Robert Carradine, the actor best known for his work in movies like Revenge of the Nerds and TV shows like Lizzie McGuire, died on Monday. He was 71 years-old.
Carradine Passes Away
According to Deadline, Carradine took his own life. His family confirmed his passing, saying that it came after a “valiant struggle” with bipolar disorder.
“It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away,” Carradine’s family told the outlet. “In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon on light to everyone around him.”
“We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby’s valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with Bipolar Disorder,” the family continued. “We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness. At this time we ask for the privacy to grieve this unfathomable loss. With gratitude for your understanding and compassion.”
Carradine’s brother Keith, who is also an actor, added that the family wants the world to know about his brother’s fight against bipolar disorder.
“We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it,” he said. “It is an illness that got the best of him. And I want to celebrate him for his struggle with it, and celebrate his beautiful soul. He was profoundly gifted, and we will miss him every day. We will take solace in how funny he could be, how wise and utterly accepting and tolerant he was. That’s who my baby brother was.”
Carradine’s History
Carradine was born into a family of actors, as he was the son of the prolific character actor John Carradine. He was also the younger brother of David Carradine, best known for portraying Kwai Chang Caine on the 1970s martial arts western series Kung-Fu.
Carradine made his own onscreen debut alongside the legendary John Wayne in The Cowboys in 1972. It was David who convinced to audition for a role in this movie. He did so by telling him that he “had everything to gain, and nothing to lose.”
A successful film career quickly follows, with Carradine going on to appear in Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets in 1973. From there, he earned critical praise for a powerful performance in Hal Ashby’s Oscar-winning 1978 film Coming Home, which starred Jane Fonda and Jon Voight. Carradine’s performance in that movie was so good that some speculated that he might be the best actor in his family.
Carradine’s Most Memorable Roles
Perhaps Carradine’s most memorable role was that of head nerd Lewis Skolnick in the 1984 comedic classic Revenge of the Nerds. This role cemented him as a beloved figure for an entire generation.
Decades later, Carradine found himself an entirely new generation of fans when he starred as the father in the beloved Disney sitcom Lizzie McGuire, which ran from 2001 until 2004. He starred on this show alongside Hilary Duff, who played his daughter and was the title role. Duff has since taken to Instagram to pay tribute to her former TV dad.
“This one hurts,” wrote Duff, 38. “It’s really hard to face this reality about an old friend. There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents. I’ll be forever grateful for that. I’m deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering. My heart aches for him , his family, and everyone who loved him.”
Carradine is survived by three children. He’s also survived by his grandchildren, brothers, nieces and nephews. While Carradine will be dearly missed, we can all find comfort in knowing that he is no longer suffering.
Rest in peace, Robert Carradine.