It was the kind of role that never topped a call sheet but always lifted a room. Grizz Chapman, the actor who spent seven seasons playing the affable, oversized “Grizz” on NBC's 30 Rock, died Friday. He was 52.
Chapman's character was one half of a deadpan double act alongside Kevin Brown's “Dot Com” — the two served as bodyguards and reluctant confidants to Tracy Morgan's chaotic Tracy Jordan. On a show built around big personalities and faster jokes, the pair landed their moments with an understatement that the writers clearly trusted. Fans remembered it.
30 Rock ran from 2006 to 2013, winning the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series four consecutive years from 2007 to 2010. Chapman was part of the ensemble for the full run. His profile outside the show included additional TV and film credits, though “Grizz” remained his most recognized work by a considerable distance.
No cause of death had been officially confirmed at the time of publication. Variety, which first reported the news, cited his passing on Friday without additional details. Tributes were circulating across social media by Friday evening, with viewers recalling specific scenes and writers from the show among those responding publicly.
Chapman was 52. No details on survivors or services had been released.