Jonathan Gregory Brandis (April 13, 1976 – November 12, 2003) was an American actor. Beginning his career as a child model, Brandis moved on to acting in commercials and subsequently won television and film roles. Brandis made his acting debut in 1982 as Kevin Buchanan on the soap opera One Life to Live. In 1990, he portrayed Bill Denbrough in the television miniseries It, and starred as Bastian Bux in The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter. In 1993, at the age of 17, he was cast in the role of teen prodigy Lucas Wolenczak on the NBC series seaQuest DSV. The character was popular among teenage viewers, and Brandis regularly appeared in teen magazines. He died by suicide in 2003.
Early life Jonathan Gregory Brandis was born on April 13, 1976, in Danbury, Connecticut, the only child of Mary, a teacher and personal manager, and Gregory Brandis, a food distributor and firefighter. At the age of two, he began his career as a child model for Buster Brown shoes. At the age of four, Brandis began acting in television commercials. He attended San Fernando Valley Professional School, graduating in 1993.
Career
At age six, Brandis won the role of Kevin Buchanan on the soap opera One Life to Live. He moved to Los Angeles with his family at age nine and made guest appearances on shows such as Blossom; L.A. Law; Who's the Boss?; Murder, She Wrote; The Wonder Years; Full House; Webster and Kate & Allie.
At age 13, Brandis was cast in his first starring role as Bastian Bux in The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter. He played the young Bill Denbrough in the 1990 television miniseries It, based on the epic horror novel of the same name. Brandis's performance in the miniseries was lauded by critics and audiences. Brandis was cast as the lead in two films made close together, first as Barry Gabrewski in Sidekicks and then starring as Matthew/Martha in Ladybugs.
Around age 17, Brandis landed one of his best-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. At the height of his popularity, Brandis received approximately 4,000 fan letters a week and had to be escorted onto the set of seaQuest DSV by three studio security guards because of the many female fans present. He voiced Mozenrath, an evil young sorcerer, in Disney's animated series Aladdin.
After seaQuest DSV was cancelled in 1996, 20-year-old Brandis appeared in the television film Her Last Chance. His next role was in the television film Born Free: A New Adventure, which was shot in South Africa. He continued his career in supporting roles in Outside Providence and Ride with the Devil (both in 1999). In 2000, he costarred in Bad Girls from Valley High, which, because of distribution problems, was not released until 2005, two years after his death. Brandis had a small role in Hart's War (2002). In 2003, he was cast in 111 Gramercy Park, a pilot that was not picked up by the network. He made his final onscreen appearance in the action drama Puerto Vallarta Squeeze in 2004, which was also released posthumously. He was friends with fellow child actor-turned-teen idol Soleil Moon Frye and was featured in her 2021 documentary Kid 90, which was culled from Frye's extensive collection of home video footage shot during the 1990s.
Personal life From 1995 to 2001, Brandis dated actress and singer Tatyana Ali. The then-couple appeared in an article in People magazine in July 1996.
Death On November 11, 2003, Brandis was found hanged in the hallway of his Los Angeles apartment. He was transported to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and died the following day of injuries sustained from the hanging at the age of 27.
Brandis did not leave a suicide note. After his death, friends reported that he had been depressed about his extended career lull and was reportedly disappointed when his appearance in the 2002 war drama Hart's War—a role he hoped would revive his career—was significantly reduced to a mere deleted scene in the film's final cut. Brandis began drinking heavily and said that he intended to kill himself.
In 2021, Brandis's father speculated that Brandis could have suffered from bipolar disorder. He told People, "His death wasn't due to the entertainment industry. I look back now, and in his 20s, he showed signs of manic depression. I hope that anyone suffering can go get help."
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1987 Fatal Attraction Party guest 1988 Oliver & Company Additional voices Voice The Wrong Guys Kid Tim 1989 Pet Sematary Narrator Voice Stepfather II Todd Grayland 1990 Ghost Dad Additional voices Voice The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter Bastian Bux 1992 Ladybugs Matthew / Martha Sidekicks Barry Gabrewski 1998 Aladdin's Arabian Adventures: Magic Makers Mozenrath Voice; direct-to-video 1999 Outside Providence Mousy Ride with the Devil Cave Wyatt 2002 Hart's War Lewis P. Wakely The Year That Trembled Casey Pedersen 2003 Between the Sheets Robert Avocado 2004 Puerto Vallarta Squeeze Neil Weatherford Released posthumously The Slainesville Boys — Director and producer; released posthumously 2005 Bad Girls from Valley High Drew Filmed in 2000; direct-to-video; released posthumously 2021 Kid 90 Himself Documentary; released posthumously
Television Year Title Role Notes 1982–1983 One Life to Live Kevin Buchanan Unknown episodes 1984 Kate & Allie Chip's friend Episode: "Odd Boy Out" 1986 Mystery Magical Special Himself Television special Sledge Hammer! Young Sledge Episode: "They Shoot Hammers, Don't They?" 1987 Buck James Unknown role Episode: "Sin of the Father" Duet Danny Episode: "Jane's Getting Serious" Good Morning, Miss Bliss Michael Thompson Pilot L.A. Law Kevin Talbot 2 episodes Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story Lance Reventlow (age 11) Television film 1988 Mars: Base One Unknown roleTelevision film Webster Bobby Episode: "Take My Cousin, Please" 1989 Full House Michael Monford Episode: "A Little Romance" Who's the Boss? Paul Episode: "Your Grandmother's a Bimbo" 1990Alien Nation Andron Episode: "The Touch"The Earth Day Special Himself Television specialThe Flash Terry Cohan Episode: "Child's Play" It Young Bill Denbrough MiniseriesThe Munsters Today Matt Glover Episode: "The Silver Bullet" Murder, She Wrote Kevin Bryce Episode: "If the Shoe Fits" 1991 Blossom Stevie Episode: "To Tell the Truth" Gabriel's Fire Matthew Fixx Episode: "Truth and Consequences"Our Shining Moment Michael "Scooter" McGuire Television film Pros and Cons Danny Episode: "Once a Kid"The Wonder Years Steve Episode: "The Yearbook" 1992Crossroads Michael Stahl Episode: "Freedom of the Road" Do Not Bring That Python in the House Gabriel Miller Television film 1993 Saved by the Bell: The College Years Himself Episode: "A Thanksgiving Story" 1993–1996 seaQuest DSV Lucas Wolenczak Main role; also co-wrote episode "The Siamese Dream" 1994 Good King Wenceslas Prince Wenceslas Television film Masters Of Illusion Himself Documentary 1994–1995 Aladdin Mozenrath Voice; 8 episodes 1996Born Free: A New Adventure Randolph "Rand" Thompson Television film Fall into Darkness ChadTelevision film Her Last Chance Preston AlthertonTelevision film 1997 Two Came Back JasonTelevision film 2003 111 Gramercy Park Will Karnegian Unsold pilot
Awards and nominations Award Year Category Nominated work ResultSaturn Awards1992Best Performance by a Younger Actor The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter Young Artist Awards1990Best Young Actor Guest Starring in a Television Series The Flash1991Best Young Actor Starring in a Motion Picture The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter1993Outstanding Young Ensemble Cast in a Motion PictureLadybugs 1993Best Young Actor Starring in a Motion PictureLadybugs1994Best Youth Actor Leading Role in a Television SeriesseaQuest DSV1995Best Performance by a Youth Actor in a TV Mini-Series or SpecialGood King Wenceslas
References
External links