Sunday brought some sad news form the entertainment industry: Richard Belzer, comic and longtime portrayer of TV detective John Munch, had passed away following health issues. He was 78. He lived a long and varied life. What’s more he went out with top shelf final words, telling a friend, “F*ck you, motherf*cker.” His passing caused an avalanche of mourning, with colleagues from the worlds of TV and comedy posting tributes to the beloved performer.
“Goodbye my dear, dear friend,” wrote Mariska Hargitay, one of many from Belzer’s Law & Order family. “I feel blessed to have known you and adored you and worked with you, side by side, for so many years.”
Good bye mon ami. I love you.#TheBelz pic.twitter.com/CPJIyNDxYk
— Chris Meloni (@Chris_Meloni) February 19, 2023
— Chris Meloni (@Chris_Meloni) February 19, 2023
Chris Meloni posted twice, sharing photos of the both of them and another featuring Hargitay. “Good bye mon ami. I love you,” he wrote in one.
Highs and Lows… After one of the most amazing weeks of my life. I wake up to the news I lost my friend today. Belz is gone.. Damn it! But remember this..’When you ARE having real fun and are Truly Happy. ENJOY it to the fullest! Cause Pain is inevitably coming.’ I’ll miss you… https://t.co/WmaHvj629b pic.twitter.com/Fca9qiaDLV
— ICE T (@FINALLEVEL) February 19, 2023
Ice-T, who played his partner on Special Victims Unit, wrote, “After one of the most amazing weeks of my life. I wake up to the news I lost my friend today. Belz is gone.. Damn it!” He added, “I’ll miss you Homie.”
Richard Belzer was always so kind to me. We met at comedy club he was performing in yrs before L&O. I was young with only one film into my career. He always remembered me.
I had the pleasure of hang’n with him a couple of times. Sweet sweet man & funny as hell. He will be missed pic.twitter.com/DZx5EKb6Wy— Vincent D’Onofrio (@vincentdonofrio) February 19, 2023
“Richard Belzer was always so kind to me,” wrote Vincent D’Onofrio, who starred on Law & Order: Criminal Intent. “We met at comedy club he was performing in yrs before L&O. I was young with only one film into my career. He always remembered me. I had the pleasure of hang’n with him a couple of times. Sweet sweet man & funny as hell. He will be missed.”
Richard Belzer was the first actor to welcome me when I started at SVU. Open, warm, acerbic, whip smart, surprisingly kind. I loved writing for Munch, and I loved being with Belz. We sensed this would be his parting scene. Godspeed Belz…
https://t.co/PhVvZMMcj0 via @YouTube— Warren Leight (@warrenleightTV) February 19, 2023
SVU showrunner Warren Leight also weighed in, writing, “Richard Belzer was the first actor to welcome me when I started at SVU. Open, warm, acerbic, whip smart, surprisingly kind. I loved writing for Munch, and I loved being with Belz. We sensed this would be his parting scene. Godspeed Belz…”
Others within the entertainment industry, many of them his pals, honored the man as well.
Old pals are disappearing.
Belzer passed today.
Love to his family.
In happier times this is us a few days before selling out Town Hall.
We practically started our careers the same moment in NYC.
He made me laugh a billion times.
RIP Belzpic.twitter.com/uc39kvxRSD
— Richard Lewis (@TheRichardLewis) February 19, 2023
1976 at Catch a Rising Star. I was called onto a stage for the first time. By Richard Belzer. Farewell. Love you forever. pic.twitter.com/bdpFR0lRk6
— George Wallace (@MrGeorgeWallace) February 19, 2023
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
I’m sorry to hear we have lost Richard Belzer. I always adored him. As a starving comedian out on the fringes he would come to my dressing room whenever I hosted SNL in the 70’s and eat all the cheese and fruit plates. A very funny and dear man. Dammit.
— Eric Idle (@EricIdle) February 19, 2023
RIP Richard Belzer. One of the real good guys. Big loss. We were both breaking through together when Comedy and RocknRoll were wonderfully combined in the clubs. My deepest love and condolences to his family.
—
Stevie Van Zandt
(@StevieVanZandt) February 19, 2023
Aw goddamit, RIP Richard Belzer. I just always thought he’d be around ‘cause it seemed like he always was. A true original. #TheBelzBabe
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) February 19, 2023
Belzer was the best. Here he is with Henry at @friars_club for his book launch party. He was brilliant, kind, warm and so damn funny. I will miss him. #RIP #RichardBelzer pic.twitter.com/YdRgrrdOo5
— Judy Gold (@JewdyGold) February 19, 2023
Richard Belzer died. He was an original. One of the greats, babe. I loved the guy. RIP
— marc maron (@marcmaron) February 19, 2023
Rest In Peace dear sweet kind Richard Belzer. Rest In Peace.
— Ellen Barkin (@EllenBarkin) February 19, 2023
Richard Belzer was simply hilarious. A genius at handling a crowd. So sad he’s passed away.
— Billy Crystal (@BillyCrystal) February 19, 2023
Sorry to hear about the passing of legendary comedian @MRbelzer – Richard Belzer was always so incredibly kind to me personally – Once when I performed in NYC he lent me his awesome Manhattan condo. Always funny and always opinionated I was proud to have known him.
— Tom Green (@tomgreenlive) February 19, 2023
Belzer’s comedy career started in the ‘70s. He added serious (but still funny) work to his CV starting with Homicide: Life on the Street, which began his long stretch playing John Munch. Indeed, only a few years ago did Hargitay — who’s played SVU’s Olivia Benson since 1999 — eclipse Belzer’s record of having the longest-running prime time live-action character in television history. He will be missed.