‘Alf’ child star turned 46
Benji Gregory, former child actor and star of the 1980s sitcom “Alf,” has died. He was 46.
His sister, Rebecca Hertzberg-Pfaffinger, told the newspaper New York Times that Gregory and his service dog were both found dead in his car in a bank parking lot in Peoria, Arizona, on June 13. Hertzberg-Pfaffinger also announced the news in a Facebook post On Wednesday, the family said Gregory fell asleep and “died of vehicular heatstroke.” She told the NYT that the official cause of death is not yet known.
Gregory played Brian Tanner, the youngest child in the Tanner family, in “Alf,” which follows an alien living with a suburban family. Although his most recognized and celebrated work, Gregory also made several guest appearances on various TV shows during the 1980s and early 1990s, including ‘The A-Team’, ‘TJ Hooker’, ‘Fantasy Island’ and ‘The Twilight Zone’ .
But his television stints were not just limited to physical work. He also lent his voice to several characters in animated series, most notably “Fantastic Max,” in which he voiced the character Ben. Gregory also appeared as himself in the PSA television series “The More You Know”, the children’s game show series “I’m Telling!” and an episode of ‘Fun House’.
After his early acting career, Gregory left Hollywood and pursued other interests, including a stint in the United States Navy. He enlisted in 2003 and graduated as an aerographer’s mate, specializing in meteorology and oceanography. He used his expertise to provide forecasts and warnings for aviation and nautical safety.
Gregory was assigned to the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) during his naval career. In 2005, he received an honorable medical discharge from the Navy and married Sarah Gregory shortly after completing his military service in 2006.
In 2000, Gregory was interviewed by People where he reflected on his work in “Alf,” saying, “The only times it felt like work was when the lights were on and it was really hot,” he said, adding that he remembered climbing under the stage and fiddling with the staff.
While noting that it was a “relief” when “Alf” was canceled as he no longer wanted to perform, he also confirmed that he “had no regrets.”
Gregory was born Benjamin Gregory Hertzberg on May 26, 1978 in Encino, California. His father, uncle and sister Hertzberg-Pfaffinger were all actors, and his grandmother was his agent. He studied film at the Academy of Visual Arts.
