Richard Belzer

Actor Richard Belzer, who parlayed his stand-up comedy chops into a career playing the iconic role of police detective John Munch in NBC's “Homicide: Life ...

Belzer hosted a late-night cable talk show, “Hot Properties.” In one of the most notorious moments of the show, Hogan placed Mr. He used the settlement to buy his homes in France, Scheft said. “Because of the nature of the victim and the perpetrator, they really find out a lot. In the 1980s, Mr. Belzer decided to try out for a part in an underground theater production advertised in the Village Voice. He took on odd jobs, including a stint as a writer for the Bridgeport Post newspaper. Belzer, born in Bridgeport, Conn., struggled with what he called a “bitter childhood.” His abusive mother died when he was 20, and his father killed himself four years later. “And yet he is not known before that as one of the most influential stand-up comics in the late ’70s. In 1971, Mr. [reported](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/richard-belzer-dead-homicide-law-order-1235329813/) by the Hollywood Reporter, has led to an outpouring of tributes from friends and colleagues in television and comedy who remember Mr. [post](https://www.instagram.com/p/Co2x6wMvOcu/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY%3D) on Instagram that he had first worked with Mr. Belzer’s cousin, wrote “Rest in peace Richard.” Several shared his most famous moments, including the time he was [knocked out](https://twitter.com/TrivWorks/status/1627351566490677248) by wrestler Hulk Hogan.

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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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.

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.

Law & Order star Mariska Hargitay has led tributes to her Special Victims Unit co-star Richard Belzer, who has died aged 78.

[NBC](https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=127X991730&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.peacocktv.com%2F&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalspy.com%2Ftv%2Fustv%2Fa42985457%2Flaw-and-order-richard-belzer-death%2F) in the US. I wake up to the news I lost my friend today. After one of the most amazing weeks of my life. A beautiful soul, a dapper dresser, with the spirit of a child. He passed away on Sunday (February 19). I love you so very much, now and forever."

Law & Order SVU star and comedian Richard Belzer died at his home in Bozouls home in France on Sunday (February 19).

The creator of Law & Order SVU, Dick Wolf, also paid tribute to Beltzer in a statement to Variety. The actor played the role of John Munch for 23 years on Homicide: Life on the Streets and Law & Order, before retiring in 2016 aged 71. The news was confirmed by friends and former colleagues on Sunday (February 19).

American actor and comedian Richard Belzer has passed on at the age of 78. His death was confirmed by an associate and friend, Bill Scheft, who disclosed ...

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. He afterwards reprised the character in ‘Law & Order: Special Victim Unit’ from 1999 to 2013. Belzer was popular for his role as Detective John Munch in the NBC series, ‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ from 1993 to 1999.

Belzer died Sunday at his home in southern France, according to a friend, who said there was no known cause of death but that Belzer had been dealing with ...

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. 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. As one of the most influential comedians of the ’70s, Belzer was a master of crowd work. In 2008, Belzer published the novel “I Am Not a Cop!” with Michael Ian Black. One of his favorite lines was: “I have a microphone. 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. In 1975, he became the warm-up comic for the newly launched “SNL.” While many cast members quickly became famous, Belzer’s roles were mostly smaller cameos. Belzer first played Munch on a 1993 episode of Scheft, a writer who had been working on a documentary about Belzer, said there was no known cause of death, but that Belzer had been dealing with circulatory and respiratory issues.

The comic-turned actor – who previously survived testicular cancer and was famed for spending more than two decades playing Detective John Munch on a total ...

I loved the guy. One of the greats, babe. I loved this guy so much.

Standup comedian played police role in Homicide: Life on the Streets, Law & Order: SVU and other series.

He later said the SNL creator, Lorne Michaels, reneged on a promise to work him into the show. In 2008, with Michael Ian Black, Belzer published the novel I Am Not a Cop! He made his big-screen debut in Ken Shapiro’s 1974 film The Groove Tube, a satire co-starring Chevy Chase that grew out of the comedy group Channel One. Belzer never auditioned for the role. A dream, really.” So it’s been a lot of fun for me.

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."

Richard Belzer, the longtime stand-up comedian who became one of TV's most indelible detectives as John Munch in "Homicide: Life on the Street" and “Law ...

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. 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. As one of the most influential comedians of the ’70s, Belzer was a master of crowd work. In 2008, Belzer published the novel “I Am Not a Cop!” with Michael Ian Black. In 1975, he became the warm-up comic for the newly launched “SNL.” While many cast members quickly became famous, Belzer’s roles were mostly smaller cameos. One of his favorite lines was: “I have a microphone. 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. The actor Henry Winkler, Belzer’s cousin, tweeted, “Rest in peace Richard.”

His first film or television credit was the low-budget sketch comedy movie The Groove Tube, a very much of-its-time project co-starring Chevy Chase and musician ...

Belzer wrote many books over the years, including novels set in the comedy world and another as a fact-meets-fiction play about himself working with actual New York detectives. Over 20 years, the John Munch character appeared in more series (either for real or as a parody) In 1983 he appeared as the emcee in Brian De Palma’s Scarface making no shortage of cocaine jokes. The Connecticut-born talent began his career in New York City comedy clubs and was a presence in the outer orbit of Saturday Night Live in the mid-1970s. He appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Mike Douglas Show, and Don Kirshner's ‘Rock Concert’. He was also a writer and performer for The National Lampoon Radio Hour alongside Chase, Bill Murray, John Belushi, Michael O’Donoghue, Gilda Radner, and Harold Ramis.