David Carradine
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David Carradine ( ; born John Arthur Carradine Jr.; December 8, 1936 – June 3, 2009) was an American actor best known for playing martial arts roles. He is perhaps best known as the star of the 1970s television series ''
Kung Fu Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to commo ...
'', playing
Kwai Chang Caine Kwai Chang Caine () is a fictional character and the protagonist of the ABC 1972–1975 action-adventure western television series ''Kung Fu''. He has been portrayed by David Carradine as an adult, Keith Carradine as a younger Caine, Radames ...
, a peace-loving
Shaolin monk Shaolin Monastery (少林寺 ''Shàolínsì''), also known as Shaolin Temple, is a renowned monastic institution recognized as the birthplace of Chan Buddhism and the cradle of Shaolin Kung Fu. It is located at the foot of Wuru Peak of the So ...
travelling through the American Old West. He also portrayed the title character in both of the ''Kill Bill'' films. He appeared in two Martin Scorsese films: ''
Boxcar Bertha ''Boxcar Bertha'' is a 1972 American romantic crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and produced by Roger Corman, from a screenplay by Joyce H. Corrington and John William Corrington, Made on a low budget, the film is loose adaptation o ...
'' and ''
Mean Streets ''Mean Streets'' is a 1973 American crime film directed by Martin Scorsese and co-written by Scorsese and Mardik Martin. The film stars Harvey Keitel and Robert De Niro. It was released by Warner Bros. on October 2, 1973. De Niro won the National ...
''. David Carradine was a member of the Carradine family of actors that began with his father,
John Carradine John Carradine ( ; born Richmond Reed Carradine; February 5, 1906 – November 27, 1988) was an American actor, considered one of the greatest character actors in American cinema. He was a member of Cecil B. DeMille's stock company and later ...
. The elder Carradine's acting career, which included major and minor roles on stage, television, and in cinema, spanned more than four decades. A prolific "B" movie actor, David Carradine appeared in more than 100 feature films in a career spanning more than six decades. He received nominations for a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award for his work on ''Kung Fu'', and received three additional Golden Globe nominations for his performances in the
Woody Guthrie Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (; July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was an American singer-songwriter, one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focused on themes of American socialism and anti-fascism. He has inspired ...
biopic '' Bound for Glory'' (1976), the television miniseries ''
North and South North and South may refer to: Literature * ''North and South'' (Gaskell novel), an 1854 novel by Elizabeth Gaskell * ''North and South'' (trilogy), a series of novels by John Jakes (1982–1987) ** ''North and South'' (Jakes novel), first novel ...
'' (1985), and
Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, dark humor, non-linear storylines, cameos, ensembl ...
's '' Kill Bill: Volume 2'', for which he won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor. Throughout his life, Carradine was arrested and prosecuted for a variety of offenses, which often involved substance abuse."Getting It Together". Windeler, Robert; ''
People A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...
'', March 21, 1977, Vol. 7 No. 11
Films that featured Carradine continued to be released after his death. These posthumous credits were from a variety of genres including action, documentaries, drama, horror, martial arts, science fiction, and westerns. In addition to his acting career, Carradine was a director and musician. Moreover, influenced by his ''Kung Fu'' role, he studied martial arts. On April 1, 1997, Carradine received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.


