John Munch
This article possibly contains original research. (March 2020) |
John Munch | |
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Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit character | |
First appearance |
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Last appearance |
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Created by | Paul Attanasio |
Portrayed by |
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Other appearances | |
In-universe information | |
Nickname |
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Gender | Male |
Title |
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Occupation | |
Family |
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Spouse |
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Relatives |
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Religion | Judaism |
John Munch is a fictional character played by actor
Upon the cancellation of Homicide in 1999, Belzer was offered a regular role as Munch on the
The character of Munch has appeared in a total of ten series on five networks since the character's debut in 1993. Apart from Homicide and SVU, however, Belzer's performances as Munch were guest appearances or crossovers rather than regular or recurring appearances. With Munch's retirement in the character's 22nd season on television, he was a regular character on U.S. television longer than Marshal Matt Dillon (Gunsmoke) and Frasier Crane (Cheers and Frasier), both of whom were on television for 20 seasons; he is only behind Mariska Hargitay's character Olivia Benson and Ice-T's Fin Tutuola. Munch's return to help his friends in the SVU seventeenth-season episode "Fashionable Crimes" marks the 23rd season that the character has appeared on television in any capacity.
Character progression
Munch first appeared as a central character in the TV series Homicide: Life on the Street, as a homicide
Barry Levinson, co-creator and executive producer of Homicide, said Belzer was a "lousy actor" during his audition when he first read lines from the script for "Gone for Goode", the first episode in the series.[5] Levinson asked Belzer to take some time to reread and practice the material, then come back and read it again. During his second reading, Levinson said Belzer was "still terrible", but that the actor eventually found confidence in his performance.[6]
Munch appeared as a regular character in every season, and in almost every episode, of Homicide. After Homicide: Life on the Street concluded its seventh season in May 1999, the character transferred into the Law & Order universe as a regular character on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (both Homicide and the original Law & Order had crossed-over numerous times before, and Munch had featured centrally in each crossover). It is explained that Munch had retired from the Baltimore Police Department, taken his
Munch joined the BPD's homicide unit in 1983.[7] During the fourth-season premiere of Homicide: Life on the Street, he signs up to take a promotion exam in hopes of becoming a sergeant, but a "comedy of errors" prevents him from showing up for it. In the first episode of the ninth season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, it is revealed that he passed the NYPD sergeant's exam, having taken it on a bar bet, and earned his promotion.[8] He is temporarily promoted to commanding officer of the Special Victims Unit following Cragen's temporary reassignment, but is depicted as happily relinquishing control back to him, commenting upon Cragen's return, "This job sucks." He kept his rank, however, as he is still referred to as Sergeant in later episodes.[9] He is temporarily put in charge again when Cragen is suspended after the detectives mishandle a case.[10]
Munch makes a cameo appearance on a fifth-season episode of The Wire.[11] Munch can be seen at Kavanaugh's Bar arguing with the bartender over his tab by referencing his experience running a bar (he opened The Waterfront Bar in Homicide). He appears in "Unusual Suspects", the third episode of the fifth season of The X-Files—the episode is set in 1989, when Munch was still at the Baltimore Police Department.[12]
Character biography
Though his age is never directly stated on Homicide, a few clues are presented pointing to it. In the episode "
SVU and Homicide have Munch growing up in different places. In Homicide, he is a native of Maryland and attended high school in Pikesville, which has a large Jewish community. Munch said that he took many field trips to Fort McHenry as a child, which would likely only happen were he to live in the area.[14] In SVU, however, Munch tells Det. Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) that he grew up on the "Lower East Side".[15] Munch also tells Det. Fin Tutuola (Ice-T) that he "came back from Baltimore" after his fourth marriage broke up.[16] In Homicide, he says he attended Pikesville High School for four years.[1] His grandfather worked in the garment business. Munch worked with him in the early 1960s.[17]
Munch's childhood was not a happy one. He and his brothers Bernie and David were physically abused by their father, who had
During the late 1960s and the early 1970s, he was an occasional reporter and music reviewer for the
Munch's partner at the start of Homicide is Stanley Bolander (Ned Beatty), an experienced police detective with more than 20 years under his belt. The two are partners through the show's first three seasons until Bolander is first suspended and then retires. Despite the tremendous amount of grief the two give each other, Munch respects him and counts him as a dear friend.
