Comedian & ‘Law & Order: SVU’ Star Richard Belzer Remembered on ‘Saturday Night Live’
Saturday Night Live didn’t forget that Law & Order: SVU star Richard Belzer is part of its origin story. The NBC sketch-comedy series’ February 25 episode honored the comedian and actor — who died on February 19 — with a title card showing a young Belzer performing stand-up.
Belzer was Saturday Night Live’s original warm-up comic when the show premiered in 1975, according to Vulture. He also appeared on screen during SNL’s early years, playing a juror in the debut episode and standing in for Chevy Chase in a Season 2 installment, Deadline notes.
In a 1993 interview with People, Belzer claimed that his friend Lorne Michaels, creator of SNL, promised to make him a cast member but later reneged. “John [Belushi], Bill Murray, and Gilda [Radner] got on the show and became big stars and millionaires,” Belzer told the magazine. “Lorne betrayed me and lied to me — which he denies — but I give you my word he said, ‘I’ll work you into the show.’”
RIP Richard Belzer and Munch. #snl pic.twitter.com/m9qbOh4ax8
— Garin Pirnia (@gpirnia) February 26, 2023
Of course, Belzer didn’t need SNL to be successful in showbiz. He played detective John Munch for seven seasons of Homicide: Life on the Street and 15 seasons of SVU. He also reprised the part in several other dramatic and comedic TV shows, including The X-Files, Arrested Development, and The Wire.
Belzer died from complications of unspecified circulatory and respiratory conditions, according to Deadline. He was 78 years old.
Saturday’s SNL episode also honored Eugene Lee with a title card. Lee, who died at age 83 on February 6, had been the show’s production designer since its 1975 debut and ranked as the show’s longest-serving production staff member. He also won six Emmys for his SNL work, including five consecutive wins in the Outstanding Production Design For A Variety, Reality or Competition Series category between 2017 and 2021.
Saturday Night Live, Saturdays, 11:30/10:30c, NBC
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