L & o

[Jolie Rouge]

'Law & Order: SVU': Munch is retiring
Oct. 10, 2013, 11:49 AM EST ~ Entertainment Tonight.

After 15 years on "Law & Order: SVU" and six years on "Homicide: Life on the Street," Richard Belzer will be retiring his now-iconic character, John Munch, on next Wednesday's episode of "SVU."

The news was a bit of a shock to fans, and Olivia Benson, as Captain Cragen revealed Munch put in his retirement papers after being unable to shake a particularly grisly case.

Belzer has played John Munch on a variety of television shows for the last 20 years. In addition to "Homicide" and "SVU," the character has appeared on "Arrested Development," "The X-Files," "The Wire," "30 Rock," "Mad About You" and more. Along the way, Belzer made TV history as the only actor to play the same character on ten different television shows.

Richard Belzer's final episode of "Law & Order: SVU" airs Wednesday at 9 p.m. on NBC.

[Jolie Rouge]

Munch hands in his badge: Richard Belzer shocks viewers by retiring from Law & Order: SVU after 15 seasons
PUBLISHED: 11:49 EST, 10 October 2013

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/10/article-2452574-18A83B5600000578-48_634x504.jpg

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is saying goodbye to its longest serving cop.

Sgt. John Munch, played for 15 seasons by Richard Belzer, shocked Mariska Hargitay's Olivia Benson and the rest of the unit by announcing his retirement at the end of Wednesday night's episode on NBC.

Belzer has played Munch in nine series on five networks since the character's debut on NBC's Homicide: Life on the Street in 1993.

Belzer, 69, is now in his 21st season as the veteran cop and has played a part in Dick Wolf's SVU franchise in more than 320 episodes.

But the character has also made guest appearances in a variety of shows including The X Files.

Belzer, who is an author and comedian, is not giving up on the role entirely.

'I'd be a fool to say I didn't want to do it anymore and I'm certainly not bored with the character because the writing is so good,' Belzer told The Huffington Post in May.


He added, Munch is 'very close to how I would be if I were in that situation, so it's a dream.'

A source confirmed to Huffington that Belzer is expected to make recurring appearances on the NBC drama.

Law & Order:SVU and viewers can say goodbye to Munch in the October 16 episode when the unit throws a retirement party for the cop.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2452574/Richard-Belzer-shocks-viewers-retiring-Law-Order-SVU-15-seasons.html#ixzz2hMPk3BaN
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[sunflowers]

Love this show ..I have watched every season, every episode...