Benji Gregory, child star of 'Alf', has passed away
**"Alf" was a cult series in the 80s, Benji Gregory with his role as Brian Tanner became a child star. Gregory pursued his acting career for a few more years, but found his calling later with the US Marine. Now the 46-year-old is found dead in his car.
The former US actor Benji Gregory, who acted in the successful TV series "Alf" in the 1980s as a child, is dead. His death was confirmed by his sister, Rebecca Pfaffinger. The official cause of death is still unknown.
According to her statement, Gregory and his service dog Hans were found dead in a bank parking lot in Peoria, Illinois, on June 13, 2023, in his car. In a Facebook post, she explained that he had fallen asleep in the car and died of heatstroke. Gregory reportedly suffered from depression and bipolar disorders and struggled with insomnia, which kept him awake for days at a time.
Gregory became famous for his role as Brian Tanner in the NBC sitcom "Alf," which premiered in September 1986. The show was a success and ran for four seasons. The series revolved around a suburban family whose world is turned upside down when an alien from the planet Melmac crashes his spaceship into their garage. The Tanner family names the alien Alf, short for Alien Life Form. Alf causes mischief and shares his observations about humanity.
Brian and Alf quickly become friends in the series. Gregory was eight years old at the time and quickly adapted to acting with a puppet. "It was completely natural to interact with Alf," he said in a 2022 interview about this experience.
Apart from "Alf," Gregory acted in several other successful series in the 1980s, including "The A-Team," "The Twilight Zone," and "TJ Hooker." Among his film roles are "Jumpin' Jack Flash," a comedy from 1986, and the 1993 animated film "Once Upon a Forest" by Miyazaki.
After his early acting career, Gregory distanced himself from Hollywood and devoted himself to other interests, including the US Marine. He enlisted in 2003 and specialized in meteorology and oceanography. He used his expertise to create forecasts and warnings for the safety of aviation and shipping.
During his military career, Gregory was assigned to the USS Carl Vinson. In 2005, he was honorably discharged from the Marine and married Sarah Gregory shortly after completing his military service in 2006.
After his acting career in popular shows like "Alf" and "The A-Team," Benji Gregory found solace in the US Marine, avoiding the limelight associated with Hollywood's entertainment scene and its frequent death cases. However, the sudden death of Benji Gregory and his service dog Hans in a heatstroke incident echoed another unfortunate incident in the world of Hollywood entertainment.
