R.I.P. Benji Gregory, child star who portrayed Brian Tanner on ALF
After leaving the acting business, he served in the U.S. Navy. He was 46 years old.
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Benji Gregory, most known for his role on the 1986 sitcom ALF, has passed away.
Before ALF, Gregory appeared in small roles across classic TV. He turned up in the A-Team episode "Hot Styles", which featured Markie Post as a guest star. The same year, he appeared on the William Shatner program. T.J. Hooker, in the episode "The Confession". He also had a two-episode role as orphan child Dash in Punky Brewster.
In 1986, he landed his most famous role, Brian Tanner on the sitcom ALF. Gregory was the youngest child of the family that takes in ALF after he crash-lands on Earth until the addition of a baby in the final episode of season three. Gregory appeared in all four seasons of the program, including the final episode "Consider Me Gone".
When ALF was cancelled, Gregory said that it was a relief, as he no longer wanted to act. Still, the young actor said he "didn't regret anything."
Gregory dabbled in voice work as well, providing the voice of Edgar the mole in the 1993 animated film Once Upon a Forest. He also voiced Biff Jr. in the animated Back to the Future series, based off the successful trilogy.
After leaving the acting industry, Gregory enrolled in the U.S. Navy where he served as an aerographer's mate, specializing in meteorology and oceanography. Gregory provided forecasts for aviation and nautical safety conditions. He was honorably discharged in 2005.
Per a Facebook post from Gregory's sister, Rebecca Hertzberg-Pfaffinger, the family believes that Gregory, who had a sleep disorder, fell asleep in his car and suffered a heatstroke in Arizona.
The actor and veteran was 46 years old.
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