Grizz Chapman
Chapman at the 2009 SAG Awards
Born
Mack D. Chapman

(1974-04-16)April 16, 1974
New York City, U.S.
Died May 22, 2026(2026-05-22) (aged 52)
Occupation Actor
Years active 2006–2021
Height 6 ft 11 in (211 cm)[1]
Spouse
Diana Chapman
​
(m. 2002)​
Children 2

Grizzwald "Grizz" Chapman (born Mack D. Chapman; April 16, 1974 – May 22, 2026) was an American television actor best known for his recurring role as Grizz on the NBC series 30 Rock.

Life and career

Chapman was born Mack D. Chapman in Brooklyn on April 16, 1974.[2][3] In his commentary for the episode "Tracy Does Conan", Tracy Morgan revealed that they met when Chapman was working as a bouncer at a strip club.[citation needed] Chapman and fellow 30 Rock actor Kevin Brown were featured in season six on an episode of Hidden Potential, a home remodelling show on HGTV.[4][failed verification]

Chapman received a kidney transplant in July 2010. He had severe hypertension and had been undergoing dialysis treatments before the transplant.[5] Due to his battle with his kidney disease, on March 31, 2010, Chapman signed on to be a spokesperson for the National Kidney Foundation.[6] He appeared on The Dr. Oz Show in December 2009 to raise awareness about hypertension and kidney disease.[7]

He created his own series of YouTube videos known as Grizz Chroniclez featuring him in variety sketches. In 2012, he was in production with writers Sam Morgan and Chadwick Prima for his own series called The Lair, based on the comic store Chapman owned in the Bronx.[8][9][10]

Chapman lived in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Woodbridge, Virginia. On December 2, 2024, his home was destroyed when a crash sent a tractor-trailer slamming into it. Chapman was not home but many of his belongings were damaged.[11]

Chapman died on May 22, 2026, at the age of 52.[12][3][13]

References

  1. ^ "'30 Rock' actor in need of kidney transplant - CNN.com". cnn.com. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  2. ^ Ortiz, Aimee (May 23, 2026). "Grizz Chapman, Actor on '30 Rock,' Dies at 52". The New York Times. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
  3. ^ a b Garner, Glenn (May 22, 2026). "Grizz Chapman Dies:'30 Rock' actor was 52". Deadline. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  4. ^ "Episode Synopsis". hgtv.com. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved July 29, 2008.
  5. ^ "30 Rock Actor Grizz Chapman Gets A New Kidney, Speaks Up For Organ Donation". Huffingtonpost.com. August 4, 2010.
  6. ^ "30 Rock Star Sounds Alarm for Silent Disease, Signs on as Spokesperson for National Kidney Foundation". Kidney.org.
  7. ^ "'30 Rock' actor Grizzwald (Grizz) Chapman reveals severe kidney condition on 'Dr. Oz Show'". New York Daily News. December 13, 2009. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  8. ^ The Night Before Grizzmas. YouTube. December 24, 2012. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021.
  9. ^ "NYCC - 30 Rock's Grizz Chapman On His Career & His Boo Liz Lemon". Spinoff Online.
  10. ^ Burlingame, Russ (September 6, 2017). "30 Rock's Grizz Chapman Braces for the End, Prepares for His Next Step". Comicbook.com. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  11. ^ Albert, Jessica (December 3, 2024). "'30 Rock' actor's home destroyed in Woodbridge tractor-trailer crash". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  12. ^ "Grizz Chapman, '30 Rock' Fan Favorite, Dead at 52". TMZ. May 22, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
  13. ^ "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved May 24, 2026.