“Alf” child star Benji Gregory dies at age 46

Benji Gregory, the actor who portrayed child Brian Tanner in the NBC 1980s sitcom “Alf” has died at age 46. His sister, Rebecca Pfaffinger, confirmed his passing and wrote in a Facebook post that he “died from vehicular heatstroke” after falling asleep inside his car. 

“My brother Ben was found in his car, along with his beloved service dog Hans, deceased on June 13,” Pfaffinger wrote. “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.”

“Alf” centers around a family’s interactions with a furry, extraterrestrial after it lands in their garage from outer space. Gregory’s character becomes close friends with Alf, which stands for Alien Life Form. Gregory also starred in several other popular ’80s shows, including “The A-Team,” “Punky Brewster” and “Amazing Stories.” He eventually pivoted away from acting, becoming an aerographer’s mate for the U.S. Navy based out of Mississippi, per The New York Times. The NYT also reported that Gregory lived with and received care for bipolar disorder and depression.