Richard Lewis

Actor and comedian Richard Lewis turned misery from a state of mind into a lengthy and lucrative career. A stand-up comic whose stream-of-consciousness riffs earned him both a loyal audience and the respect of his peers, Lewis was named by both GQ magazine and the Comedy Central cable channel as one of the best and most influential comics of the last century. And though comedy continued to be his most popular creative outlet - most notably via his live performances, taped specials, and on the HBO improv series "Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000- ) - he made a seemingly effortless leap to dramatic projects as well.