Maverick And Jumanji Actor James Handy Dead At 81

James Handy, a veteran actor best known for his roles in “Jumanji,” “Logan,” and “Top Gun: Maverick,” has tragically died. The news was first reported by CNN, who says the actor was stabbed to death in his Los Angeles home. Per the LAPD, the police have arrested the son of Handy’s girlfriend after receiving a 911 call from the suspect. Handy was 81 years old.

A representative for Handy issued the following statement: “With great sadness, I can confirm that the gentleman who was attacked and killed on Wednesday in Tarzana was the actor James Handy.” Pam Ellis-Evenas from the Ellis Talent Group also expressed condolences and said the following about Handy to The Associated Press: “I could not have asked for a more talented, humble or gracious client and friend than James Handy.”

Handy’s acting career spans both film and television over the course of six decades. Although Handy mostly dabbled in supporting roles, he made a mark as a character actor who appeared in episodes of “Criminal Minds,” “The West Wing,” and “Law & Order,” among others. His most recent television role was as a man named Felix on an episode of the Fox drama “9-1-1.” In terms of cinema, Handy’s last appearance onscreen was as Jimmy the bartender in “Top Gun: Maverick.”

Handy’s most prominent television role was as Arthur Devlin in “Alias,” the ABC action spy thriller created by J.J. Abrams. The actor also had guest or recurring roles on shows like “Melrose Place,” “NYPD Blue,” “Castle,” “Murder She Wrote,” and even “The X-Files” (you might remember him as Alan Cross in the episode “2Shy”).

Handy also played secondary roles in beloved movies like “Logan” (he was the doctor who treats Hugh Jackman’s titular character), “Jumanji” (he played the exterminator), and “Arachnophobia” (where he played county coroner Milton Briggs). You might also remember Handy as the priest from M. Night Shyamalan’s superhero masterpiece, “Unbreakable.” Additionally, the actor appeared in “The Verdict,” “K-9,” “The Rocketeer,” and George Clooney’s “Suburbicon.”

Many paid tribute to Handy and his legacy, including writer/producer Don Winslow (“UC: Undercover”), who took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to express his sentiments:

“James Handy was a terrific actor, and we were honored to have him on ‘UC: Undercover’ in a recurring role. His performances were always special.”

Handy will be dearly missed.