James Handy, ‘Top Gun’ and ‘Jumanji’ actor, stabbed to death at 81
James Handy, an actor who starred in films such as Top Gun: Maverick, has died aged 81.
Handy died at his home in Los Angeles on June 3rd from a stabbing incident allegedly inflicted by his girlfriend’s son.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the actor was found in the front yard of his home in Tarzana, California, that morning, having fallen unconscious with multiple stab wounds to his chest.
Michael Gledhill, the 44-year-old son of Handy’s girlfriend, has been arrested in connection with the case and charged on suspicion of murder, with conditions for his bail set at a price of $2million.
A statement from the police said that a 911 call was made, in which the caller stated: “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.”
Subsequently, when police officers arrived at the property, Gledhill allegedly told them that he was “the one they were looking for”. Per the official statement, he was living in the home with his mother at the time.
Handy, a New York native actor, had a long and varied career which started in 1977, with his first major Hollywood breakthrough coming in 1989 when he starred as Byers in the buddy cop film K-9, as well as its sequel, K-911.
Over the years, he featured in various roles across film and television, with his credits not limited to The Young and Restless and Criminal Minds.
However, arguably, Handy’s most high-profile roles arrived later on in his career, as he had a string of blockbuster successes, appearing in the 1995 Robin Williams-fronted version of Jumanji, as well as the doctor who treats Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine in Logan in 2017.
His final screen credit came in 2022, going out in style as Jimmy the bartender in Top Gun: Maverick, alongside Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, and Jennifer Connelly.
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