Hollywood has misplaced one if its most interesting.
Richard Belzer — the actor, comic and creator doubtless finest identified identified for starring as detective John Munch on Regulation & Order: Particular Victims Unit — has handed away.
He was 78 years previous.
Belzer died early Sunday at his dwelling in Bozouls in southwest France, in keeping with author Invoice Scheft, a longtime good friend of the actor.
“He had plenty of well being points, and his final phrases have been, ‘Fuck you, motherfucker,’” Scheft instructed The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday.
Belzer made his massive display debut within the The Groove Tube (1974) after which warmed up audiences within the early days of Saturday Night time Stay.
He made his first look in 1993 on the primary episode of Murder and his final as Mulch in 2016 on Regulation & Order: SVU.
In between these two NBC dramas, Belzer portrayed the identical jaded and acerbic police power member on eight different applications.
“I by no means requested anybody to be on their present. So it’s doubly flattering to me to see me depicted in a script and that I’m so recognizable and lovable because the sarcastic detective and smart-ass,” Belzer stated in a 2008 interview.
“A lot to my delight, as a result of he is a superb character for me to play, it’s enjoyable for me.
“So I’m not upset about being typecast in any respect.”
After information of this dying went public earlier right this moment, Belzer was mourned by quite a few well-known mates and well-known names.
“Richard Belzer died. He was an authentic. One of many greats, babe. I beloved the man. RIP,” wrote Marc Maron, for instance.
“The Belz… Even holding his canine he was all the time the best cat within the room,” added Jeff Ross, sharing a throwback picture of Belzer together with his poodle-fox terrier combine Bebe.
In 2016, Belzer launched the e book Hit Listing: An In-Depth Investigation into the Mysterious Deaths of Witnesses to the JFK Assassination.
His different books embrace, however are usually not restricted to, UFOS, JFK and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don’t Must be Loopy to Consider and Useless Incorrect: Straight Details on the Nation’s Most Controversial Cowl-Ups.
Belzer is survived by spouse Harlee McBride, who he married in 1985.
Might he relaxation in peace.
o