Early life

Carradine was born John Arthur Carradine Jr. on December 8, 1936, in
Hollywood, California Hollywood is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a shorthand reference for the U.S. film industry and the people associated with it. Many notable film studios, such as Columbia Pictures, ...
, the eldest child of actor
John Carradine John Carradine ( ; born Richmond Reed Carradine; February 5, 1906 – November 27, 1988) was an American actor, considered one of the greatest character actors in American cinema. He was a member of Cecil B. DeMille's stock company and later ...
(1906–1988) and his wife Ardanelle Abigail ( ''née'' McCool) Carradine (1911–1989). He was a half-brother of Bruce,
Keith Keith may refer to: People and fictional characters * Keith (given name), includes a list of people and fictional characters * Keith (surname) * Keith (singer), American singer James Keefer (born 1949) * Baron Keith, a line of Scottish barons ...
, Christopher, and
Robert Carradine Robert Reed Carradine ( ; born March 24, 1954) is an American actor. A member of the Carradine family, he made his first appearances on television Western series such as ''Bonanza'' and his brother David's TV series, '' Kung Fu''. Carradine's fi ...
, and an uncle of
Ever Carradine Ever Dawn Carradine is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Tiffany Porter and Kelly Ludlow on the ABC television series ''Once and Again'' and '' Commander in Chief'', respectively and as Naomi Putnam and Janet Stein on the Hulu ...
and
Martha Plimpton Martha Plimpton (born November 16, 1970) is an American actress. Her feature-film debut was in '' Rollover'' (1981); she subsequently rose to prominence in the Richard Donner film ''The Goonies'' (1985). She has also appeared in '' The Mosquito ...
, most of whom are also actors. Primarily of Irish descent, he was a great-grandson of
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...
evangelical author Beverly Carradine and a grandnephew of artist Will Foster. Called "Jack" by his family, Carradine had a turbulent childhood. His parents divorced and repeatedly remarried; he was born to his mother's second marriage of three, and his father's first of four. At the time of Carradine's parents' marriage, his mother already had a son by her first husband, whom John adopted. John Carradine planned to have a large family, but after his wife had a series of miscarriages, he discovered she had gotten numerous abortions without his knowledge which had rendered her unable to carry a baby to term. Against this backdrop of marital discord, David almost succeeded in committing suicideDavid Carradine Biography
FOX. Updated February 12, 2020
by hanging at the age of five. He said the incident followed his discovery that he and his elder half-brother, Bruce, who had been adopted by John, had different biological fathers. Carradine added, "My father saved me, and then confiscated my comic book collection and burned it—which was scarcely the point." After three years of marriage, Ardenelle filed for divorce from John, but they remained married for five more years. Divorce finally came in 1944, when Carradine was seven. His father left California to avoid court action in the
alimony Alimony, also called aliment (Scotland), maintenance (England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, Canada, New Zealand), spousal support (U.S., Canada) and spouse maintenance (Australia), is a legal obligation on a person to provide financial sup ...
settlement."Actor Goes Free Pending Hearing on Old Charge". ''The Modesto Bee'' (September 5, 1953) p. 4 After the couple had a series of court battles over child custody and alimony, which at one point landed John in jail, David joined his father in New York City; by this time, his father had remarried. On December 25, 1947, David appeared in a live telecast adaptation of A Christmas Carol, with his father in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge. For the next few years, David spent time in boarding schools, foster homes, and reform school. He also often accompanied his father to summer theater throughout the Northeast. Carradine spent time in Massachusetts, and a winter milking cows on a farm in Vermont.Sheridan, Patricia (March 31, 2008
Patricia Sheridan's Breakfast with David Carradine
''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''


Oakland

Eventually, David Carradine returned to California, where he graduated from Oakland High School. He attended Oakland Junior College (now
Laney College Laney College is a public community college in Oakland, California. Laney is the largest of the four colleges of the Peralta Community College District which serves northern Alameda County. Laney College is named after Joseph Clarence Laney. Th ...
) for a year before transferring to
San Francisco State College San Francisco State University (commonly referred to as San Francisco State, SF State and SFSU) is a public research university in San Francisco. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers 118 different b ...
, where he studied drama and music theory, and wrote music for the drama department's annual revues while juggling menial jobs, a fledgling stage acting career, and his studies. After he dropped out of college, Carradine spent some time with the " beatniks"David Carradine Biography
Accessed Dec. 26, 2009
of San Francisco's North Beach and southern California's Venice. During this time he collected unemployment insurance and sold baby pictures. He was also prosecuted for disturbing the peace.


