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How did Richard Belzer die? 78-yr-old 'Law & Order' star's last words were ‘f**k you, motherf***er'

Richard Belzer, who died at his home in France, made his first appearance in 1993 on the first episode of 'Homicide' and his last in 2016 on 'Law & Order: SVU'

BOZOULS, FRANCE: Richard Belzer, a stand-up comedian who became a household name for his role as Detective John Munch in NBC's ‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ and ‘Law & Order: SVU’, has died at the age of 78. Former 'Saturday Night Live' star Laraine Newman was the first to post the news of Belzer's death, calling him "one of the funniest people ever."

Writing about his passing, Newman wrote on Twitter, "I'm so sad to hear of Richard Belzer's passing. I loved this guy so much. 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." Universal Television and NBC remembered his character and offered condolences in a joint statement that read, “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. 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."

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How did Richard Belzer die?

Belzer died on Sunday, February 19, 2023, at his home in Bozouls in southwest France. Former 'The Late Show with David Letterman' writer Bill Scheft told The Hollywood Reporter that “[Belzer] had lots of health issues, and his last words were, ‘F**k you, motherf**ker.'” Belzer was dealing with circulatory and respiratory issues, reports PBS.

Fans and well-wishers started paying tribute to Belzer after the news of his death broke out. One of the fans wrote, "God damn it! Rest in Peace Richard Belzer. Supposedly his last words were, 'F**k you, motherf**ker!' Angel of Death you messed up."

Another tweeted, "Richard Belzer, you'll be missed." While one remembered him and said, "Detective John Munch, played by Richard Belzer, is the only fictional character played by a single actor to appear on 10 different series: HOMICIDE. LAW & ORDER. LAW & ORDER: SVU. L&O: TRIAL BY JURY. 30 ROCK. X-FILES. ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT. THE BEAT. THE WIRE. SESAME STREET."

Richard Belzer's last appearance in 2016 on 'Law & Order: SVU'

Belzer’s final appearance on 'Law & Order: SVU' also went viral with a one-and-a-half-minute clip after the news of his death left his fans devastated. He made his first appearance in 1993 on the first episode of 'Homicide' and his last in 2016 on 'Law & Order: SVU'. A fan commented, "Oh man…RIP Richard Belzer …his final appearance on Law & Order: SVU as John Munch has all the feels." While another wrote, "I was watching New episode of SVU last night where Finn was talking about Munch. I was hoping maybe he will make a guest appearance only to find out today he passed away. This is so so heartbreaking and upsetting. Rest in Peace Richard Belzer."

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