American crime-drama television would not be the same without the contribution ofRichard Belzer. The highly acclaimed actor-comedian was best known for his role as Detective John Munch, a character he notably portrayed onHomicide: Life on the StreetandLaw and Order: SVU.Unfortunately, it has been confirmed that Belzerpassed away Sunday at the age of 78.Belzer died in the early hours of the morning at his home in Bozouls, France, where the retired actor had been living for some time. The news initially broke viasocial mediafrom Laraine Newman, an original member of SNL’s cast who knew Belzer during his early entertainment days as SNL’s first-ever audience warm-up comedian. In the tweet, she expressed: “I’m so sad to hear of Richard Belzer’s passing. I loved this guy so much. He was one of my first friends when I got to New York to do SNL. 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.”His friends and colleagues additionally took to social media to express their sentiments about the passing of one of New York’s greatest sardonic comedians.
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Detective Munch Has a Record-Setting Amount of Television Appearances
Richard Belzer leaves behind a rich legacy in television and film, which began after he landed his first role in the 1974 independent film,The Groove Tube. However, his beginnings in the entertainment industry preceded his first cinematic appearance. After Belzer moved to New York City in 1972,he emerged as a rising comedianwithin the scene and eventually became known for his dry, smart-mouthed humor. Throughout his 44-year career, his humor could be found throughout many of the characters he portrayed. But his most recognizable and memorable performance comes from his portrayal of Detective John Munch.
The intelligent and tenacious investigator first made his debut in the first episode of the 1993 American police dramaHomicide: Life on the Streetand played a main role throughout the show. Although Munch is based on a real-life Baltimore homicide detective, Belzer’s well-known brand of humor was incorporated into the role, which helped cement him as an audience favorite and one of America’s most memorable cops.
Although the crime drama ended in 1999, Belzer went on to play Munch for over 20 years. The appearances include a mixture of regular cast and guest star roles on a total of 11 television series and six primetime shows, includingLaw and Order,Law and Order: SVU, andThe X-Files. Belzer’s 22-year domain over the character places him along the ranks of longest-running character appearances in television. His staggering record supersedes James Aeneas as U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon in CBS’Gunsmokeand Kelsey Grammar as Frasier Crane inCheersandFrasierwho both portrayed their characters across decades. FellowLaw and Orderalum Mariska Hargitay joins him on this list for her ongoing portrayal of Detective Olivia Benson for 24 years (and counting). His last appearance as the witty and unforgettable detective was in 2016 when his character was officially written out ofLaw and Order: SVU.
