Nickelodeon Star Jan Schwieterman Dies at 52 — His Brother Speaks Out

A familiar face from late-'90s TV and film, the actor's passing has left fans and loved ones mourning. His brother confirmed the sad news and shared insight into his final days.

On Friday, February 28, 2025, actor Jan Schwieterman died at 52 at Mercy Hospital in Washington, Missouri, after being diagnosed with cancer.

His brother announced the news on Facebook on March 2, writing, "It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of my brother, Jan (JP) Schwieterman. He recently found out he had an aggressive form of stage 4 cancer and passed yesterday evening."

"Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers as we navigate this difficult time. Rest in peace, brother. We love you and miss you," the post continued.

Schwieterman is survived by his mother, Clara Reed, his father, LeeRoy Schwieterman, two sisters — Megan and Vanessa — and his brother, Chad. He is also survived by his nieces, nephews, cousins, and many other relatives and friends.

Schwieterman was in the Boy Scouts of America in his youth and proudly became an Eagle Scout. After graduating from high school, he relocated to California to chase his dream of becoming an actor.

There, he became best known for playing Kurt Bozwell, the over-the-top villain in the 1997 Nickelodeon film "Good Burger," which starred Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell. Schwieterman also had roles in the TV series "McKenna" and "ER."

He made appearances in the superhero series "NightMan" and the mystery anthology "Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction," hosted by Jonathan Frakes. Following a break from acting, he made a comeback in 2007 with a role in "Along the Way."

In addition to acting, Schwieterman loved to travel. He had been to many corners of the Earth throughout his life, Thailand being the most recent. The actor also enjoyed photography and painting. He studied martial arts and loved playing "Dungeons and Dragons." A memorial mass was held in his honor on March 4, 2025, at St. Paul's Church in Berger, Missouri.

Following news of his passing, Schwieterman's "Good Burger" co-star Mitchell took to Facebook to honor his memory. In a heartfelt post, Mitchell paid tribute to their time working together.

He added, "Thank you for the laughs and legacy, Jan. Sending love and prayers to his family during this time. Forever part of the Good Burger family."

Schwieterman's passing follows the deaths of other actors connected to beloved family entertainment. Coco Lee, best known for voicing the heroine in the Mandarin version of Disney's original "Mulan," passed away at 48. She had a years-long battle with depression.

"On 2 July, she committed suicide at home and was sent to the hospital," Lee's sisters shared on social media. "Despite the best efforts of the hospital team to rescue and treat her from her coma, she finally passed away on 5 July 2023."

The late actress's sisters wrote about how proud they are of the Disney star, "As a family of CoCo, we are very grateful and honored to have such an excellent and outstanding sister."

Lee was born in Hong Kong on January 17, 1976. She relocated to the U.S., where she attended middle school and high school. In the '90s and 2000s, she had a thriving pop career in Asia. Her last single, "PLAYBOY," was released in late November 2022.

The star performed "A Love Before Time" at the 73rd Annual Academy Awards in 2001 hosted by Steve Martin. In addition to making her voice acting debut in "Mulan," Lee contributed to its soundtrack.

She was also on soundtracks like Julia Roberts and Richard Gere's "Runaway Bride" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" with Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh.

The voice actress' sisters said that she had been struggling with depression for a few years, and her mental health had declined in the months leading up to her death:

"Although, CoCo sought professional help and did her best to fight depression, sadly, that demon inside of her took the better of her."

In her last Instagram post on the last day of 2022, she wrote an uplifting message about her two favorite words–love and faith. In mid-2021, she wrote about reverting to the shy and quiet person she was as a child and how that is not necessarily negative.

The Hong Kong native is survived by her husband, Bruce Rockowitz, a Canadian businessman she married in 2011, and her two stepchildren.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org.