Richard Belzer on NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
"This is one conspiracy in which I have been a willing participant," says Richard Belzer, a renowned conspiracy theorist. In fact, Richard Belzer has played Detective Munch on a record-setting ten different television series—"Law & Order," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Law and Order: Trial By Jury," "Homicide," "The X-Files," "The Beat," "Mad About You," "M.O.N.Y.," "Sesame Street," "The Wire" and "Arrested Development."
The veteran standup comic, actor, talk-show host and author was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Due to his "uncontrollable wit," Richard Belzer was politely asked to leave every school he ever attended. He first worked as a reporter for the Bridgeport Post and several other newspapers around the country. This interest in journalism is traced directly to his days as a paperboy in his hometown. Richard Belzer honed his life experiences into barbed comedic material drawn from other former jobs including teacher, census-taker, jewelry salesman and dockworker.
Richard Belzer began his career in show business with a starring role in "Groove Tube," the counterculture film that went on to become a cult classic. Since then, Richard Belzer's comedic talents have been featured in every entertainment medium from off-Broadway ("The National Lampoon Show" with Bill Murray, Gilda Radner and John Belushi) to radio (Brink and Belzer on WNBC) to film ("Fame," "Author, Author," "Night Shift" and "Scarface"). Richard Belzer also appeared as himself in the Andy Kaufman biopic "Man on the Moon." His other film credits include "Scarface," "Species II," "Get on the Bus," "Girl 6," "A Very Brady Sequel," "North," "The Bonfire of the Vanities" and "The Big Picture." Additionally, Belzer starred in his own HBO comedy special, "Another Lone Nut," and released a comedy CD of the same title. He hosted ABC's primetime special "When Cars Attack," starred in the six-part comedy Showtime series "The Richard Belzer Show," hosted the live Lifetime talk show, "Hot Properties," and Court TV's "Crime Stories."
Richard Belzer is also the author of "UFOs, JFK and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don't Have to Be Crazy to Believe," and is the co-author of "How to Be a Standup Comic." The first of a series of novels, "I Am Not A Cop," will be published by Simon & Schuster in 2008. Richard Belzer hosted and produced "The Belzer Connection," a series of conspiracy-theory prime time specials for the Sci-Fi Channel. Richard Belzer is currently co-writing and will be producing and starring in the feature film satire "The Last Supper—The Roast." Multiple Emmy-award-winner Larry Charles ("Seinfeld", "Curb Your Enthusiasm", "Entourage") is co-writing and co-producing.
Richard Belzer was honored by the New York Friars Club and the Toyota Comedy Festival as the honoree of the first-ever roast that was open to the public. Comedians and friends on the dais included Roast Master Paul Shaffer, Christopher Walken, Danny Aiello, Barry Levinson, Robert Klein, Bill Maher, "SVU" co-stars Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, Ice-T, and Dann Florek, and Law & Order's Jerry Orbach. In addition, Richard Belzer was nominated for a 2007 People's Choice Award for Favorite Scene Stealing Star.
Richard Belzer and his wife, actress Harlee McBride, live in New York City while filming the series and in France during the remainder of the year.