Army service

Despite an attempt to dodge the draft, in 1960 Carradine was inducted into the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
, where he drew pictures for training aids. That Christmas he married his high school sweetheart, Donna Lee Becht. While stationed at
Fort Eustis Fort Eustis is a United States Army installation in Newport News, Virginia. In 2010, it was combined with nearby Langley Air Force Base to form Joint Base Langley–Eustis. The post is the home to the United States Army Training and Doctrine ...
, Virginia, he helped establish a theater company that became known as the "entertainment unit".Rabin, Nathin (2004
Interview: David Carradine
''The Onion''
He met fellow inductee
Larry Cohen Lawrence George Cohen (July 15, 1936 – March 23, 2019) was an American screenwriter, producer, and director of film and television, best known as an author of horror and science fiction films — often containing police procedural and ...
, who later cast him in '' Q, The Winged Serpent''.Axemaker, Sean
Interview-David Carradine
(2009)Parallax View
He also faced court-martial for shoplifting. In 1962, Donna gave birth to their daughter, Calista. Carradine was honorably discharged after two years of active duty.


Film and television career


Early TV and film appearances

Upon leaving the Army, Carradine became serious about acting. He was advised to change his name to avoid confusion with his famous father. In an interview from 2005 Carradine says his father encouraged him going into acting: "The first thing I ever did outside of school, which was a production of Romeo & Juliet, he came up from Hollywood to San Francisco to see it. And right after he just sort of opened up to me with all this advice. He became very proud of me." In 1963, he made his television debut on an episode of ''
Armstrong Circle Theatre ''Armstrong Circle Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series which ran from June 6, 1950, to June 25, 1957, on NBC, and from October 2, 1957, to August 28, 1963, on CBS. It alternated weekly with '' The U.S. Steel Hour''. It fi ...
'', "Secret Document X256". Several other television roles followed, including appearances on ''
Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...
'', ''
East Side/West Side ''East Side/West Side'' is an American drama series starring George C. Scott, Elizabeth Wilson, Cicely Tyson, and, later on, Linden Chiles. The series aired for one season (1963–1964), and was shown Monday nights on CBS. Set in New York City ...
'', ''
Arrest and Trial ''Arrest and Trial'' is a 90-minute American crime/legal drama series that ran during the 1963-1964 season on ABC, airing Sundays from 8:30-10 pm Eastern. Overview The majority of episodes consists of two segments. Set in Los Angeles, the fi ...
'', '' The Virginian'', ''
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre ''Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre'' is an American anthology series, sponsored by Chrysler Corporation, which ran on NBC from 1963 through 1967. The show was hosted by Bob Hope, but it had a variety of formats, including musical, dramatic ...
'' and ''
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was re ...
.'' In 1964 Carradine appeared as "The Utah Kid" on '' The Virginian'' in the episode "The Intruders." Carradine got a contract with Universal."He Tells It Like It Is As an Actor's Son". Carradine, David; ''Los Angeles Times'', September 22, 1968: c16. The studio gave him his feature film debut in ''
Taggart ''Taggart'' is a Scottish detective fiction television programme created by Glenn Chandler, who wrote many of the episodes, and made by STV Studios for the ITV network. It originally ran as the miniseries "Killer" from 6 until 20 Septembe ...
'' (1964), a western based on a
Louis L'Amour Louis Dearborn L'Amour (; né LaMoore; March 22, 1908 – June 10, 1988) was an American novelist and short story writer. His books consisted primarily of Western novels (though he called his work "frontier stories"); however, he also wrote hi ...
novel. It also cast him in ''
Bus Riley's Back in Town ''Bus Riley's Back in Town'' is a 1965 American drama film written by William Inge, directed by Harvey Hart, and starring Ann-Margret and Michael Parks Michael Parks (born Harry Samuel Parks; April 24, 1940 – May 9, 2017) was an American ...
'' (1965). In May 1964, Carradine joined the cast of the Broadway play ''
The Deputy ''The Deputy, a Christian tragedy'' (German: ''Der Stellvertreter. Ein christliches Trauerspiel''), also published in English as ''The Representative '', is a controversial 1963 play by Rolf Hochhuth which portrayed Pope Pius XII as having failed ...
'' by
Rolf Hochhuth Rolf Hochhuth (; 1 April 1931 – 13 May 2020) was a German author and playwright, best known for his 1963 drama '' The Deputy'', which insinuates Pope Pius XII's indifference to Hitler's extermination of the Jews, and he remained a controversial ...
, replacing Jeremy Brett. When the play ended he was still under contract to Universal, and resumed TV work. He spent a lot of time playing, in his words, "greenhorns in Westerns and villains in thrillers". Carradine guest-starred in ''
The Trials of O'Brien ''The Trials of O'Brien'' is a 1965 television series starring Peter Falk as sordid, Shakespeare-quoting lawyer Daniel O'Brien, and featuring Elaine Stritch as his secretary and Joanna Barnes as his ex-wife. The series ran for 22 episodes on C ...
'' in episodes that were cut together and released theatrically as '' Too Many Thieves'' (1967), and ''
Coronet Blue ''Coronet Blue'' is an American adventure drama series that ran on CBS from May 29 until September 4, 1967. It starred Frank Converse as Michael Alden, an amnesiac in search of his identity. Brian Bedford co-starred. The show's 13 episodes were f ...
''.


