Richard Jay Belzer was an American actor, stand-up comedian, and author best known for his role as NYPD Detective/Sergeant, and DA Investigator John Munch in series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a role he played for 23 years. Belzer credits his start in comedy to his frequently physically abusive mother whom he would try to distract from abusing him and his brother by making her laugh. After graduating high school he worked as a journalist for the Bridgeport Post. His career in stand-up com... moreRichard Jay Belzer was an American actor, stand-up comedian, and author best known for his role as NYPD Detective/Sergeant, and DA Investigator John Munch in series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a role he played for 23 years. Belzer credits his start in comedy to his frequently physically abusive mother whom he would try to distract from abusing him and his brother by making her laugh. After graduating high school he worked as a journalist for the Bridgeport Post. His career in stand-up comedy began after his divorce to his first wife which prompted him to move to New York where he began working as a stand-up comic at Pips, The Improv, and Catch a Rising Star. He also appeared three times on Saturday Night Live.
In the late 1970s Belzer brunched into television with minor roles in Sesame Street Fame, Night Shift, and Scarface. However he started frequently appearing on television in the 1990s in shows like Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, The Flash, Homicide: Life on the Street, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The X Files. On top of that Belzer was also an author of several books like Dead Wrong and Hit List which reached The New York Times Best Seller list.
