Robert Carradine: robert carradine dies aged 71
robert carradine has died at age 71. The actor’s family said he took his own life on Monday after a nearly two-decade battle with bipolar disorder, and they asked for privacy as they grieve.
Robert Carradine family statement
The Carradine family released a statement saying: “It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away. In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon of 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. 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. ”
Keith Carradine’s reaction and quote
Keith Carradine, his older brother, described Robert as the bedrock of the family and said the family wanted people to know about his brother’s struggle. Keith said: “We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it. 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. ”
Career and key roles
robert carradine’s screen career began in 1972 with The Cowboys, a film in which he appeared alongside John Wayne; his brother David encouraged him to audition, telling him he “had everything to gain, and nothing to lose. ” He followed with a part in Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets and Hal Ashby’s Oscar-winning Coming Home, appearing alongside Jane Fonda and Jon Voight. In Mean Streets he shot his brother David as part of the film’s action.
1980 films and The Long Riders
In 1980 Carradine had two films at the Cannes Film Festival: Samuel Fuller’s The Big Red One, with Mark Hamill and Lee Marvin, and Walter Hill’s The Long Riders, in which Robert, Keith and David played the Younger brothers. Walter Hill cast real brothers to play real-life outlaw brothers — Robert, Keith and David as the Younger brothers; James and Stacy Keach as Frank and Jesse James; Randy and Dennis Quaid as the Miller brothers; and Christopher and Nicholas Guest as the Ford brothers.
Revenge of the Nerds and later work
His biggest mainstream success came in 1984 with Revenge of the Nerds, in which he starred as Lewis Skolnick alongside Anthony Edwards. He returned for three sequels in 1987, 1992 and 1994. Later generations knew him as Sam McGuire, the father on Lizzie McGuire, appearing alongside Hilary Duff in 65 episodes between 2001 and 2004. His film credits also include an appearance in Django Unchained in 2012.
Personal life, family and survivors
Born on March 24, 1954, Carradine was the youngest son of actor John Carradine. He was a brother of actors David Carradine and Keith Carradine and of Christopher Carradine, described in the context as a Disney Imagineer. 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 in some capacity. Carradine is survived by his children, grandchildren, brothers, nieces, nephews and anyone who had the honor of having him in their life; his family again asked for privacy.
During the shooting of The Long Riders, David Carradine fell in love with and bought his movie horse, Z-Tan, which later lived on Robert’s property in the Hollywood Hills. If you drove Mulholland Drive in the 1980s, you might have seen Robert’s daughter, actress Ever Carradine, riding Z-Tan between their home and Runyon Canyon.
Tributes and context
Lizzie McGuire star Hilary Duff led public tributes, writing: “This one hurts. It's really hard to face this reality about an old friend. ” In a longer message she added: “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. ”
Members of the family have linked the onset and worsening of robert carradine’s mental illness to the death of his older half-brother David in 2009, when 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 he was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The family emphasized that his struggle with bipolar disorder was valiant and urged work to address stigma attached to mental illness.
Carradine had a daughter, the actor Ever Carradine, with Sus— unclear in the provided context.
The family’s full statement asked for privacy and closed with gratitude for understanding and compassion as they grieve the loss of a “beautiful soul. ”
Closing: Robert Carradine, a member of a storied acting family and known for roles in The Long Riders, Revenge of the Nerds and Lizzie McGuire, died at 71 after a long struggle with bipolar disorder; his family has asked for privacy while hoping his story will help address stigma around mental illness.
