You’ll never guess which 80s sci-fi star turned to bank robbery—Find out who secretly led a double life
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Hollywood is full of stories that dazzle and delight, but sometimes, the most jaw-dropping tales happen after the credits roll.
If you grew up in the 1980s—or raised kids who did—you probably remember the wide-eyed wonder of Flight of the Navigator, a sci-fi adventure that sent a young boy soaring through time and space in a talking alien spaceship.
But what if we told you that the film’s child star, once the face of innocence and adventure, later found himself at the center of a real-life crime drama?
From Silver Screen to the Streets
Buckle up, GrayVine readers, because this is the true story of Joey Cramer—a journey from Hollywood stardom to a Canadian bank heist, and ultimately, to redemption.
Joey Cramer was just 12 years old when he landed the lead role in Flight of the Navigator (1986), a film that captured the imaginations of a generation.
With its then-groundbreaking special effects and heartwarming story, the movie grossed $18 million worldwide and made Cramer a household name. For a brief, shining moment, he was living every kid’s dream.
But fame, as we know, can be a double-edged sword—especially for a child. Overwhelmed by the pressures of Hollywood and longing for a normal life, Cramer made a decision that would change everything: he walked away from acting.
He wanted to skateboard, hang out with friends, and just be a regular kid again.
Unfortunately, the transition was anything but smooth. Back at school, he found himself an outsider—teased for being “the movie star kid” and struggling to fit in.
“It’s easy to fit in with the misfits who smoke and drink and smoke weed, so that’s what I gravitated towards,” Cramer later admitted in a candid interview.
A Downward Spiral
By his mid-teens, Cramer was already experimenting with drugs.
Also read: Legendary voice behind Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars passes away—remembering the extraordinary legacy of Clive Revill
“I got into cocaine at a really young age—14 or 15,” he recalled. “I look back and go, ‘What were you thinking?’ but as a kid it just didn’t register that doing these harder drugs was that much worse than smoking weed and drinking. By the time I realized, it was too late. I was a mess.”
Despite a stint in rehab at 18, the cycle of addiction was hard to break. Cramer moved to Mexico in his twenties, where he managed to stay sober for a decade, working regular jobs and trying to build a new life.
But addiction is a cunning adversary. One night of partying in his mid-thirties led to a relapse, and by 2011, heroin had entered the picture.
Things only got worse after the birth of his daughter in 2014. Struggling with a destructive relationship and the fear of losing custody, Cramer’s life spiraled out of control.
He became homeless, hopeless, and, by his own admission, was constantly thinking about ending his life.
A Desperate Cry for Help
In April 2016, Cramer made a decision that shocked everyone who remembered him as the plucky hero of Flight of the Navigator.
Disguised in a wig, bandana, and sunglasses, he walked into a Scotiabank branch in Sechelt, British Columbia, and handed the teller a note demanding cash. Within minutes, he was gone—with money in hand, but no real plan for escape.
This wasn’t a heist for riches. It was, as Cramer later described, a desperate attempt to get help.
Also read: He brought Chucky to life—now he's taken his final bow
He knew that prison offered access to treatment programs he couldn’t find on the streets. When police arrested him three days later, he felt relief.
“I was in a really bad place and I knew about this therapeutic community, Guthrie House, inside the prison. It was such a relief when I got arrested.”
Redemption and Recovery
Sentenced to nearly two years, Cramer used his time behind bars to confront the demons that had haunted him for decades.
Through meditation, yoga, therapy, and methadone treatment, he began to heal. Now in his early 50s, Cramer has been clean for several years.
Source: Monopoly Events / Youtube.
He’s slowly rebuilding his relationship with his daughter, returning to acting in small independent films, and volunteering to help others in recovery.
“I know I’ve done bad things, but I’m not a bad person,” he says. “I have regrets, but I know I can’t change things in the past, so all I can do is try to be better from today and share my experiences in the hope it might help someone get through something.”
His remarkable journey is chronicled in the 2020 documentary Life After the Navigator, which reunites him with former co-stars and offers an unflinching look at the cost of childhood fame.
“Every time I share, it reminds me that the past doesn’t control my life anymore, that the past doesn’t define me and that the memories of me don’t define who I am.”
Read next: Tom Hanks opens up after daughter’s emotional memoir shares family pain and healing
Have you or someone you know faced a difficult turning point? What helped you find your way back? We’d love to hear your thoughts, stories, and words of encouragement in the comments below!
