Actor Granville Adams, who appeared in the US network HBO prison drama series Oz, has been arrested in connection with the death of a man who fell down an elevator shaft during a fight in New York City.

Adams was arrested on Saturday and charged with criminally negligent homicide.

The 43-year-old played the character Zahir Arif in more than 20 episodes of the critically acclaimed show, which ran from 1997-2003.

He had been working as a manager at the upscale nightclub BED. Police were called to the nightclub in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood early on Saturday and found 35-year-old Orlando Valle, who had allegedly fallen down an elevator shaft after a scuffle at the nightclub. Valle later died after being taken to hospital.

According to local media reports, Valle struggled with Adams after a friend of Valle's had an argument with the club's coat checker.

Valle fell against a set of elevator doors that gave way and plunged several stories, landing on top of the elevator shaft.

In addition to his role in Oz, Adams also played a police officer in 11 episodes of Homicide: Life On The Street and had a small part in the film Empire.

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)