Robert Carradine, Revenge of the Nerds and Lizzie McGuire actor, dies aged 71
Robert Carradine, the actor best known for playing Lewis Skolnick in Revenge of the Nerds and Sam McGuire on Lizzie McGuire, has died aged 71. His family said on Monday that he killed himself after a nearly two-decade battle with bipolar disorder and asked for privacy while urging greater awareness of mental illness.
Family statement, privacy request and call to address stigma
"It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away, " the family said. They called him "a beacon of light" and described his "valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with bipolar disorder, " adding that they hope his journey will "shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness. " The family asked for privacy "to grieve this unfathomable loss" and expressed "gratitude for your understanding and compassion. "
Keith Carradine reflects on his brother's struggle and spirit
Keith Carradine, Robert's older brother, spoke about the actor's mental-health difficulties and the family's wish that people know there is no shame in such struggles. He called Robert "profoundly gifted, " praised how funny, wise, accepting and tolerant he was, and said, "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. "
On-screen life: Revenge of the Nerds, Lizzie McGuire and 65 episodes
Carradine's biggest hit was the 1984 comedy Revenge of the Nerds, in which he played lead Lewis Skolnick; he returned for three sequels in 1987, 1992 and 1994. Later generations knew him as Sam McGuire, Lizzie's father, appearing alongside Hilary Duff in 65 episodes of the children's series between 2001 and 2004 and in the 2003 feature film.
Early career and the Carradine acting family
Born in 1954, Carradine was the youngest son of actor John Carradine. He had two older half-brothers, David and Bruce, from his father's first marriage, and two older brothers, Keith and Christopher; all but Christopher went into acting. Carradine made his film debut alongside John Wayne in The Cowboys in 1972, followed by a role in the Oscar-winning Coming Home and a small part in Martin Scorsese's 1973 Mean Streets, in which his character shot his brother David.
The Long Riders, cast connections and a family tragedy
In 1980 Carradine appeared in The Long Riders with his brothers David and Keith, playing the Younger brothers. The film's cast also included Randy and Dennis Quaid as the Miller brothers, Stacy and James Keach as Frank and Jesse James, and Christopher and Nicholas Guest as the Ford brothers. In 2009 Carradine's older half-brother David died aged 72 from asphyxiation in a hotel room in Thailand; Robert later said his mental illness was triggered by David's death and that he was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Personal life, legal proceedings and contested details
Carradine had a daughter, the actor Ever Carradine, with Susan Snyder. He later married Edith Mani and they had two children, Marika and Ian, and divorced in 2015 after 25 years of marriage. During the 2017 divorce proceedings, Mani alleged Carradine had attempted to kill them both in a car crash in Colorado in 2015; the context includes that Carradine admitted he was in a "psychotic sta"—the full phrasing is unclear in the provided context. Some accounts list his children with variant names (Marica Reed and Ian Alexander) and note he is survived by grandchildren, brothers, nephews and nieces, including Martha Plimpton.
Co-stars' reactions: Hilary Duff and Jake Thomas
Hilary Duff paid an emotional tribute, saying it was hard to face the reality about an old friend and that she always felt cared for by her on-screen parents. She wrote that she would be "forever grateful" for his warmth and that she was "deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering, " adding, "My heart aches for him, his family, and everyone who loved him. " Jake Thomas, who played Lizzie's brother Matt, wrote simply, "My head hurts today, " and remembered Carradine as funny, pragmatic, sometimes cranky and always a little eccentric.
Officials and family have emphasized the aim of using the announcement to raise awareness of mental illness while asking for space to grieve.
