American actor James Handy, recognized for his supporting roles in popular films like “Jumanji” and “Top Gun: Maverick,” has passed away following a stabbing incident, as confirmed by the Los Angeles police. The suspect in custody is the son of Handy’s girlfriend. Authorities discovered Handy unconscious outside his residence in Tarzana, California, early Wednesday, with stab wounds to his chest. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
The alleged perpetrator, identified as Michael Gledhill, aged 44, resides at the same address with his mother, as per law enforcement officials. Gledhill himself reportedly sought assistance from nearby police officers, following a disturbing 911 call where he stated, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.”
Born in New York, Handy had a prolific career in television and film spanning over six decades. He is widely remembered for his roles as exterminator Carl Bentley in the 1995 classic “Jumanji” and more recently as bartender Jimmy in 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick.” In the latter, he portrayed a character working alongside Penny Benjamin, played by Jennifer Connelly, the love interest of Tom Cruise’s character, Lieut. Pete (Maverick) Mitchell.
Apart from these notable roles, Handy had recurring appearances in popular crime and drama series including “NYPD Blue,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “CSI: NY,” “The Closer,” and “Cold Case.” With nearly 150 film and TV credits to his name, his filmography also includes hits like “Arachnophobia” (1990), “The Rocketeer” (1991), “K-9,” and “Logan” (2017), as per IMDB records.
Industry members have begun expressing their condolences, with his agent, Pam Ellis-Evenas, describing Handy as a talented, humble, and gracious individual. Tributes have poured in from various personalities, such as entertainment writer Jay Bobbin and writer-producer Don Winslow, who highlighted Handy’s exceptional performances in the series “UC: Undercover.”
The suspect has been charged with one count of murder, and his bail has been set at $2 million US, according to jail records.