Biography for
Richard Lewis (II) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

29 June 1947, Brooklyn, New York, USA

Birth Name

Richard Philip Lewis

Nickname

The Prince of Pain

Height

5' 7" (1.70 m)

Mini Biography

Born in Brooklyn, NYC and raised in Englewood, New Jersey. He went to Dwight Morrow High School (where John Travolta went a few years later). He graduated from Ohio State University in 1969 with a degree in marketing and communications. He wrote ad copy in New Jersey while also writing jokes for comedians such as Morty Gunty. He finally got the nerve to perform his own jokes in 1971 at New York's Improvisation and Pips. After appearing on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962) in 1974, he continued to tour and hone his act with help from David Brenner and Robert Klein. His film Diary of a Young Comic (1977) (TV) aired in the "Saturday Night Live" (1975) time-slot. His work on cable "I'm in Pain" for Showtime in 1988, "I'm Exhausted" earned a nomination from American Comedy Awards for Funniest Male Performer in a Television Special (for HBO); "I'm Doomed" (HBO) won him a second Ace Nomination for Best Stand-Up Comedy Special. His "Magical Misery Tour" was filmed at NY's "Bottom Line" in December, 1996. In December 1989, he performed to an SRO crowd at Carnegie Hall.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Janet Hoffmann

Spouse

Joyce Lapinsky

(January 2005 - present)

Trade Mark

Neurotic humour.

The line "The Blank From Hell".

Always wears black.

Trivia

Gentleman's Quarterly named him one of the 20th century's influential humorists.

He appeared on "Candid Camera" (1960/I) when he was a young man. The segment had him submit to a sham "aptitude test" which determined that he was best suited to manual work and was very handy and good at constructing things.

First appearance on TV: "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962) in March 1974.

He appeared on "Candid Camera" (1960/I) when he was approximately 17. A bogus guidance counselor advised him he was best-suited for work as a laborer and/or shepherd. (This was re-aired on "Candid Camera" (1998) in 2000 and he appeared advising Burbank, California, students that they were best-suited for some unusual jobs, including stand-up comedian).

Met Larry David at a summer camp at age 12.

Member of Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity

Always wears black.

Longtime friend of David Brenner.

Friend of Albert Brooks.

Longtime friend of Richard Belzer.

Personal Quotes

On wife Joyce Lapinsky: I keep thinking the rug is going to be pulled out from under me. I still think this is a practical joke and she has a million affairs and is married to someone in Italy. She keeps saying no, but I haven't seen her in a few days.

I'll speak for me, though it's hard for me to speak for myself because I don't know who I am.

Where Are They Now

(February 2001) On his The Other Great Depression Tour

(2000) Release of his book, "The Other Great Depression: How I'm Overcoming, On a Daily Basis, at Least a Million Dysfunctions and Finding a Spiritual (Sometimes) Life".

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