In SVU, Munch is first partnered with
In Homicide, along with Tim Bayliss (Kyle Secor) and Meldrick Lewis (Clark Johnson), Munch is co-owner of "The Waterfront", a bar located across the street from their Baltimore police station. This is referenced in season 5 of The Wire, in episode 7, titled "Took". Munch is speaking to a bartender at Kavanaugh's as journalist Augustus Haynes (Clark Johnson) walks in. The camera pans by him as he says the lines, "Rodney, you can't press a regular for his whole tab. It just isn't done. I used to run a bar, I know how these things work, remember?"
Even during the
In SVU, Munch takes the Sergeant's exam on a bar bet, passes, and is promoted to that rank.
Munch later returns to SVU to bail Amaro out of jail after the latter beats up a
Munch returns for the final time to help SVU investigate a photographer who has raped several female models. After the case is closed, he babysits Benson's son, Noah. Before he leaves, Munch and Benson both remark that there are so many things in life that are more important than working at SVU.[31]
In a later episode, Fin relates that Munch has married for a fifth time, his new wife being a rabbi, and that he has moved back to Baltimore and resumed ownership of the Waterfront.[32]
In "Tunnel Blind", the premiere episode of the show's 25th season, it is revealed that Munch has passed away. After celebrating the christening of Rollins and Dominick Carisi, Jr.'s son, Fin, Carisi, and Benson make a toast to his memory.[33]
List of assignments
- Detective, Baltimore PD Homicide (1983–May 5, 1995)
- Senior Detective, Baltimore PD Homicide (October 20, 1995 – May 21, 1999)
- Senior Detective, NYPD 16th Precinct (Special Victims Unit) (September 20, 1999 – May 22, 2007)
- Sergeant–Detective Squad, NYPD 16th Precinct (Special Victims Unit) (September 25, 2007 – October 16, 2013)
- Special Investigator, New York County District Attorney's Office (October 16, 2013–Present)
Temporary assignments
- Acting Commanding Officer, NYPD 16th Precinct (Special Victims Unit) (September 25, 2007)
- Acting Commanding Officer, NYPD 16th Precinct (Special Victims Unit) (November 11, 2009)
- Sergeant–Detective Squad, NYPD Cold Case Squad (October 31, 2012 – February 13, 2013)
Ranks
- Officer
- Detective (Baltimore PD)
- Detective 1st Grade (NYPD)[34]
- Sergeant[8]
- District Attorney Special Investigator (New York County DA)[8]
Partners
Homicide: Life on the Street:
- Detective Stanley Bolander (Ned Beatty) (January 31, 1993 – May 5, 1995)
- Detective Megan Russert (Isabella Hofmann) (January 5, 1996 – May 17, 1996)
- Detective Mike Kellerman (Reed Diamond)
- Detective Tim Bayliss (Kyle Secor)
Law & Order: SVU:
- Detective 3rd Grade Ken Briscoe(Chris Orbach)
- Detective 3rd Grade Brian Cassidy (Dean Winters) (September 20, 1999 – February 4, 2000)
- Detective 3rd Grade Monique Jeffries (Michelle Hurd) (February 11, 2000 – October 20, 2000)
- Detective 2nd/1st Grade Odafin "Fin" Tutuola (Ice-T) (October 20, 2000 – May 22, 2007)
Awards and decorations
The following are the medals and service awards worn by NYPD Detective Munch, as seen in "Alternate".
American Flag Breast Bar | |
World Trade Center Breast Bar | |
NYPD Excellent Police Duty | |
NYPD Firearms Proficiency Bar |
Characteristics
Munch is
He has a younger brother named Bernie who owns a
Munch has been described as a stubborn man who distrusts all women, all forms of government and authority, and "can smell a conspiracy at a five-year-old's lemonade stand".
