The former child star of the 1980s sitcom, Alf, Benji Gregory, was found dead on June 13; his passing was revealed almost a month later by his sister, Rebecca Hertzberg-Pfaffinger.
Rebecca shared the sudden passing of her 46-year-old brother with the Press, revealing that he was found dead in his car at a bank´s parking lot in Peoria, Arizona. With him was his service dog, Hans, who had also passed away.
On July 10, the actress stated on her social media that the family believes he had fallen asleep and “died from vehicular heatstroke.” The cause of Gregory´s death, however, has not yet been officially claimed.
Gregory was born into a family of actors in Encino, California on May 26, 1978. He studied film at the Academy of Art College; his grandmother was his agent. Early in his life, he scored the role of Brian Tanner, the youngest child in the Alf family; a suburban family who lived with an alien, whose adventures kept audiences entertained from 1986 until 1990.
“When Alf was cancelled, it was a relief. I didn´t want to do any more shows, but I don´t regret any of it,” Gregory stated in 1986. He did however appear in various TV shows during the 1980s and 1990s, including The Twilight Zone, Fantasy Island, The A Team and T.J. Hooker.
Gregory was also a leading voice actor for the animated series, Fantastic Max and appeared as himself in the TV series, The More You Know, the children´s game show, I´m Telling and an episode of Fun House.
His career ended when he enlisted in the US navy in 2003 and graduated to become an aerographer´s mate, specialising in meteorology and oceanography. He used his expertise to provide forecasts and warnings for aviation and nautical safety.
In 2005 Gregory received an honourable medical discharge from the Navy and married Sarah Gregory shortly after completing his service.
His sister revealed to the Press that he suffered from depression, bipolar disorder and a sleep disorder, but for his fans, he will always be remembered as an enthusiastic 80s kid.
