'Alf' child star Benji Gregory found dead in car in Arizona

The former actor was just 46 years old.

July 12, 2024

Image: A young boy with an alien puppet.

Benji Gregory starred in the sitcom "ALF" in the 1980s. Alamy

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Benji Gregory, who starred as a child in the hit television series “ALF” in the 1980s, has died in Peoria. He was 46.

His sister, Rebecca Hertzberg-Pfaffinger, made the announcement on Facebook on July 10.

"It is with a heavy heart my family has suffered a loss way too early. Ben was a great Son, Brother and Uncle. He was fun to be around and made us laugh quite often. Still, going through his things, I find myself laughing at little videos or notes of his, in between crying.

"My brother Ben was found in his car, along with his beloved service dog Hans, deceased on June 13. We believe he went there the evening of the 12th to deposit some residuals. (Found in his car) and never got out of the car to do so. He fell asleep and died from vehicular heatstroke."

The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office told TMZ that the cause of death is still pending. Hertzberg-Pfaffinger told TMZ that her brother "suffered from depression, bipolar disorder and had a sleep disorder that often kept him awake for days."

Gregory was born Benjamin Gregory Hertzberg in Los Angeles on May 26, 1978. Though his most notable screen credit was appearing in more than 100 episodes of "ALF," a popular sitcom about an alien who moves in with a family, he also had roles in projects like "Murphy Brown," "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Pound Puppies."

Jennifer Goldberg is the Senior Editor of Culture at Phoenix New Times. She joined the New Times staff in February 2016. In her role, Jennifer writes and publishes profiles of both local and regional musicians, previews upcoming performances and provides guides on the best of Phoenix’s entertainment scene. She also oversees the Best of Phoenix. Jennifer previously worked for Jewish News of Greater Phoenix. During her career, Jennifer has received awards from the Arizona Press Club, the Arizona Newspaper Association and the American Jewish Press Association. She holds a bachelor’s of arts in English from Arizona State University.

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