Benji Gregory, Child Star of ALF, Dies at Age 46

(L-R) The cast of ALF: Benji Gregory, Andrea Elson, Anne Schedeen and Max Wright. Courtesy of NBC Universal

Benji Gregory, best known for his role as “Brian Tanner” on the 80’s sitcom “ALF,” has died at 46 years of age.

His sister, Rebecca, confirmed news of his passing in a Facebook post, saying the former child star was found dead on June 13 in his car outside of a bank parking lot in Arizona.

“Ben was a great Son, Brother and Uncle. He was fun to be around and made us laugh quite often. Still, going through his things,  I find myself laughing at little videos or notes of his, in between crying,” read the post.

Rebecca said her brother was visiting the Chase bank in Peoria to deposit checks the day prior, and believes he fell asleep in his car, resulting in “vehicular heatstroke.” His service dog, Hans, was also found dead in the vehicle.

“My brother Ben was found in his car, along with his beloved service dog Hans, deceased on June 13. We believe he went there the evening of the 12th to deposit some residuals ... and never got out of the car to do so,” read the post.

Rebecca said her brother suffered from depression, bipolar disorder, and a sleep disorder that would keep him awake for days on end.

During a 2021 episode on the “Splat From the Past” podcast, the late actor elaborated on his health struggles, saying he would sometimes go “four or five days” without sleep.

“I just don’t feel tired. I always ask my psychiatrist, she’ll be asking questions about it and I’ll ask her, I’ll say, “Well, why do you go to bed?” Well, it’s because usually it’s because you feel tired, right? Well, I just never get that feeling of being tired. It’s kind of weird,” he said.

An official cause of death by the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s office has not yet been released.

An excessive heat warning remains in effect in the state until Friday. According to local weather forecasts, temperatures rose to nearly 110 degrees on the day before Mr. Gregory was found deceased.

Early Career

Born in 1978 in Los Angeles, California, Mr. Gregory kick-started his television career at a young age following in the foot-steps of his acting family.

He began auditioning for roles at the age of five, landing his first acting job in an episode of “Fantasy Island”, and acting in dozens of commercials.

Mr. Gregory made early appearances on television shows including “The A-Team”, ”T.J. Hooker”, “Punky Brewster,” and “The Twilight Zone” before landing a starring role on “ALF” in 1986.

He rose to fame playing “Brian Tanner” in four seasons and over 100 episodes of the show, which ran until 1990.

The sitcom captured the adventures of Gordon Shumway, nicknamed Alf (“Alien Life Form”), a furry alien who crashes his spaceship into the Tanners’ garage.

Motion pictures company Warner Bros. shared in 2018 that a proposed reboot was in its early stages but plans were eventually scrapped after failing to find a home for the project.

His last known credit was playing the voice of “Edgar the Mole” in the 1993 animated feature “Once Upon a Forest.”

At 25 years of age, Mr. Gregory left the entertainment industry and joined the Navy, receiving an honorable medical discharge in 2005.