Richard Belzer’s Heartwarming Final Years: Finding Comfort in an Old House, Caring for His Wife, and the Unbreakable Bond with His ‘Fur Children

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Richard Belzer was well-known in the entertainment industry as a comedian and actor, best known for his roles on “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” and “Homicide: Life on the Street,” before passing away unexpectedly at the age of 78 in February 2023.
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Before he passed away, Belzer was already juggling a number of difficulties. His close friend Bill Scheft reported that he said a string of amusing obscenities before dying. Belzer passed away in his Bozouls, France, residence.

The actor was honored by the mayor of their small town, Jean-Luc Calmelly, who described him as well-known among residents not only for his fame but also for his friendliness and charitable nature.

Belzer said his final goodbyes to Detective John Munch on “SVU” years before he passed away. Executive producer of the program Warren Leight admitted that he found Belzer’s departure to be difficult. “,” he said.

“In the real world, which we work very hard to simulate, NYPD has mandatory retirement before your 63rd birthday, and we were trying to figure out how to deal with it. You can’t have 65-year-old men chasing after men, so the NYPD does it. “.

Belzer’s character, despite having to leave the police force, started working as an investigator for the district attorney’s office. In another area, the actor’s 21-year tenure as Munch was incomplete.

Likewise, “Homicide: Life in the Street” executive producer Barry Levinson praised Belzer for the role. He particularly liked Belzer’s cadence when speaking.

Belzer, who was born on August 4, 1944, in Connecticut, has been living with his wife, Harlee McBride, in the picturesque countryside of France for the past few years.

1993’s “Homicide: Life in the Street” marked Munch’s television debut.
After seven years in the role, Belzer and his wife toasted the end of the program with champagne.
They had no idea how long his character would last.

The famous character made his television debut in the first season of “Law & Order.”. Several episodes of “Law & Order: Trial by Jury,” “Arrested Development,” “The X-Files,” “The Beat,” “The Wire,” “30 Rock,” and “Sesame Street” all featured Belzer. “.

Belzer, fortunately, grew to love his on-screen persona. “I see a lot of myself in him. It’s very pleasant and luxurious to have a character like you, Bezler said. In 2016, “Law & Order: SVU” aired his final episode.

When Richard Belzer passed away, the official “Law & Order” Twitter account posted a tribute to him that both lamented and cherished his memory. The post said:.

“Anyone who enjoyed seeing Richard Belzer portray Det. John Munch will never forget the extent to which he assimilated that cherished figure and gave it his own personality. “.

Belzer, who was born on August 4, 1944, in Connecticut, has been residing with his wife, Harlee McBride, in the picturesque countryside of France for the past few years.

Beltzer and his wife moved to France in 1985 after professional wrestler Hulk Hogan choked him during a talk show. Even though the sequence was just a stunt, Beltzer passed out and ended up in laughter.

On November 20, 1948, McBride was born. She is also an actress and a producer. She has a number of acting credits, like her husband. In 22 episodes of “Homicide: Life on the Street,” McBride co-starred on screen with her husband in the 1990s. She played Dr. Alyssa Dyer.
“.

Additionally, she acted in the television shows “Days of Our Lives,” “Most Wanted,” “The Rockford Files,” “Young Lady Chatterley,” “Young Lady Chatterley II,” “Raid on Entebbe,” and others. “.

Despite being previously married twice, Beltzer wed McBride in 1985. Between 1996 and 1972, Beltzer was wed to Gail Susan Ross. He wed Dalia Gnoch in 1976 and later divorced her in 1978 after they got divorced. Previously, McBride was wed to actor Garth Benton.

Despite the fact that Beltzer never had biological children of his own, he served as a father figure to Jessica Erin Benton and Shannon Bree Benton, McBride’s children.

Beltzer and his wife moved to France in 1985 after professional wrestler Hulk Hogan choked him during a talk show. Although the sequence was only meant to be a stunt, Beltzer passed out and ended up in laughter.

“I was in danger of being killed by him. If I had fallen a few inches in either direction, a sports medicine expert warned me, I might have been permanently disabled or even lost my life, Belzer said. He eventually filed a lawsuit against the WWF superstar and was awarded money, which was sent to their French home.

The estate of Belzer and McBride was close to Bozouls, a small town with roughly 3,000 inhabitants in 2013. They made the house their permanent home and applied for a residency permit in 2021.

Belzer tried to promote community among his neighbors despite the language barrier and would frequently engage in local conversation. They were well-integrated community members, according to those who knew him and his wife.

He and McBride spend a lot of time with their four beautiful dogs, who to them are like children. His posts show that the couple’s pets frequently join in on their activities.

The stunning country home of the couple is encircled by lush vegetation and is located on a plot of land in the center of the Roquefort cheese region.
The settlement’s Sainte Fauste Church, built in the twelfth century, was nearby.

Belzer has provided followers with numerous glimpses of his property, awe-inspiring them with its serene beauty.
His home photos also featured the lovely church in the background.

