Richard Belzer (born August 4, 1944) is an American stand up comedian, writer and actor.
Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, he grew up with his parents and older brother. He worked as a paperboy and became known for his uncontrollable wit, which caused him to be kicked out of every school he attended. After high school he was a reporter for the Bridgeport Post. He unsuccessfully attended junior college and later enlisted in the Army. He soon realized it was a mistake and tried to get out.
After the Army, Belzer moved to New York City and began working as a stand-up comic. He participated in the Channel One comedy group that satirized television and became the basis for the cult movie The Groove Tube.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Belzer became an occasional film actor. He is noted for his small roles in Fame, Night Shift, and Scarface. He also was a player on the National Lampoon Radio Hour, a half-hour comedy program aired on some 600 U.S. stations from 1973 to 1975. Several of his sketches were released on National Lampoon albums drawn from the Radio Hour including several bits in which he portrayed a pithy call-in talk show host named Dick Valentine.
Belzer was the audience warm-up comedian for Saturday Night Live in its premiere season and made three guest appearances on SNL in 1976 and 1978.
Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
In 1985 on his talk show "Hot Properties" Belzer insisted Hulk Hogan put a wrestling move on him. Reluctantly Hulk Hogan got him in a front chin lock and Belzer passed out. Belzer soon sued Hogan for the incident.
In the 1990s, Belzer appeared frequently on television, including a movie role when he appeared as an LAPD detective in A Very Brady Sequel. He was a regular on The Flash television show. He followed that success with starring roles on Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, playing the same character (Detective John Munch) in both series. In addition, he has also played Munch in episodes of five other series:
Law & Order - 4 episodes: "Charm City Part 1", "Baby, It's You", "Sideshow" and "Entitled Part 2".
The X-Files - 1 episode: "Unusual Suspects"
The Beat - 1 episode: "They Say It's Your Birthday"
Law & Order: Trial by Jury - 1 episode: "Skeleton (2)"
Belzer's appearance on Trial by Jury, which aired April 15, 2005, made him the third actor ever to play the same character in six different prime-time TV series. The other two actors are John Ratzenberger and George Wendt who played Cliff Clavin and Norm Peterson in Cheers (1982-1993), St. Elsewhere (1985), The Tortellis (1987), Wings (1990), The Simpsons (1994) and Frasier (2002).
Arrested Development - 2 episodes: "S.O.B.s" and "Exit Strategy"
Comedy Central broadcast of the Friars Club roast of Chevy Chase. In his roast Richard Belzer said, "The only time Chevy Chase has a funny bone in his body is when I fuck him in the ass."
Belzer and Henry Winkler (most notably the Fonz on Happy Days) are cousins. Richard Belzer is a survivor of testicular cancer.
Belzer has been married to actress Harlee McBride since 1985. His previous marriages were with Gail Susan Ross (1966-1972) and Dalia Danoch (1976-1978).
UFO's, JFK, and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don't Have To Be Crazy To Believe
How to Be a Stand-Up Comic
Momentum: The Struggle for Peace, Politics, and the People (By Belzer and Marjorie Mowlam)
