Richard Jay Belzer (August 4, 1944 – February 19, 2023) was an American actor best known for playing the character John Munch for 25 years across multiple shows and continuities. He was otherwise best known as a stand-up comedian (look for his 1997 album/HBO comedy special Another Lone Nut) — who was a stalwart of the club scene throughout the 80s — and author (among the titles he's wrote are How to Be a Stand-Up Comic and the fiction novels I am Not a Cop and I am Not a Psychic).
He was Henry Winkler's cousin.
He passed away in 2023 after a period of ill health. Reportedly, his last words were "Fuck you, motherfucker."
We would show you a page of stuff he did, which doesn't just include playing John Munch in fifty different shows over the course of several decades, but we don't have such a page prepared yet so you might as well go to the John Munch page instead.
Some of the non-John Munch acting roles include:
- Saturday Night Live. First appeared in a 1975 episode.
- Sesame Street. First appeared in a 1978 episode.
- Fame (1980). Plays the emcee at Catch a Rising Star.
- Night Shift (1982). As Pig, part of the Big Bad Duumvirate.
- Scarface (1983). Plays the nightclub emcee.
- Moonlighting. First appeared in a 1985 episode.
- Miami Vice. First appeared in a 1986 episode.
- The video for Mike + the Mechanics' 1986 single "Taken In". Belzer plays the father of a family who was double-booked into a house with the band.
- Tattingers. First appeared in a 1989 episode.
- The Flash. Regular cast member from 1990 to 1991.
- Monsters. Appeared in a 1991 episode.
- Good Sports. First appeared in a 1991 episode.
- Human Target. First appeared in a 1992 episode.
- Lois & Clark. Semi-regular cast member as Inspector William Henderson in 1994.
- Nurses (1991). First appeared in a 1994 episode.
- Get on the Bus. Plays Rick.
- Mad About You. First appeared in a 1999 episode.
- The Beat. First appeared in a 2000 episode.
- South Park. Voice actor. First appeared in a 2000 episode.
- Minding the Store. First appeared in a 2005 episode.
- Arrested Development. First appeared in a 2006 episode.
- Jimmy Kimmel Live!. First appeared in a 2009 episode.
- 30 Rock. First appeared in a 2011 episode.
