Anthony Chisholm has died at 77-years-old. The Katz Company, who managed the Tony nominated actor announced his passing in a post on social media.
Chisholm was a staple of stage and screen. He appeared in several August Wilson productions on Broadway, including Jitney (2017), Radio Golf (2007), Gem of the Ocean (2004) and Two Trains Running (1992). He was nominated for a Tony award for his portrayal of Elder Joseph Barlow in Radio Golf. In 2017, Jitney won a Tony Award for best revival of a play.
“The Katz Company is saddened to announce the passing of our longtime friend and client, Tony-Nominee, Anthony Chisholm. Affectionately called ‘Chiz,’ he was an actor and storyteller like none-other, embodying loyalty, devotion, and compassion to his artistry. We lost a great one today,” they wrote beneath a picture of the veteran performer.
Viola Davis, a fellow theater veteran, wrote a moving tribute to Chisholm on Twitter. “Oh man!! Why did I think you would live forever? Love you Anthony….The acting world will miss your wisdom, your immense talent, your generosity,” she wrote. She added a picture of the pair on stage to the post.
“You were a survivor. Goodnight King. Sleep well. You earned it,” she concluded.
Chisholm’s work affected a generation of actors.
P-Valley star Nicco Annan shared that Chisholm was one of his inspirations. “This King leaves behind a LEGACY of work and the impact he had on me,” he wrote.
“This dude was one of my faves. And undeniably one of the best,” added The Good Place star William Jackson Harper.
Chisholm was born on April 9, 1943 in Cleveland, Ohio. He entered the entertainment industry after serving in the U.S. Army during the war in Vietnam. He began his career in his home state of Ohio, where he appeared in performances of The Boys from Syracuse and The Threepenny Opera at Cleveland’s Karamu House theater.
The stage vet earned the NAACP Theatre Award, the AUDELCO Award, the Ovation Award, and the I.R.N.E. Award for his work.
His first film appearance was in 1968 for Jules Dassin’s Uptight; the screenplay was written by Ruby Dee. Chisholm’s television credits feature several critically acclaimed series including High Maintenance, Law and Order: SVU, Shades of Blue, Oz, with a breakout performance as Burr Redding. In 2018, he starred in Terence Nance‘s series Random Acts of Flyness.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Chisholm family at this time.