Richard Lewis said he was “in pretty good spirits” less than three weeks before his death as he battled Parkinson’s disease.
“Curb Your Enthusiasm” Star told the people In an interview on February 9, he said he was struggling with mobility issues but was getting by.
“For the past few years, I have had occasional difficulty walking due to Parkinson’s disease,” he told the magazine. “It’s no big deal. We’re getting through it just fine so far.”
Lewis also addressed the reason why he did not attend the premiere party for the final episode of the “Curve” series on January 30th.
“I didn’t want to interact with so many people for five or six hours,” he explained. “That’s just asking for trouble.”
Although it was “disappointing” to have to miss the Season 12 celebration, the comedian said, “All things considered, I’m doing very well.”
Lewis first revealed in April 2023 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a progressive disease that affects the nervous system and parts of the body controlled by nerves, about two years ago.
The actor tweeted at the time that he was retiring from stand-up comedy, saying he was “lucky to retire so late in life.”
“They say it’s progressing very slowly, if at all, but I’m on the right medication so I’m fine,” he explained.
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Lewis said he was “so grateful” to be on Larry David’s HBO show and teased that the new season will be “amazing.”
“But, you know, the last three and a half years, I’ve been going through a rough time in some ways, and people were saying, ‘I haven’t heard from you, are you still touring?'” he said. said. “What actually happened? Three and a half years ago, I was in the middle of a tour, and I finally came to the end with a show.
“I said, ‘Look, I’ve been doing this for almost 50 years and I’m at the top of my game, so I’m going to call it quits.’ And I was so happy about it, and then all of a sudden… , it won’t hit the fan.”
Lewis underwent several surgeries, including hip and shoulder replacements, and physical therapy to ease the pain, but several months later his doctor alerted him to his condition.
“I started walking a little awkwardly,” he recalls. “I was limping so I went to the neurologist and had a brain scan and they diagnosed me with Parkinson’s disease.”
Lewis died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles after suffering a heart attack. He was 76 years old.
“My wife, Joyce Lapinski, would like to thank you for your love, friendship and support, and requests privacy at this time,” spokesman Jeff Abraham said in a statement.
Lewis was best known for his dark, neurotic, and self-deprecating humor. He appeared in several television shows such as “Anything But Love,” “Blunt Talk,” and “7th Heaven.”
He also appeared in films such as “Leaving Las Vegas” and “Once Upon a Crime.”
Lewis appeared as himself in more than 40 episodes of Curve from 2000 to 2024.
