Actor James Handy, Known for 'Top Gun: Maverick' and 'Jumanji,' Killed at 81 in Los Angeles Stabbing
James Handy, a veteran character actor with more than four decades of film and television credits, was stabbed to death Wednesday morning at a residence in the Tarzana neighborhood of Los Angeles. He was 81.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed Handy's death and said his girlfriend's son, Michael Gledhill, 44, has been arrested and booked on suspicion of murder. Bail was set at $2 million.
What Happened
Officers from the LAPD's West Valley division responded to a home on the 19200 block of Erwin Street at approximately 9:30 a.m. after a 911 caller made a disturbing statement. According to the department's statement, the caller said: "I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin."
When officers arrived, they found Handy unconscious in the front yard of the residence, suffering from a stab wound to the chest. He was transported to a local hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics, where he was pronounced dead.
Gledhill, who lived at the home with his mother — Handy's girlfriend — flagged down responding officers himself, telling them he was the person they were looking for. He was arrested at the scene and transported to Van Nuys Jail.
The LAPD said detectives believe the incident was isolated and that there is no ongoing danger to the public.
Who Was James Handy
Handy was a New York-born actor who built a long and steady career as one of Hollywood's most reliable character actors. He had his first screen credit in 1981 and appeared consistently across film and television for more than four decades.
He is perhaps best known to recent audiences for his role as Jimmy, the bartender in the 2022 blockbuster "Top Gun: Maverick." In the 1995 family adventure film "Jumanji," he played an exterminator. Other film credits included "Arachnophobia" (1990), "The Rocketeer" (1991), "Unbreakable" (2000), "Logan" (2017), and "Brighton Beach Memoirs."
On television, Handy was equally prolific. He played Captain Jim Haverill across two seasons of "NYPD Blue," appeared as Arthur Devlin in eight episodes of "Alias," and had recurring roles on "Melrose Place" and "Profiler." His other television credits included "The West Wing," "Law & Order," "Beverly Hills, 90210," "CSI: NY," "NCIS: Los Angeles," and a 2021 appearance on "9-1-1."
Tributes From the Industry
Handy's agent, Pam Ellis-Evenas, confirmed his death in a statement. "With great sadness I can confirm that the gentleman who was attacked and killed on Wednesday in Tarzana was the actor James Handy," she said. "I could not have asked for a more talented, humble or gracious client and friend."
Writer Don Winslow, who co-created the 2001 television crime drama "UC: Undercover," paid tribute on social media, writing that Handy was a terrific actor and that the show was honored to have him.
The investigation into his death remains ongoing.
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