Jonathan Brandis
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| Jonathan Brandis | |
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| Born | Jonathan Gregory Brandis April 13, 1976 Danbury, Connecticut, U.S. |
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| Died | November 12, 2003 (aged 27) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor, Director, Screenwriter |
| Years active | 1982 – 2003 |
Jonathan Gregory Brandis (April 13, 1976 – November 12, 2003) was an American actor, director, and screenwriter.
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[edit] Early life and career
Brandis was born in Danbury, Connecticut, the only child of Mary, a teacher and personal manager, and Gregory Brandis, a food distributor and firefighter.[1] He began his career as a child model and began acting in television commercials.[2][3] Brandis got his showbiz break at the age of six when he landed a recurring role on One Life to Live. He moved to Los Angeles with his family at age nine, and made guest appearances on shows such as L.A. Law, Who's the Boss?, Murder, She Wrote, Full House and Kate & Allie.[4]
In 1990, he received his first starring role in The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter as Bastian Bux, a young boy who returns to a world of wonder on the wings of his imagination. That same year, Brandis played the young "Stuttering Bill" Denbrough, the main character in the 1990 miniseries Stephen King's It, based on the epic horror novel by Stephen King. In 1992, he returned to film with roles in Sidekicks co-starring Chuck Norris and Ladybugs with actor/comedian Rodney Dangerfield. The following year, Brandis landed one his most well known roles as scientific prodigy Lucas Wolenczak in Steven Spielberg's futuristic science fiction series seaQuest DSV. The role propelled him into teen idol status.[5] During the run of seaQuest DSV, he also voiced Mozenrath, a young evil sorcerer and necromancer in Disney's animated series Aladdin.[6]
In addition to acting, Brandis also directed several independent films and authored screenplays.[3] During his stint on seaQuest DSV, he co-wrote an episode of the series entitled "The Siamese Dream".[7] He also produced and directed the short film The Slainville Boys, shortly before his death.[8]
[edit] Personal life
Brandis dated actress/singer Tatyana Ali from May 1995[9] until 1998.[10]
[edit] Death
On November 12, 2003, Brandis died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles from injuries he suffered after he hanged himself.[11] He was 27 years old. The Los Angeles Police Department released a statement regarding his death:
- On November 11, 2003, at about 11:40 p.m., a friend of Jonathan Brandis called police to report that the actor had attempted suicide at his apartment, located in the 600 block of Detroit Avenue. Paramedics from the Los Angeles Fire department responded and transported Brandis to Cedars Sinai Medical Center where he eventually died from his injuries. Brandis' death was announced by hospital staff on November 12, 2003, at about 2:45 p.m."[12]
Brandis did not leave a suicide note, although friends were quoted as saying he was lonely and depressed about his lagging career. One friend admitted that Brandis drank heavily, and had even mentioned that he might kill himself. He was also said to be upset when his appearance in Hart's War, a role he hoped would be his comeback, was cut from the film.[13]
Following Brandis' death, Paul Petersen, president of A Minor Consideration, an organization that deals with issues affecting child actors stated, "Speculations as to the underlying cause of this tragedy are exactly that: speculations. It serves no purpose to leap to conclusions for none of us will really know what led Jonathan to his decision to take his life".[14]
[edit] Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1987 | Fatal Attraction | Party Guest | |
| 1988 | The Wrong Guys | Kid Tim | |
| Oliver & Company | Additional voices | ||
| 1989 | Stepfather II | Todd Grayland | |
| 1990 | Ghost Dad | Additional voices | |
| The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter | Bastian Bux | ||
| 1992 | Ladybugs | Matthew/Martha | |
| Sidekicks | Barry Gabrewski | ||
| 1998 | Between the Sheets | Robert Avacado | |
| Aladdin's Arabian Adventures: Magic Makers | Mozenrath (Voice) | ||
| 1999 | Outside Providence | Mousy | |
| Ride with the Devil | Cave Wyatt | ||
| 2002 | Hart's War | Pvt. Lewis P. Wakely | Scenes deleted |
| The Year That Trembled | Casey Pedersen | ||
| 2004 | Puerto Vallarta Squeeze | Neil Weatherford | Released posthumously |
| The Slainesville Boys | Director/Producer Released posthumously |
