“Alf” child star turned 46

Courtesy of the Everett Collection

Benji Gregory, former child actor and star of the 1980s sitcom “Alf,” has died. He was 46 years old.

His sister, Rebecca Hertzberg-Pfaffinger, told the New York Times that Gregory and his service dog were found dead in his car in the parking lot of a bank in Peoria, Arizona, on June 13. Hertzberg-Pfaffinger also announced the news in a Facebook post on Wednesday, saying the family believes Gregory fell asleep and “died of heat stroke in the car.” She told the NYT the official cause of death has not yet been determined.

Gregory played Brian Tanner, the youngest child of the Tanner family, on “Alf,” a series about an alien who lives with a suburban family. Although his work is best known and celebrated, Gregory also made several guest appearances on various television shows in the 1980s and early 1990s, including “The A-Team,” “TJ Hooker,” “Fantasy Island,” and “The Twilight Zone.”

But his television appearances were not limited to physical labor. He also voiced various characters in animated series, most notably in “Fantastic Max,” where 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 retired from Hollywood and pursued other interests, including a stint in the U.S. Navy. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 2003 and trained as an aerographer’s mate, specializing in meteorology and oceanography, using his expertise to provide forecasts and warnings for aviation and maritime safety.

Gregory was assigned to the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) during his Navy career. He was honorably medically discharged from the Navy in 2005 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, “It only felt like work when the lights were on and it was really hot.” He added that he remembered “climbing under the stage and joking around with the staff.”

Although he noted that it was a “relief” when “Alf” was cancelled as he no longer wanted to act, he also assured that he “regrets none of it”.

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 Art College.