''The Royal Hunt of the Sun''

Carradine's first big break came with his second Broadway part in ''
The Royal Hunt of the Sun ''The Royal Hunt of the Sun'' is a 1964 play by Peter Shaffer that dramatizes the relation of two worlds entering in a conflict by portraying two characters: Atahuallpa Inca and Francisco Pizarro. Performance history Premiere ''The Royal Hunt ...
'', a play by
Peter Shaffer Sir Peter Levin Shaffer (; 15 May 1926 – 6 June 2016) was an English playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. He wrote numerous award-winning plays, of which several were adapted into films. Early life Shaffer was born to a Jewish family in L ...
about the destruction of the
Inca civilization The Incas were most notable for establishing the Inca Empire in Pre-Columbian America, which was centered in modern day South America in Peru and Chile. It was about 2,500 miles from the northern to southern tip. The civilization lasted from 1 ...
by conquistador
Francisco Pizarro Francisco Pizarro González, Marquess of the Atabillos (; ;  – 26 June 1541) was a Spanish conquistador, best known for his expeditions that led to the Spanish conquest of Peru. Born in Trujillo, Spain to a poor family, Pizarro chose ...
. Carradine played
Atahuallpa Atahualpa (), also Atawallpa (Quechua), Atabalica, Atahuallpa, Atabalipa (c. 1502 – 26-29 July 1533) was the last Inca Emperor. After defeating his brother, Atahualpa became very briefly the last Sapa Inca (sovereign emperor) of the Inca Empi ...
opposite
Christopher Plummer Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer (December 13, 1929 – February 5, 2021) was a Canadian actor. His career spanned seven decades, gaining him recognition for his performances in film, stage, and television. He received multiple accolades, inc ...
as Pizarro. The play premiered in October 1965 and was a solid hit, running for 261 performances. Carradine said of this performance, "Many of the important roles that I got later on were because the guy who was going to hire me was in that audience and had his mind blown." For that part, Carradine won a
Theatre World Award The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre se ...
for Best Debut Performance in 1965. He was also named as one of Theatre World's Promising Personalities from Broadway and Off Broadway. (The play was filmed in 1968 with Plummer taking Carradine's part.)


