Richard Belzer, 'Law & Order' star, dead at 78
Richard Belzer, 'Law & Order' star, died at his home in the south of France on Sunday
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Richard Belzer, an actor known for his role as Detective John Munch on "Law & Order," has passed away at the age of 78.
"He passed at home early this morning in the south of France — in his home in the south of France — with his family around him," writer Bill Scheft, a longtime friend of the actor, confirmed to Fox News Digital.
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"He had lots of health issues, and his last words were, 'F--- you, motherf---er,'" Scheft, a former writer for "Late Show with David Letterman," told The Hollywood Reporter of Belzer.
"I'm so sad to hear of Richard Belzer's passing. I loved this guy so much," Laraine Newman, who was a cast member on "Saturday Night Live" from 1975 to 1980, tweeted. "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."
Belzer was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1983, the Baltimore Sun reported. That would eventually inspire his 1997 HBO comedy special "Another Lone Nut."
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During a 1985 incident on Belzer’s talk show, Hulk Hogan put him in a choke hold, causing Belzer to pass out and hit his head on the studio floor, People magazine reported. The two settled out of court after Belzer sued.
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Belzer originated in the role of Munch on NBC's "Homicide: Life on the Street" in 1993, later reprising the character on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." People magazine reported that he appeared in nearly 330 episodes of "SVU" between 1999 and 2013 and made two additional cameos in 2014 and 2016.
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He is survived by his wife, Harlee McBride. They married in 1985. The pair share no biological children, but McBride has two from a previous marriage, Jessica and Shannon Benton.
Also an author with a self-proclaimed interest in conspiracy theories, Belzer released a book in 2016 titled "Hit List: An In-Depth Investigation into the Mysterious Deaths of Witnesses to the JFK Assassination." Other books by the comedian include "UFOS, JFK, and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don't Have to be Crazy to Believe" and "Dead Wrong: Straight Facts on the Country's Most Controversial Cover-Ups."