Richard Belzer's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Detective J… The Flash (1990) Joe Kline Homicide: Life on the Street Det. John M… Later with Bob Costas Richard Bel… Celebrity Blackjack Richard Bel… Lords of the Revolution Narrator - … Minding The Store Roast Comic… The Beat Det. John M…

Main Movie Roles

BIOGRAPHY:

A social misfit, was kicked out of every school he ever attended, due to his uncontrollable wit. His mother (Frances) died of breast cancer when Richard was 18. His father (Charles) committed suicide when he was 22. A dedication is written to him in Richard Belzer's "UFO's, JFK, and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don't Have To Be Crazy To Believe" (Ballantine Books, 1999).


TRIVIA:

• Played himself in the movie _Fame (1980)_ (qv).
• Supporter of the North Shore Animal League. However his poodle fox terrier, Bebe, was adopted in France when he followed Belz home one day. Bebe is his near-constant companion, especially at public events.
• Appeared on the 25 March 1978 episode of _"Saturday Night Live" (1975)_ (qv) with 'Christopher Lee (I)' (qv) as the host and musical guest, 'Meat Loaf' (qv).
• Was the audience warm-up comedian for "Saturday Night Live" in its premiere season and made three guest appearances on the show in 1976 and 1978.
• Became the third person to play the same character in six different prime-time TV series, playing Detective "John Munch" in _"Homicide: Life on the Street" (1993)_ (qv) (originating series), _"Law & Order" (1990)_ (qv) (crossover), _"Law & Order: Trial by Jury" (2005)_ (qv)(crossover), _"The X Files" (1993)_ (qv) (crossover), _"The Beat" (2000)_ (qv) (guest appearance in the short-lived UPN series), and _"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999)_ (qv). He followed 'John Ratzenberger' (qv) and 'George Wendt (I)' (qv), who played "Cliff Clavin" and "Norm Peterson" in _"Cheers" (1982)_ (qv), _"St. Elsewhere" (1982)_ (qv), _"The Tortellis" (1987)_ (qv), _"Wings" (1990)_ (qv), _"The Simpsons" (1989)_ (qv), and _"Frasier" (1993)_ (qv). Belzer upped his record to seven series with a cameo appearance in the 4th-to-last episode of 'David Simon (II)' (qv)'s HBO series _"The Wire" (2002) {Took (#5.7)}_ (qv) (originally airing February 17, 2008); the appearance brought the character of Munch full circle as the character was born out of Simon's first series, Homicide, and in the scene he is hanging out in a police bar commenting on his experience owning a bar, which he did in Homicide.
• 'Robert De Niro' (qv) studied Belzer for his role in _The King of Comedy (1982)_ (qv).
• As of 2007, he is the only actor to play the same character in nine different series. He has played Detective John Munch in _"Homicide: Life on the Street" (1993)_ (qv), _"Law & Order" (1990)_ (qv), _"The X Files" (1993)_ (qv), _"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999)_ (qv), _"The Beat" (2000)_ (qv), _"Law & Order: Trial by Jury" (2005)_ (qv), _"Arrested Development" (2003)_ (qv), _"The Wire" (2002)_ (qv), and _"Paris enquêtes criminelles" (2007)_ (qv). He followed 'John Ratzenberger' (qv) and 'George Wendt (I)' (qv), who played Cliff Clavin and Norm Peterson respectively in six series: _"Cheers" (1982)_ (qv), _"St. Elsewhere" (1982)_ (qv), _"The Tortellis" (1987)_ (qv), _"Wings" (1990)_ (qv), _"The Simpsons" (1989)_ (qv) and _"Frasier" (1993)_ (qv).
• Wrestler 'Hulk Hogan' (qv) hurt him while demonstrating a wrestling move on a 1986 TV show called _"Hot Properties" (1985)_ (qv). He was knocked unconscious and required stitches on his head. He sued Hogan for $5 million, but later settled out of court.