At the age of 78, Richard Belzer, a Hollywood star who was known for his acting and comedy skills, died. The news of his death was all over the news on Sunday morning, and many famous people paid their respects. Here’s what’s going on.
Richard’s Last Words
Richard Belzer died on February 19, 2023, at his home in Bozouls, which is in the southwest of France. He died peacefully with his family by his side. Bill Scheft said that the news was true and that the actor’s last words were,
F*** you, motherf***er.
Laraine Newman Spreads The News
Soon after, Laraine Newman posted the sad news on social media. The actress wrote on Twitter that she was sad to hear about Richard’s death and that she loved him.
Inside Laraine’s Tribute
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. pic.twitter.com/u23co0JPA2
— Laraine Newman (@larainenewman) February 19, 2023
Laraine also said that the actor was one of her first friends when she moved to New York to do Saturday Night Live. The star said that they would go to Sheepshead Bay every week for a lobster dinner.
Laraine Hails Richard
Laraine ended her tribute by saying that Richard was the funniest person who ever lived and a master at working a crowd. She then wrote, “Rest in peace, dearest.” She added a picture of the late star, who was all smiles.
Marc Maron Pays Tribute
Richard Belzer died. He was an original. One of the greats, babe. I loved the guy. RIP
— marc maron (@marcmaron) February 19, 2023
Marc Maron, a comedian, also talked about Richard. He said that he was an original and one of the best. Ice T, Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, and others also paid tribute.
Richard Belzer Had Health Scares
Richard may have had an exciting career in the entertainment business, but like many others, he also had to deal with a lot of problems, especially with his health.
He Suffered From Testicular Cancer
For example, Richard fought and beat testicular cancer in 1983, which led to his HBO comedy special Another Lone Nut in 1997.
Richard’s Most-Known Role
During his career, Richard appeared in a lot of TV shows and movies, but it was his role as the smart and quick-witted Detective John Munch that made him famous around the world.
When Did Richard Originate The Character
The actor played the part for the first time on NBC’s Homicide: Life on the Street in 1993. He played the part for seven seasons, until 1999, alongside Ned Beatty, Daniel Baldwin, and many other big names.
Richard’s Time In ‘Law & Order’
After that, he played the same character in the main Law & Order series. Between 1999 and 2013, he was in almost 330 episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and he made two more cameos in 2014 and 2016.
Richard Speaks About His Role
Richard talked about his role as John Munch in July 2020. The actor said that he didn’t even try out for the part, so it was a miracle that he got it.
How was Richard chosen for the part?
He said that director and actor Berry Levinson heard him on the Howard Stern Show and asked him to audition for the role.
Richard Shares More Details
Richard talked more about his role on SVU, saying that he would never be a detective, but if he were, he would be like Detective John Munch. He said that the character was a lot like himself.
Richard’s Other Acting Credits
His best roles were in top movies and TV shows like Scarface, Species II, The Flash, Moonlighting, Miami Vice, Nurses, The X-Files, 30 Rock, American Dad, and many more.
Richard’s Comedy Career
Off-screen, Richard was well-known for his comedy work. He was on the first season of Saturday Night Live and did a lot of stand-up and sketch comedy, as well as some hosting.
Richard Believed In Conspiracy Theories
Richard was also a comedian, but he also spoke out about the conspiracy theories he believed in. He talked about American culture and history a lot, and he always had a unique point of view, whether he was on stage or in a book.
Richard Released A Book
In 2016, the famous person published the book Hit List: An In-Depth Investigation into the Mysterious Deaths of Witnesses to the JFK Assassination.
More Of Richard’s Books
UFOs, JFK, and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don’t Have To Be Crazy To Believe, I Am Not a Psychic! A Novel, Corporate Conspiracies: How Wall Street Took Over Washington, and many others.
Who Did Richard Leave Behind?
Richard’s wife, Harlee McBride, will carry on after him. They got married in 1985. He doesn’t have any children of his own, but his ex-wife, Harlee, has two children, Jessica and Shannon Benton, from a previous relationship.
