Actor James Handy, known for his roles as Milton Briggs in Arachnophobia (1990) and Jimmy the bartender in Top Gun: Maverick (2022) was murdered in his Los Angeles home. He was 81.
James Handy—who appeared in Top Gun: Maverick and Jumanji—was allegedly killed by his girlfriend’s son in the Tarzana neighborhood on June 3. Officers responded around 9:30 a.m. after someone called 911 to give an eerie message, saying, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin,” the LAPD said in a statement.
After arriving at the property, police found Handy in the front yard of the residence, unconscious and suffering from a stab wound to his chest. Paramedics took him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
In addition to the strange 911 call, the suspect—identified by the LAPD as 44-year-old Michael Gledhill—also contacted police on the scene. “The suspect flagged down nearby responding officers, telling them he was the one they were looking for,” the police statement read. “The suspect resides at the location with his mother, who is the victim’s girlfriend.”
James Michael Handy was born March 19,1946 in New York City, New York. He was killed June 3, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. He was 81 when he died.
Handy’s theatrical career stretched from 1977 to 2022, during which time he had 148 acting roles and produced one film, Street to Table (2022)
SciFi, Horror, and Fantasy Roles
James Handy was known for his character roles in a variety of genre films. His science fiction and fantasy film credits include:
- old doctor in Logan (2017)
- Milton Briggs in Arachnophobia
- Ptiest in Unbreakable (2009)
- “Wooly” Agent Woolinski in The Rocketeer (1991)
- the exterminator in Jumanji (1995)
- Ross Tyler in the Quantum Leap episode “Temptation Eyes”
- Alan Cross in the X-Files episode “2Shy.”
Other Notable Roles
Handy was perhaps better known for his non-genre roles:
- Jimmy in Top Gun: Maverick
- Lieutenant Byers in K-9 (1989)
- Captain Byers in K-911 (1999)
- Matt Fielding, Sr. in Melrose Place
- Captain Jim Haverill in NYPD Blue
- Representative Joe Bruno in The West Wing
- Arthur Devlin in Alias
Our condolences to Mr. Handy’s friends and family, especially to Ms. Gledhill, his girlfriend, and the mother of suspect Michael Gledhill, whose pain can only be indescribable.
Susan Macdonald is the author of the children's book "R is for Renaissance Faire", as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in "Alternative Truths", "Swords and Sorceress #30", Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, "Cat Tails" "Under Western Stars", and "Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid". Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio's web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows. Her nonfiction book THEY ENDURED will be published by B Cubed Press in 2025 or 2026.
