Highlights
- Family says actor died by suicide after long battle with bipolar disorder
- Known for cult comedy fame and later success as a television father figure
- Part of one of Hollywood’s most prominent acting dynasties
Family statement speaks of long struggle
Robert Carradine, best known for leading the 1984 cult comedy Revenge of the Nerds and later playing the warm-hearted father in Lizzie McGuire, has died aged 71.
His family confirmed that he died by suicide following what they described as a nearly two-decade battle with bipolar disorder, expressing hope that speaking openly about his illness would help challenge stigma around mental health.
His brother, actor Keith Carradine, said the family wanted people to know there was “no shame” in his condition and remembered him as gifted, funny and deeply compassionate.
A life shaped by a famous acting lineage
Born in 1954, Carradine was the youngest son of veteran actor John Carradine and part of a prolific Hollywood family that included siblings and half-siblings who also pursued acting, among them David Carradine.
He made his screen debut opposite John Wayne in The Cowboys and soon appeared in notable projects including Mean Streets and the Oscar-winning Coming Home. In The Long Riders, he appeared alongside members of his own family in a Western about outlaw siblings.
Cult success and television popularity
Carradine’s most enduring big-screen role came with Revenge of the Nerds, in which he played the earnest Lewis Skolnick. He famously spent time at the University of Arizona immersing himself in student life while preparing for the role, and later reprised the character in three sequels.
A new generation came to know him as Sam McGuire, father to the title character played by Hilary Duff, across 65 episodes of Lizzie McGuire between 2001 and 2004.
Personal life and later years
Carradine had three children, including actor Ever Carradine. He later married Edith Mani, with whom he had two more children; the couple divorced in 2015 after 25 years of marriage.
In later interviews, he linked the onset of his mental health struggles to the death of his brother David in 2009.
Carradine’s career, spanning more than five decades, left a legacy that bridged cult cinema and family television, securing his place in one of Hollywood’s most recognisable acting families.
