Richard Belzer, the comedian and actor best known for playing the acerbic Detective John Munch across a number of NBC crime dramas, including “Law & Order: SVU,” over more than two decades, died Feb. 19, at his home in France.

Over the course of his career, Belzer portrayed a detective in 11 television series, including “The Wire” and “The X-Files.” He made crossover appearances in-character in the comedies “30 Rock,” “Arrested Development,” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” In a statement posted to the Twitter account for Wolf Entertainment, “Law & Order” producer Dick Wolf said Belzer’s Munch character was “one of television’s iconic characters.”

Long-time co-star Mariska Hargitay wrote on Instagram, “I will miss you, your unique light, and your singular take on this strange world. I feel blessed to have known you and adored you and work with you, side by side, for so many years.”                                                         Getty Images/Francois Durand