Veteran Hollywood Actor James Handy Killed at 81, Suspect Arrested

James Handy, the veteran American actor celebrated for his appearances in films including Top Gun: Maverick, Jumanji and Logan, has died at the age of 81 after a fatal stabbing at his Los Angeles home.

The actor was found unconscious with multiple stab wounds to the chest when officers got to the residence at about 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators have arrested 44-year-old Michael Gledhill in connection with the killing. Police identified Gledhill as the son of Handy’s longtime girlfriend and said he is being held on suspicion of murder. His bail has been set at $2 million.

According to law enforcement officials, a man who identified himself as a son called emergency services and allegedly confessed to the crime, telling dispatchers, “I just killed the man of sin.”

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Police said that when officers arrived at the property, Gledhill reportedly approached them and stated that he was “the one they were looking for.”

Handy enjoyed a film and television career that spanned nearly five decades. Born in New York City, he made his acting debut in 1977 on the television drama Ryan’s Hope before building a lengthy résumé across both the big and small screens.

Throughout his career, he appeared in popular television series including Law & Order, NCIS: Los Angeles and Criminal Minds, earning recognition as a dependable character actor.

Among his notable film roles were Wilton Briggs in Arachnophobia, Woolly in The Rocketeer, the exterminator in Jumanji, and the physician credited as Old Doctor in the 2017 superhero film Logan.

His final credited screen appearance came in the 2022 blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick, where he portrayed Jimmy, a bartender.