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Joe Pichler | |
|---|---|
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| Born | Joseph David Wolfgang Pichler (1987-02-14)February 14, 1987 Bremerton, Washington, U.S. |
| Disappeared | January 5, 2006 20 years ago, (aged 18) Bremerton, Washington, U.S. |
| Status | Missing for 20 years and 11 days |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1996–2002 |
| Awards | Young Artist Award: Best Performance in a Feature Film or TV Movie - Young Ensemble 1999 Shiloh 2 |
Joseph David Wolfgang Pichler (February 14, 1987 – missing/presumed dead January 5, 2006) is an American former child actor. He is best known for his roles in Varsity Blues (1999), Beethoven's 3rd (2000) and Beethoven's 4th (2001).
Pichler's last film credit was in the independent drama Children on Their Birthdays (2002). He went missing at age 18 under mysterious circumstances on January 5, 2006, near his hometown of Bremerton, Washington. His whereabouts remain unknown.
Life and career
The fourth of five children, Pichler relocated to Los Angeles as a child to pursue his acting career. He had some success, most notably appearing in several movies and television shows. He is known for his recurring role as Brennan Newton in the third and fourth (direct-to-video) installments of the Beethoven movies—family-oriented comedies about the antics of a mischievous St. Bernard.
In 2003, at the insistence of his family, he returned to his hometown of Bremerton, Washington, about 16 miles (26 km) west of Seattle, and graduated from high school there in 2005. According to family, Pichler had planned to return to Los Angeles the following year (after his braces were removed from his teeth) to resume his acting career. At the time of his disappearance, Pichler was living on his own in Bremerton across town from his parents, his younger brother Matthew "A.J." Pichler and his older sister Samantha.[citation needed]
Disappearance
Pichler was last seen on January 5, 2006.[1][2] According to the Charley Project, the friends who last saw him stated he was in good spirits while he was with them.[3]
Pichler's silver 2005 Toyota Corolla was found on January 9, 2006, at the intersection of Wheaton Way and Sheridan Road in Bremerton. He was reported missing by his family on January 16.[citation needed]
According to his family's statements to the media at the time, the last outgoing call on Pichler's cell phone was placed at 4:08 a.m., on January 5, to a friend who had said that he had been visiting with Pichler earlier in the day.[3]
According to the Associated Press, Pichler's family stated that a note found within the car expressed a wish to be a "stronger brother" and asked that personal effects of Pichler's be given to a younger brother. The lead investigator on the case, Detective Robbie Davis, stated, "There’s a good indication that it might have been a suicide, but we don’t know that," adding that he did not see any evidence of foul play. However, Pichler's relatives disagreed with this view. His mother criticized investigators for giving the impression that they thought Pichler was dead, saying, "He could be in someone’s basement. He could be wandering the streets hurt."[2][4]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | In the House | Bryan | Episode: "To Die For" |
| 1996 | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Little Boy | Episode: "Through a Glass, Darkly" |
| 1996 | The Fan | Sick Sean | |
| 1997 | Prison of Secrets | Zach | TV movie |
| 1997 | Gun | Tad | Episode: "The Hole" |
| 1998 | Touched by an Angel | Alex Craig | Episode: "The Trigger" |
| 1998 | Music From Another Room | Young Billy | |
| 1999 | Varsity Blues | Kyle Moxon | |
| 1999 | Shiloh 2: Shiloh Season | David Howard | |
| 2000 | Beethoven's 3rd | Brennan Newton | |
| 2001 | When Good Ghouls Go Bad | Danny Walker | TV movie |
| 2001 | Beethoven's 4th | Brennan Newton | |
| 2002 | The Nightmare Room | Gary | Episode: "Camp Nowhere" (Parts 1 and 2) |
| 2002 | Children on Their Birthdays | Billy Bob Murphy |
References
- ^ White, Steven (December 11, 2025). "Missing child star who vanished without trace left cryptic note after 'sobbing' 4am call". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2025.
- ^ a b "Former child movie actor Joe Pichler missing, suicidal note found; was in 'Beethoven' comedies". Associated Press. January 16, 2006. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2025 – via News on 6.
- ^ a b "Joseph David Wolfgang Pichler". The Charley Project. December 9, 2012.
- ^ "Former 'Beethoven' child actor is missing". Associated Press. January 17, 2006. Archived from the original on October 8, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2025 – via Today.
External links
- Joe Pichler at IMDb
- Joe Pichler at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