If you grew up in the 1980s—or raised kids who did—you probably remember the wide-eyed wonder of Flight of the Navigator, a sci-fi adventure that sent a young boy soaring through time and space in a talking alien spaceship.
But what if we told you that the film’s child star, once the face of innocence and adventure, later found himself at the center of a real-life crime drama?
From Silver Screen to the Streets
Buckle up, GrayVine readers, because this is the true story of Joey Cramer—a journey from Hollywood stardom to a Canadian bank heist, and ultimately, to redemption.
Joey Cramer was just 12 years old when he landed the lead role in Flight of the Navigator (1986), a film that captured the imaginations of a generation.
With its then-groundbreaking special effects and heartwarming story, the movie grossed $18 million worldwide and made Cramer a household name. For a brief, shining moment, he was living every kid’s dream.
But fame, as we know, can be a double-edged sword—especially for a child. Overwhelmed by the pressures of Hollywood and longing for a normal life, Cramer made a decision that would change everything: he walked away from acting.
Joey Cramer, the former child star of the iconic 80s film Flight Of The Navigator, ended up homeless and robbed a Canadian bank in 2016 as a desperate cry for help while battling drug addiction. Image source: New York Daily News / Youtube.
He wanted to skateboard, hang out with friends, and just be a regular kid again.
Unfortunately, the transition was anything but smooth. Back at school, he found himself an outsider—teased for being “the movie star kid” and struggling to fit in.
“It’s easy to fit in with the misfits who smoke and drink and smoke weed, so that’s what I gravitated towards,” Cramer later admitted in a candid interview.
A Downward Spiral
By his mid-teens, Cramer was already experimenting with drugs.
Also read: Legendary voice behind Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars passes away—remembering the extraordinary legacy of Clive Revill
“I got into cocaine at a really young age—14 or 15,” he recalled. “I look back and go, ‘What were you thinking?’ but as a kid it just didn’t register that doing these harder drugs was that much worse than smoking weed and drinking. By the time I realized, it was too late. I was a mess.”
Despite a stint in rehab at 18, the cycle of addiction was hard to break. Cramer moved to Mexico in his twenties, where he managed to stay sober for a decade, working regular jobs and trying to build a new life.
But addiction is a cunning adversary. One night of partying in his mid-thirties led to a relapse, and by 2011, heroin had entered the picture.
Things only got worse after the birth of his daughter in 2014. Struggling with a destructive relationship and the fear of losing custody, Cramer’s life spiraled out of control.
Cramer struggled to adjust after leaving Hollywood as a teenager, turning to drugs and alcohol to cope with being teased and not fitting in. Image source: New York Daily News / Youtube.
He became homeless, hopeless, and, by his own admission, was constantly thinking about ending his life.
A Desperate Cry for Help
In April 2016, Cramer made a decision that shocked everyone who remembered him as the plucky hero of Flight of the Navigator.
Disguised in a wig, bandana, and sunglasses, he walked into a Scotiabank branch in Sechelt, British Columbia, and handed the teller a note demanding cash. Within minutes, he was gone—with money in hand, but no real plan for escape.
This wasn’t a heist for riches. It was, as Cramer later described, a desperate attempt to get help.
Also read: He brought Chucky to life—now he's taken his final bow
He knew that prison offered access to treatment programs he couldn’t find on the streets. When police arrested him three days later, he felt relief.
“I was in a really bad place and I knew about this therapeutic community, Guthrie House, inside the prison. It was such a relief when I got arrested.”
Redemption and Recovery
Sentenced to nearly two years, Cramer used his time behind bars to confront the demons that had haunted him for decades.
Through meditation, yoga, therapy, and methadone treatment, he began to heal. Now in his early 50s, Cramer has been clean for several years.
Source: Monopoly Events / Youtube.
He’s slowly rebuilding his relationship with his daughter, returning to acting in small independent films, and volunteering to help others in recovery.
“I know I’ve done bad things, but I’m not a bad person,” he says. “I have regrets, but I know I can’t change things in the past, so all I can do is try to be better from today and share my experiences in the hope it might help someone get through something.”
His remarkable journey is chronicled in the 2020 documentary Life After the Navigator, which reunites him with former co-stars and offers an unflinching look at the cost of childhood fame.
“Every time I share, it reminds me that the past doesn’t control my life anymore, that the past doesn’t define me and that the memories of me don’t define who I am.”
Read next: Tom Hanks opens up after daughter’s emotional memoir shares family pain and healing
Have you or someone you know faced a difficult turning point? What helped you find your way back? We’d love to hear your thoughts, stories, and words of encouragement in the comments below!
