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Season 3 of Hacks Adds Star Power; Remembering Richard Lewis

The Emmy(R)-winning and critically acclaimed Max Original comedy series Hacks has added Helen Hunt, Christina Hendricks, Christopher Lloyd, Dan Bucatinsky, George Wallace, and Tony Goldwyn as guest stars for the highly anticipated third season, debuting this spring. A year after parting, Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) is riding high off the success of her standup special while Ava (Hannah Einbinder) pursues new opportunities back in Los Angeles. Newly announced cast: Helen Hunt (Blindspotting, Mad About You, Twister, As Good as it Gets), Christina Hendricks (The Buccaneers, Good Girls, Mad Men, Drive), Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future, The Tender Bar, Who Framed Roger Rabbit), Dan Bucatinsky (Air, Scandal, The Comeback), George Wallace (Clean Slate), and Tony Goldwyn (Oppenheimer, Law & Order, Scandal, upcoming film Ezra). Returning cast: Emmy(R), SAG Award, and Critics Choice Award winner Jean Smart and Emmy(R), SAG Award, and Critics Choice Award nominee Hannah Einbinder return alongside Paul W. Downs, Megan Stalter, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Kaitlin Olson, Christopher McDonald, Mark Indelicato, Rose Abdoo, and Lorenza Izzo.

Stand-up comedian and actor Richard Lewis, who starred as Marty Gold in Anything But Love and as a semi-fictionalized version of himself in Curb Your Enthusiasm, has died. He died of a heart attack at his home in Los Angeles on February 27. Mr. Lewis was 76.

Lewis starred as Richard Breskin in the short-lived 1987 ABC sitcom Harry. The series stars Alan Arkin as Harry Porschak, a wheeler-dealer supply clerk at County General Hospital. The cast also included Holland Taylor, Thom Bray, Matt Craven, Barbara Dana and Kurt Knudson.

He starred as Marty Gold in the 1989-1992 ABC sitcom Anything But Love, which spanned four seasons and 56 episodes. The show stars Lewis as Marty Gold and Jamie Lee Curtis as Hannah Miller, coworkers at a Chicago magazine with a mutual romantic attraction who struggle to keep their relationship strictly professional. The cast also included Richard Frank, Louis Giambalvo (Season 1), Bruce Kirby (Season 1), Sandy Faison (Season 1), Ann Magnuson (Seasons 2-4), Holly Fulger (Seasons 2-4), Joseph Maher (Season 2), Billy Van Zandt (Season 2), Jane Milmore (Season 2) and Bruce Weitz (Seasons 3-4).

Lewis starred as Dr. Steven Mitchell in the short-lived 1993 Fox sitcom Daddy Dearest. The series revolves around Dr. Steven Mitchell, a psychologist who lived in Manhattan with his young son and, despite his constant insults and put downs, his father Al (Don Rickles), an obnoxious used car salesman who was recently separated from his wife Helen (Renée Taylor). The cast also included Sydney Walsh, Alice Carter, Carey Eidel, Jonathan Gibby (pilot only), Jeffrey Bomberger and Barney Martin.

He starred as Neil Diller in the 1997-1998 ABC sitcom Hiller and Diller. Ted Hiller (Kevin Nealon) and Neil Diller are two comedy writers with very different lives. Ted has an overachieving daughter among his three children, while Neil has two troublesome teenagers. The series also starred Jordan Baker, Allison Mack, Kyle Sabihy, Jill Bernard, Faryn Einhorn, Jonathan Osser and Eugene Levy.

Lewis had a recurring role as a semi-fictionalized version of himself in 41 episodes of the 2000-2024 HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm. Richard is a neurotic stand-up comedian who has recently recovered from alcohol and drug problems. He is one of Larry David's oldest and closest friends, both having moved from New York City to Los Angeles to pursue careers in comedy. The series also stars Jeff Garlin, Cheryl Hines, Susie Essman and J. B. Smoove.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included House Calls (also 2 episodes as a writer), The Larry Sanders Show, Rude Awakening (6 episodes as Harve Schwartz), Two and a Half Men, George Lopez, Everybody Hates Chris, 'Til Death (3 episodes) and Blunt Talk (6 episodes as Dr. Weiss). Some of his voice credits included episodes of Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist (1997), The Simpsons and BoJack Horseman.

Lewis had a recurring role as Rabbi Richard Glass in 9 episodes of 7th Heaven from 2002 to 2004. Some of his other television guest apperarances included Riptide, CBS Summer Playhouse, Tattingers, Tribeca, Tales from the Crypt, V.I.P., Presidio Med, Alias, The Dead Zone, Las Vegas, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (voice), The Cleaner (2009) and Code Black.

He starred as Prince John in the 1993 adventure comedy film Robin Hood: Men in Tights. Some of his other film credits included Wagons East (1994), Leaving Las Vegas (1995) and Hugo Pool (1997).

Mr. Lewis was a talented comedian and actor. He was always a very funny late night guest. We thank him for the many laughs he brought us during his long career. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our Anything But Love and Curb Your Enthusiasm message boards. View photos in our galleries.

We also remember Emmy-winning television producer and screenwriter Dan Wilcox. He worked on M*A*S*H. He died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on February 14. Mr. Wilcox was 82.

Wilcox worked on the last four seasons (1979-1983) of the CBS sitcom M*A*S*H. He was a writer and/or executive story editor on 36 episodes of M*A*S*H from 1979 to 1983. He wrote the series finale "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" along with Alan Alda, Burt Metcalfe, John Rappaport, Thad Mumford, Elias Davis, David Pollock and Karen Hall. It was the most-watched finale and single episode of any television series in U.S. history with 106 million viewers. He was a producer for the last two seasons from 1981 to 1983.

Some of his other sitcom writing credits included That's My Mama, The Practice (1976), America 2-Night (65 episodes), Good Times, The Waverly Wonders (4 episodes), Angie (2 episodes), Open All Night, The Duck Factory (2 episodes), Newhart (2 episodes), Eisenhower & Lutz, FM (3 episodes), Growing Pains, The New WKRP in Cincinnati, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Police Academy: The Series, Cosby and Becker.

Some of his other sitcom producing credits included The Duck Factory, Newhart, Eisenhower & Lutz, FM and Growing Pains.

Mr. Wilcox received an Emmy Award for his work on Sesame Street in 1970. He was nominated for four more Primetime Emmy Awards. We thank him for his work on M*A*S*H and other sitcoms. He will be missed.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:52 PM

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Labels: Anything But Love, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Hacks, M*A*S*H, Max, Obits