ER actor Dearon 'Deezer D' Thompson dead aged 55 from what family thinks was a heart attack

  • He was discovered at his residence unresponsive Thursday and his family are of the opinion that he had a heart attack according to his brother Marshawn
  • The authorities have yet to formally release a cause of death for Deezer D, who shot to fame on ER as nurse Malik McGrath 
  • Deezer D is survived by a 'young son,' according to his friend and fellow actor Scott Baio who mourned him on Twitter this Thursday 
  • Between the years of 1994 and 2009 he racked up 190 episodes on ER, many of them acting opposite the show's breakout star George Clooney 
  • Deezer D also became a motivational speaker and broke into a career in hip hop, including with Christian tracks he performed at religious events
  •  His death comes less than 12 years after he spent six hours in surgery to address a leaking heart valve and enlarged aorta 

By Sameer Suri For Dailymail.com

Published: | Updated:

ER actor Dearon Thompson, who often used the stage name Deezer D, has died at the age of only 55 in Los Angeles.

He was discovered at his residence unresponsive Thursday and his family are of the opinion that he had a heart attack, his brother Marshawn told TMZ.

However the authorities have yet to formally release a cause of death for Deezer D, who shot to fame on ER as nurse Malik McGrath.

Dearly departed: ER actor Dearon Thompson, who often used the stage name Deezer D, has died at the age of only 55 in Los Angeles; pictured in 2004

Dearly departed: ER actor Dearon Thompson, who often used the stage name Deezer D, has died at the age of only 55 in Los Angeles; pictured in 2004

Deezer D is survived by a 'young son,' according to his friend and fellow actor Scott Baio who mourned him on Twitter this Thursday.

Between the years of 1994 and 2009 he racked up 190 episodes on ER, many of them acting opposite the show's breakout star George Clooney.

Deezer D also became a motivational speaker and broke into a career in hip hop, including with Christian tracks he performed at religious events.

His death comes less than 12 years after he spent six hours in surgery to address a leaking heart valve and enlarged aorta. 

Rise to fame: Between the years of 1994 and 2009 he racked up 190 episodes on ER, many of them acting opposite the show's breakout star George Clooney

Rise to fame: Between the years of 1994 and 2009 he racked up 190 episodes on ER, many of them acting opposite the show's breakout star George Clooney

A few days before the surgery he told Radar Online that he had experienced 'over 10 episodes of heart failure in the last eight months alone.'

Deezer D stated: 'The problem with my aorta is the same thing that killed John Ritter. I am so grateful that my doctor found it in time.'

John Ritter died of a previously undiagnosed aortic dissection on September 11, 2003, only six days before he would have turned 55 himself.

According to Deezer D's IMDb page he married one Samantha Enson in 2004 and had a child with her, but they eventually got divorced.

As seen in 1997: Deezer D also became a motivational speaker and broke into a career in hip hop, including with Christian tracks he performed at religious events

As seen in 1997: Deezer D also became a motivational speaker and broke into a career in hip hop, including with Christian tracks he performed at religious events

His first acting role was in Cool As Ice, the 1991 movie designed as a vehicle for rapper Vanilla Ice but that earned him a Razzie.

However Deezer's career climbed, with roles in the hip hop mockumentary Fear Of A Black Hat and the Chris Rock comedy CB4 both in 1993.

The following year he began acting on ER, and alongside that role continued with films such as Romy And Michele's High School Reunion and The Big White Hype. 

His last album was the 2008 release Delayed But Not Denied and the final film credit on his IMDb is as a pawnbroker in the 2017 movie Crowning Jules.

Bereaved: Twitter users expressed their grief in the wake of the news including Scott Baio who wrote: 'I'm sadden to learn the sudden passing of my friend Deezer'

Bereaved: Twitter users expressed their grief in the wake of the news including Scott Baio who wrote: 'I'm sadden to learn the sudden passing of my friend Deezer'

However he also apparently worked on an upcoming film called Courting Mom And Dad produced by the evangelical Christian company Pure Flix.

Twitter users expressed their grief in the wake of the news including Scott who wrote: 'I'm sadden to learn the sudden passing of my friend Deezer.'

Scott added: 'He was a devoted Christian. I just had the privilege of working with #DeezerDThompson on a @PureFlix movie. #CourtingMomAndDad. Sending my prayers and condolences to his family. Especially his young son.'

'A very sweet, kind man and wonderful to work with on ER': Neal Baer, who wrote several episodes of ER, tweeted: 'Sad to learn that Deezer D has passed away'

'A very sweet, kind man and wonderful to work with on ER': Neal Baer, who wrote several episodes of ER, tweeted: 'Sad to learn that Deezer D has passed away'

Neal Baer, who wrote several episodes of ER, tweeted: 'Sad to learn that Deezer D has passed away. A very sweet, kind man and wonderful to work with on ER.'

Actor Terry Wilkerson wrote: 'I had the pleasure of working with Deezer D on E.R. One of the kindest most Gentle souls ever.'

Terry added: 'Even before Diversity was popular he made it on one of the biggest Shows on Network. Prayers to his family. Rest Easy my Brother.' 

'One of the kindest most Gentle souls ever': Actor Terry Wilkerson wrote: 'I had the pleasure of working with Deezer D on E.R.'

'One of the kindest most Gentle souls ever': Actor Terry Wilkerson wrote: 'I had the pleasure of working with Deezer D on E.R.'

Los Angeles

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