ACTOR · BORN 1944 · DIED 2023
Richard Belzer
- Born
- 4 August 1944, Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA
- Died
- 19 February 2023
- Known for
- The Flash (1990), Scarface (1983)
20 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
Richard Belzer (4 August 1944 – 19 February 2023) was an actor best known for The Flash and Scarface.
20 Interesting Facts About Richard Belzer
Interesting Facts (11)
- #001
Richard Belzer set a unique TV record by playing Detective John Munch on 11 different live-action series: Homicide: Life on the Street, Law & Order, The X-Files, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Beat, Law & Order: Trial by Jury, Arrested Development, The Wire, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, more shows than any other actor has played the same character on.
- #002
One day a small-time crook fleeing the real Baltimore police ran onto the Homicide: Life on the Street set and surrendered to the actors. Belzer later testified on the man's behalf in court, arguing that the look on his face had been punishment enough.
Richard Belzer: a sceneImage: Wikimedia Commons · Jay Tamboli, CC BY 2.0 - #003
In 1985, on the TV show Hot Properties, wrestler Hulk Hogan accidentally hurt Belzer while demonstrating a wrestling hold, knocking him out cold and leaving him needing stitches in his head. Belzer sued Hogan for $5 million, and the two later settled out of court.
- #004
Belzer appears on the cover of Billy Joel's 1976 album Turnstiles.
- #005
Belzer played himself in the 1980 musical drama Fame, about young talents at a performing arts school.
- #006
Belzer appeared in 119 of Homicide: Life on the Street's 122 episodes, more than any other actor, missing only The Damage Done, The Subway and Lines of Fire.
- #007
Belzer was one of five actors, with Kyle Secor, Clark Johnson, Yaphet Kotto and Sharon Ziman, to appear in both the first and last episodes of Homicide: Life on the Street, staying with the show from start to finish.
- #008
Belzer was fascinated by conspiracy theories and wrote six books on the subject, covering the JFK assassination, Marilyn Monroe's death, Elvis Presley's life, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, Princess Diana's death and UFOs.
- #009
In November 1997, Belzer played Detective John Munch on three different series in a single week: Baby, It's You on 12 November, Baby, It's You again on 14 November, and Unusual Suspects on 16 November.
- #010
Belzer had agreed to appear in Chevy Chase's film Modern Problems, but it fell through over scheduling: his shooting date was pushed back twice, and in the end it clashed with a lucrative club gig in New York. That gig was then postponed at the last minute, but too late for him to do the film, much to his disappointment.
- #011
Belzer was a big fan of singer Shawn Colvin and liked going to her concerts.
Behind the Scenes (4)
- #012
In 1984, Belzer battled testicular cancer and successfully overcame this difficult period. This health problem became an important turning point in his life and helped him raise awareness about fighting cancer. Belzer sometimes recounted this experience with humor, lifting the spirits of both himself and others.
- #013
Belzer, known as a figure sensitive to animal rights, supported the North Shore Animal League. While living in France, he adopted a poodle-fox terrier mix named Bebe that followed him home one day. Bebe was almost constantly at Belzer's side, especially at public events, and was his loyal companion.
- #014
Belzer was among the names considered for the role of Clark Griswold in National Lampoon's Vacation. However, the role ultimately went to Chevy Chase. Although Belzer missed out on this opportunity, he maintained his friendship with Chevy Chase in the following years and went on to accomplish other important work in his career.
- #015
Belzer was born on the day Anne Frank and her family were arrested by the Gestapo. This historical coincidence lent a different meaning to his life. Belzer occasionally voiced his thoughts on the subject and stated that the event left deep marks on him.
Characters & Cast (1)
- #016
Belzer auditioned for Groucho Marx in Tommy Tune's production of the musical A Day in Hollywood, a Night in the Ukraine, teaching himself two 1930s songs for it, Satin Doll and Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?. He didn't get the part, but it deepened his interest in musical theater.
Career & Awards (2)
- #017
Belzer was the audience warm-up comedian during Saturday Night Live's first season, an important part of the show's early days, and appeared on the show three times as a guest performer in 1976 and 1978.
- #018
From the mid-to-late 1970s, Belzer was one of the original hosts, with Elayne Boosler, at Rick Newman's comedy club Catch a Rising Star, where many famous comedians got their start.
Life & Family (2)
- #019
Belzer died just one day before his longtime friend and comedy club colleague Rick Newman, a double loss that hit the comedy world hard.
- #020
Belzer was stepfather to Bree Benton and Jessica Benton, daughters from his wife Harlee McBride's previous marriage, with whom he was very close.
Related pages
- John Ratzenberger — Richard Belzer comes up in the facts on that page
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Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- Wikipedia
- IMDb
Information from external sources is independently selected, consolidated and edited by Arka Evren. Sources are listed for verification and further reading. Encyclopedia text is used under its licence (CC BY-SA). How we work