-> 

v

"I'm not proud of my past mistakes but you live and you learn, I guess... hopefully. I've learned a lot about myself, that's for sure. I'm deeply in love with my girlfriend, who is a huge, positive support for me, I dig my job, and I'm excited to release some new music and head out on tour again. So I'd say I'm doing pretty well." Brian Bonsall first made a name for himself as the impossibly adorable Andy Keaton on the last few seasons of the hit show Family Ties. A decade later, he stepped out of the spotlight to pursue another passion: music.

 -> 

v

If you watched the shows Family Ties or Star Trek: The Next Generation, you're probably familiar with actor Brian Bonsall. You may also be wondering what happened to this former child star who seemed positioned for life as a superstar. Certainly, the actor-turned-musician has had his share of ups and downs, but professes to have reached a happy place in his life with his music and without acting. Here's a closer look at the life and times of Brian Bonsall. 

From Cute Child to Child Star

 -> 

v

Brian Bonsall was born in Torrance, California on December 3, 1981 to Garth and Kathleen Bonsall. Bonsall's mother was an actress and she took her young son to many auditions and agent meetings. Her perseverance came through: In 1986, Bonsall landed his first role as the youngest member of the Keaton family, Andy, on the popular sitcom Family Ties when he was just four years old. His co-stars included Michael J. Fox, Justine Bateman, Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross amongst others. Bonsall received three "Young Artist Awards" for his work on the award-winning show. 

Bonsall's success on Family Ties led to subsequent bookings on television shows, specials and movies, including Day by Day, Booker, On the Television, Go Toward the Light, Mickey's 60th Birthday, Mother Goose Rock' n' Rhyme, Angel of Death, Married People, The Young Riders, Shades of LA, False Arrest and Parker Lewis Can't Lose. Bonsall received another Young Artist Award nomination for her starring turn in Do You Know the Muffin Man? This critically praised made-for-television drama, which co-starred Pam Dawber, John Shea, and Stephen Dorff, touched on a difficult topic: child abuse in a community daycare.

 -> 

v

1992 was another career high for Bonsall. He landed a major role on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation playing the character of Alexander Rozhenko. The part was initially intended to be a cameo, but the makers turned it into a recurring role because of the character's immense popularity. Said Bonsall of the unique challenges of playing the half-human, half-Klingon, Alexander, "I showed the emotion that was underneath the warrior I was training to become. Alexander was half-human so that needed to shine through his rugged exterior."  

Bonsall has also addressed the challenges of his character's dramatic makeup. "As you can imagine, the makeup could get a bit irritating at times, but they were always there to help me figure out how to scratch an itch or repair a wardrobe malfunction. It was an awesome experience. It definitely helped me stay in character, as much as a kid that age could. I felt like a warrior. The $4,000 wig of real hair was probably the biggest pain in the butt, though, because it was so much money and I enjoyed running around like a madman at times," he has said. 

 -> 

v

That same year, Bonsall scored a leading role in the horror-thriller film, Mikey. While his performance was well-received, the movie itself was a critical and commercial flop. Over the next two years, Bonsall continued to act with roles in Distant Cousins, Father Hood, Blank Check and Father and Scout. The 1994 television movie, Lily in Winter, would be Bonsall's final role. 

Leaving the Industry Behind

 -> 

v

Throughout Bonsall's acting career, he was also working hard as a student. Additionally, he began playing the guitar and writing songs, which led him to develop an interest in another career: music.  By the time he reached his early teens, Bonsall had started playing with a few bands and was seriously considering dropping out of acting entirely. His family's move to Boulder, Colorado shortly after further separated him from Hollywood and acting. 

By the time Bonsall graduated from Boulder High School, he was already a full-fledged musician and a member of the funk-rock band Land Bloomers. Since that time, Bonsall has played with many bands, including Thruster, The Light on Adam' Stereo, Lowjob and Bootjack&Bonz. He also toured as a guitarist with the punk rock band The Ataris. 

Bonsall recently reappeared in the spotlight when he attended the celebrity autographs signing convention, The Hollywood Show.  "Honestly, it's kind of new to me again after being away from that environment for so long. It was definitely super-neat to sign so much Star Trek memorabilia and to see the positive response from the fans. I even caught a glimpse of a couple of Family Ties tribute tattoos, and that was cool. I'd have to say I do enjoy it a lot," he said of the experience. 

Unfortunately, Bonsall was not immune to the struggles faced by many other child stars. He had problems with substance abuse, as well as several run-ins with the law in 2007, 2009, and 2010. "I'm not proud of my past mistakes, but you live and learn," he said of these issues. 

Brian Bonsall may no longer be part of the Hollywood scene, but he'll forever live on in the world's memory thanks to his portrayals of Andy Keaton and Alexander Rozhenko. And while he has no plans to return to acting anytime soon, Bonsall's fans can still keep up with him through his music and on reruns of Family Ties and Star Trek: The Next Generation.