Richard Belzer

Richard Belzer, a comedian who also starred in "Homicide: Life on the Street" and "Law & Order: SVU," has died. He was 78.

He co-hosted the show “Brink & Belzer” on New York City’s 660AM WNBC in the late 1970s; he hosted a morning drive program on WJFK-FM in Washington, D.C., in 1987; after Randi Rhodes exited Air America Radio in 2008, Belzer guest-hosted the afternoon program on the network. According to Time magazine, Hogan was “demonstrating a front chin-lock on Belzer, who went limp and fell unconscious to the floor. In 1975, Lorne Michaels, producer of “Saturday Night Live” and a personal friend, offered Belzer a spot as warm-up comic for the “SNL” studio audience. Belzer, like many people in show business, did a lot of drugs in the 1970s, and according to People, one of his drug buddies was John Belushi, “who visited Belzer at his L.A. According to People magazine, “Belzer says Michaels also promised him a spot in the cast but later reneged. He also recurred on “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” as Inspector Henderson in 1994. In a 1993 article, People magazine declared that “Belzer has had comedy-club cult status since the ’70s, when he was the best and brightest regular at New York City’s Catch a Rising Star. The gangly actor became synonymous with the quirky gumshoe who began as a character created by Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson for NBC’s “Homicide: Life on the Street” in 1993. After moving to New York City in 1972, Belzer began working as a stand-up comic known for biting humor at Pips, the Improv and Catch a Rising Star. “Richard Belzer’s Detective John Munch is one of television’s iconic characters,” “Law & Order” and “SVU” creator Dick Wolf said in a statement to Variety. Belzer bowed out as a series regular on “SVU” in Oct. “I first worked with Richard on the ‘Law & Order’/’Homicide’ crossover [episode in 1997] and loved the character so much, I told Tom (Fontana) that I wanted to make him one of the original characters on ‘SVU.’ The rest is history.

Richard Belzer played Detective John Munch on crime drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit from 1999 to 2016.

Barry Levinson heard me on the Howard Stern Show and brought me in to read for the character." [Marc Maron](https://people.com/movies/marc-maron-thinks-about-sudden-death-of-girlfriend-lynn-shelton-every-day-grief-comes-and-goes/) wrote in a tribute post: "Richard Belzer died. "So the dog is actually going to make me live longer. Off-screen, Belzer had a beloved comedy career, and was vocal about his belief in various conspiracy theories. [He was an original](https://twitter.com/marcmaron/status/1627338017836011521?s=20). " After originating the role on NBC's Homicide: Life on the Street in 1993 and reprising the character in the Law & Order parent series, he appeared in nearly 330 episodes of SVU between 1999 and 2013, with two additional cameos in 2014 and 2016. "I first worked with Richard on the Law & Order/Homicide crossover and loved the character so much, I told Tom (Fontana) that I wanted to make him one of the original characters on SVU. The character is very close to how I would be. "We used to go out to dinner every week at Sheepshead Bay for lobster. Belzer died at his home in Bozouls in southwest France "peacefully with family at his side," Scheft added. "I loved this guy so much.

The actor played Detective John Munch on 'SVU,' 'Homicide: Life on the Street,' and many other series, both comedic and dramatic.

Original SNL cast member [Laraine Newman](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/laraine-newman/) also mourned his death on Sunday. [Marc Maron](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/marc-maron/) (a friend of Belzer’s) was one of the celebrities grieving for Belzer on Twitter on Sunday. Munch has appeared in more TV shows than any other fictional character and is one of the most famous TV detectives ever created for the small screen. “Richard Belzer died,” Maron [tweeted](https://twitter.com/marcmaron/status/1627338017836011521). [Gunsmoke](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/gunsmoke/)‘s Marshall Matt Dillon ( [James Arness](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/james-arness/), 20 seasons) and [Cheers ](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/cheers/)and [Frasier](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/frasier/)‘s Frasier Crane ( [Kelsey Grammer](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kelsey-grammer/), 20 seasons). In total, Munch was on TV for 22 seasons, longer than “He was one of my first friends when I got to New York to do SNL. One of the funniest people ever. [tweeted](https://twitter.com/larainenewman/status/1627327574572662786). [Mariska Hargitay](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/mariska-hargitay/). Writer Bill Scheft, longtime friend of the actor, told [tweeted](https://twitter.com/warrenleightTV/status/1627348519211216899) on Sunday.

