Lizzie Mcguire Star Robert Carradine Dies at 71 After Long Bipolar Struggle
Robert Carradine, who played the on-screen father in Lizzie McGuire and rose to fame in films such as Revenge of the Nerds and The Long Riders, has died by suicide at age 71. The actor's brother, Keith Carradine, confirmed the death in a Feb. 24 statement, and another confirmation was issued late Monday, Feb. 23. Family statements frame the death as the culmination of a longtime battle with mental illness and describe a nearly two-decade struggle with bipolar disorder.
Family statement and timeline of confirmations
The family issued a public statement describing Robert Carradine as a beloved father, grandfather, uncle and brother, calling him a "beacon of light" to those around him and asking for privacy. The statement said the family is "bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul" and explicitly acknowledged what it called his valiant struggle against bipolar disorder over nearly two decades, adding that they hope his journey can encourage efforts to address stigma attached to mental illness.
Lizzie McGuire: colleagues and castmates remember him
Castmates and family members have publicly mourned Carradine. His daughter reflected on growing up in the 1970s and 1980s with a single dad in Laurel Canyon, saying she always knew he loved her and calling him "a lover, not a fighter. " A niece described him as the best of the family’s many siblings and praised his kindness and acting gifts. A co-star from Lizzie McGuire said there was much warmth in the McGuire family and expressed deep sadness to learn Carradine had been suffering; another castmate remembered him as funny, pragmatic, sometimes cranky, and always family-oriented, noting his talents as an actor, musician and director.
Struggle with bipolar disorder and public context
Family comments highlighted a long struggle—described both as nearly two decades and as two decades in different statements—with bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, is defined in the medical literature as a mental illness that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels and concentration. There are three named types: Bipolar I disorder, Bipolar II disorder and Cyclothymic disorder, with each condition varying in symptoms.
Bipolar I is defined by manic episodes that last at least one week. Manic episodes are described as prolonged periods of mood instability during which a person can experience extreme increases in energy or euphoria, or alternatively feel depressed or unusually irritable. Epidemiological figures note that an estimated 4. 4% of U. S. adults experience bipolar disorder at some time in their lives, about 11. 3 million people nationally. Several high-profile entertainers have previously spoken publicly about living with bipolar disorder, including Carrie Fisher, Kanye "Ye" West, Selena Gomez and Halsey.
Career highlights and family legacy
Born on March 24, 1954, Robert Carradine was the youngest son of actor John Carradine and a brother of David Carradine, Keith Carradine and Christopher Carradine. He made his big-screen debut in 1972 alongside John Wayne in The Cowboys, a role his brother David encouraged him to pursue. He later appeared in Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets and in Coming Home with Jane Fonda and Jon Voight.
In 1980, Carradine had two films in the Cannes Film Festival: The Big Red One, which featured Mark Hamill and Lee Marvin, and The Long Riders, in which he performed alongside his brothers David and Keith. The Long Riders cast real-life brothers in on-screen outlaw families, including 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. A production anecdote notes that David Carradine bought the movie horse Z-Tan during shooting; Z-Tan later lived on Robert Carradine’s Hollywood Hills property and was sometimes seen ridden by his daughter Ever Carradine between their home and Runyon Canyon in the 1980s.
Perhaps his most widely recognized role came in 1984 with Revenge of the Nerds, in which he starred as Lewis Skolnick alongside Anthony Edwards. He was also known to television audiences as the on-screen father in Lizzie McGuire.
Survivors and the family’s request
The family statement said Robert Carradine is survived by his children, grandchildren, brothers, nieces and nephews, and asked for privacy while they grieve. Relatives emphasized both his gifts and the seriousness of his illness, urging that his experience be used to reduce stigma around mental health issues. Recent updates indicate these details; further information may evolve.
