The show announced Belzer’s departure in typical bombshell fashion — by writing the news into the script. Season 13 returned later in 2011, but Stabler did not. Unafraid to bring a bit of theatrics to the court room, ADA Barba sometimes acted impulsively when it came to what he felt he knew was right. Why The Actor Left: Another case of no specific cause of departure, Diane Neal was announced to be leaving the series near Season 9’s end. Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch. 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How Their Character Left: Tried for murder in the Season 9 finale, Lake went free after his actions were ruled as self-defense. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit fans were thrown for a loop on the Wednesday, Oct. 9 episode of NBC's hit, but it wasn't … Richard Belzer. Fiercely loyal and a bit of a troubled soul, Christopher Meloni’s Detective Elliot Stabler was a mix of a loose cannon and a damned good cop. The only member of the Law and Order: SVU team who could be classified as an interdimensional franchise star, DA Investigator John Munch saw actor Richard Belzer play the role for over 20 years of his life. His mother (Frances) died of breast cancer when Richard was 18. Though in her reasoning, she did speculate that a long break might let her return, and as you see with her recurring history with the series, it certainly did. In the season 12 finale called “Smoked,” a girl named Jenna (Hayley McFarland) decided to avenge her mother’s murder. He's been playing the character of John Munch for more than 20 years. How Their Character Left: The revelation of Detective Jeffries’ sleeping with a previous case’s suspect forced her out of active duty, and into a desk job. The decision to write her character off was mutual, as McManus even said that the role was just as challenging for her to play as it was to integrate her into the series. Richard Belzer is leaving "Law & Order: SVU." Belzer is the second major cast member to leave the series in the last two years (the first being Christopher Meloni who played Benson's long-time partner, Det. Cragen retired, due to hitting the mandatory age cap to do so, and groomed Mariska Hartigay’s Olivia Benson to take the Sergeant’s Exam and fill the role herself. He's been playing the character of John Munch for more than 20 years. So here's a look at some of … Belzer's character turned in his retirement papers at the end of the Wed., Oct. Which only led to be arrested again for murdering a suspect he believed to be guilty, but was released by a jury deadlock. ... 11 and 13 before leaving for a new job at the prosecutor's office of the International Criminal Court. How Their Character Left: Just as quickly as ADA Kim Greylek transferred to Law and Order: SVU, she was called back to Washington D.C. to rejoin the ranks of the Justice Department. Law & Order: SVU veteran Richard Belzer is leaving the show after 15 seasons, TVGuide.com has confirmed.. The story behind the “Law and Order: SVU” Richard Belzer's older brother’s death is saddening and incredibly heartbreaking. Seasons Served: Seasons 2 & 3 (Recurring), Seasons 4 – 12 (Regular), Seasons 13-15 & 17 (Guest). For a number of reasons, we’ve seen characters come and go from the Law and Order: SVU stable, and we’re about to uncover the details of why they left. Who is the Pennsylvania man who shot and killed his neighbors over shoveling snow? After playing Munch for the past 21 years on 10 different shows, Richard Belzer wrote a farewell letter for HuffPost, thanking the cast for a memorable 500-plus hours on television. He might have been a bit irritable, but he knew when to put it aside in the name of the job. Belzer, far right, with Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni. Captain Don Cragen was SVU’s longest serving captain, and in his long career, he successfully managed a team of police officers doing a dark and often dangerous job.But despite his many years of successful service, Captain Cragen’s time at the precinct came to an end in Episode 21 … In Wednesdays' episode, Munch filed his retirement papers, marking the end of Belzer's 15-year run as a full-time cast member. The beginning of a history of “mutual and amicable” departures, Adam Beach was written off the show in Season 9. Through his time on Law and Order: SVU, that attitude showed itself more than a couple times, and it actually put Detective Amaro in the path of danger just as often. In 2014, at about 6:55 am, a man fell from the roof of a 16-floor apartment building on the Upper East Side of New York City; his name was Leonard Blazer, the older brother of actor Richard Belzer. Belzer returned in season 17. "Munch put in his papers," Capt. A lot of actors have come and gone from the soon to be longest running drama on network TV, and these are their stories. Why The Actor Left: Dann Florek was written out of Law and Order: SVU after Season 15, more than likely due to his character being in a similar age bracket as Richard Belzer’s John Munch. Between that and the harsh reality that he’d never be promoted to Sergeant due to his checkered service record, Amaro retired from the NYPD, and moved to Los Angeles, to reconcile with his ex-wife, as well as take care of his two sons. Stabler’s last moments were dramatic, to say the least. What did you think of Munch’s big send-off? Detective Chester Lake came from a family of working class Native Americans, which probably forged his strong work ethic. An FBI agent who would go on to serve as Law and Order: SVU’s in-house forensic psychiatrist, Special Agent George Huang, played by BD Wong, was a meticulous, yet empathetic, mind that looked to protect the victims and get to the truth. That fall, Ice-T’s character, Fin, suggested Stabler … Why The Actor Left: The showrunner during this era, Neal Baer, felt that including Detective Chester Lake took away from the core cast that made Law and Order: SVU the hit that it was. Where are these former Trump officials now? and Chicago Medical. Next week's episode features a retirement party for the Sergeant and an opportunity to keep him on as a regular, even into his golden years. Drop a comment with your favorite Richard Belzer memories. She returned to the New York justice system, only to take a leave of absence to join the International Criminal Court. Richard Jay Belzer (born August 4, 1944) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, and author. Her final reason for departure saw a now-retired Alexandra helping battered women “disappear” from their abusive homes. In the end, Hurd made the decision to leave the show, as she felt the powers that be didn’t have much faith in her. Why The Actor Left: Christopher Meloni left Law and Order: SVU after failing to renegotiate his contract with NBCUniversal on the terms he saw as fitting. After Christopher Meloni exited in season 12, fellow originals Richard Belzer … The Russo Brothers Offer Update on Disney’s Live-Action Hercules Movie, Jurassic World: Dominion’s Sam Neill Teases Upcoming Story With Laura Dern, Why The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons Nearly Missed Out On Playing Sheldon Cooper, A New Harry Potter Exhibit Is Touring The Muggle World, And It Sounds Awesome, Minari Interviews with Steven Yeun, Yeri Han And More, 'WandaVision' Interviews with Kat Dennings and Randall Park, 'One Night In Miami' Interviews With Regina King, Leslie Odom Jr. And More, After Keanu Reeves As Kraven The Hunter Rumors, Some People Would Be More Excited About The Boys' Karl Urban, Leslie Odom Jr. Also versed in Large Scale Aggressors, time travel, and Guillermo del Toro. Actors like Stephanie March, BD Wong, and Richard Belzer have all returned to the series in guest appearances after leaving the show as a series regular. On last night's episode Detective John Munch, his character, announced his retirement. In that series’ cast, the dedicated actors who played the members of this elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit have been known to leave the show from time to time. In the NYPD, there is a mandatory retirement before one’s 63 rd birthday. Seasons Served: Seasons 2-5, 11 (Regular), Seasons 10 & 13 (Recurring), Seasons 6 & 19 (Guest). 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Entering its landmark 21st season of crime-stopping, Law and Order: SVU is only going to keep introducing new cast members, and taking some out of the lineup to promote new and exciting paths for the series’ future.