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Lewis lived in Englewood and was a 1965 graduate of Dwight Morrow High School. Getting into standup in the 1970s, he made numerous appearances on "The Tonight Show" and "Late Night With David Letterman," where he would vent about his various hangups, freely using his hands to make a point. Comedy Central named him one of the 100 Greatest Comedians Of All-Time.
Lewis starred in several sitcoms, including "Anything But Love" with Jamie Lee Curtis, "Daddy Dearest" with Don Rickles and "Hiller and Diller" with Kevin Nealon. He also starred as Prince John in "Robin Hood: Men in Tights."
In the 2000s, he achieved greater fame playing himself as Larry David's friend on "Curb Your Enthusiasm," usually getting drawn into David's latest scheme. The two originally met in summer camp when they were 12. He recently appeared in an episode of "Curb" that aired Sunday, Feb. 18.
Lewis married Joyce Lapinsky, who survives him, when he was 57.
"I was so old when I got married- the rabbi had to help me crush the glass because of my arthritis," Lewis quipped to Daily Voice when he was promoting a show in 2016.
The comedian struggled with substance abuse but became sober in 1994.
"Helping people get sober is the most important thing in my life," Lewis told Daily Voice. "It's tough, but manageable if you reach out to the right people. You can't do it alone. My wife has never seen me drink. It's trippy that she's never seen me get thrown out of a restaurant."
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