Andrew Koenig's Lost Role as the Joker

Andrew Koenig became famous for his role as Boner in the ABC sitcom Growing Pains, which made his death in Vancouver all the more shocking for his fans.

The actor's body was found February 25 in a Vancouver park a few days after going missing during a trip to visit friends in the area. It appears the 41 year old committed suicide. Koenig is the son of Walter Koenig, who played Chekov in the original Star Trek TV shows and movies. After Growing Pains, Koenig rarely worked in Hollywood, with only occasional work as a guest star on TV shows, including Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

In recent years, Koenig seemed to crusade for human rights projects. He was arrested at the 2008 Rose Bowl Parade when he ran out in front of a float sponsored by the Chinese government to protest the country's role in the war in Burma. A video of the incident, reportedly posted by Koenig, appears at YouTube.

Many fans may not know that in 2003 Koenig had role very different from his sitcom days. Years before Heath Ledger's Oscar-winning turn as the Joker in the film The Dark Knight, Koenig turned in a similar over-the-top performance as the Crown Prince of Crime for Sandy Collora's short film Batman: Dead End.

Collora, a filmmaker looking to score a big break in Hollywood, created a fan film based on the DC comic hero Batman, but this was no amateur production. The film was first rate, even featuring the work of stuntmen and Hollywood costume makers who wanted to help their friend Collora make the best film possible.

WARNING: PLOT SPOILERS FOLLOW!
Even though the film is only eight minutes long, it's crammed with a lot of action. Instead of following the lead of the Warner Brothers Batman films, Collora's take on Batman was much closer to the original comic book intent, even down to the Caped Crusader's grey and black retro outfit. The plot involves the Joker escaping Arkham Asylum and Batman's pursuit. Koenig is scary and on-target as the Joker, although his role is very brief. After a scuffle with Batman in an alley, Koenig's Joker is snatched away, as both Predators and Aliens from the classic sci-fi films appear. It appears Batman and the Joker had stumbled into the middle of the Aliens vs. Predators battle.

The film caused a sensation on the internet and comic conventions around the country. Fan's reacting to Koenig's death online still consider his short portrayal of the Joker as the best ever interpretation of the character. The film can be viewed free online at Collora's website, as he is unable to profit from it to avoid trademark infringement. The film brought Koenig some notoriety for a time, mostly from comic book fans, and appreciation for a talent and career that might have been so much more.