Beloved comedian and Law and Order: Special Victims Unit star Richard Belzer has reportedly died at the age of 78. His close friend Laraine Newman shared the news on social media on Sunday morning.

"I'm so sad to hear of Richard Belzer's passing. I loved this guy so much. He was one of my first friends when I got to New York to do SNL," Newman wrote of their decadeslong friendship since she first joined the cast of Saturday Night Live.

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She added, "One of the funniest people ever. A master at crowd work. RIP dearest."

Belzer grew up in Connecticut and pursued a career as a comedian in New York City. While never a main cast member, he made several guest appearances on SNL. He then broke into the movie business, appearing in the films Fame, Café Flesh, Night Shift, and Scarface.

The comedian and longtime actor is best known for his breakout role as NYPD Detective/Sergeant and DA Investigator John Munch, whom he has portrayed on the NBC police drama series Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

His Hollywood friends and colleagues shared their sadness about his loss on social media on Sunday.

"He was an original. One of the greats, babe. I loved the guy," comic Marc Maron wrote.

"Rest in Peace Belz. No better time than sitting in the back at Catch watching Richard wreck crowd after crowd…a master," wrote Jon Stewart, the former host of Comedy Central's The Daily Show.

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Belzer retired from acting at age 71 in 2016 and moved to the south of France. He is survived by his wife, Harlee, and two stepdaughters.