Richard Belzer, Law & Order: SVU star, died at the age of 78

Richard Belzer, renowned for his work on the popular television series ‘Law & Order’ and as a stand-up comedian, has passed away, as confirmed by his close friends in the comedy industry.

News of Belzer’s death spread quickly on Sunday morning, with Laraine Newman, an original cast member of ‘Saturday Night Live’ and a former colleague of Belzer, offering her condolences.

Newman reminisced about her friendship with Belzer, describing him as a master at crowd work and one of the funniest people ever.

Comedian Marc Maron also paid tribute to Belzer, praising him as an original and one of the greats.

Although details of his passing have not been officially released, tributes are pouring in from various members of the entertainment industry. Belzer is best known for his role as Det. John Munch on ‘Law & Order: SVU,’ which he played for over 300 episodes.

Munch had originally appeared on the TV show ‘Homicide’ before becoming a mainstay on ‘SVU.’ He was written off the show in 2016.

Richard Belzer was a well-known comedian prior to his work on network television.

He made his mark during the early years of “SNL” but also had success with his own stand-up and sketch comedy, as well as hosting variety shows and specials.

Apart from his work on “Law & Order,” Belzer had many other acting credits to his name, appearing on shows such as “Moonlighting,” “Miami Vice,” “D.C. Follies,” “Monsters,” “The Flash,” “Nurses,” ‘Lois & Clark,’ “The X-Files,” “Arrested Development,” “The Wire,” “30 Rock,” “American Dad” and more. Additionally, he had an impressive film career, with roles in “Scarface,” “Fame,” “Fletch Lives,” “The Bonfires of the Vanities,” “Species II,” “Man on the Moon,” “The Puppet Masters,” and others.

When we last saw Belzer, he was delivering witty one-liners with his trademark dry humor, often touching on conspiracy theories.

He was a friendly individual, and is survived by his wife Harlee and other members of his family. Belzer passed away at the age of 78.