Grizz Chapman has died. Although his career encompassed stints as a bouncer, a music manager, a comic shop owner, and more, Chapman was best known as an actor, jumping to prominence thanks to a single role he lent his own name to: Warren “Grizz” Grizzworld, the gentle giant/entourage member he played across seven seasons of NBC’s 30 Rock. Although he struggled to break out into roles in other projects—including small stints in films like The Cobbler and Jodie Foster’s Money Monster—Chapman was a key part of one of the 21st century’s great TV comedies, one that relied on his comic timing as much as the notable profile he cut. Per Variety, Chapman’s death was confirmed on social media today by Kevin Brown, his frequent scene partner on the series. Chapman was 52.
Chapman was reportedly born in New York; Tracy Morgan revealed, on a commentary for an early episode of 30 Rock, that he first met him while the 6’11” Chapman was working as a bouncer at a strip club. After being cast on 30 Rock, Chapman worked with Brown to refine the Grizz and Dot Com characters, helping to transform them from interchangeable members of fictitious comedian Tracy Jordan’s entourage into key parts of the show’s comedy ensemble. Chapman ultimately appeared in more than half of the episodes of 30 Rock‘s run, despite suffering serious health problems over the course of the series, which ultimately necessitated a kidney transplant in 2010. His performance on the series developed from a fairly stock premise—big, tough guy who’s actually both sensitive and smart—and then built from there, becoming part of the show’s convoluted comic lore.
After 30 Rock ended in 2013, Chapman struggled to make further headway in the world of comedy. He filmed a few comedy shorts (posted on YouTube as “The Grizz Chronicles”) and attempted to develop a TV show based on the Bronx comic book shop he co-owned, The Lair. But despite a few high-profile acting roles, nothing seemed to take, and roles like “Bouncer” (in an episode of The Good Fight) were still showing up on his IMDB page as recently as 2018.
One of Chapman’s family members wrote on social media that he died on May 22 “after years of fighting illness and dialysis.” Variety reports that he is survived by his wife and two children.
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