''Shane'' and supporting actor

Carradine left the production of ''Royal Hunt of the Sun'' in May 1966 to take up an offer to star in the TV series ''
Shane Shane may refer to: People * Shane (actress) (born 1969), American pornographic actress * Shane (New Zealand singer) (born 1946) * iamnotshane (born 1995), formerly known as Shane, American singer * Shane (name) Shane is mainly a masculine g ...
'', a 1966 western based upon a 1949 novel of the same name, previously filmed in 1953. Carradine played the title role opposite
Jill Ireland Jill Dorothy Ireland (24 April 1936 – 18 May 1990) was an English actress and singer. She appeared in 16 films with her second husband, Charles Bronson, and was additionally involved in two other of Bronson's films as a producer. Life and ca ...
. "I know I have some kind of vision that most actors and directors don't have", he said, "so it becomes a duty to exercise that vision. It's a responsibility, a mission." The show only lasted 17 episodes, despite good reviews. Carradine said his career was "rescued" when he was cast in '' Johnny Belinda'' (1967). He was in demand as a supporting actor, mostly in Westerns: ''
The Violent Ones ''The Violent Ones'' is a 1967 film directed by and starring Fernando Lamas. The story was written and created by Charles Davis, Fred Freiberger, Herman Miller, and Doug Wilson. The film was shot in the Alabama Hills, Mojave Desert and Lone Pine, ...
'' (1967), ''
Heaven with a Gun ''Heaven with a Gun'' is a 1969 American Western film starring Glenn Ford and directed by Lee H. Katzin. Plot Jim Killian arrives at the town of Vinegaroon, which is divided between cattlemen and sheepherders, and purchases a vacant barn. Cattl ...
'' (1969), ''
Young Billy Young ''Young Billy Young'' is a 1969 Western film in Deluxe Color starring Robert Mitchum and featuring Angie Dickinson, Robert Walker Jr. (in the titular role), David Carradine, Jack Kelly (who plays a villain dressed like his character in the tel ...
'' (1969) for
Burt Kennedy Burton Raphael Kennedy (September 3, 1922 – February 15, 2001) was an American screenwriter and director known mainly for directing Westerns. Budd Boetticher called him "the best Western writer ever." Biography Kennedy was born in 1922 i ...
, ''
The Good Guys and the Bad Guys ''The Good Guys and the Bad Guys'' is a 1969 American comedy Western film directed by Burt Kennedy. It stars Robert Mitchum and George Kennedy. Plot Jim Flagg is the marshal in the town of Progress. He hears arch-rival Big John McKay is heade ...
'' (1969) with Kennedy, ''
The McMasters ''The McMasters'' is a 1970 American Western film directed by Alf Kjellin and starring Burl Ives, Brock Peters, David Carradine and Nancy Kwan. Producer Monroe Sachson had made ''The Incident'' with Brock Peters and the two were looking aroun ...
'' (1970), and '' Macho Callahan'' (1970). In 1969, he performed off-Broadway in ''The Transgressor Rides Again'', and the next year guest-starred in '' The Name of the Game''. Carradine guest-starred opposite
David McCallum David Keith McCallum Jr. (born 19 September 1933) is a Scottish actor and musician. He first gained recognition in the 1960s for playing secret agent Illya Kuryakin in the television series '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E''. In recent years, McCall ...
in a 1971 episode of ''
Night Gallery ''Night Gallery'' is an American anthology television series that aired on NBC from December 16, 1970, to May 27, 1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre. Rod Serling, who had gained fame from an earlier series, ''The Twilight Zone ...
'', "The Phantom Farmhouse". Also that year, Carradine played a hippie reprobate opposite Sally Field in the well-received television movie ''
Maybe I'll Come Home in the Spring ''Maybe I'll Come Home in the Spring'' is a 1971 American made-for-television drama film directed by Joseph Sargent and starring Sally Field, Eleanor Parker, Jackie Cooper, Lane Bradbury and David Carradine. The film originally premiered as th ...
''. He also guest-starred in episodes of '' Gunsmoke'' and '' Ironside''. He was unhappy playing villains, and told his agent he wanted to stop, which led to his not working in Hollywood for a year. He was cast in a musical, ''The Ballad of Johnny Pot'', but fired two days before opening night on Broadway.