At the onset of Homicide, he had been divorced twice and was dating a woman named Felicia. By the seventh season, he had a total of three ex-wives until marrying Waterfront bartender Billie Lou Hatfield (Ellen McElduff).[37] Before leaving Baltimore, Munch had divorced Billie Lou after discovering she had been having an affair with a member of his own precinct after less than one day of marriage.[34] In the season 1 finale of SVU, a police psychiatrist notes that despite his cynicism regarding relationships, Munch still believes in true love and is devastated by the fact he has not yet found it.[36]
He once stated that he and his first wife Gwen had sex once after their divorce. Her first on-screen appearance is the Homicide episode "All Is Bright", in which she is played by Carol Kane. Gwen shows up at The Waterfront to inform Munch her mother has died. As the two catch up, he agrees to arrange for the funeral of Gwen's mother despite the fact his ex-mother-in-law loathed him and did everything in her power to disrupt her daughter's marriage to him. Near the end of the episode, Munch performs a touching toast to his former mother-in-law in one of the few times his cynical façade slips. Kane next returns as Gwen in "Zebras", the season 10 finale of SVU, and is portrayed as suffering from
While Munch could never be accused of being sentimental, his cynical façade has occasionally slipped, revealing a deep compassion for children born from his unhappy childhood. When Munch emerges unscathed from an ambush shooting during a third-season episode of Homicide that leaves three of his colleagues hospitalized, he tries to laugh it off but breaks down in tears.[39] In the second season of SVU, after solving a case dealing with an abusive mother who put her daughter in a coma, Munch tells Benson that when he was in high school, one of his neighbors killed her daughter and for years afterward he felt guilty for failing to recognize the girl needed help.[15]
Munch is a staunch believer in individual rights and occasionally finds that something he has to do in the line of duty goes against his sense of morality. A particularly disturbing experience for him was having to see patients on dialysis have their kidney transplants denied.[40]
In a third-season episode of Homicide, Munch is suspected by Detective Tim Bayliss of having murdered Gordon Pratt (Steve Buscemi), the suspect in the shooting of three homicide detectives, including Munch's partner Stanley Bolander. Munch had motive, opportunity, an unconfirmed alibi, and never actually denies killing Pratt, but Bayliss refuses to question Munch further or test his service weapon to determine if it has been fired recently. He closes the case, informing his shift commander there was insufficient evidence to charge anyone.[41]
Munch is fluent in
.Diminished role
A 2007 news item noted the character of Munch "has slowly disappeared from [SVU's] plotlines", and quotes Belzer as saying "[i]t's mystifying to me", admitting his feelings to be "slightly hurt".[44] Following season nine, in which Munch appeared in just over half of the episodes, Belzer reiterated his mystification at the development but also seemed to want to tone it down: "It's like yanking the tonsils out of the gift horse if I complain too much. I've been lucky over the years...c'est la vie, I'm not starving."[45]
Continuity
Although Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: SVU officially share the same continuity, they provide conflicting accounts of Munch's childhood and SVU rarely mentions Munch's past as a Baltimore homicide detective. Four regular actors from Homicide (Peter Gerety, Callie Thorne, Michael Michele, Andre Braugher) and two recurring ones (Clayton LeBouef, Željko Ivanek), whose characters regularly interacted with Munch on that series have appeared as different, unrelated characters on SVU, sometimes sharing scenes with Munch. In Braugher's first appearance on SVU as Attorney Bayard Ellis, there is an implicit nod towards the shared continuity between the shows when Munch greets Braugher's character as if he knows him. "There's a glimmer of [recognition]," as Braugher described the meeting.[46]
There were three specific examples of consistent continuity between the two shows, all related to Munch's personal life. One is Munch's amicable divorce from Gwen, who has appeared in episodes of both Homicide and SVU.
Credits
From 1993 to 1997, Belzer has been credited as portraying Detective John Munch in all 122 episodes of
Belzer continued to portray Munch on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit from 1999 to 2016, being credited in 325 episodes (appearing in 242 episodes).
Additionally, within the larger Law & Order universe, Belzer has been credited for appearing as Munch in five other episodes—four episodes in the original Law & Order series, appearances spanning from 1996 to 2000, and one episode of the short-lived spinoff series, Law & Order: Trial by Jury in 2005.
