James Handy‘s death has shaken Hollywood after the Los Angeles Police Department announced that he had been stabbed by a person in his inner circle. The late 81-year-old actor had recently appeared in the hit action movie Top Gun: Maverick, starring Tom Cruise. As more details about Handy’s death come to light, many are wondering which character he played in the Paramount Pictures movie.
Below, find out which character Handy played in Top Gun: Maverick and more about his film career.
Handy was an actor who appeared in numerous films throughout his career, including NYPD Blue, K-9, Law & Order, CSI: NY, Logan, Alias, Castle, NCIS, The West Wing, Arachnophobia, The X Files and Murder, She Wrote.
James Handy, an 81-year-old actor who appeared in numerous films and TV shows, including ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ was found unconscious at his Los Angeles home earlier this week, stabbed in the chest. He was later pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital.
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Per his IMDb profile, Handy was also a producer. He earned an executive producer credit on the film Street to Table.
Handy’s most notable film credit in Top Gun: Maverick made an impression. The New York City native played the character Jimmy, the bartender who works with Jennifer Connelly.
The Los Angeles Police Department announced that Handy had been stabbed on June 3, 2026, in his West Valley residence. The suspect was identified as Michael Gledhill, the son of Handy’s girlfriend. He was arrested by the LAPD on suspicion of murder.
