Robert Carradine, the beloved actor who brought nerdy underdog Lewis Skolnick to life in “Revenge of the Nerds” and played the lovably goofy dad Sam McGuire in Disney Channel’s “Lizzie McGuire,” has died at 71.
Carradine’s brother, actor Keith Carradine, confirmed to Deadline that the actor died by suicide on Monday, February 23, following a nearly two-decade battle with bipolar disorder. Keith, who also served as his brother’s manager, called Robert the bedrock of the family.
“We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it,” Keith Carradine told Deadline. The family issued a statement describing Robert as “a beacon of light to everyone around him” and expressed hope that his story would help address the stigma surrounding mental illness.
Born March 24, 1954, in Hollywood, California, Carradine came from acting royalty. His father was “The Grapes of Wrath” star John Carradine, and his brothers included Oscar-winning “Nashville” actor Keith Carradine and the late “Kill Bill” star David Carradine.
Carradine launched his career in 1971 with a guest role on “Bonanza” before landing his breakthrough role as Slim Honeycutt in the 1972 John Wayne Western “The Cowboys” and its spinoff television series. Throughout the 1970s, he built an impressive resume with roles in Martin Scorsese’s “Mean Streets” and the Oscar-winning Vietnam War drama “Coming Home,” a performance that sparked speculation he might be the strongest actor in the Carradine family.
In 1980, Carradine starred as Bob Younger in “The Long Riders” alongside brothers Keith and David in one of the most unusual casting ensembles in film history—three sets of real-life brothers playing outlaw siblings. That same year, he appeared as Private Zab in Samuel Fuller’s “The Big Red One” with Mark Hamill and Lee Marvin. But his career-defining moment came in 1984 when he donned thick-rimmed glasses and a pocket protector to play Lewis Skolnick in “Revenge of the Nerds,” a role that cemented his place in pop culture history and spawned three sequels.
Between the “Nerds” sequels, Carradine kept busy with guest appearances on hit shows including “ER,” “Lois & Clark,” “NYPD Blue,” and “Kung Fu: The Legend Continues.” His film work included “Escape from L.A.” in 1996, and Quentin Tarantino cast him in “Django Unchained” in 2012.
In 2001, Carradine found a new generation of fans when he joined the cast of Disney Channel’s “Lizzie McGuire” as Sam McGuire, the dorky but endearing father to Hilary Duff’s title character. He called the role a “godsend” and appeared in over 60 episodes, plus the 2003 film. He was set to reprise the role in a Disney+ revival, but the project was canceled in December 2020 after just two episodes were filmed due to creative differences.
Duff paid tribute to her former co-star, writing that she always felt “cared for” by her on-screen parents and expressing deep sadness at learning Carradine had been suffering. Jake Thomas, who played Duff’s on-screen brother Matt McGuire, remembered Carradine as “one of the coolest guys you could ever meet”—funny, pragmatic, sometimes cranky, always a little eccentric.
Martha Plimpton, Carradine’s niece and the daughter of Keith Carradine, posted a moving tribute calling her Uncle Bobby “the best one” of all eight Carradine brothers—blood, adopted, and step. She praised him as the best actor in the family and remembered his inherent kindness: “He was dear, and loving, and nonjudgmental.”
Beyond acting, Carradine pursued passions that revealed his adventurous spirit. In the late 1980s and 1990s, he raced at the Grand Prix level as a driver on Team Lotus alongside Paul Newman. Despite no formal musical training, he performed guitar with his brothers at the Sheridan Opera House in Telluride, Colorado, where he and Keith owned homes. He once said race car driving was his true love because winning meant no one was better than him.
In 2015, Carradine was cited for a Colorado crash that injured him and his then-wife Edith Mani. They later divorced after more than 25 years of marriage.
Carradine’s daughter, “The Handmaid’s Tale” actress Ever Carradine, shared a tribute to her father, noting that he raised her as a single dad in Laurel Canyon during the 1970s and 80s. She wrote that whenever anyone asks how she turned out so normal, she always tells them it’s because of her dad.
Over his five-decade career, Carradine amassed more than 150 credits across film and television, leaving an indelible mark on American pop culture. He is survived by his children Ever Carradine, Marika Reed Carradine, and Ian Alexander Carradine, as well as several grandchildren.