Richard Belzer, who for more than 20 years portrayed the cynical and conspiratorial minded John Munch in the “Law and Order” franchise, has died. He was 78.

“We used to go out to dinner every week at Sheepshead Bay for lobster. One of the funniest people ever. A master at crowd work. RIP dearest,” added Newman.

His professionalism, talents and dedication to the craft made him a pillar in the industry, but it was his humor, compassion and loving heart that made him family. [I’m so sad to hear of Richard Belzer’s passing](https://twitter.com/larainenewman/status/1627327574572662786),” she wrote Sunday. Our condolences go out to his loved ones as we join them in mourning his loss, but also in celebrating his memory.” “Richard Belzer’s Detective John Munch is one of television’s iconic characters,” said a statement from show creator and producer Dick Wolf. In the 1970s, Belzer was the warm-up comedian for Saturday Night Live, and appeared multiple times on its early seasons in bit parts. In the 1980s.

Richard Belzer, the comedian and actor best known for playing the acerbic Detective John Munch across a number of NBC crime dramas, including "Law & Order: ...

He later worked as the warm-up act for “Saturday Night Live” and appeared in a few sketches in its early seasons. Later film roles came in 1982’s “Night Shift” followed by the Al Pacino-starring “Scarface” one year later. And in the 1990s, he appeared on the superhero shows “The Flash” and “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.” Despite his crime-solving career, the Connecticut-born actor’s early focus was on comedy and rooted in New York City. “Richard brought humor and joy into all our lives, was the consummate professional, and we will all miss him very much.” “Now, everybody moves up one.” Belzer was famed for his role as Detective Munch, first appearing on NBC’s “Homicide: Life on the Street” from 1993 to 1999. I feel blessed to have known you and adored you and worked with you, side by side, for so many years.” “I first worked with Richard on the ‘Law & Order’ / ‘Homicide’ crossover and loved the character so much. They write to all my paranoia and anti-establishment dissidence and conspiracy theories, so it’s been a lot of fun for me. His scrawny, wisecracking, glasses-wearing investigator became over time one of the most recognizable cops in TV crime show history. It’s been a dream actually.”

Actor Richard Belzer, best known for his role on the beloved crime procedural "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," died at the age of 78 on Sunday, ...

One of the funniest people ever." and "UFOs, JFK, and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don't Have to Be Crazy to Believe." So sad he’s passed away," Crystal wrote. He was one of my first friends when I got to New York to do SNL," Newman said. Richard brought humor and joy into all our lives, was the consummate professional, and we will all miss him very much." He also co-wrote "How to Be a Stand-Up Comic," I will miss you, your unique light, and your singular take on this strange world," she said. I can hear them laughing already." It was the first time he would appear as John Munch, a detective who would soon become synonymous with him. "I loved this guy so much. "Anyone who ever had the pleasure of watching Richard Belzer portray Det. Belzer, who was in more than 300 episodes, left in season 15, with his character retiring from the New York Police Department.

Richard Belzer, comedian known for "Saturday Night Live" and actor in "Law & Order" franchise shows, has died at age 78.

](https://twitter.com/warrenleightTV/status/1627348519211216899)I loved writing for Munch, and I loved being with Belz," Light tweeted. Godspeed, Belz…" In 1985, Belzer had Hogan as a guest on his cable TV talk show “Hot Properties” to perform a chin-lock on him. In addition to his work as a comedian, Belzer played the role of Detective John Munch for 23 years. "We sensed this would be his parting scene. [Twitter ](https://twitter.com/Chris_Meloni/status/1627384295005339649)kissing the late star on the cheek. He also posted a photo of [Mariska Hargitay feeding Belzer an apple](https://twitter.com/Chris_Meloni/status/1627384361694765062). Belzer never auditioned for the role of Detective John Munch. "One of the funniest people ever. [announced his death on Twitter](https://twitter.com/larainenewman/status/1627327574572662786). " [I'm so sad to hear of Richard Belzer's passing](https://twitter.com/larainenewman/status/1627327574572662786)," Newman wrote. Scheft, a writer who had been working on a documentary about Belzer, told The Associated Press there was no known cause of death, but that Belzer had been dealing with circulatory and respiratory issues.

