With his last words as bold and unique as his entire career, the legendary comedian Richard Belzer, known for portraying gritty detective John Munch on “Law & Order”, has passed away at 78. His final utterance? A defiant “F— you, motherf—er.”
Early Sunday morning, Bill Scheft sadly informed The Hollywood Reporter that Belzer had passed away in his home located in Bozouls, France.
He was a well-known figure for his grizzled and wisecracking character, Munch. He had roles in several shows like “Homicide: Life on the Street” and “Law & Order: SVU,” along with guest appearances in popular programs such as “The X Files.”
Richard Belzer’s portrayal of the beloved Detective Munch has spanned over two decades, starting in 1993 and coming to a close in 2016 when he retired from performing. Fans have had the pleasure of seeing his interpretation on an array of shows such as “The Wire” and “Arrested Development.”
Scheft, a former “Late Show with David Letterman” writer, shared before his passing, “Belzer had lots of health issues, and his last words were, ‘F–k you, motherf–er.’”
With his sharp wit and clever remarks, the comedic talent quickly gained a legion of followers due to his appearances on the renowned “Howard Stern Show.”
After completing his run as Munch, Belzer shared his thoughts in The Comic’s Comic back in 2008. “I never asked anyone to be on their show. So it’s doubly flattering to me to see me depicted in a script and that I’m so recognizable and lovable as the sarcastic detective and smart-ass. Much to my delight, because he is a great character for me to play, it’s fun for me. So I’m not upset about typecasting at all,” he stated.
In another interview, Belzer divulged that his portrayal of Munch is incredibly similar to how he would act if he were a detective himself – although not close enough for him to pursue the profession. “They write to all of my paranoia, anti-establishment dissonance, and conspiracy theories, so it’s a lot of fun for me. It’s like a dream, actually.”
Belzer was a renowned conspiracy theorist, authoring tomes on various mysteries such as the assassination of JFK, UFOs, and Elvis’ mysterious demise.
Despite his reputation as a joker, Belzer’s life was marked by sorrow. Born in 1944, he experienced an abusive childhood with his mother in Connecticut before she passed away from cancer in 1964. Three years later, when confronted with the mild-mannered version of his father attempting suicide, Richard managed to come to the rescue and save him. Unfortunately, though, just a year after that tragedy occurred again – this time ending up successful – when Belzer’s dad tragically took his own life. His brother followed suit 10 years ago too; also died due to suicide back in 2014.
Through the power of humor, Belzer was able to transform his testicular cancer diagnosis in 1983 into a hilarious HBO special called “Another Lone Nut” that aired in 1997.
“Law & Order” creator Dick Wolf issued a statement that read: “Richard Belzer’s Detective John Munch is one of television’s iconic characters,” adding: “Richard brought humor and joy into all our lives, was the consummate professional and we will all miss him very much.”
Mariska Hargitay paid tribute to her beloved “Law & Order: SVU” colleague with a heartfelt post on Instagram.
“I will miss you, your unique light, and your singular take on this strange world,” she posted. “I feel blessed to have known you and adored you and worked with you, side by side, for so many years.”
“Richard Belzer was simply hilarious. A genius at handling a crowd,” Billy Crystal wrote on Twitter. “So sad he’s passed away,”
Laraine Newman, one of the original members of “Saturday Night Live,” expressed her deep sorrow on Twitter when she heard about his passing.
“I loved this guy so much. He was one of my first friends when I got to New York to do SNL,” she said. “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.”
The hilarious Jeff Ross took to the internet to affirm that Belzer “was always the coolest cat in the room.”
The precise cause of Belzer’s passing has yet to be revealed.
His widow, actress Harlee McBride, and two stepdaughters will cherish the memories of his life.
