Jamie Lee Curtis has credited the late Richard Lewis for her sobriety

She wrote on Instagram: "I've just read that my friend Richard Lewis has died. I remember exactly where I was when I saw a billboard of him about a stand up special on Sunset Boulevard when we were casting the ABC pilot Anything But Love and asked the casting people to bring him in to audition to play my best friend/maybe boyfriend, Marty Gold.

"I thought he was handsome. He made me laugh, which is the one thing that a strong, capable woman, can't really do for herself. He got the part when I snort laughed when he mispronounced the word Bundt cake. He blew everyone else away.

"We went through the death of our friend and costar, Richard Frank, together and grieved the loss of our producer and friend, John Ritter. Richard's last text to me, was hoping that I could convince ABC/Disney to put out another boxed set of episodes of the show.

"He also is the reason I am sober. He helped me. I am forever grateful for him for that act of grace alone. He found love with Joyce and that, of course, besides his sobriety, is what mattered most to him.

"I'm weeping as I write this. Strange way of saying thank you to a sweet and funny man. Rest in laughter, Richard. My Marty, I love you, Hannah!"

Richard also played a fictionalised version of himself in 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' and the show's star, Larry David, said he was always "like a brother" to him.

He told 'Entertainment Tonight' in a statement: "Richard and I were born three days apart in the same hospital and for most of my life he's been like a brother to me.

"He had that rare combination of being the funniest person and also the sweetest. But today he made me sob and for that I'll never forgive him."

Co-star Cheryl Hines described working with her former "crush" as a "dream come true".

She wrote in a statement: "When I was young I had the biggest crush on Richard Lewis. He was the funniest person on stage and the most handsome comedian. Then when I was cast on 'Curb Your Enthusiasm', I got to work with him and it was a dream come true.

"Through the years I learned who Richard really was and the gifts he gave.

"Yes, he was the comedian I fell in love with, but he was also one of the most loving people I know. He would take time to tell the people he loved what they meant to him - especially in recent years. In between takes on Curb, he would tell me how special I was to him and how much he loved me. To be loved by Richard Lewis. A true gift. I love you Richard."