''Boxcar Bertha''

In 1972, he co-starred as "Big" Bill Shelly in one of
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, inclu ...
's earliest films, ''
Boxcar Bertha ''Boxcar Bertha'' is a 1972 American romantic crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and produced by Roger Corman, from a screenplay by Joyce H. Corrington and John William Corrington, Made on a low budget, the film is loose adaptation o ...
'', which starred
Barbara Hershey Barbara Lynn Herzstein, better known as Barbara Hershey (born February 5, 1948), is an American actress. In a career spanning more than 50 years, she has played a variety of roles on television and in cinema in several genres, including weste ...
, his partner at the time. This was one of several
Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...
productions in which he appeared. It was also one of a handful of acting collaborations he did with his father. He made his feature directorial debut with the film '' You and Me'', starring alongside Hershey and his brothers Keith and Robert. It was shot in 1972, between making the ''Kung Fu'' pilot and the series, but released in 1975.


''Kung Fu''

For three seasons, Carradine starred as the half-Chinese/half-White-American Shaolin monk
Kwai Chang Caine Kwai Chang Caine () is a fictional character and the protagonist of the ABC 1972–1975 action-adventure western television series ''Kung Fu''. He has been portrayed by David Carradine as an adult, Keith Carradine as a younger Caine, Radames ...
in the
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
hit TV series ''
Kung Fu Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to commo ...
'' (1972–1975). The role was nominated for an Emmy and a Golden Globe Award. Along with Bruce Lee movies, ''Kung Fu'' helped to popularize the martial arts and Eastern philosophy in the west. Carradine's character also brought the term "grasshopper" (referring to an apprentice) into popular culture. Although the choice of a non-Asian to play the role of Kwai Chang Caine stirred controversy, the show provided steady employment for a number of Asian-American actors. In addition to
Keye Luke Keye Luke (, Cantonese: Luk Shek Kee; June 18, 1904 – January 12, 1991) was a Chinese-born American film and television actor, technical advisor and artist and a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild. He was known for playing Lee Chan, t ...
and
Philip Ahn Philip Ahn (born Pillip Ahn (), March 29, 1905 – February 28, 1978) was an American actor and activist of Korean descent. With over 180 film and television credits between 1935 and 1978, he was one of the most recognizable and prolific Asi ...
, who held leading roles in the cast as Caine's Shaolin masters,
Robert Ito Robert Ito (born July 2, 1931) is a Canadian actor of Japanese ancestry. He is known for his television and film work, including the roles of Sam Fujiyama on the 1976–83 NBC series '' Quincy, M.E.'' and Larry Mishima on the 1980s CBS primetime ...
, James Hong,
Benson Fong Benson Fong ( Chinese: ; October 10, 1916 – August 1, 1987) was an American character actor. Born in Sacramento, California, Fong was from a mercantile family of Chinese extraction. After graduating from high school in Sacramento, he studied ...
,
Richard Loo Richard Loo (October 1, 1903 – November 20, 1983) was an American film actor who was one of the most familiar Asian character actors in American films of the 1930s and 1940s. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1931 and 1982. Early lif ...
, and
Victor Sen Yung Sen Yung, later known professionally as Victor Sen Young (born Sen Yew Cheung; October 18, 1914 – c. November 9, 1980); one source lists his given name as Victor Cheung Young with the birth year 1915)) was an American character actor, best kn ...
frequently appeared in the series. ''Kung Fu'' ended when Carradine quit to pursue a movie career. A second controversy was over whose idea the series had been. Bruce Lee's widow claimed he had come up with the idea of a wandering monk in the Old West, but
Ed Spielman Ed Spielman (born in Brooklyn, New York City, US) is a writer and producer. He is one of the creators of the TV series ''Kung Fu''. Spielman wrote the story and teleplay for the series pilot, which has been credited as "the first American Martia ...
, the series' creator, insisted that the concept was his own idea from years before Lee became a star. In an interview from 2005 Carradine disputed Bruce Lee's claim: "That's mythology. I think the way that story started was that they got it mixed up with ''
The Silent Flute ''Circle of Iron'' is a 1978 martial arts film, martial arts fantasy film directed by Richard Moore (cinematographer), Richard Moore and co-written by Bruce Lee, who intended to star in the film himself, but died before production. The film is a ...
''. Not sure how that happened." In his authoritative biography ''Bruce Lee: A Life'',
Matthew Polly Matthew Polly is an American author and former martial artist who writes about martial arts. His books include ''American Shaolin, Tapped Out,'' and ''Bruce Lee: A Life''. Career Polly graduated from Topeka, Kansas, Topeka West High School. In 1 ...
clarifies the issue of Bruce Lee's involvement, concluding that the claim was the result of his not being cast for the leading role, and that he had no participation in the creation of the series. During ''Kung Fus original run, Carradine made cameo appearances in Scorsese's ''
Mean Streets ''Mean Streets'' is a 1973 American crime film directed by Martin Scorsese and co-written by Scorsese and Mardik Martin. The film stars Harvey Keitel and Robert De Niro. It was released by Warner Bros. on October 2, 1973. De Niro won the National ...
'' (1973) (alongside his brother Robert Carradine) and Robert Altman's '' The Long Goodbye''. He also directed several episodes of ''Kung Fu'', a short musical called ''A Country Mile'' (1973), and a film, ''Around''. Carradine's annual salary on the show was reportedly $100,000."David Carradine: The Antihero's Antihero". Haber, Joyce; ''Los Angeles Times'', February 3, 1974: m17


