Robert Carradine, the beloved actor best remembered for playing the nerdy protagonist Lewis Skolnick in “Revenge of the Nerds” and the warm, goofy father Sam McGuire on Disney Channel’s “Lizzie McGuire,” has died at the age of 71.
His brother, actor Keith Carradine, told Deadline that he died by suicide on Monday, February 23, after nearly two decades of living with bipolar disorder. Keith, who also oversaw his career, described Robert as the cornerstone of their family.
“We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it,” Keith Carradine told Deadline. The family issued a statement calling Robert “a beacon of light to everyone around him” and expressed hope that sharing his experience might help reduce stigma surrounding mental health.
Born on March 24, 1954, in Hollywood, California, Carradine came from a storied acting dynasty. His father was John Carradine of “The Grapes of Wrath,” and his siblings included Oscar winner Keith Carradine of “Nashville” and the late David Carradine of “Kill Bill.”
Carradine’s acting journey began in 1971 with a guest appearance on “Bonanza,” followed by his breakthrough role as Slim Honeycutt in the 1972 John Wayne Western “The Cowboys” and the accompanying TV series. Throughout the 1970s, he built a notable résumé with roles in Martin Scorsese’s “Mean Streets” and the Oscar-winning Vietnam drama “Coming Home,” earning recognition as possibly the most talented performer among the Carradines.
In 1980, Carradine played Bob Younger in “The Long Riders” alongside brothers Keith and David in a distinctive film experiment that cast real-life siblings as historical outlaw brothers. That year, he also portrayed Private Zab in Samuel Fuller’s “The Big Red One” with Mark Hamill and Lee Marvin. But his defining role came in 1984 when he played Lewis Skolnick in “Revenge of the Nerds,” cementing his place in pop culture and leading to three sequel films.
Between installments of the “Nerds” franchise, Carradine appeared on hit shows such as “ER,” “Lois & Clark,” “NYPD Blue,” and “Kung Fu: The Legend Continues.” His film roles included “Escape from L.A.” in 1996, and Quentin Tarantino later featured him in “Django Unchained” in 2012.
Carradine endeared himself to a new generation in 2001 when he joined Disney Channel’s “Lizzie McGuire” as Sam McGuire, the eccentric and loving father of Hilary Duff’s character. He called the part a “godsend,” appearing in more than 60 episodes and the 2003 feature film. He was expected to reprise the role for a Disney+ revival, but the project was scrapped in December 2020 after only two episodes had been completed due to creative disagreements.
Duff paid tribute to her former TV dad, saying she always felt “cared for” by her on-screen parents and expressing heartbreak upon learning that Carradine had been struggling. Jake Thomas, who portrayed her brother Matt McGuire, remembered him as “one of the coolest guys you could ever meet”—funny, humble, sometimes grumpy, and always wonderfully quirky.
Martha Plimpton, Carradine’s niece and the daughter of Keith Carradine, offered a touching remembrance, calling her Uncle Bobby “the best one” among the eight Carradine brothers—biological, adopted, and step. She praised him as the family’s finest actor and highlighted his gentle spirit: “He was dear, and loving, and nonjudgmental.”
Outside of acting, Carradine pursued hobbies that reflected his adventurous spirit. In the late 1980s and 1990s, he raced professionally in the Grand Prix circuit as part of Team Lotus with Paul Newman. Though not formally trained in music, he played guitar with his brothers at the Sheridan Opera House in Telluride, Colorado, where he and Keith had homes. He once remarked that racing appealed to him because winning meant no one could top him.
In 2015, Carradine was involved in a car accident in Colorado that injured him and his then-wife Edith Mani. They eventually divorced after more than 25 years of marriage.
Carradine’s daughter, “The Handmaid’s Tale” actress Ever Carradine, honored him by sharing that he raised her as a single parent in Laurel Canyon during the 1970s and 80s. She said that whenever she’s asked how she stayed grounded, she always points to her father.
Over his five-decade career, Carradine accumulated more than 150 film and television credits, leaving a lasting mark on American entertainment. He is survived by his children Ever Carradine, Marika Reed Carradine, and Ian Alexander Carradine, as well as several grandchildren.
