Richard Belzer
| Richard Belzer | |
|---|---|
Belzer at the White House Correspondents Dinner in 2009
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| Birth name | Richard Jay Belzer |
| Born |
August 4, 1944 Bridgeport, Connecticut |
| Medium |
Stand-up Film Television Books Radio |
| Nationality | American |
| Years active | 1972–present |
| Genres |
Political satire Observational comedy Deadpan |
| Subject(s) |
American culture American politics Current events Mass media |
| Spouse |
Gail Susan Ross (m. 1966; div. 1972) Dalia Danoch (m. 1976; div. 1978) Harlee McBride (m. 1985) |
| Notable works and roles |
John Munch on Homicide: Life on the Street Law & Order: Special Victims Unit |
Richard Jay Belzer (born August 4, 1944) is an American stand-up comedian, author, and actor. He is best known for his role as John Munch, whom he has portrayed as a regular cast member on the NBC police drama series Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as well as in guest appearances on a number of other series. He portrayed the character for 23 years from 1993 to 2016.
Belzer was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the son of Frances and Charles Belzer, a tobacco and candy retailer. He grew up in a Jewish family. He described his mother as frequently physically abusive, and declared that his comedy career began when trying to make his mother laugh in order to distract her from abusing him and his brother. After graduating from Fairfield Warde High School, Belzer worked as a reporter for the Bridgeport Post.
Belzer attended Dean College, which was then known as Dean Junior College, in Franklin, Massachusetts, but was expelled for "leading demonstrations for truly stupid causes." He worked at a variety of jobs, including sales and as a census taker.
After his first divorce, Belzer relocated to New York City, moved in with singer Shelley Ackerman, and began working as a stand-up comic at Pips, The Improv, and Catch a Rising Star. He participated in the Channel One comedy group that satirized television and became the basis for the cult movie The Groove Tube, in which Belzer played the costar of the ersatz TV show "The Dealers."
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