Jonathan Brandis
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
A TV teen sensation who snared a regular post aboard "seaQuest DSV/seaquest 2030" (NBC, 1993-95), an underwater sci-fi series from Steven Spielberg and Amblin Entertainment, Brandis was admirably convincing as boy genius Lucas Wolenczak, an invaluable crew member of the high-tech submarine in the future. Hailed by TV GUIDE in the summer of 1994 as the "new hot-hot-hot teen mag cover boy," Brandis received over 4000 fan letters a week. Ironically, he first caught the attention of teenaged girls by impersonating one. "Ladybugs" (1992), a mild Rodney Dangerfield vehicle, featured the blond-haired, blue-eyed heartthrob in drag as a ringer on a girl's soccer team.
Brandis began his entertainment career at age two appearing in a sales poster for Buster Brown clothing. By five, he was acting in TV ads for Kix cereal and Fisher-Price toys and played a recurring role on the daytime soap "One Life to Live" by age six. He moved with his family to L.A. at nine and soon found work in TV guest spots, pilots, and miniseries. Brandis segued to features as an "additional voice" for "Oliver & Company" (1988), a minor Disney animated effort. He was more visible as an imperiled youngster in the disappointing "Stepfather 2" (1989) and starred as a warrior youth in "Neverending Story II: The Next Chapter" (1990), another lackluster sequel, before gaining attention with "Ladybugs." Brandis was paired with Chuck Norris in the martial arts comedy "Sidekicks" (1993) the summer before submerging himself in "seaQuest." He hoped to bid juvenile roles farewell after starring in the TV-movie "Good King Wenceslas" (1994) and co-starring with Kellie Martin in "Her Last Chance" (NBC, 1996).
Although his billing and the prominence of his adult roles shrank in adulthood, the actor continued to work steadily. Brandis appeared in a supporting role as Mousy in director Michael Corrent's 1999 adaptation of filmmaker Peter Farrelly's novel "Outside Providence" (a less scatalogical offering from one of the Farrelly Brothers), and he was part of the supporting ensemble of Ang Lee's underrated Western "Ride With the Devil" (1999). His next major mainstream screen effort was as one of the army privates in the Bruce Willis military drama "Hart's War" (2000). Among his final film roles was "The Year That Trembled" (2002), independent filmmaker Jay Craven's adaptation of the Scott Lax coming-of-age novel set in Ohio after the shootings at Kent State University, which earned Brandid strong reviews among the cadre of critics who saw the film. In 2003 Brandis' death at age 27 was deemed a suicide; the actor was discovered unconscious after apparently hanging himself at his Los Angeles home.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Sound (Feature Film)
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1978
Debut as a print model at age two in a sales poster for Buster Brown clothing (date approximate)
1980
Began appearing TV commercials at age five (date approximate)
1982
Became a recurring character on the daytime soap "One Life to Live" at age six (date approximate)
1986
Moved to LA with his family at age nine
1987
First TV guest spot, "Buck James", an ABC medical drama
1987
TV miniseries debut, "Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story" on NBC
1987
Acted in the NBC pilot for the Disney Channel series, "Good Morning, Miss Bliss"
1988
Feature debut, provided an additional voice for the Disney animated feature, "Oliver & Company"
1989
First substantial feature role, "Stepfather 2"
1990
Co-starred as the young Richard Thomas in "Stephen King's 'IT'", an ABC miniseries
1990
First feature starring role, "Neverending Story II: The Next Chapter", a US-German co-production
1992
Breakthrough feature role, "Ladybugs", solidified teen idol status
1993
Debut as a TV series regular, played boy genius Lucas Wolenczak on "seaQuest DSV/seaquest 2030"
1996
Provided character voice for the animated series "Alladin"
1999
Appeared as the lead character's best friend in "Outside Providence"
1999
Had featured role in "Ride With the Devil"
Family
Companions
