Richard Belzer

Biography

Date of Birth: 4 August 1944, Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA Birth Name: Richard Jay Belzer Height: 6' 1" (1.85 m) Mini 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). Spouse Harlee McBride (1985 - present) Dalia Danoch (1976 - 1978) (divorced) Gail Susan Ross (1966 - 1972) (divorced) Trade Mark Dark glasses His Long-running Role as Detective John Munch His love of Conspiracy Theories Sarcastic Wit Thin Frame Trivia Wrestler Hulk Hogan hurt him while demonstrating a wrestling move on a 1986 TV show called "Hot Properties" (1985). He was knocked unconscious and required stitches on his head. He sued Hogan for $5 million, but later settled out of court. Is a frequent guest on "The Howard Stern Radio Show" (1998). Became the third person to play the same character in six different prime-time TV series, playing Detective "John Munch" in "Drabsafdelingen" (1993) (originating series), "I lovens navn" (1990) (crossover), "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" (2005)(crossover), "Strengt fortroligt" (1993) (crossover), "The Beat" (2000) (guest appearance in the short-lived UPN series), and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999). He followed John Ratzenberger and George Wendt, who played "Cliff Clavin" and "Norm Peterson" in "Sams bar" (1982), "St. Elsewhere" (1982), "The Tortellis" (1987), "Wings" (1990), "Simpsons" (1989), and "Frasier" (1993). Belzer upped his record to seven series with a cameo appearance in the 4th-to-last episode of David Simon's HBO series "The Wire: Took (#5.7)" (2008) (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. Appeared on the 25 March 1978 episode of "Saturday Night Live" (1975) with Christopher Lee as the host and musical guest, Meat Loaf. Appeared on the 2 October 1976 episode of "Saturday Night Live" (1975) with Eric Idle as the host and musical guests George Harrison, Joe Cocker, and Stuff. Played himself in the movie Fame (1980). Robert De Niro studied Belzer for his role in King of Comedy (1983). Auditioned for the role of Groucho Marx in the Tommy Tune production "A Day in Hollywood, a Night in the Ukraine." Belzer taught himself two songs from the 1930s ("Satin Doll" and "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?"), but did not get the part. Was going to appear in Chevy Chase's movie, Modern Problems (1981), but scheduling conflicts could not be worked out. The date for the shooting of his scene was postponed twice and the day his scene was supposed to be shot, Belzer had a lucrative club date in New York, which was postponed at the last minute. Testified on behalf of a low-level criminal who ran onto the set of "Drabsafdelingen" (1993) while fleeing actual Baltimore police and surrendered to the actors; Belzer said the look on the guy's face was sufficient punishment Cousin of Henry Winkler. Appeared in episodes of three different series with Jerry Orbach: "I lovens navn" (1990), "Drabsafdelingen" (1993), and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999). Has appeared in episodes of three different television series with Jesse L. Martin: "I lovens navn" (1990), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999) and "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" (2005). His character Detective John Munch, whom he has played continuously on "Drabsafdelingen" (1993) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999) since January 1993, is currently the longest-running character on U.S. prime-time drama television. Was born on the same day that Anne Frank and her family were arrested by the Gestapo. Has appeared in episodes of four different series with Sam Waterston: "I lovens navn" (1990), "Drabsafdelingen" (1993), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999) and "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" (2005). Stepfather of Bree Benton. Was an assistant emcee for the Comedy Central Presents: The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Rob Reiner. Appears on the cover of Billy Joel's "Turnstiles" album (1976). Was one of the original emcees at Rick Newman's Catch a Rising Star, along with Elayne Boosler, in the mid to late 1970s. He lives in France and speaks fluent French. 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. Survived testicular cancer in 1984. A paper boy in his youth in Bridgeport, Connecticut, he later worked as a reporter for the Bridgeport Post and several other newspapers around the country. Other jobs included teacher, census-taker, jewelry salesman and dockworker. 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. Was friend of George Carlin. Was considered for the role of Clark Griswold in Fars fede ferie (1983). Friend of Richard Lewis'. Divides his time between New York City and his home in France. He is the only actor in television history to play the same character (Detective John Munch) in ten different live action series: "Drabsafdelingen" (1993), "I lovens navn" (1990), "Strengt fortroligt" (1993), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999), "The Beat" (2000), "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" (2005), "Familie på livstid" (2003), "The Wire" (2002), "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" (2003) and "30 Rock" (2006). Personal Quotes I've known Chevy Chase for so long, I actually knew him when he was funny! Anybody who thinks there's not a vast right-wing conspiracy in this country must also think that Ken Starr should be our next ambassador to Luxembourg. [on his long-running character, Det. John Munch] Munch is the guy who says what a lot of people wouldn't dare say. It's this patronizing thing that people have about if you're against the war everyone's lumped together. You know, the soldiers are not scholars, they're not war experts. [on U.S. soldiers serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom] You think everyone over there is a college graduate? They're 19- and 20-year-old kids who couldn't get a job. (On landing his small role in Scarface) I was asked to audition. Oliver Stone wrote the screenplay and Brian De Palma directed. I went to audition for the producer, and the producer said "Okay, Richard, do your act." And I said, "No, I don't work in offices, I work at clubs. If you guys want to come down to one of the clubs and see me, then I'd be glad to." And then they gave me a script, like an MC script that they wanted me to ad-lib off of, and I refused to do that, and I could see that the producer was getting angry. I think Oliver was a bit amused, because I know 20 other comedians had gone in and done stuff for them, and I didn't. So I got the part. But the producer knew who I was and had seen me work, so he just said, "Make sure it's funny. We want the audience in the theater to laugh the way the audience in a club would." So they let me write my own stuff, and I felt good about that. Let me make the coke jokes I wanted. (2010 - on making The Wrong Guys) Richard Lewis, Tim Thomerson, Louie Anderson. We had more laughs on that movie than legally allowed. We were slowing the filming, just laughing hysterically. That's all I remember. Really having a great time. Of course, the movie wasn't considered the Citizen Kane of comedy, but I thought it was a sweet movie. More of a kids' movie, but marketed as an adult comedy, which was the problem. A lot of good memories, though, I'll tell ya that. Richard Lewis and I were very close friends. We started hanging out in the early '70s, Catch A Rising Star and Improv. We were very close. And Tim was a good friend. Louie was a friend, I didn't know him that well, but I knew him. It was wild. One day we literally almost died, laughing so hard. We were working on the side of the mountain, we started rolling down the side of the mountain as we were laughing. I have to say Tim Thomerson is one of the funniest people I've ever met.