Season | Years | Episodes | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | ||
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1993 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2 |
1994 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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1994–95 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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1995–96 | × | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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1996–97 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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1997-98 | × | ||||||||||||||||||||||
7 |
1998–99 | × | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Homicide: The Movie |
2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Seasons | Years | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
Episodes |
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1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | ||
6 |
1996 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1997 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 |
1999 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 |
2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Seasons | Years | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
Episodes |
Season | Years | Episodes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | ||
1 |
1999–2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 |
2000–2001 | × | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 |
2001–2002 | × | × | |||||||||||||||||||||||
4 |
2002–2003 | × | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 |
2003–2004 | × | × | |||||||||||||||||||||||
6 |
2004–2005 | × | × | × | ||||||||||||||||||||||
7 |
2005–2006 | × | × | × | ||||||||||||||||||||||
8 |
2006–2007 | × | × | × | × | |||||||||||||||||||||
9 |
2007–2008 | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | ||||||||||||||||||
10 |
2008–2009 | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | ||||||||||||||||||
11 |
2009–2010 | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | ||||||||||||||
12 |
2010–2011 | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | ||||||||||
13 |
2011–2012 | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | |||||||||||||||
14 |
2012–2013 | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | |||||||||
15 |
2013–2014 | × | × | |||||||||||||||||||||||
17 |
2015–2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Seasons | Years | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
Episodes |
Season | Years | Episodes | ||||||||||||
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1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | ||
1 |
2005 | |||||||||||||
Seasons | Years | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
Episodes |
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Other appearances
The character has spanned over 20 years and 23 seasons of network television. Along with his main cast roles on Homicide and SVU, Munch, or Belzer portraying a parody of the role, has also appeared as a character in other TV series, movies, talk shows, albums and comic books:
- Homicide: Life on the Street—119 out of 122 episodes in the series
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit—242 out of 325 episodes in the series
- Homicide: The Movie—television movie
- Entitled (Part 2)"
- Exit Strategy"
- The X-Files—one episode: "Unusual Suspects"
- The Beat—one episode: "They Say It's Your Birthday"
- Law & Order: Trial by Jury—one episode: "Skeleton (Part 2)"
- The Wire—one episode: "Took"
- Next of Pin", Detective Munch shows up at the end of the episode to recruit Steve to join him as a detective after being impressed by Steve's detective work at the bowling alley.
- 30 Rock—two episodes: "¡Qué Sorpresa!", the characters are watching an SVU episode, with dialogue written and action shot specifically for 30 Rock. Richard Belzer also appears as the actor playing Munch in "Last Lunch", part one of 30 Rock's series finale, when Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski) lands a guest role on SVU as a corpse.
- Jimmy Kimmel Live!—one episode: October 7, 2009. Richard Belzer was interviewed as himself, then does an impromptu scene as Munch with Kimmel and Joel McHale.[48]
- Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt—one episode: "Kimmy Goes to the Doctor!", the characters are watching a fictional Law & Order spinoff episode on their television.[49]
- A Muppet version of Munch appeared in the Sesame Street sketch "Law & Order: Special Letters Unit" where he was portrayed by David Rudman.
- Munch makes a cameo appearance on the 1993 Paul Shaffer album The World's Most Dangerous Party.
- An artwork version of Munch appears in the 2016 comic book Spider-Man/Deadpool #6.[50]
- An unseen Munch is mentioned, by Detective Chief Inspector John Luther, as an NYPD SVU contact on episode 5 of the UK crime drama Luther. Notably, DCI Luther is played by Idris Elba, who played Stringer Bell in the HBO drama The Wire, where Munch previously cameoed.
- The 1996 film A Very Brady Sequel
Munch has become the only fictional character, played by a single actor, to physically appear on 10 different television series. These shows were on five different networks:
See also
- Fictional crossover
- Tommy Westphall
References
- ^ Kaddish". Homicide: Life on the Street. Season 5. Episode 17. February 21, 1997. NBC.
- ^ J Bobby. "The HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET Glossary".
- Baltimore Sun Media Group. Archived from the originalon December 13, 2013.
- ISBN 0-395-48829-X.
