Police Find ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Actor Dead After Receiving Chilling 911 Call
James Handy, an 81-year-old actor known for roles including “Top Gun: Maverick,” died after being fatally stabbed at his girlfriend’s home in suburban Los Angeles. Police said they responded to a disturbing 911 call and found him unconscious in the front yard wiht a stab wound to the chest. A suspect later flagged officers down and identified himself, and police arrested 44-year-old Michael Gledhill, who lives at the residence. Gledhill was booked on suspicion of murder with bail set at $2 million, and a neighbor’s ring camera is reported to have captured him leaving the scene before returning to meet police. The article also recounts Handy’s acting career-spanning films such as “Unbreakable,” “Jumanji,” and “Arachnophobia,” and his earliest TV credit from 1977-and notes his appearance as the bartender “Jimmy” in “Top Gun: Maverick.”
On Wednesday, 81-year-old actor James Handy suffered a fatal stab wound at his girlfriend’s home in suburban Los Angeles.
According to the Los Angeles Times, police found the “Top Gun: Maverick” actor unconscious, suffering from a stab wound to the chest, and lying in the front yard of his girlfriend’s home, to which officers had responded after receiving an unsettling 911 call.
“I am the son of man. I just killed the man of sin,” the 911 caller said.
When police arrived, the man suspected of Handy’s murder flagged them down and identified himself.
Police then arrested 44-year-old Michael Gledhill, who lives at the suburban home with his mother, Handy’s girlfriend.
After being transported to Van Nuys Jail and booked on suspicion of murder, Gledhill had his bail set at $2 million.
According to TMZ, a neighbor’s ring camera appeared to capture Gledhill leaving the scene before returning to flag down police.
Handy’s lengthy list of acting credits dates to the late 1970s.
Most recently, he appeared alongside star Tom Cruise in 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick.” In that hit sequel, Handy played Jimmy the bartender.
At the end of the movie, when Cruise’s character “Maverick” went looking for his love interest “Penny,” played by actress Jennifer Connelly, Handy’s character “Jimmy” came through a door in the bar carrying a case of Budweiser and told Maverick that Penny had gone sailing.
Then, Lady Gaga’s closing song “Hold My Hand” began to play. From there, the movie wound down to its closing credits, though not before Maverick and Penny reunited.
In other words, Handy spoke the final line of one of the 21st century’s biggest films.
Readers may revisit that scene in the YouTube video below.
Handy also appeared in prominent movies such as “Unbreakable” (2000), “Jumanji” (1995), and “Arachnophobia” (1990).
The late actor’s first television credit dates to 1977, when he appeared in two episodes of the soap opera “Ryan’s Hope.”
Handy’s agent, Pam Ellis-Evenas of the Ellis Talent Group, remembered him fondly.
“I could not have asked for a more talented, humble or gracious client and friend than James Handy,” she said in an to the Associated Press.
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