Richard Belzer had a protracted profession as a radio present host, comic and actor. He spent his time in comedy circles, doing stand-up and sharing quite a few tales about filming and spending time with different actors, which have been all the time a ball to take heed to. He would shine as a visitor and stand-up act for David Letterman.
More than something, Richard Belzer’s profession was marked by one explicit character – Detective John Munch. He embraced being Munch so nicely that he reprised the position as many as ten occasions! Knowing Belzer’s stand-up profession, this was most likely a type of a operating joke; nonetheless, Detective Munch turned so iconic, that his legacy will reside on, endlessly. To have fun Belzer’s profession as John Munch, it is good to revisit his appearances in character.
1 ‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ (1993-1999)
One of the primary Munch “sightings” was additionally David Simon‘s first massive break for TV – the present was based mostly on a ebook he wrote after spending a 12 months with Baltimore’s Homicide Unit. Homicide: Life on the Street is a legendary crime collection in TV historical past, and a non secular (and literal in some methods) predecessor to The Wire. Although The Wire is extra iconic, Homicide began all of it.
Belzer performed John Munch in all 122 episodes of Homicide, which is greater than many of the forged. Beside him, solely a choose few shares this fascinating title – Yaphet Kotto, Clark Johnson, and Kyle Secor. The present was additionally a giant break for Andre Braugher, Giancarlo Esposito and Melissa Leo, who’re lively in varied roles at present.
2 ‘Homicide: The Movie’ (2000)
The collection was sadly canceled after six seasons, however its runtime was made full with the filming of Homicide: The Movie. In the TV characteristic, the unique forged returns to unravel the ultimate homicide thriller. After the present had ended, it felt like an finish of an period, so for followers to see many of the forged from the primary to remaining episodes return was a giant deal.
Again, Belzer appeared as Munch right here, though this is not so outlandish – he had spent six years enjoying the character. What made Belzer’s efficiency as Munch so memorable right here was the very fact he included his wit into the character; he was most likely the one one on the squad not taking himself too severely, however nonetheless doing his job proper.
3 ‘Law & Order: SVU’ (1999-2016)
Although Homicide was over, it wasn’t the time for Detective Munch to hold up his badge and gun. By the time the present ended, Munch turned iconic, which led to Belzer turning into a everlasting forged member of the longest operating crime present on TV – Law & Order: SVU.
Younger audiences might know Belzer as Munch from SVU much more than Munch from Homicide. Alongside Mariska Hargitay, Ice-T and Christopher Meloni, Belzer held tenure as one of many main actors for 326 episodes throughout 17 years. There’s even a scene by which Munch solutions the telephone with the road “Homicide… I imply SVU.”
4 ‘Law & Order’ (1996-2000)
Law & Order and SVU are two separate exhibits, however they typically share the identical forged. Although Law & Order was the primary and unique collection that turned a smash hit, lots of the forged made their strategy to SVU and even the 14-episode ordeal that was Trial by Jury. Of course, Belzer appeared as John Munch right here, too.
Although he was an everyday on SVU, he was launched to the universe in Law & Order in 1996. He’d typically seek advice from Baltimore and his Homicide run, since he was nonetheless part of the present there. He appeared in 4 episodes between 1996 and 2000, simply when Homicide ended, and he prolonged his tv run on SVU.
5 ‘The X-Files’ (1997)
This is the place issues turn into fascinating. The look of John Munch in The X-Files was solely an episode lengthy, but it surely principally confirmed that this present is in the identical universe as Homicide and Law & Order. These types of cameos are all the craze amongst followers, and Belzer actually did not disappoint right here.
In season 5, episode 3, “Unusual Suspects,” Munch seems to assist on a case. The episode explains the historical past of The Lone Gunmen and an look by X himself. This beloved present was made all the higher with witty Munch making a visitor look. This might be one of many present’s funniest episodes, if not merely enjoyable.
6 ‘The Wire’ (2008)
This is one other nice look by Richard Belzer that turned out to solely be a cameo, and it is in season 5, episode 7, “Took.” Fans of Homicide doubtless bear in mind the primary time they noticed Munch in that bar in The Wire; curiously, he ran a bar with a colleague Meldrick Lewis (Clark Johnson) in Homicide, and Johnson makes a visitor look right here, too.
Johnson performs a totally completely different character, although, however he passes Munch by, saying “I used to personal a bar.” This cameo was doubtless simply an homage to the character of Munch relatively than the present Homicide, but it surely was an important contact contemplating individuals typically speculated that each one of Simon’s exhibits have been in the identical universe. They’re undoubtedly in the identical metropolis.
7 ‘The Beat’ (2000)
The Beat was an NYC-based police collection that starred a really younger Mark Ruffalo. Although the present did not survive for longer than 13 episodes – it was simply one other within the sea of in style police exhibits – it wasn’t all that unhealthy of a watch.
The producers and writers of The Beat determined this NYC-based present wanted a well-known face to enhance its rankings, and so in episode 2, “They Say It’s Your Birthday,” John Munch appeared. It appears that by this time, Belzer was having fun with his time as this beloved character greater than ever, and his humorousness about it was all the time fairly nice.
8 ‘Arrested Development’ (2006)
Another fascinating and barely odd look by Detective Munch simply so occurred to be within the now cult basic present Arrested Development. This collection crossover was as humorous as one may think. Belzer first solely appeared as himself in season 3, episode 9, “S.O.B.s” however later went on to seem in season 3, episode 12, “Exit Strategy” as John Munch.
Tobias (David Cross) attends an uncommon scrapbooking class held in a reserving room (cleverly changed into a “scrap” reserving room) by none aside from Detective John Munch. His title within the class is simply Prof. Munch, because the tag on his podium says, however he teaches the attendees easy methods to scrap and make federal paperwork collages.
9 ’30 Rock’ (2011-2013)
30 Rock is one other legendary sitcom that ran for 138 episodes, between 2006 and 2013. Most of the episodes have some unbelievable cameos, from Julianne Moore and Oprah Winfrey to Carrie Fisher and Brian Cranston. Although they’re all fairly legendary, although, nothing’s like Richard Belzer reprising his position as John Munch but once more.
This time, he seems collectively together with his co-star Ice-T, and so they play detectives enjoying detectives in an NBC present. This is in season 5, episode 13, “¡Qué Sorpresa!”and their look is brief however fairly impactful. It’s additionally the primary time Belzer stepped out as Munch along with one other SVU co-star. Belzer’s comedic apperances as Munch did not finish right here; he even appeared on Sesame Street.
10 ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ (2015)
Lastly, Munch seems in season 1, episode 4 “Kimmy Goes to the Doctor!” of the hit collection Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt however Belzer is not credited. Actually, this scene is simply a short cameo by Munch whereas Kimmy (Ellie Kemper) is watching TV. She finds a working TV within the trash in entrance of Titus’s (Tituss Burgess) house and begins watching TV to compensate for fashionable packages.
At one second, Kimmy places on Law & Order (or as she calls it “Law Squiggle Order”) and a faux scene of John Munch and Coriolanus Burt (James Monroe Iglehart) comes on. Titus asks Kimmy to show off the TV as Coriolanus is his nemesis. Belzer was uncredited, however Kimmy mentions him being a pleasant man. This wasn’t any effort on Belzer’s half, however he exists as himself in Kimmy’s universe.