Lizzie Mcguire star Robert Carradine died after long battle with bipolar disorder
Robert Carradine, who played the father on lizzie mcguire and starred in Revenge of the Nerds, died by suicide at age 71 after what his family describes as a nearly two-decade struggle with bipolar disorder. His brother, Nashville actor Keith Carradine, and other family members and castmates have shared memories and pleas for privacy.
Family statement and reaction
The 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 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's remarks
Keith Carradine called his brother “a beautiful soul” and said the family wanted people to know of Bobby’s long struggle. “We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it, ” Keith 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. ”
Castmates remember him fondly
Castmates and family members described Carradine as warm, funny and deeply loving. His daughter recalled growing up in the 1970s and 80s with a single father in Laurel Canyon and said she always knew he loved her and had her back, calling him “a lover, not a fighter” and urging people to open their hearts and share the love. A niece called him “the best one of all 8 brothers” and praised his kindness, decency and acting, saying he was “the best actor of the bunch. By a THOUSAND MILES. ” A co-star from the lizzie mcguire cast said they felt cared for by their on-screen parents and expressed sorrow that he had been suffering. Another castmate called him one of the coolest people, funny, pragmatic, sometimes cranky, and remembered him as a talented actor, musician and director who was, above all, family.
Career highlights and early life
Carradine was born on March 24, 1954, the youngest son of actor John Carradine and brother of David Carradine, Keith Carradine and Disney Imagineer Christopher Carradine. He made his big-screen debut in 1972 alongside John Wayne in The Cowboys; his brother David had convinced him to audition by saying he “had everything to gain, and nothing to lose. ” He appeared in Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets and in the Oscar-winning Coming Home with Jane Fonda and Jon Voight.
Films, festivals and horses
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, which 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. During shooting David fell in love with and then bought the movie horse Z-Tan, which later came to live on Robert’s property in the Hollywood Hills. In the 1980s, his daughter Ever Carradine could be seen riding Z-Tan between their home and Runyon Canyon.
Revenge of the Nerds and lizzie mcguire role
His biggest film success came in 1984 with Revenge of the Nerds, in which he starred as Lewis Skolnick alongside Anthony Edwards. He later played the father of Hilary Duff’s character on lizzie mcguire, a role that kept him in the public eye for a new generation.
Bipolar disorder explained
Family members described Carradine’s death as the culmination of a long battle with bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, is defined as a mental illness that causes unusual shifts in a person’s mood, energy, activity levels and concentration. There are three types — Bipolar I disorder, Bipolar II disorder and Cyclothymic disorder. Bipolar I is defined by manic episodes that last at least one week; manic episodes are prolonged periods of mood instability in which a person can experience extreme increases in energy or euphoria, or alternatively feel depressed or unusually irritable. An estimated 4. 4% of U. S. adults experience bipolar disorder at some time in their lives, totaling about 11. 3 million people. Celebrities who have spoken about bipolar disorder include Carrie Fisher, rapper Kanye “Ye” West, Selena Gomez and Halsey.
Public appearances and photo history
Photographs in recent decades show Carradine attending premieres and events across California and New York: the premiere of the TNT television movie Monte Walsh at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California, on Jan. 8, 2003; the SBIFF opening night film and gala Ask The Dust at the Arlington theater in Santa Barbara, California, on Feb. 2, 2006; the 18th annual Night of 100 Stars Gala at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, on Feb. 24, 2008; a 2014 panel at New York Comic Con at the Jacob Javitz Center on Oct. 9, 2014; A Night at Sardi’s benefit at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, on March 9, 2016; the premiere of The Zookeeper’s Wife at ArcLight Hollywood in Hollywood, California, on March 27, 2017; and the 2023 AFI Fest screening of Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, on Oct. 26, 2023.
Carradine is survived by his children, grandchildren, brothers, nieces and nephews and those who had the honor of knowing him. The family has asked for privacy as they grieve.
If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call 988 any time day or night, or use Crisis Text Line by dialing 741741 for free, 24/7 confidential support.
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Closing: Robert Carradine, an actor whose career ranged from The Cowboys and Mean Streets to Revenge of the Nerds and lizzie mcguire, died at 71 after a long struggle with bipolar disorder; family and colleagues have shared memories and asked for privacy.
