Actor Robert Carradine, beloved for his role in the 1984 comedy Revenge of the Nerds and as the father on Lizzie McGuire, has died.
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Deadline reports that Carradine died by suicide after a two-decade struggle with bipolar disorder. He was 71.
“It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away,” the family shared in a statement to the outlet. “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.”
“We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it,” his brother, fellow actor Keith Carradine, added. “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.”
Robert Carradine Made His Screen Debut in a John Wayne Film
Born on March 24, 1954, Carradine was the youngest son of actor John Carradine. He was also the brother of actors David and Keith Carradine, and Disney Imagineer Christopher Carradine.
According to IMDb, he made his film debut in 1972 alongside John Wayne in The Cowboys. He later established himself as an actor with roles in Hal Ashby’s Oscar-winning Coming Home, starring Jane Fonda and Jon Voight, and Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets in 1973.
In 1980, Robert starred in two notable films: Samuel Fuller’s semi-autobiographical The Big Red One, alongside Mark Hamill and Lee Marvin, and Walter Hill’s The Long Riders, featuring his brothers David and Keith. In The Long Riders, Hill cast real-life brothers to portray historical outlaw siblings—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.
However, his breakout film success came in 1984 with Revenge of the Nerds, where he played Lewis Skolnick, the head nerd, alongside Anthony Edwards and Curtis Armstrong. The role made him a cultural icon and helped establish one of the decade’s most popular franchises.
Years later, he gained a new audience as the father in the Lizzie McGuire series.
Robert Carradine is survived by his children, grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews, and all who were fortunate to know him.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The previous Lifeline phone number (1-800-273-8255) will always remain available.