Brian, 27, has since gone the sad route of many former child actors. No longer acting, he never graduated from high school, and instead formed a rock band "Late Bloomers," with friends in 1998. He's no longer cute Andy: Brian has numerous tattoos and piercings these days. He's also gotten into a bit of legal trouble: arrested for DUI, he also pled guilty for assault on his girlfriend, and is reportedly now a fugitive from the law with a $2,500 bond out on him.

http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/entertainment/2009/08/12/cast-family-ties?slide=16

What a sad, sad story. Hopefully, Paul Petersen (the main advocate of former child stars) can reach Brian and help him. Who would've thought that little moppet from Family Ties would go down this path?? :(

It's a shame to hear stories like this :(

It's sad had far downhill his life has gone. Hopefully someone can reach out to him and help him turn things around.

This is sad to hear. :(

Very sad to hear. Hopefully he can get some help.

http://www.coloradodaily.com/ci_13945077

A former child TV star who has been wanted by authorities for more than a year after skipping a court hearing in July 2008 was arrested Saturday on the year-old warrant and on suspicion of hitting his “best friend” in the face with a broken stool.

Brian Bonsall, 28, now faces new third-degree assault charges and failure to appear charges in connection with a previous assault case dating back to 2007.

Bonsall, who most notably starred as Michael J. Fox's little brother Andy Keaton on the 1980s TV series “Family Ties,” lived in Boulder for several years, graduating from Boulder High in 2000, before leaving town in 2008. His time in Boulder was marred by numerous run-ins with authorities, including an arrest in 2004 for drunk driving and an arrest in 2007 for assaulting his girlfriend.

Officers in 2008 suspected that Bonsall had violated his probation in the earlier assault case and were planning to lay out new charges against him. But Bonsall failed to appear for a hearing on July 16, 2008, and the former child star has been wanted since.

Police caught up with him about 2:30 a.m. Saturday at his “best friend's” home at 1121 11th St. in Boulder. According to an arrest report, officers were called to the apartment three times that night before they arrested Bonsall on suspicion of hitting his friend, Micheal Trujillo, 26, in the face with a part from a broken stool.

Trujillo said he and Bonsall began arguing, and when he asked Bonsall to leave, the guest refused and then attacked Trujillo with the stool, according to police. Bonsall told officers that both he and Trujillo had been drinking “a lot” that night, and he didn't remember what had happened.

“Bonsall then said that he and Trujillo both are bipolar and like drugs,” according to the report. “Bonsall said that he takes a lot of drugs and sometimes those drugs make him forget things.”

Bonsall is being held at the Boulder County Jail on two bonds totaling $7,500.

This is pretty sad. I guess its just another example of a child actor who has had trouble with the law.

This is so very sad

Wow, it's a shame the way Brian Bonsall has turned out. Nothing like the cute little boy who played Andy on the show.

Wow, it's a shame the way Brian Bonsall has turned out. Nothing like the cute little boy who played Andy on the show.
I know it's so sad. I still remember him as the little boy who used to say, "Alex is king." I hope he gets some help before something really bad happens to him. :(

Not again!! He looks SCARY these days, too. :eek:

The whole tattoo look really doesn't work for him. :eek:

The whole tattoo look really doesn't work for him. :eek:

...I was just going to say, a tattoo on your neck??? How hideous!

I wonder if Paul Peterson has ever tried to reach out to this poor kid?:confused: :confused:

I hope this arrest is the catalyst that turns his life around in a more positive direction.

...I was just going to say, a tatoo on your neck??? How hideous!

I wonder if Paul Peterson has ever tried to reach out to this poor kid?:confused: :confused:
He has - I've read that in the archives in his website, A Minor Consideration.

http://www.minorcon.org//bonsall_arrest.html

The Story about Brian Getting Arrested was on The 4:00 pm News This Afternoon on WDSU

It's sad that he turned out like this. I hope it now turns to the better.


By the way, I think this guy is one of the few heavily tattooed actors that looks good. It's Robert Lasardo; the dude's amazing.

It's sad that he turned out like this. I hope it now turns to the better.


By the way, I think this guy is one of the few heavily tattooed actors that looks good. It's Robert Lasardo; the dude's amazing.
Didn't he play a bad guy on General Hospital? I think he's scary looking, too!! :eek:

Didn't he play a bad guy on General Hospital? I think he's scary looking, too!! :eek:

Yes, he had a pretty decent run on GH. I don't watch the show but I did look up some of his clips there to see what he was like.

