Richard Belzer, best known for starring in NBC’s Law & Order franchise, has passed away at the age of 78.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor - who was also a comedian - died at his home in Bozouls in southwest France on Sunday (February 19).
"He had lots of health issues, and his last words were, 'F*** you, motherf***er,'" his friend, writer Bill Scheft, revealed to the publication.
The stand-up comic is survived by his wife, fellow actor Harlee McBride, his stepdaughters Bree and Jessica Benton, and six grandchildren.
The Connecticut-born actor was a warm-up comedian for Saturday Night Live in 1975 before he guest-starred in a few episodes, as stated in his IMDb.
Belzer appeared in films and TV shows from then on and eventually starred in 10 episodes of the 1990 series The Flash - which was his longest television series at that time.
However, in 1993, he landed a regular role on Homicide: Life on the Street - which was a serial drama about the Baltimore police homicide unit. It was the first time he appeared as the renowned character, detective John Munch.
From there, he starred as the detective in other TV shows, such as The Wire and The X-Files, but it was his role on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit that made him become so beloved by viewers.
He was featured in more than 300 episodes and eventually left in season 15, with Munch retiring from the NYPD. His final appearance was in 2016 when he briefly returned to help Lt. Olivia Benson with a case.
Upon hearing the devastating news, Universal Television and NBC issued a joint statement offering condolences to the beloved actor and his family.
"Anyone who ever had the pleasure of watching Richard Belzer portray Det. John Munch - whether on 'Homicide' or 'Law & Order: SVU' - over four decades will never forget how much he inhabited that beloved character to make it his own," the wrote, per NBC News.
"His professionalism, talents, and dedication to the craft made him a pillar in the industry, but it was his humor, compassion, and loving heart that made him family," they added.
Dick Wolf, the creator of SVU, also paid tribute to Belzer in a statement to Variety, that read: "Richard Belzer’s Detective John Munch is one of television’s iconic characters."
"I first worked with Richard on the 'Law & Order'/'Homicide' crossover and loved the character so much, I told Tom (Fontana) that I wanted to make him one of the original characters on 'SVU'.
"The rest is history. Richard brought humor and joy into all our lives, was the consummate professional and we will all miss him very much," Wolf concluded.
Our thoughts are with Belzer's family, friends, and fans at this time.
