Larry David pays tribute to childhood friend and co-star Richard Lewis

Comedian Richard Lewis He died at the age of 76 years After suffering a heart attack, according to what his agent announced on Wednesday. The comedian, who recently rose to fame for his role on “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” is being remembered by his friend and show creator Larry David and other stars.

“Richard and I were born three days apart in the same hospital, and for most of my life he has been like a brother to me,” David said in a statement shared on the Curb Your Enthusiasm Instagram page. “He had that rare combination of being the funniest person and also the sweetest person. But today he made me cry and for that I will never forgive him.”

Louis and David first met when they were 12 years old at summer camp. The duo played fictionalized versions of themselves in the long-running HBO comedy series about David, who co-created “Seinfeld.”

Other “Curb” stars also remembered Lewis, who had a decades-long career and dozens of film and television roles.

“He will take time to tell the people he loves how much they mean to him,” Cheryl Hines, who plays David's ex-wife on the show, wrote on X. “In between Curb meets, he would tell me how special I was to him and how much he loved me. To love me Richard Lewis. A real gift. I love you Richard. we will miss you.”

in statement to entertainment tonight, Susie Essman, who played Susie Green, the wife of David's best friend and manager on the show, described Lewis as “a wonderful, original voice that cannot be replaced.”

“I was lucky to call him a friend. He made me laugh and was one of the most supportive and kind people I've ever known,” she said.

Other stars also recalled working with Lewis, including Jamie Lee Curtis, who starred with him in the sitcom “Anything But Love.” The duo played a married couple in the show. “He got the part when I laughed when he mispronounced the word bundt cake,” she wrote on Instagram.

She remembered Lewis' trick of hiding texts around the set so she could remember his lines. “It turns out he was a great actor. He's very funny.”

“He found love with Joyce, and that, of course, along with his sobriety, is what matters most to him. I'm crying as I write this,” she added, referring to Lewis' wife, Joyce Lapinski. “A weird way to say thank you to a nice, funny guy. Laugh, Richard.”

“I have never met a kinder, more compassionate comedic genius. He was so funny. And profound. And as a stand-up, he was truly iconic in the 70s. Brilliant, funny, self-deprecating, and surprising,” Ben Stiller wrote on social media. He was a friend of my parents and the entire Stiller family.”

Director Paul Feig said Lewis was his “hero.” “I am absolutely devastated by this news. Richard was my hero when I was resilient. I was lucky enough to know him and he was the most amazing guy. So supportive, kind and truly one of the funniest people on the planet,” he wrote on social media.

Cary Elwes, who starred alongside Lewis in “Robin Hood: Men in Tights,” said he and Lewis had recently been planning to get together. “Besides your incredible talent, there has never been anyone sweeter or more generous than you, my friend. I miss you already and forever. Rest in Power, Richard. Our sincere condolences to Joyce, his family and his fans,” he wrote on social media.

A statement about Lewis was also published by HBO. “We are saddened to learn of the passing of Richard Lewis. His comedic brilliance, wit and talent were unparalleled,” a social media post said. “Richard will always be a cherished member of the HBO and Curb Your Enthusiasm families. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends and all the fans who can count on Richard to brighten their days.”

Lewis revealed last year that he had done so Parkinson's disease He said in. He was retiring from stand-up A video clip was posted on social media. Despite his illness, he continued filming scenes for the final season of the series “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” In a recent episode, he and David argued over what Louis would leave him in his will. David insists he doesn't need the money.

“When I die, I want you to know how much I care about you,” Lewis told him on the show. “You're my best friend, I get that.”