Belzer’s home is surrounded by a number of trees, vines, and vibrant flowers, including roses.
Because she likes to take care of her plants, his wife particularly appreciates the outdoors.
McBride tends to her gardens despite the cold, Belzer noted in one of his tweets.
A picture of his wife in action was included in his tweet.

For chilly days and nights, the couple also keeps a sizable pile of wood chunks.
The actor previously shared a picture of their well-kept stock with the caption, “Harlee’s wood pile…
I helped (a little)!”.

The company is what makes Belzer happy, aside from the house.
He and McBride spend a lot of time with their four beautiful dogs, who to them are like children.
His posts show how frequently the couple’s pets are included in their activities.

One of their favorite pastimes is to relax in their plunge pool while sipping a cold glass of wine. Belzer described the situation as a “pool party,” with the adorable dogs gathered around them. “.

A poodle-fox terrier mix named Bebe, one of his pets, went to red-carpet events with him. In 2007, he went to see “Look” with his furry father.

McBride is in charge of the cooking when it comes to culinary responsibilities. One of Belzer’s kitchen photographs of his wife was captioned, “The master at work.”.

A lovely dinner table with extra plates for guests shows that the couple also hosts dinners in their home. Belzer and McBride value every moment they spend together, no matter what they are doing.

Belzer had four dogs, which he loved like children despite the fact that he never had any of his own. A poodle-fox terrier mix named Bebe, one of his pets, accompanied him to red-carpet occasions. He and his fur dad watched “Look” together in 2007.

However, during the event, the manager told the actor that Bebe was not allowed to enter the space. Bebe was always with Belzer and was entirely harmless, but he was still not allowed and had to ride in the car with Belzer’s driver.

Bebe was well known to the cast and crew of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” because she frequently attended filmings.

Belzer said, “He has complete freedom on the set.
All of these big macho guys melt around him.
“We’ll all be working hard when he walks by, and everyone will say, “Aw, Bebe!”. 120 people working on the set can be affected by his mood. “.

Belzer also credits Bebe for helping him live a long life. Although he acknowledged having a temper, his emotions were under control because his dog noticed it and helped him to calm down. Bebe has made him less likely to blow out than he once was.

Jessica and Bree, his stepdaughters, and Belzer appeared to get along well. The girls were in France to say goodbye to the actor in his final days.


When Belzer took Bebe in, he was a neglected and abused puppy. Their shared experiences helped them bond, but beyond their well-known story, Belzer was captivated by Bebe’s charm and intellect.

In addition to Bebe, Tulip, Django, and Lacey, the three other canine offspring of Belzer and McBride, are all much larger than Bebe.

Belzer was a proponent of animal rights who gave money to several charities, most notably the North Shore Animal League. He urged people to adopt dogs and donate to the no-kill rescue organization. Belzer supported organizations that were concerned about violence and gun control.

With the exception of his puppies, Belzer seemed to get along well with his stepdaughters, Jessica and Bree. To bid the actor their last farewells, the girls traveled to France.

Belzer was raised in an unusual family. His childhood with an abusive mother who physically abused him and his brother contributed to his interest in comedy. Belzer claims that his mother was constantly justified in hitting them, but she would be content if he made her laugh.

His jokes made many people laugh, but they frequently got him in trouble at school. In Massachusetts’ Dean Junior College, he was expelled for organizing protests in the neighborhood.

Many books were written by Belzer, such as “How to Be a Stand-Up Comic,” “UFOs, JFK, and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don’t Have to Be Crazy to Believe,” and “I Am Nat a Cop! : A Novel.”. “.

After completing his education, Belzer worked a variety of jobs before landing a position as a journalist for The Bridgeport Post. He decided to try his hand at humor after a string of misfortunes.

Three years after his mother’s cancer diagnosis, his father, Charles, made an attempt on his life. Charles was successful a year after Belzer was, despite Belzer’s success in saving him. Sadly, following the passing of his wife in 2014, Belzer’s brother experienced the same fate.

With a comedy group from Channel One’s East Village, Belzer got his start in the business. In the end, Belzer received parts in a parody police drama. Soon after, he started performing stand-up comedy in New York clubs like the Improv, Pips, and Catch a Rising Star.

He shared the stage with John Belushi, Bill Murray, and Gilda Radner on the “National Lampoon Radio Hour.”. When “Saturday Night Live” first aired, he was asked to perform as the opening comedian.

“They asked me to do some warm-up exercises and sketches. “I simply performed the same actions I did in clubs,” he said. I did my best to improvise and ad-lib. Additionally, it was incredible to perform it in a television studio as opposed to a club. “.

Belzer performed on other shows after “Saturday Night Live,” but his time as Munch changed the course of his life. He became a television mainstay and a worldwide celebrity thanks to Munch. The actor received additional opportunities as a result of the role.

In addition to books, Belzer also wrote and published “How to Be a Stand-Up Comic,” “UFOs, JFK, and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don’t Have to Be Crazy to Believe,” and “I Am Nat a Cop! : A Novel.”. He left a lasting legacy that lots of people will undoubtedly recall.

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