I love the dude.

Yes, he had a pretty decent run on GH. I don't watch the show but I did look up some of his clips there to see what he was like.

I love the dude.
Well, he certainly has the look to play the bad guys!! :eek: :lol:

Well, he certainly has the look to play the bad guys!! :eek: :lol:

I'm not meaning to highjack the thread so this will be the last I speak of him here...

Yeah he does; I think he for the most part plays thugs. I know people who went to GH luncheons in Cali. and I really wanted to go just to see him. They said he was totally chill.

He's from my hometown and served in the US Navy so I have much love for him.

I'm not meaning to highjack the thread so this will be the last I speak of him here...

Yeah he does; I think he for the most part plays thugs. I know people who went to GH luncheons in Cali. and I really wanted to go just to see him. They said he was totally chill.

He's from my hometown and served in the US Navy so I have much love for him.
OK, no problem! Getting back to Brian Bonsall, maybe the FT cast should stage an intervention!!!! :eek:

OK, no problem! Getting back to Brian Bonsall, maybe the FT cast should stage an intervention!!!! :eek:

Unfortunately, I think it's too late for that. He looks like he has a lot of legal troubles ahead because I believe he was a fugitive already before this.

Unfortunately, I think it's too late for that. He looks like he has a lot of legal troubles ahead because I believe he was a fugitive already before this.

I suppose you are meaning it's been some time, but I don't think I'd ever say "it's too late... not while they still have a chance." I hope Brian returns
Paul's call. He needs the help he is offering. His story is so very sad. I'll keep him in my thoughts and prayers and expect his life will turn around.

Isn't strange to realize, these folks that bring us so much laughter and happiness when we watch them.. often have some of the worst lives... Jay North, Brian Bonsal, Danny Bonaduce, Michael Jackson (music). Perhaps we need to appreciate these kids when we are "enjoying" their acting instead of feeling sorry for them when they end up in a "mess."

Oh yeah, another one is Kristi McNichol. She's had some problems, and of course Patty Duke.

BOULDER, Colo. — Former "Family Ties" actor Brian Bonsall has been arrested again in Colorado, this time on a charge of using marijuana in violation of the terms of his release.

Deputies handcuffed and led the 28-year-old from a Boulder courtroom Friday after he pleaded not guilty to an assault charge and a failure to report charge involving another case. Bail was set at $10,000.

Bonsall's defense attorney says the actor needs marijuana for headaches and has applied for a medical marijuana card through the state.

He is accused of repeatedly hitting a friend in the head with a broken wooden stool in December and of missing a court hearing in 2007 in another assault case.

Bonsall played the role of the youngest Keaton sibling, Andy, on the NBC sitcom starring Michael J. Fox.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/19/family-ties-brian-bonsall_0_n_469539.html

It's sad the way he has turned out. For his sake and those around him, I hope he gets the help he needs.

I don't agree with the decision to try and get an illegal drug for headaches, but that's another topic.

NOOOOO!!! Not again!! Let's hope Paul Petersen and the other former child stars on the board of A Minor Consideration are trying to get a hold of him right now!!!

Brian's "Star Trek: The Next Generation" character "Alexander" had anger management issues and problems dealing with authority figures. It sounds like life is imitating art for Brian Bonsall. :rolleyes:

If he doesn't get help, this isn't going to end well. :(

If he doesn't get help, this isn't going to end well. :(
Agreed. Such a shame. ohno:

If he doesn't get help, this isn't going to end well. :(

I know. I would hate to see anyone else hurt, including Brian himself. Perhaps his family can intervene on his behalf.

YUCK!

That kid was never quite right, since 1986 when he aged five years in the course of one summer! :lol:

Actually, he did not age five years in one summer.

At the end of Season 4 baby Andrew was 11 months (so basically 1 year old).
Beginning of Season 5 (Andy was age 3 mentioned in an early season 5 episode where first Alex and then both Jennifer and Mallory take Andy shopping for clothes) Starting in Season 5 Andy was played by Brian Bonsall who was 4 years old.

So they aged the character Andy by two years and the actor who played Andy was only three years old then the twins who played baby Andy.

It is a shame what happened to Brian