- A.H. Belo Corporation. p. 1E.
- A&E Home Video.
- ^ Gone for Goode". Homicide: Life on the Street. Season 1. Episode 1. January 31, 1993. NBC.
- ^ Alternate". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 9. Episode 1. September 25, 2007. NBC.
- Savant". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 9. Episode 7. October 16, 2007. NBC.
- Turmoil". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 11. Episode 8. November 11, 2009. NBC.
- Took". The Wire. Season 5. Episode 7. February 17, 2008. HBO.
- ^ a b "Unusual Suspects". The X-Files. Season 5. Episode 3. November 16, 1997. NBC.
- ^ In 1958, Maryland required students complete 12th grade to receive a diploma.
- A Many Splendored Thing". Homicide: Life on the Street. Season 2. Episode 4. January 27, 1994. NBC.
- ^ Legacy". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 2. Episode 4. November 10, 2000. NBC.
- Manhunt". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 2. Episode 18. April 20, 2001. NBC.
- Entitled". Law & Order. Season 10. Episode 14. February 16, 2000. NBC.
- Painless". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 5. Episode 22. April 27, 2004. NBC.
- Uncle". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 8. Episode 4. October 10, 2006. NBC.
- Twenty-Five Acts". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 14. Episode 3. October 10, 2012. NBC.
- Sideshow". Law & Order. Season 9. Episode 14. February 17, 1999. NBC.
- Disrobed". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 1. Episode 13. February 4, 2000. NBC.
- Limitations". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 1. Episode 14. February 11, 2000. NBC.
- Honor". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 2. Episode 2. October 27, 2000. NBC.
- . Season 7. Episode 6. November 1, 2005. NBC.
- Sacrifice". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 3. Episode 7. November 9, 2001. NBC.
- Trials". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 10. Episode 1. September 23, 2008. NBC.
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 15. Episode 4. October 9, 2013. NBC.
- ^ Wonderland Story". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 15. Episode 5. October 16, 2013. NBC.
- Spring Awakening". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 15. Episode 24. May 21, 2014. NBC.
- Fashionable Crimes". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 17. Episode 20. May 4, 2016. NBC.
- ^ Hurley, Laura (February 17, 2023). "Law And Order: SVU's Big Fin Episode Came With An Update On Munch, And Now I Miss The Old Days". CIN EMABLEND. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
- Tunnel Blind". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 25. Episode 1. January 18, 2024. NBC.
- ^ Payback". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 1. Episode 1. October 18, 1999. NBC.
- Stalked". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 1. Episode 8. November 22, 1999. NBC.
- ^ Slaves". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 1. Episode 22. May 19, 2000. NBC.
- Forgive Us Our Trespasses". Homicide: Life on the Street. Season 7. Episode 22. May 21, 1999. NBC.
- For God and Country". Homicide: Life on the Street. Season 4. Episode 12. February 9, 1996. NBC.
- The City That Bleeds". Homicide: Life on the Street. Season 3. Episode 12. January 27, 1995. NBC.
- . Season 6. Episode 22. May 17, 2006. NBC.
- Law and Disorder". Homicide: Life on the Street. Season 3. Episode 15. February 24, 1995. NBC.
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 12. Episode 15. February 2, 2011. NBC.
- Russian Love Poem". Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Season 1. Episode 12. January 21, 2000. NBC.
- ^ "Belzer Wants More Episodes". Contact Music. December 11, 2007. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
- ISBN 978-1933771885.
- ^ Stanhope, Kate (November 1, 2011). "Andre Braugher on SVU: "He May Be the Enemy, But He's Not a Villain". TV Guide. New York City: NTVB Publishing. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
- Zap2It. Archived from the originalon October 10, 2013. Retrieved October 11, 2013.
- ^ "Jimmy Kimmel Live, Season 7, 130 : Joel McHale, Richard Belzer, KISS". WJLA-TV. Internet Archive. 8 October 2009. Retrieved 2017-04-19.
- Radio.com. Archived from the originalon April 28, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
There was a Law & Order star, Richard Belzer, in a fake spin-off.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
External links
- Detective John Munch at the Internet Movie Database.