James Handy, a veteran character actor with a 45-year career in film and television, was pronounced dead on June 3, 2026, after being stabbed in the chest outside his Tarzana home. Police arrested Michael Gledhill, the 44-year-old son of Handy’s girlfriend, in connection with the killing. The actor was 81.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Gledhill approached responding officers and told them he was the person they were looking for. He resides at the Erwin Street residence with his mother, who is the victim’s girlfriend, police said in their statement. Gledhill was booked at the Van Nuys Jail on one count of murder, with bail set at $2 million.
Authorities received a 911 call reporting “unknown trouble” at approximately 9:30 a.m., dispatching officers to the 19200 block of Erwin Street in Tarzana. When they arrived, Handy was found unconscious and bleeding in the front yard of the residence. Paramedics transported him to a nearby hospital, where he died from a stab wound to the chest.
A Chilling 911 Call
The 911 caller delivered a disturbing message to dispatchers before officers reached the scene, according to a statement released by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD): “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.”
Investigators have not disclosed a motive for the stabbing. They said the killing appeared to be an isolated incident with no broader threat to the community. It was not immediately clear whether Gledhill had retained legal representation.
From New York to Hollywood Fixture
Born in New York City, Handy accumulated dozens of credits since the late 1970s, becoming one of Hollywood’s most recognizable character actors despite rarely receiving top billing. His weathered presence appeared in some of the most popular productions of the past four decades.
In 2022’s blockbuster “Top Gun: Maverick,” Handy played Jimmy, the bartender working alongside Jennifer Connelly’s character at the Hard Deck saloon, marking his final on-screen role. That same year, he produced and starred in the independent drama “Street to Table.”
His film work included county coroner Milt Briggs in the 1990 hit “Arachnophobia,” the exterminator in the 1995 fantasy adventure “Jumanji,” and FBI agent “Wooly” Wolinski in 1991’s “The Rocketeer.” Handy played Lieutenant Roger Byers in the buddy-cop comedy “K-9” (1989) and reprised the role in its 1999 sequel, “K-911.” Later credits included a priest in M. Night Shyamalan’s 2000 thriller “Unbreakable” and a doctor in 2017’s “Logan.”
Television Career Spanned Genres
Handy’s television resume featured appearances on “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “Melrose Place,” “ER,” “The West Wing,” “The Practice,” “The Young and the Restless” and “Murder, She Wrote.” Crime-drama fans saw him across “Castle,” “CSI: NY,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “9-1-1,” “NYPD Blue,” “Criminal Minds,” “Law & Order,” “The X-Files,” “The Closer” and “Cold Case.”
His most substantial recurring roles included portraying CIA Director Arthur Devlin across three seasons of J.J. Abrams’ spy thriller “Alias” from 2002 to 2006, and Lou Handleman in ABC’s “Profiler” from 1997 to 1998.
Industry Remembers a Beloved Colleague
Handy’s longtime talent agent Pam Ellis-Evenas of the Ellis Talent Group confirmed the news of his death and remembered the actor as a singular collaborator and friend.
“I could not have asked for a more talented, humble or gracious client and friend than James Handy,” Ellis-Evenas said in a statement issued June 5.
Writer and producer Don Winslow, who co-created the 2001 procedural “UC: Undercover,” described Handy as a terrific actor and recalled his recurring stint on the series, noting that his performances were always special. Entertainment writer Jay Bobbin said he was heartbroken to learn about the passing of the superb character actor.
District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman filed a murder charge against Gledhill on June 5. Superior Court Judge John H. Reid has since ordered Gledhill transferred to mental health court for a psychological evaluation to determine whether he is competent to stand trial. A competency hearing is scheduled for June 22. If convicted, Gledhill faces 26 years to life in prison. Further details about the circumstances that led to the fatal encounter have not been released by authorities.