Belzer was one of TV's most indelible detectives as John Munch in Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: SVU.

He made his big-screen debut in Ken Shapiro's 1974 film The Groove Tube, a TV satire co-starring Chevy Chase, a film that grew out of the comedy group Channel One that Belzer was a part of. He later said SNL creator Lorne Michaels reneged on a promise to work him into the show. At Catch a Rising Star, Belzer became a regular. "My kitchen was the toughest room I ever worked," Belzer told People magazine in 1993. In 2008, Belzer published the novel I Am Not a Cop! From that unlikely beginning, Belzer's Munch would become one of television's longest-running characters and a sunglasses-wearing presence on the small screen for more than two decades.

'I will miss you, your unique light, and your singular take on this strange world,' Mariska Hargitay wrote of her late 'SVU' co-star Richard Belzer.

[#TheBelz.” ](https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheBelz?src=hashtag_click)Meloni, who plays detective Elliot Stabler in “SVU,” also shared [a behind-the-scenes picture](https://twitter.com/Chris_Meloni/status/1627384361694765062?s=20) of Hargitay and Belzer goofing around on the set of “SVU.” Hargitay and Meloni were among several members of the “Law & Order” family who paid tribute to Belzer on Sunday. I told Tom [Fontana] that I wanted to make him one of the original characters on ‘SVU.’ The rest is history. “I first worked with Richard on the ‘Law & Order'/'Homicide’ crossover and loved the character so much. [posted a photo](https://twitter.com/Chris_Meloni/status/1627384295005339649?s=20) of himself kissing Belzer on the cheek and wrote, “Good bye mon ami. I love you so very much, now and forever.”

A stand-up comic, he called his hard-boiled character on the long-running TV drama “Lenny Bruce with a badge.”

Mr. Absent fame or fortune, Mr. Belzer came to own two homes in the south of France, and he built a basketball court at one of them. Belzer accused Mr. In 1971, Mr. But on the inside, he was “scared” — 37 years old and still struggling to afford meals. She died of cancer, and Charles died by suicide before Mr. In a 2010 interview with AARP The Magazine, Mr. He served in the army for a little under a year, then received a discharge on psychiatric grounds after repeatedly injuring himself. Scheft, who has been working on a documentary about Mr. The death was confirmed by Bill Scheft, a friend of Mr. He was the kind of cop who made casual references to Friedrich Nietzsche and the novelist Elmore Leonard.

The comedian and actor was best known for playing Detective John Munch, whom he portrayed on multiple Law & Order series as well as on Sesame Street and 30 ...

I feel blessed to have known you and adored you and worked with you, side by side, for so many years,” Hargitay wrote on Belzer began his career in stand-up comedy in New York in the 1970s, and he appeared with names like Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, and John Belushi on The National Lampoon Show. Friends and former colleagues remembered the actor and comedian on social media Sunday. Belzer collapsed, hitting his head and requiring stitches. His official biography described the run as record-breaking, with Belzer playing Munch on 11 different television series, including The X-Files, 30 Rock, and Sesame Street. “The character of Munch was really close to how I do things.

Richard Belzer, the stand-up comedian who played the character of Det. John Munch, a tough and versatile Jewish cop, died at 78.

Belzer, who began his career on the National Lampoon Radio Hour, also made appearances on Alex Jones’ InfoWars in the 2010s. In the 1970s, Belzer served as the warm-up comedian for SNL, and appeared multiple times on its early seasons in bit parts. Out-of-character, Belzer, who retired from acting in 2016, was known for some out-there claims about the U.S. But Belzer’s most curious contribution to the culture was what began as a gig on Homicide: Life on the Street, where he played the ever-cynical Baltimore Police Department Det. His death was first reported on social media by his friend, [the actor Laraine Newman](https://twitter.com/larainenewman/status/1627327574572662786?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet), of Saturday Night Live fame. [stand-up comedian](https://stljewishlight.org/arts-entertainment/how-jewish-comedy-found-religion-from-philip-roth-to-broad-city/#photo)who left an indelible mark on television in the character of Det.

