The Hollywood Reporter says that beloved actor Richard Belzer has died at the age of 78. A longtime friend of the actor, writer Bill Scheft, told THR that the actor had a lot of health problems and that his last words were “F*** you, motherf***er.” Belzer had a long career that started in the early 1980s. However, he is best known for his role as Detective John Munch on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” which he played for 17 years and 326 episodes. Belzer also became known for his unique sense of humor and his work as a stand-up comic.
Vulture says that Belzer was one of the first warm-up comics on “Saturday Night Live.” But he didn’t always get along well with Lorne Michaels, who created “Saturday Night Live.” Belzer told People that Lorne had promised him a spot on the cast but then changed his mind. Even though there might have been a misunderstanding, Belzer’s time on “SNL” helped his career.
Belzer’s wife, Harlee McBride, will carry on after him. So far, neither McBride nor any of Belzer’s other family members have talked about his death. But Warren Leight, who used to be in charge of “Law & Order: SVU,” paid his respects on Twitter. “Richard Belzer was the first actor to welcome me when I started at SVU. Open, friendly, biting, smart as a whip, and surprisingly kind. I loved writing for Munch and being with Belz. We knew that this was his last scene. Godspeed Belz “Leight typed.
Richard Belzer had a second career as an author
We can say for sure that Richard Belzer had a long, successful career. In addition to his well-known role as Detective Munch on “Law & Order” and his stand-up comedy work, Belzer also tried his hand at writing.
Belzer has written a number of books with other people about some of the most popular conspiracy theories in the world. These books have talked about everything from the missing Malaysian 370 to the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Belzer told Politico in 2013 that he wrote “Hit List” because 50 people who saw the assassination of John F. Kennedy died in strange ways. “We’re talking about CIA agents, FBI agents, reporters, and other people who knew ahead of time or said too much after the fact. And if anyone has any doubts about a conspiracy, which I don’t, this book shows why they would kill all these people if there isn’t one.”
Belzer was a New York Times best-selling author, just like David Wayne, with whom he often worked. This means that his talent for writing about conspiracies has done him well. But did he really think the things he wrote? It seems that way. Belzer told Publishers Weekly in 2009, “When I researched for UFOs, JFK, and Elvis, I found that reality is so complicated, funny, and unpredictable that you don’t need to make anything up.” “I tried to write about things that most people don’t know about but that I found interesting. I think almost everything is a plot until it’s proven otherwise.”
Richard Belzer left a legacy as Detective John Munch
Richard Belzer says that it was a happy accident that he got the part of Detective John Munch. He said in an interview with The Boomer Tube, “How I got the part was a bit of a miracle. I didn’t try out for the job. Barry Levinson heard me on “The Howard Stern Show” and asked me to audition for the role.” Belzer said that the experience was magical and that he could relate to the character. “They write to all my paranoia, anti-establishment dissidents, and conspiracy theories, so it’s been a lot of fun for me,” he said.
There’s no question that Belzer made a big difference in how he played Detective John Munch. In a statement (via People), “Dick Wolf, the creator and executive producer of “Law & Order: SVU,” said, “Richard Belzer’s detective John Munch is one of the most famous characters in TV history. Belzer was a talented actor, but he was also a remarkable person who helped many people during his life.” It turned out that Belzer did a great job in the role.
Wolf said, “I first worked with Richard on the crossover between “Law & Order” and “Homicide.” I loved the character so much that I told Tom Fontana I wanted him to be one of the original characters on “SVU.” Wolf was done, “Everything else is history. Richard made us all laugh and smile. He was the perfect professional, and we will all miss him a lot.”
Inside Richard Belzer’s memorable career as a stand-up comedian
Richard Belzer’s first time on “Late Night with David Letterman” was in 1982. After a fancy footwork-based entrance, Belzer told a series of jokes about Hollywood awards and acted like Jack Nicholson was ordering from Burger King to show how well he could impersonate the actor. Belzer said, “I want an omelet, no potatoes, just tomatoes, and you can hold that Big Whopper between your knees.” He did this in the voice of Jack Nicholson and based it on a famous scene from the movie “Five Easy Pieces.”
Like a lot of stand-up comedians, Belzer got ideas for his routines from his own problems and experiences. People says that the fact that he beat testicular cancer gave him good material for his HBO comedy special “Another Lone Nut” in 1997. During his show, he made a joke about a time when Hulk Hogan was a guest on “The Richard Belzer Show.” It looks like Hogan put Belzer in a chokehold, which made him pass out. Belzer ended up suing the wrestler, but they worked out a deal to end the case without going to court.
Friends in the business are talking about how funny Belzer was since he died. “Laraine Newman, who used to work on “Saturday Night Live,” tweeted, “I loved this guy so much. When I moved to New York to do SNL, he was one of the first people I met. We used to eat lobster at Sheepshead Bay every week for dinner. He was one of the most funny people ever. A pro at working with crowds.”
