other comedians.
He started his professional comic career at New York’s Improvisation Comedy Club in the early 1970s, eventually appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1974, gaining widespread recognition.
His regular appearances on The Sonny and Cher Show, Lewis earned the nickname ‘The Prince of Pain’ for his portrayal of an angry and grumpy character on TV. Lewis performed on shows like Saturday Night Live, and made various television appearances, which led to his own cable special titled ‘I’m in Pain’.
Acting alongside Don Rickles in the short-lived TV series ‘Daddy Dearest’, he also had recurring roles in ‘Rude Awakening’, ‘7th Heaven’, and guest appearances on ‘Tales from the Crypt’. Beyond comedy routines, Lewis wrote humorous articles for magazines like ‘Playboy’ and endorsed popular brands such as Boku, Snapple, and Certs breath mints in the 1990s.
He made his mark in movies like ‘Once Upon a Crime’, ‘Wagons East!’, ‘Leaving Las Vegas’, and ‘Robin Hood: Men in Tights’ where he played ‘Prince John. As an author, Lewis released his book titled ‘The Other Great Depression’ in 2001, discussing his struggle with recovering from alcoholism alongside his comedic career.
His recent TV appearances include cameos on ‘Everybody Hates Chris’ alongside Chris Rock and as Charlie Sheen’s accountant in ‘Two and a Half Men’. He also has a recurring role in ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’. Lewis completed filming for “Squirrels To The Nuts”, a Peter Bogdanovich film, featuring Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson, Imogen Poots, and Cybill Shepherd.
Richard Lewis’s Net Worth
Richard had a lively personality and full of passion. His estimated wealth is around 10 million dollars, which is an impressive amount.
Richard Lewis’s Social Presence
Twitter: Richard Lewis
Richard Lewis Facts
- In 1989, Richard received the CableACE Award for Writing a Comedy Special.
- In 1991, he won the Best Actor Award in the Quality Comedy Series.
- In 2006, he was nominated for Screen Actors Guild Award.
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