Richard Belzer: 5 Things About ‘Law & Order’ Star Dead At 78

• Richard Belzer was a celebrated stand-up comedian who made his movie debut successful 1974’s The Groove Tube
• The histrion played Det. John Munch connected ‘Homicide’ and ‘Law & Order: SVU’
• He died astatine the property of 78 successful his location successful France

Richard Belzer was a beloved stand-up comedian and histrion who passed distant connected February 19, 2023 astatine his location successful France astatine the property of 78. His bully person and coworker connected the aboriginal days of Saturday Night Live, Laraine Newman, shared a touching tribute connected her Twitter, writing, “I loved this feline truthful much. He was 1 of my archetypal friends erstwhile I got to New York to bash SNL. One of the funniest radical ever. A maestro astatine assemblage work. RIP dearest.” Another longtime friend, writer Bill Scheft, summed up Richard’s acerbic wit erstwhile helium told The Hollywood Reporter, “He had tons of wellness issues, and his past words were, ‘F*** you, m***********.'”

I'm truthful bittersweet to perceive of Richard Belzer's passing. I loved this feline truthful much. He was 1 of my archetypal friends erstwhile I got to New York to bash SNL. We utilized to spell retired to meal each week astatine Sheepshead Bay for lobster. One of the funniest radical ever. A maestro astatine assemblage work. RIP dearest. pic.twitter.com/u23co0JPA2

— Laraine Newman (@larainenewman) February 19, 2023

Keep speechmaking to find retired each astir Belzer, below.

How did Belzer get his start?

Richard Jay Belzer was calved connected Aug. 4, 1944, successful Bridgeport, Connecticut and rapidly learned his comedic chops would assistance him retired successful life, particularly with an abusive mom. “She ever had immoderate rationale for hitting us,” Belzer told People in 1993. “My room was the toughest country I ever worked. I had to marque my ma laughter oregon I’d get my ass kicked.”

Before landing connected his vocation of choice, Belzer tried his manus astatine a bid of unusual jobs, “including census taker, dock idiosyncratic and jewelry salesman,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. For a time, helium besides worked astatine the The Bridgeport Post newspaper.

His father’s termination prompted him to prosecute comedy

Three years aft his ma passed distant from bosom cancer, Belzer’s begetter tried to dice by termination successful 1967, but Belzer recovered him earlier it was excessively late, per THR. However, his dada ended up palmy successful his effort a twelvemonth later. Notably, Belzer’s member would extremity up jumping disconnected his flat gathering to his decease successful 2014 pursuing his wife’s passing.

After the decease of his father, Belzer decided to absorption connected his intent and signed up for a drama troupe successful the East Village called Channel One. The radical yet made a sketch drama movie called The Groove Tube, which was the movie debut for Chevy Chase arsenic well.

“We were precise precocious — erstwhile we wrote it, erstwhile we changeable it, erstwhile we premiered it and erstwhile we realized we’d made a movie,” Belzer said successful 2010 interrogation with The A.V. Club. “It was genuinely underground successful the consciousness that earlier it was a movie, we had a small theatre and we showed Groove Tube on 3 monitors successful a 90-seat theater. So for radical to wage to spot television, earlier cable, it was beauteous innovative.”

Belzer was handpicked for his astir celebrated relation of Det. John Munch

Richard Belzer played Det. John Munch connected ‘Law & Order: SVU. (Everett)

Homicide executive producer Barry Levinson admitted that helium heard Belzer connected The Howard Stern Show and thought he’d beryllium a cleanable acceptable for Detective John Munch. “We were looking astatine immoderate different actors, and erstwhile I heard him, I said, ‘Why don’t we find retired astir Richard Belzer?” Levinson said successful a 2016 interrogation for The Interviews: An Oral History of Television. “I similar the bushed of the mode helium talks. And that’s however that happened.” Belzer would extremity up playing the policeman connected ‘Homicide’ for each 7 seasons.

“When Homicide was canceled, I was successful France with my woman and she said, ‘Let’s unfastened a vessel of champagne and toast: You did this quality for 7 years,’” Belzer recounted successful the 2009 book Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Unofficial Companion. “And past I remembered that Benjamin Bratt was leaving L&O, and truthful I called my manager and said, ‘Call Dick Wolf — possibly Munch tin go [Det. Lennie] Briscoe’s partner’ —- due to the fact that we had teamed for the crossover.”

However, Wolf had a antithetic amusement successful caput for Belzer: a spinoff. When Law & Order: SVU debuted successful September 1999, Munch had relocated from Baltimore to New York to articulation forces with Det. Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Det. Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni). He stayed for 14 seasons.

He played Munch connected ‘The X-Files,’ ‘Arrested Development’ and much shows

Richard Belzer played Munch connected implicit six antithetic shows. (Everett)

Belzer was capable to showcase Munch connected a assortment of programs. Munch appeared in X-Files successful 1997 and was spotted connected The Beat, Law & Order: Trial by Jury, The Wire and adjacent Arrested Development, 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

“I ne'er asked anyone to beryllium connected their show. So it’s doubly flattering to maine to spot maine depicted successful a publication and that I’m truthful recognizable and lovable arsenic the sarcastic detective and smart-ass,” Belzer said in a 2008 interview. “Much to my delight, due to the fact that helium is simply a large quality for maine to play, it’s amusive for me. So I’m not upset astir typecast astatine all.”

Belzer was joined 3 times

Belzer was joined to Gail Susan Ross from 1966 to 1972 and Dalia Danoch from 1976 to 1978. Both marriages ended successful divorce. In 1985, Belzer joined histrion Harlee McBride, who was celebrated for her Playboy enactment and appearing successful Young Lady Chatterley. The mates were unneurotic until his death, and helium is survived by Harlee’s 2 daughters arsenic well, Bree and Jessica.

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