American actor James Handy, best known for his supporting roles in blockbuster films such as Jumanji and Top Gun: Maverick, has died after a stabbing incident, according to Los Angeles police.
Authorities have arrested the son of Handy’s girlfriend in connection with the case.
Police said officers responded to Handy’s home in Tarzana, California, on Wednesday morning and found the actor unconscious outside the residence with stab wounds to his chest. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The suspect, 44-year-old Michael Gledhill, lived in the home with his mother, investigators said. According to police, Gledhill approached responding officers after a disturbing 911 call in which the caller reportedly stated, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.”
Born in New York, Handy built a television and film career that spanned six decades. He was widely recognized for playing exterminator Carl Bentley in the 1995 hit Jumanji and, more recently, bartender Jimmy in Top Gun: Maverick (2022). In the Tom Cruise sequel, his character worked alongside Penny Benjamin, played by Jennifer Connelly, who was the love interest of Cruise’s character, Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell.
Throughout his long career, Handy appeared in numerous popular crime and drama series, including NYPD Blue, NCIS: Los Angeles, CSI: NY, The Closer, and Cold Case. According to IMDb, he accumulated nearly 150 film and television credits, with notable movie appearances in Arachnophobia (1990), The Rocketeer (1991), K-9, and Logan (2017).
Tributes from the entertainment industry
Following news of his death, tributes from colleagues and industry figures began pouring in. “I could not have asked for a more talented, humble or gracious client and friend than James Handy,” his agent, Pam Ellis-Evenas, told The Associated Press. Entertainment writer Jay Bobbin also paid tribute, saying he was “heartbroken to learn about the passing of superb character actor.”
Writer and producer Don Winslow remembered Handy’s work on the television series UC: Undercover, writing, “We were honoured to have [Handy] on UC: Undercover in a recurring role.” Referring to the 2001 procedural drama, Winslow added, “His performances were always special.”
Police said Gledhill was booked on suspicion of murder. According to jail records, his bail has been set at US$2 million.
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving diaspora communities across 44 languages. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, Unifor, NEPMCC, and the Canada Freelance Union. Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
