Template:Realworld Joshua Andrew Koenig (born 17 August 1968; age 55) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker who played Tumak in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Sanctuary". He is the son of actor Walter Koenig, best known for playing Pavel Chekov on Star Trek: The Original Series and in the Star Trek films, and actress Judy Levitt, who has also appeared in several Star Trek films.
In February 2010, Andrew Koenig was reported missing by friends he was visiting in Canada. He was last seen in Vancouver, British Columbia, on 14 February 2010. His disappearance has been confirmed by his family and is currently being investigated by Vancouver authorities.[1]
Acting career
As an actor, Andrew Koenig is best known for playing Mike Seaver's friend, Richard "Boner" Stabone, on the sitcom series Growing Pains. He appeared in twenty-five episodes of the series between 1985 through 1989. In addition, Koenig made guest appearances on the television shows My Sister Sam (which starred fellow DS9 guest actor Joel Brooks), 21 Jump Street (in an episode directed by Larry Shaw and co-starring Phillip Richard Allen) and My Two Dads (on which Chad Allen was a regular cast member). He also voiced various characters on the hit animated series G.I. Joe. His appearance on Deep Space Nine was his latest television work.
More recently, Koenig portrayed DC Comics villain The Joker in the 2003 fan-made short film Batman: Dead End. This movie featured stunt work by Star Trek veterans Dragon Dronet and Scott Leva. He then had a supporting role in an independent film entitled The Theory of Everything, which written and directed by "Klingon Encounter" producer-director David de Vos.
Koenig had a supporting role in the science fiction film InAlienable, which was written and executive produced by his father, Walter Koenig. The elder Koenig also had a role in the film, as did Andrew's mother, Judy Levitt, and fellow Star Trek alumni Erick Avari, Gary Graham, Richard Herd, J.G. Hertzler, Lisa LoCicero, Courtney Peldon, Jeff Rector, Alan Ruck, and Marina Sirtis. Koenig recently completed shooting on an independent film entitled DaZe: Vol. Too (sic) - NonSeNse, whose cast also includes Patrick Kilpatrick.
Other works
Koenig was the writer, director, and editor of the 2003 short film Good Boy (featuring visual effects work by Steven Fagerquist and Derek Ledbetter). He served the same functions on the 2004 short Woman in a Green Dress, and also directed the 2004 short film Instinct vs. Reason. He subsequently edited several short films and documentaries.
Koenig is also known for his work in improvisational comedy. He regularly performs at The Improv in Los Angeles, California, often with the group Charles Whitman Reilly and Friends. Since 2007, Koenig has been the camera operator and video producer on the weekly online podcast Never Not Funny, which is hosted by his brother-in-law, comedian Jimmy Pardo.
Personal life
Josh Andrew Koenig was born in Los Angeles. Writer Harlan Ellison credits meeting Koenig as a child as the partial inspiration for one of his most well-known short stories, the Hugo Award-winning Jeffty is Five. Ellison explained:
- ...I had been awed and delighted by Josh Koenig, and I instantly thought of just such a child who was arrested in time at the age of five. Jeffty, in no small measure, is Josh: the sweetness of Josh, the intelligence of Josh, the questioning nature of Josh.[2]
In the late 1980s, Koenig visited Vancouver, British Columbia, to shoot his episode of 21 Jump Street. He returned to Vancouver in the early 1990s and lived there for many years. He has since returned to the United States, residing in Venice, California. He is an ardent activist of human rights and environmental causes, and has been for much of his life. Most recently he has been working on behalf of the people of Burma, publicly opposing their oppression by the Chinese government and China's support of Burma's military junta.
On New Year's Day in 2008, Koenig was arrested at the Rose Parade while protesting America's involvement in the Beijing Olympics. He was arraigned in Pasadena Superior Court on 4 February for suspicion of interfering with a special event. [3] He was ultimately found guilty and was sentenced to pay a $50 fine. This sentence was suspended, however, after Koenig's attorney argued that the eight hours Koenig spent in jail when he was first arrested was punishment enough. Koenig did not appeal the decision not to simply throw out the case. [4]
Disappearance
On 14 February 2010, Koenig went missing while visiting friends in Vancouver, British Columbia. He was expected to return to the United States on 16 February, but he never boarded the flight.[5] He was reported missing to Vancouver Police on 18 February.[6] Among those publicly seeking information on Koenig's whereabouts is fellow Star Trek alumni LeVar Burton, Wil Wheaton, and Sarah Silverman.[7][8][9]
Koenig last spoke with his parents on 9 February when he called from Toronto to check up on his mother, Judy Levitt, who had recently undergone surgery. Levitt noted that Andrew "sounded a little distant."[10] On 16 February, Walter Koenig and Judy Levitt received a note from Andrew in which Walter believed his son "sounded despondent."[11] The elder Koenig also stated that Andrew had been "suffering from depression" prior to his disappearance. Andrew Koenig had also told a friend that was "not going to work anymore." [12] Neighbors stated that Andrew had sold all of his possessions in Los Angeles before departing for Canada.[13] Records show that Andrew's cell phone received a text message from a friend on 16 February, but his phone has since been turned off.[14]
External links
- Template:IMDb-link
- Josh Andrew Koenig at Wikipedia