Robert Carradine Dies at 71 after Nearly Two-Decade Bipolar Struggle
robert carradine, the actor best known for Revenge of the Nerds and Lizzie McGuire, has died at age 71; his family said he took his own life on Monday and asked for privacy while hoping his struggle with bipolar disorder could help address the stigma attached to mental illness.
Robert Carradine’s family statement and Keith Carradine’s comments
The Carradine family issued a statement to Deadline that began: “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 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. 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, his older brother, said the family wanted people to know about his brother’s illness. “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. ”
Early roles: The Cowboys, Mean Streets and Coming Home
Carradine was born on March 24, 1954, the youngest son of actor John Carradine. He made his big-screen debut in 1972 alongside John Wayne in The Cowboys; his brother David had convinced him to audition by telling him he “had everything to gain, and nothing to lose. ” He followed with a part in Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets — a film in which he shot his brother David on screen — and appeared in Hal Ashby’s Oscar-winning Coming Home with Jane Fonda and Jon Voight.
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. The Long Riders famously cast real brothers to play historical outlaw families — 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, sequels and a later TV role that reached a new generation
Perhaps his biggest commercial success came in 1984 with Revenge of the Nerds, in which he starred as Lewis Skolnick alongside Anthony Edwards. Carradine spent time undercover at the University of Arizona convincing real students he was an actual nerd and returned for three sequels in 1987, 1992 and 1994.
Later, Carradine became familiar to a younger audience as Sam McGuire, the father on the Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire, appearing alongside Hilary Duff in 65 episodes from 2001 to 2004. Lizzie McGuire star Hilary Duff led tributes, writing on Instagram: “This one hurts. It's really hard to face this reality about an old friend. ” Carradine’s Lizzie McGuire co-star Hillary Duff also posted: “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. ”
Family history, personal losses and surviving relatives
Robert Carradine was the youngest son of John Carradine and a brother of actors David Carradine, Keith Carradine and Disney Imagineer Christopher 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 in some capacity.
In 2009 his older half-brother David died aged 72 from asphyxiation in a hotel room in Thailand. Carradine later said his mental illness was triggered by the death of his brother, and he was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The family statement noted that Robert is survived by his children, grandchildren, brothers, nieces, nephews and anyone who had the honor of having him in their life, and asked for privacy at this time.
On set during The Long Riders filming, David bought the movie horse Z-Tan, which later lived on Robert’s Hollywood Hills property. If you drove Mulholland Drive in the 1980s, you might have seen Robert’s daughter, the actor Ever Carradine, riding Z-Tan between their home and Runyon Canyon. Carradine had a daughter, the actor Ever Carradine, with Sus — unclear in the provided context.
His later credits included a role in Django Unchained, and his work across film and television stretched from the early 1970s into the 21st century.
At this time the family has asked for privacy to grieve. The next public steps or memorial arrangements are unclear in the provided context.
