Richard Jay Belzer (born August 4, 1944) is an American stand up comedian, writer, and actor, perhaps best known for his work as Det. John Munch, on Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Biography

Early life and education

Belzer was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA to a Jewish family of Francis and Charles Belzer, a candy and tobacco retailer.Richard Belzer Biography (1944-) Belzer grew up with his parents and older brother Leonard. As a youth, Belzer worked as a paperboy and was "kicked out of every school he attended". Nonetheless, Belzer attended and graduated from Andrew Warde High School in the neighboring town of Fairfield, Connecticut. Both parents died while he was young: he was 18 when his mother died of cancer, and 22 when his father committed suicide.