Benji Gregory, who became famous as a child actor for his role in the sitcom “ALF,” was found dead in his car in Peoria, Arizona, last month. He was 46 years old.
His body was discovered in a Chase Bank parking lot by his sister Rebecca, who told about the incident. According to the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office, Gregory’s official date of death was June 13, though the cause of death has not yet been revealed.
Rebecca mentioned that Gregory had been struggling with several health issues, including depression, bipolar disorder, and a sleep disorder that often kept him awake for days.
The day before his death, Gregory had been in the area to deposit a residual check at a nearby bank. His family suspects that he might have died from vehicular heatstroke, as the temperatures in Peoria had reached 107 degrees that day.
Gregory was not alone in his car; his service dog, Hans, was also found dead. He had shared a photo of Hans on Instagram back in March 2021, showing his affection for his dog.
Rebecca expressed the family’s deep grief and thanked everyone for their support during this difficult time. She suggested that fans could honor Gregory by donating to the Actors Equity Foundation or the ASPCA, organizations he cared about.
Gregory became a household name when he played Brian Tanner in the NBC sitcom “ALF,” which aired from 1986 to 1990. He appeared in 101 episodes of the show.
During the 1980s, he also worked on other projects such as “The A-Team,” “Fantastic Max,” and “The Twilight Zone.” Additionally, he acted in a TV pilot called “Fenster Hall,” a Disney movie titled “Mr. Boogedy,” and the film “Jumpin’ Jack Flash.”
After his acting career, Gregory joined the US Navy in 2003, where he served as an aerographer’s mate. He was honorably discharged two years later. His last social media post was made on April 10, showing a sidewalk with the caption about his dog Hans, indicating his fondness for his pet even in his final days.