A stand-up comic, he called his hard-boiled character on the long-running TV drama “Lenny Bruce with a badge.”

Mr. Absent fame or fortune, Mr. Belzer came to own two homes in the south of France, and he built a basketball court at one of them. Belzer accused Mr. In 1971, Mr. But on the inside, he was “scared” — 37 years old and still struggling to afford meals. She died of cancer, and Charles died by suicide before Mr. In a 2010 interview with AARP The Magazine, Mr. He served in the army for a little under a year, then received a discharge on psychiatric grounds after repeatedly injuring himself. Scheft, who has been working on a documentary about Mr. The death was confirmed by Bill Scheft, a friend of Mr. He was the kind of cop who made casual references to Friedrich Nietzsche and the novelist Elmore Leonard.

The actor was a warm-up comedian on 'Saturday Night Live' before appearing as Detective Munch on the police procedural.

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For over two decades, Richard Belzer played cynical and wise-cracking detective John Munch. That character was made iconic on the show Law and Order.

Richard Belzer, the 'Law & Order: SVU' actor and stand-up comedian who is dead at 78, is being remembered by his co-stars and fellow comedians.

Newman, who was an original cast member on SNL and one of the first to speak publicly about Belzer’s passing tweeted on Sunday that, she “loved this guy so much. Billy Crystal also remembered the late comedian following news of his death, tweeting that Belzer “was simply hilarious. SVU executive producer Julie Martin shared that working with the late performer “on Homicide to SVU has been a hilarious, surprising and always joyful experience. “Richard Belzer was the first actor to welcome me when I started at SVU,” he continued. He was one of my first friends when I got to New York to do SNL. “I first worked with Richard on the ‘Law & Order’/’Homicide’ crossover and loved the character so much, I told Tom (Fontana) that I wanted to make him one of the original characters on ‘SVU.’ The rest is history.” The rapper and actor took to Twitter to remember his late friend and co-star, writing, “Highs and Lows… “I loved writing for Munch, and I loved being with Belz. I wake up to the news I lost my friend today. I feel blessed to have known you and adored you and worked with you, side by side, for so many years. He would appear on the long-running Dick Wolf Law & Order spinoff for nearly 15 years, with Munch retiring from the NYPD in 2014, before returning for a 17th-season episode “Fashionable Crimes.” The performer was known as a legend on the stage and screen, making his movie debut in 1974’s The Groove Tube and warming up audiences in Saturday Night Live‘s early days.

Belzer died early Sunday at his home in Bozouls in southwest France. He was 78. A cause of death for the actor is not yet known. Belzer stared as the beloved ...

Additionally, Belzer had a recurring role in the original The Flash in 1991 and in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. One of the greats, babe. "One of the funniest people ever. Maron, meanwhile tweeted, "Richard Belzer died. His last appearance as John Munch was in a guest spot on Law & Order: SVU in 2016. Belzer starred as Munch on the long-running show until 2013.

Richard Belzer, who played one of TV's most indelible detectives as John Munch in “Homicide: Life on the Street” and “Law & Order: SVU,” has died.

In 1985, Belzer had Hogan as a guest on his cable TV talk show “Hot Properties” to perform a chin-lock on him. “Munch was based on a real guy in Baltimore who was a star detective, in a way. That fall, “Law & Order: SVU” premiered, with Belzer starring alongside Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni in a storyline written as though Munch had transferred from Baltimore to New York. "I wanted to make him one of the original characters on ‘SVU.’ The rest is history. As one of the most influential comedians of the '70s, Belzer was a master of crowd work. He made his big-screen debut in Ken Shapiro's 1974 film “The Groove Tube," a TV satire co-starring Chevy Chase, a film that grew out of the comedy group Channel One that Belzer was a part of. In 2008, Belzer published the novel “I Am Not a Cop!” with Michael Ian Black. He later said “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels reneged on a promise to work him into the show. Before “Saturday Night Live" changed the comedy scene in New York, Belzer performed with John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray and others on the National Lampoon Radio Hour. For more than two decades and across 10 series — even including appearances on “30 Rock” and “Arrested Development” — Belzer played the wise-cracking, acerbic homicide detective prone to conspiracy theories. From that unlikely beginning, Belzer's Munch would become one of television's longest-running characters and a sunglasses-wearing presence on the small screen for more than two decades. The actor Henry Winkler, Belzer's cousin, tweeted, “Rest in peace Richard.”

