Off The Record

‘Aggressive’ Cancer Struggle Results In The Death Of Good Burger Star Jan Schwieterman At 52

Published on March 21, 2025

Sadly, Jan Schwieterman, star of Good Burger, died at the age of 52.

Shortly before his passing, the Nickelodeon star—who gained notoriety for playing the antagonist Kurt Bozwell in the 1997 comedy Good Burger—was given a stage 4 cancer diagnosis.

According to his obituary, he died at Mercy Hospital in Washington, Missouri.

“It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of my brother, Jan (JP) Schwieterman,” his brother Chad Schwieterman confirmed in a Facebook post. “He recently found out he had an aggressive form of stage 4 cancer.”

Friends and family called his death a “shock.”

“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,” Chad added.

His obituary stated, “J.P. loved to travel. He has traveled to many countries throughout his life, most recently to Thailand. He was an artist of photography and painting. He studied martial arts and loved playing Dungeons and Dragons.”

Before aiming for Hollywood, Schwaeterman was a “proud” Eagle Scout who was born in Bluffton, Indiana, which is roughly 35 miles south of Fort Wayne.

He moved to California to follow his acting career after graduating from high school.

His 1994 debut on the television series McKenna paved the way for him to make cameos on prominent series of the time, including Felicity, ER, Forever, NightMan, and Undressed.

“He was the lead villain in the movie ‘Good Burge’ playing the role of Kurt Bozwell owner of Mondo Burger,” continued his obituary.

In the wildly popular movie that was based on the television series, he costarred with comedians Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell.

J.P. also appeared on the television shows ER and McKenna. He made a comeback in the 2007 film Along the Way.

He starred in Fallen Arches in 2000 before taking a seven-year hiatus from performing.

In 2007, he returned as Michael Braga in the movie Along the Way, which would be his last motion picture role.

At his burial on March 4, Schwieterman’s family asked that donations be made in his honor to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

His siblings—Megan, Vanessa, and Chad—as well as a devoted extended family of nieces, nephews, and cousins survive him, together with his parents, LeeRoy Schwieterman and Clara Reed.

“Thank you, everyone, for your support,” his brother Chad wrote on Facebook. “We miss JP deeply and appreciate your thoughts and prayers.”