Richard Lewis revealed he ‘intensely disliked’ his future Curb Your Enthusiasm co-star Larry David when the pair first met as children in a resurfaced interview – after the star’s death aged 76 on Tuesday night.
Lewis – who revealed he had been battling Parkinson’s disease for two years in April 2023 – died from a heart attack at his Los Angeles home, his publicist Jeff Abraham confirmed to Deadline.
Lewis first met David, 76, at a summer sports camp aged 12, and revealed his first impressions of his now life-long friend were less than positive in an August 2023 chat with The Spectator.
He said of David: ‘He was cocky, he was arrogant. When we played baseball I tried to hit him with the ball: we were arch rivals. I couldn’t wait for the camp to be over just to get away from Larry. I’m sure he felt the same way.’
The pair’s paths would cross again 11 years later when they both took to the New York stand-up comedy scene – although they failed to recognize each other at first.
Richard Lewis revealed he ‘intensely disliked’ his future Curb Your Enthusiasm co-star Larry David when the pair first met as children in a resurfaced interview – after the star’s death aged 76 on Tuesday night (pictured together in 2022)
Lewis – who revealed he had been battling Parkinson’s disease for two years in April 2023 – died from a heart attack at his Los Angeles home, reported Deadline (pictured 2015)
One evening out drinking, Lewis said: ‘I looked at his face and I said, “There’s something about you, man, that spooks me.” Just saying that spooks everyone!’ It clicked. ‘“You’re Richard Lewis!” “You’re Larry David!”… I was yelling at him, he was yelling at me.’
‘In truth he loves me and I’m his dearest friend, but it would be rare for him to go deep like that.
David had recently alluded to Richard’s health struggles, saying he was sad his ‘pal, my great friend’ could not be at the season 10 premiere of the hit show, earlier this year on January 31.
Richard then confirmed he wasn’t up to making it there in a tweet that same night, writing: ‘I sure wish I was up to making the premiere. I would’ve loved to have shared all the love in the room with my wife. @HBO and LD made a dream come true for countless dreamers.’
In what would be his final post on X, Richard was full of praise for the show, saying: ‘What a night! I loved Episode 3 of #curbyourenthusiasm’. The tweet was posted on February 18.
Lewis was born three days earlier than David, the creator of Curb Your Enthusiasm. They were born in the same city – Brooklyn – and year – 1947.
Lewis has had an illustrious career in Hollywood as an actor, writer, and comedian.
His credits include a long-standing role as a fictionalized version of himself on Curb Your Enthusiasm. He returned for the series’ 12th and final season, which debuted this year.
Lewis first met David, 76, at a summer sports camp aged 12, and revealed his first impressions of his now life-long friend were less than positive (pictured 2020)
He said of David: ‘He was cocky, he was arrogant. When we played baseball I tried to hit him with the ball: we were arch rivals. I couldn’t wait for the camp to be over just to get away from Larry. I’m sure he felt the same way’
Bette Midler paid tribute to the ‘great’ actor in a poignant X post
He is survived by his wife Joyce Lapinsky who he wed in 2005 (pictured 2015)
His many credits include roles in Robin Hood: Men In Tights, Daddy Dearest, and more.
The death comes less than a year after Lewis announced he had been battling Parkinson’s.
In April 2023, Lewis said he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease following a brain scan. At the time, he had been battling the disease for the past two years.
‘Luckily I got it late in life, and they say you progress very slowly if at all and I’m on the right meds and it’s cool,’ Lewis said. ‘I just wanted you to know that that’s where it’s been at.
‘I’m finished with standup, I’m just focusing on writing and acting. I have Parkinson’s disease but I’m under a doctor’s care and everything is cool and I love my wife, I love my little puppy dog and I love all of my friends and my fans.’
According to the Mayo Clinic, Parkinson’s disease ‘is a progressive disorder that affects the nervous system and the parts of the body controlled by the nerves. Symptoms start slowly.
‘Tremors are common, but the disorder may also cause stiffness or slowing of movement,’ according to the site.
