American actor James Handy, known for his supporting roles in the movies “Jumanji” and “Top Gun: Maverick,” has passed away in a stabbing incident according to the Los Angeles police. His girlfriend’s son has been taken into custody on suspicion of murder. Authorities discovered Handy unconscious with stab wounds to his chest outside his residence in Tarzana, Calif., on Wednesday morning. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he was later pronounced dead.
The alleged perpetrator, Michael Gledhill, 44, resides at the same address with his mother, as per police reports. Gledhill himself approached nearby police officers after making a disturbing 911 call stating, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.”
Handy, who was born in New York, had a prolific TV and film career spanning over six decades. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of exterminator Carl Bentley in the 1995 classic “Jumanji” and more recently as bartender Jimmy in 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick.” In the latter, he starred alongside Jennifer Connelly as Penny Benjamin, the love interest of Tom Cruise’s character, Lieut. Pete (Maverick) Mitchell.
Throughout his career, Handy also had recurring roles in popular crime and drama series such as “NYPD Blue,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “CSI: NY,” “The Closer,” and “Cold Case.” With nearly 150 film and TV credits to his name, his filmography includes hits like “Arachnophobia” (1990), “The Rocketeer” (1991), “K-9,” and “Logan” (2017), as documented on IMDB.
Colleagues in the industry have shared their condolences, with his agent, Pam Ellis-Evenas, commending Handy’s talent and character. Tributes have poured in from various individuals, including entertainment writer Jay Bobbin and writer/producer Don Winslow, who expressed their admiration for Handy’s work.
The accused has been charged with one count of murder, and his bail has been set at $2 million US, according to jail records.
