Child Star From ‘Alf’ Found Dead In Parking Lot At 46

Benji Gregory, who played a star role in the hit television series “Alf” in the 1980’s, has passed away at the age of 46.

The actor’s death was confirmed by his sister, Rebecca Pfaffinger, who stated that an official cause of death has not been determined at this time.

According to a statement released by Pfaffinger, Gregory and his service dog, Hans, were found dead in his car on June 13 in the parking lot of a Peoria, Arizona bank. In a Facebook post, Pfaffinger stated that Gregory had fallen asleep in the vehicle and died of heat stroke.

“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,” she wrote.

Gregory was known for playing Brian Tanner on “ALF,” an NBC sitcom that premiered in September 1986. He joined the cast of the program at the age of eight. The hit show focused on a suburban family and their dealings with a stranded alien known for one-liners.

He went on to appear in a number of additional hit televisions shows from the era, including “The A-Team,” “The Twilight Zone,” “T.J. Hooker,” “Punky Brewster,” and more.

Gregory’s last film and television credit came in 1993, when he voiced a character in the animated feature “Once Upon a Forest.” According to a report from Deadline, Gregory left the entertainment industry in the early 2000’s and enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He ultimately received a medically related honorable discharge in 2005.

After his death was announced, fans flooded Gregory’s Instagram page to offer condolences to his family and pay tributes to his career. “Heartbreaking! I cried reading the details about this passing, and that his beloved dog (that meant so much to him) passed too,” wrote one fan. “Life can be so cruel. It’s such little comfort but I hope they are together and in peace.”

“I’ve been watching ALF on YouTube literally everyday since 4 months ago, that’s why quite shocked with this sudden news,” another wrote. “You’ll be greatly missed.”