||
| 2005 | Bad Girls From Valley High | Drew | Alternative title: A Fate Totally Worse Than Death Released posthumously |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1982 | One Life to Live | Young Kevin Riley Buchanan | Unknown episodes |
| 1984 | Kate & Allie | Chip's Friend | 1 episode |
| 1986 | Mystery Magical Special | Jonathan | Television special |
| Sledge Hammer! | Young Sledge | 1 episode | |
| 1987 | Good Morning, Miss Bliss | Michael Thompson | 1 episode |
| L.A. Law | Kevin Talbot | 2 episodes | |
| Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story | Lance, Age 11 | Television movie | |
| 1988 | Mars: Base One | Television movie | |
| Webster | Bobby | 1 episode | |
| 1989 | Full House | Michael | 1 episode |
| Who's the Boss? | Paul | 1 episode | |
| 1990 | Murder, She Wrote | Kevin Bryce | 1 episode |
| Alien Nation | Andron | 1 episode | |
| The Flash | Terry Cohan | 1 episode | |
| The Munsters Today | Matt Glover | 1 episode | |
| It | Bill Denbrough (Age 12) | Miniseries | |
| 1991 | Gabriel's Fire | Matthew Fixx | 1 episode |
| The Wonder Years | Steve | 1 episode | |
| Our Shining Moment | Michael "Scooter" McGuire | Television movie | |
| Blossom | Stevie | 1 episode | |
| 1992 | Crossroads | Michael Stahl | 1 episode |
| 1993 | Saved by the Bell: The College Years | Himself | 1 episode |
| 1993-1996 | seaQuest DSV | Lucas Wolenczak | 57 episodes |
| 1994 | Good King Wenceslas | Prince Wenceslas | Television movie |
| 1994-1995 | Aladdin | Mozenrath (Voice) | 8 episodes |
| 1996 | Her Last Chance | Preston Altherton | Television movie |
| Born Free: A New Adventure | Randal "Rand" Everett Thompson | Television movie | |
| Fall Into Darkness | Chad | Television movie | |
| 1997 | Two Came Back | Jason | Television movie |
| 2003 | 111 Gramercy Park | Will Karnegian | Unsold pilot |
[edit] Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Film or series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Young Artist Award | Nominated | Best Young Actor Guest Starring in a Television Series | The Flash |
| 1992 | Nominated | Best Young Actor Starring in a Motion Picture | The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter | |
| 1993 | Nominated | Outstanding Young Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture | Lady Bugs (Shared with cast) | |
| Nominated | Best Young Actor Starring in a Motion Picture | Lady Bugs | ||
| 1994 | Won | Best Youth Actor Leading Role in a Television Series | seaQuest DSV | |
| 1995 | Nominated | Best Performance by a Youth Actor in a TV Mini-Series or Special | Good King Wenceslas | |
| 1992 | Saturn Award | Nominated | Best Performance by a Younger Actor | The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter |
[edit] References
- ^ Jonathan Brandis Biography (1976-)
- ^ McLellan, Dennis (2003-11-21). "Actor Jonathan Brandis dies at 27". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ a b Gould, Joe (2004-01-18). "Fans Weep For Danbury Star Whose Suicide Ended Career". Danbury News-Times.
- ^ "'SeaQuest DSV' actor Brandis dead at 27". CNN.com. 2003-11-23. http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/TV/11/21/obit.brandis.ap/. Retrieved on 2003-05-24.
- ^ Benton, Nicholas F. (2003-12-04). "From Heartthrob to Heartache: The Suicide of a Former Teen Idol". Falls Church News-Press.
- ^ Ortega, Albert (2003-11-24). "Teen idol Jonathan Brandis dies at 27". USAToday.com. http://www.usatoday.com/life/2003-11-21-brandis-obit_x.htm. Retrieved on 2008-05-24.
- ^ The Siamese Dream at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ The Slainville Boys at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Jewel, Dan (1996-07-08). "Young Love". People. http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20141725,00.html. Retrieved on 2008-05-24.
- ^ "Tatyana Ali Biography". movies.yahoo.com. http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800236731/bio. Retrieved on 2008-05-24.
- ^ "Ten actors who died in their 20s". smh.com.au. 2008-01-23. http://www.smh.com.au/news/heath-ledger/ten-actors-who-died-in-their-20s/2008/01/23/1201024961111.html. Retrieved on 2008-05-24.
- ^ "Los Angeles Police Department: News Release". lapdonline.org. 2003-11-20. http://www.lapdonline.org/newsroom/news_view/20868.
- ^ "A Teen Heartthrob Takes His Life". People. 2003-12-06.
- ^ "Jonathan Brandis' Death a Suicide". eonline.com. 2003-11-20. http://www.eonline.com/print/index.jsp?uuid=5fcb8f5a-ae67-4cec-a835-d01acbd275fd&contentType=newsStory.
[edit] External links
- Jonathan Brandis at the Internet Movie Database
- Jonathan Brandis at Allmovie
- Jonathan Brandis at TV.com
- Jonathan Brandis Archive Collection
