Ever Carradine, Martha Plimpton and Hilary Duff remember Robert Carradine
Robert Carradine’s death has prompted an outpouring of memories from family and former co-stars, including his daughter ever carradine. The actor, known for roles in Revenge of the Nerds and Lizzie McGuire, died by suicide at age 71 after what his family described as a long struggle with bipolar disorder.
Family statement and the illness at the center of his death
His family released a statement saying they are "bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul" and asked for privacy while grieving. The family identified Carradine as a father, grandfather, uncle and brother and said he had a nearly two-decade battle with bipolar disorder. Keith Carradine, Robert’s older brother, said the illness "got the best of him" and praised Robert as "profoundly gifted, " funny, wise, "utterly accepting and tolerant" and a "beautiful soul. "
The accounts in the family statement called Robert’s death the culmination of a longtime battle with mental illness and emphasized destigmatizing that illness.
Ever Carradine’s Instagram remembrance
Ever Carradine posted about her father on Instagram, writing that growing up in the 1970s and 1980s with a single dad in Laurel Canyon shaped her. She said she always knew her father loved her "deep in my bones, " called him "a lover, not a fighter" and urged others to "open our hearts and feel and share the love. "
Career milestones from The Cowboys to Revenge of the Nerds
Robert Carradine was born on March 24, 1954, and was the youngest son of actor John Carradine. His brothers include David Carradine, Keith Carradine and Disney Imagineer Christopher Carradine. He made his big‑screen debut in 1972 alongside John Wayne in The Cowboys after his brother David encouraged him to audition.
He appeared in Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets and in Coming Home with Jane Fonda and Jon Voight. In 1980 he had two films at the Cannes Film Festival: The Big Red One and The Long Riders, which cast real brothers as 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. His most widely remembered film role came in 1984 as Lewis Skolnick, head nerd, in Revenge of the Nerds, opposite Anthony Edwards. He also played the father of Hilary Duff’s character on Lizzie McGuire.
Castmates and nieces remember his warmth and talent
Several co‑stars and family members shared tributes. One Lizzie McGuire co‑star wrote that the warmth of the McGuire family made them feel cared for by their on‑screen parents and expressed deep sadness to learn Robert had been suffering. Another castmate called him "one of the coolest guys you could ever meet, " noting he was funny, pragmatic, sometimes cranky, always a little eccentric, and that he was a talented actor, musician and director who valued family.
His niece posted that "My Uncle Bobby was the best one of all 8 brothers; blood, adopted, and step, " and recalled being cuddled by him as a child, praising his kindness and calling him the best actor of the bunch "by a THOUSAND MILES. "
Personal details and on‑set stories: Z‑Tan, Mulholland Drive and Runyon Canyon
During production of The Long Riders, David Carradine fell in love with and bought a movie horse named Z‑Tan; that horse later lived on Robert’s property in the Hollywood Hills. If you drove Mulholland Drive in the 1980s, writers noted, you might have seen Robert’s daughter, actress Ever Carradine, riding Z‑Tan between their home and Runyon Canyon.
Bipolar disorder, public discussion and support options
The family highlighted bipolar disorder as the driving factor in Robert Carradine’s long health struggle. Materials included a description of bipolar disorder as a mental illness marked by shifts in mood, energy, activity levels and concentration. The context also outlined that there are three types of bipolar disorder — Bipolar I disorder, Bipolar II disorder and Cyclothymic disorder — and noted that Bipolar I is defined by manic episodes that can last at least one week, during which a person may experience extreme increases in energy or euphoria or feel depressed or unusually irritable.
An estimate shared in the context put lifetime prevalence of bipolar disorder in U. S. adults at about 4. 4 percent, roughly 11. 3 million people. The context also listed public figures who have spoken about living with bipolar disorder, including Carrie Fisher; rapper Kanye "Ye" West; Selena Gomez; and Halsey. For anyone struggling with suicidal thoughts, the context provided emergency options: calling 988 any time or texting Crisis Text Line at 741741.
