James Handy
Biography
James Michael Handy was born on March 19, 1945, in New York City, New York, USA. An American male actor, he began appearing in film and television productions in 1977. His film credits include the role of Byers in K‑9 (1989) and its sequel K‑911 (1999), as well as appearances in Arachnophobia (1990), Jumanji (1995), Unbreakable (2000), Logan (2017) and Top Gun: Maverick (2022). On television he is noted for work on Profiler in 1997 and on Alias from 2002 to 2006. Handy was found dead from multiple stab wounds in his front yard on June 3, 2026; Michael Gledhill, his girlfriend’s son, was arrested on a murder charge. He was 81 at the time of his death.
Career overview
James Handy was an American actor born on March 19, 1945, in New York City, New York. His screen career began in the late 1970s and spanned nearly five decades, accumulating more than ninety credited roles. Handy’s early film work included the part of Byers in the 1989 comedy‑action picture K‑9, a role he reprised a decade later in its sequel K‑911 (1999). Throughout the 1990s he appeared in a string of notable movies, such as the thriller Arachnophobia (1990), the adventure fantasy Jumanji (1995), and the psychological drama Unbreakable (2000). He continued to work in high‑profile releases into the 21st century, featuring in the superhero sequel Logan (2017) and the aviation action film Top Gun: Maverick (2022).
Handy’s television résumé was similarly extensive. He is recognized for his guest appearance on the crime series Profiler in 1997 and for a recurring role on the espionage drama Alias, which he inhabited from 2002 through 2006. Over the course of his career, he amassed ninety‑three credited performances across film and television. James Handy passed away on June 3, 2026, at the age of 81. He was also known by the variations Jim Handy and Janes H.
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Career timeline
Full filmography
- Top Gun: Maverick (2022) as Bartender (Jimmy)
- Street to Table (2022) as Flynn
- Street to Table (2022) Executive Producer
- Senior Entourage (2021) as Father MacGuffin
- 9-1-1 (2018) as Felix
- Logan (2017) as Old Doctor
- Suburbicon (2017) as Mayor Billings
- Woman Child (2017) as Barney Winecott
- Thru: The Hereafter Remains Unknown (2017) as Frank
- Bad Sister (2015) as Bishop O'Reilly
- Documentary Now! (2015) as Self
- Mulaney (2014) as Father Ed
- Touch (2012) as Lanford Biddle
- Rizzoli & Isles (2010) as Leroy Grovner
- Lifted (2010) as Travis
- The Waiter (2010) as The CEO
- Castle (2009) as Clifford Stuckey
- NCIS: Los Angeles (2009) as Former NIS Operative
- Raising the Bar (2008) as Judge Albert Meade
- The Closer (2005) as Mr. Rawley
- Commander in Chief (2005) as Bernard Hendrix
- CSI: NY (2004) as Charles Ross
- Without a Trace (2002) as Dr. Falk
- The Dead Zone (2002) as Joe Bannerman
- Crossing Jordan (2001) as Mr. Bergstrom
- Alias (2001) as Arthur Devlin
- 15 Minutes (2001) as Captain Duffy
- UC: Undercover (2001) as Priest
- The Donor (2001) as John
- Unbreakable (2000) as Priest
- Deterrence (2000) as Lancaster
- K-911 (2000) as Captain Byers
- Mary and Rhoda (2000) as Doorman
- The West Wing (1999) as Joseph Bruno
- Third Watch (1999) as Father Goodwin
- Time Served (1999) as Judge William T. Engstrom III
- The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Spring Break Adventure (1999) as Frank Brady
- Black & White (1999) as Sergeant Wright
- L.A. Doctors (1998) as Ronny Wilcox
- Every Dog Has Its Day (1998) as Sign Painter
- The Practice (1997) as Jeffrey Stewart
- The Practice (1997) as Philly Sidlow
- Gang Related (1997) as Captain Henderson
- Murder in Mind (1997) as Dr. Harvard
- Early Edition (1996) as Uncle Bob Sheaghan
- Profiler (1996) as Lou Handleman
- EZ Streets (1996)
- Gone in the Night (1996)
- Jumanji (1995) as Exterminator
- The O.J. Simpson Story (1995) as Detective Vannatter
- Rave Review (1995) as James
- ER (1994) as Dan Sullivan
- Guarding Tess (1994) as Neal Carlo
- Without Warning (1994) as Dr. Norbert Hazelton
- Jonathan Stone: Threat of Innocence (1994) as Don Moran
- The X-Files (1993) as Detective Alan Cross
- NYPD Blue (1993) as Borough Commander Haverill
- Sudden Fury (1993) as Det. Stockman
- Melrose Place (1992) as Matt Fielding Sr.
- The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992) as Frank Brady
- Angel Street (1992) as Captain Mulligan
- Drive Like Lightning (1992) as Walter Blaine
- Majority Rule (1992) as Sen. Carl Dempsey
- Obsessed (1992) as Jerry
- Calendar Girl, Cop, Killer? The Bambi Bembenek Story (1992)
- The Rocketeer (1991) as Wooly
- False Arrest (1991) as Thomas Thinnes
- Guilty Until Proven Innocent (1991) as Gerry Duffy
- Law & Order (1990) as Mr. Wheeler
- Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990) as Tom Rose
- Wings (1990) as Dr. Lenny
- Arachnophobia (1990) as Milton Briggs
- Unspeakable Acts (1990) as Jeff Samek
- Goodnight Sweet Wife: A Murder in Boston (1990) as Det. Al McQuiggan
- Appearances (1990) as Danny Halligan
- Quantum Leap (1989) as Ross Tyler
- Mancuso, F.B.I. (1989) as Gulliver
- The Preppie Murder (1989) as Joe Brady Quinn
- K-9 (1989) as Captain Byers
- The Revenge of Al Capone (1989) as FBI Chief
- Bird (1988) as Esteves
- Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story (1988) as Doctor
- Burglar (1987) as Carson Verrill
- The Room Upstairs (1987) as Frank
- Convicted: A Mother's Story (1987) as Bob Huggins
- Matlock (1986) as Prosecutor
- L.A. Law (1986) as John Vincent
- Brighton Beach Memoirs (1986) as Frank Murphy
- Who Is Julia? (1986) as Bob Greenmeyer
- Popeye Doyle (1986) as Lieutenant Gregory Paulus
- Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story (1986) as Melvin Mander
- Kojak: The Belarus File (1985) as Federal Agent #1
- Kojak: The Belarus File (1985)
- Doubletake (1985) as Real Estate Broker
- Murder, She Wrote (1984) as Lieutenant Pat Hogan
- The Verdict (1982) as Kevin Doneghy