Why did Richard Belzer leave SVU? Star actor's departure explored in wake of his death at 78

Richard Belzer recently passed away at the age of 78 (Image via Rodrigo Vaz/Getty Images)
Richard Belzer recently passed away at the age of 78 (Image via Rodrigo Vaz/Getty Images)

Well-known actor Richard Belzer, who played the role of John Munch in the NBC crime drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, recently passed away. He breathed his last on February 19, 2023, at the age of 78. While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Belzer's friend Bill Scheft said that the late star suffered from health issues, including circulatory and respiratory problems.

The official Facebook page of The Jeremy Lee Show expressed their grief after the star's demise and wrote:

"I just saw where Richard Belzer passed away at 78. He was a great comedian and best known as John Munch in both 'Homicide'nand 'Law and Order SVU' but he appeared in many movies and shows throughout the 80s and 90s. He will be missed #RIP #RichardBelzer #80s #90s."

When Belzer left Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 2013, the reason for his exit was never explicitly stated by the show producers. However, the late actor had mentioned in an interview that he wanted to explore new roles, which is why he thought it was best to retire from the NBC show.


The exact reason for Richard Belzer leaving Law & Order: Special Victims Unit was never explicitly stated by the NBC show

Richard Belzer's exit from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 2013 took the audience by surprise. He played the role of Detective John Munch for a long time and was loved for his work.

The show also disclosed Belzer's exit by mentioning the same in the script of the episode titled Internal Affairs, where Captain Cragen told Olivia Benson that Munch had decided to resign from his position. Cragen and the rest of the team organized a farewell party for Munch, which his colleagues and family members also joined.

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Belzer then made frequent guest appearances on the show. The reason for his exit was not exactly revealed, but according to reports, it was because the real-life retirement age in NYPD is 63. However, he mentioned in an interview that he was aiming to try out some other roles and that it was the best time to retire from the show.

Richard Belzer's character made his debut on Homicide: Life on the Street and was later featured in Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. The character was an important part of the show for 15 seasons from 1999 to 2014. SVU aired for 24 seasons with 530 episodes since September 20, 1999.


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Richard played different characters on Saturday Night Live from 1975 to 1980. He later played a minor role in the children's television series Sesame Street.

Belzer made his film debut with the 1974 independent comedy film The Groove Tube. He continued to appear in other films like Night Shift, Scarface, The Wrong Guys, Off and Running, Species II, The Comedian, and more. He was also featured in various TV shows like Moonlighting, Miami Vice, Tattingers, The Flash, Bandit Bandit, The Invaders, The X-Files, and others.

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Edited by Priya Majumdar
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