Christopher Meloni, Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T, and S. Epatha Merkerson all offered tributes to the actor behind John Munch.

In 2016, he made his final television appearance on a Season 17 episode of the series. We were both breaking through together when Comedy and RocknRoll were wonderfully combined in the clubs. I was called onto a stage for the first time. 1976 at Catch a Rising Star. He was one of my first friends when I got to New York to do SNL. Favorite moments: w Marlee Matlin, Carol Kane, Stephanie March (TaySachs episode) and of course the great Ice-T. So saddened to learn that the fabulous Richard Belzer passed away.Loved working with him for 11 years on SVU. I’m sure he’s giving ’em all a lot of laughs upstairs. Working with him on Homicide to SVU has been a hilarious, surprising and always joyful experience. I wake up to the news I lost my friend today. I loved writing for Munch, and I loved being with Belz. John Munch on programs like “Law & Order: SVU” and “Homicide: Life on the Street,” [died Sunday](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/19/arts/television/richard-belzer-dead.html) in his home at Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France.

Unlike his TV characters, his live shows were marked by spontaneity and physicality. He could even keep up with Robin Williams line by line.

And part of the job of the MC is to be alert to the value of spontaneous moments. [10th anniversary of Catch a Rising Star ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzhAZ_gbyvU)that aired on HBO in 1982. In an interview for a documentary on him that has yet to be released, Belzer recalled once taking an hour and forty-five minutes to bring up the next comic. “Sometimes I laugh with the audience because I’m hearing the joke the same time they are.” Belzer didn’t get famous as quickly as many of his peers, but he was a cult figure with wide influence in comedy. “There’s a lot of parts of New Jersey that are very nice,” he said, responding to one guy from the state. If the crowd wasn’t laughing, he could lay on a guilt trip: “Could you be a little more quiet? Today, crowd work is much easier to see, in specials but also all over social media, where it has become a critical part of marketing and selling tickets for young comics. Once he arrived at the microphone, he made a point of engaging with the studio audience in a way you rarely saw on television. [who died Sunday](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/19/arts/television/richard-belzer-dead.html), is best known for his performances as a detective on TV, but his acting career was built on a signature persona in comedy, as a master of seductive crowd work who set the template for the MC in the early days of the comedy club. He could charm with the best of them, but unlike many performers, he didn’t come off as desperate for your approval. With that opening pivot, he turned the relationship between comedian and crowd upside-down.

Richard Belzer, was an American actor, author, and comedian. Belzer's estimated net worth was $16 million. Belzer is best known for his role as Detective ...

Richard Belzer played the character of Detective John Munch on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" for 21 seasons before his departure from the show in 2013. Belzer's character had been a part of the show since its inception in 1999, and the producers wanted to give the character a fitting farewell. In the show's 15th season, Detective Munch retired from the NYPD, and his character was written out of the series. Belzer appeared in a number of films throughout his career, including "Fame," "Scarface," and "The Bonfire of the Vanities." Belzer's character, Detective John Munch, made his first appearance on "Homicide: Life on the Street", which aired from 1993 to 1999. He performed on several notable television shows, including "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" and "Saturday Night Live."

The Jewish actor and comedian finally succeeded after many years of perseverance – by the time his career took off, he was nearly 50 years old.

Belzer died at his home in the south of France, where he first bought a house with settlement money after being dropped on the head by professional wrestler Hulk Hogan. “I’m a Jewish comedian, and there’s this new thing out, it’s called satire, irony and historical reference,” he said in response to criticism from the Anti-Defamation League in 2012. (Another family member would wind up successful: his cousin Henry Winkler, the actor.) He joined the Army but was discharged after less than a year.