ALF Child Star Dead At 46

The former child star’s sister Rebecca reported to media outlet TMZ on Wednesday that her brother’s body was found inside his car at a Peoria, Arizona bank parking lot. This was confirmed by the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office, who issued a death certificate listing Gregory’s death as June 13th.

According to his sister, Gregory had suffered from a variety of mental health issues as an adult. In addition to a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, the ALF star also experienced depression and a severe sleep disorder. Whether or not any of these maladies are tied to Gregory’s death has not been determined, as the county officials in Arizona are still listing the cause of death as still pending.

Family members close to the ALF star reported that they believe that the intense summer heat was a contributing factor in Gregory’s death. They purport that their loved one went to the bank to deposit checks and fell asleep in his car while parked in the bank’s lot. They are surmising that Gregory succumbed to vehicular heatstroke as temperatures outdoors rose to well over 100 degrees.

Gregory’s service dog, Hans, was also found dead in the ALF star’s vehicle.

Born Benjamin Gregory Hertzberg, the actor who would become known as Benji Gregory made his first television appearance in a 1984 episode of The A-Team. Gregory made several other small screen appearances, including memorable episodes of T.J. Hooker, Punky Brewster, and Amazing Stories, while also appearing in the 1986 Whoopi Goldberg crime comedy Jumpin’ Jack Flash. Gregory’s big break came later that year when he secured the role of Brian Tanner in the hit NBC series ALF.

For his efforts, Gregory was nominated three times for a Young Artist Award for ALF.

After ALF was canceled in 1990, Gregory made a handful of television appearances, showing up on the network primetime series Murphy Brown in 1991 and in the made-for-TV movies Never Forget (1991) and Lady Against the Odds (1992). Gregory voiced a character in the 1993 animated feature film Once Upon a Forest as well as voice acting the role of Biff, Jr. in the short-lived 1992 Back to the Future animated series.

The post-ALF years saw Gregory enrolling in the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California as the child star left acting completely. In 2003, Gregory enlisted in the United States Navy and worked as an Aerographer’s Mate at the military branch’s Center for Naval Education and Training Unit at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. After being transferred to serve aboard the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier in 2004, Gregory was discharged from service due to medical reasons.

ALF remains a cultural phenomenon among 1980s nostalgia enthusiasts. The entire series has streamed off and on across multiple platforms in recent years as well as being available on DVD releases in 2009 and 2023.

Sources: TMZ