Film stardom

Immediately after ''Kung Fu'', Carradine accepted the role of the racecar driver Frankenstein in ''
Death Race 2000 ''Death Race 2000'' is a 1975 American science fiction action film produced by Roger Corman, directed by Paul Bartel, and starring David Carradine. The film takes place in a dystopian American society in the year 2000, where the murderous Transco ...
'' (1975), he said, to "kill the image of Caine and launch a movie career." The role had originally been offered to Peter Fonda, who was not available. The film, directed by
Paul Bartel Paul Bartel (August 6, 1938 – May 13, 2000) was an American actor, writer and director. He was perhaps most known for his 1982 hit black comedy '' Eating Raoul'', which he wrote, starred in and directed. Bartel appeared in over 90 movies and ...
and produced by
Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...
, became a cult classic for
New World Pictures New World Pictures (also known as New World Entertainment and New World Communications Group, Inc.) was an American independent production, distribution, and (in its final years as an autonomous entity) multimedia company. It was founded in 19 ...
. Carradine got 10% of the profits and made significant money from it.Christopher T Koetting, ''Mind Warp!: The Fantastic True Story of Roger Corman's New World Pictures'', Hemlock Books. 2009 p 80-83 Carradine was tapped to play
Duke Leto Atreides The following is a list of secondary fictional characters from the science fiction media franchise '' Dune'' created by Frank Herbert. The characters listed originate in Herbert's novel series (1965–1985), but some also appear in the ''Prelude ...
in
Alejandro Jodorowsky Alejandro Jodorowsky Prullansky (; born 17 February 1929) is a Chilean-French avant-garde filmmaker. Best known for his 1970s films ''El Topo'' and '' The Holy Mountain'', Jodorowsky has been "venerated by cult cinema enthusiasts" for his work ...
's aborted '' Dune'' adaptation in the late 1970s. Carradine starred in the 1975 TV movie '' Long Way Home'' and another car chase film for Bartel and New World, '' Cannonball!'' (1976). Also in 1976, he earned critical praise for his portrayal of folksinger
Woody Guthrie Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (; July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was an American singer-songwriter, one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focused on themes of American socialism and anti-fascism. He has inspired ...
in
Hal Ashby William Hal Ashby (September 2, 1929 – December 27, 1988) was an American film director and editor associated with the New Hollywood wave of filmmaking. Before his career as a director Ashby edited films for Norman Jewison, notably ''The R ...
's '' Bound for Glory'', for which he won a National Board of Review Award for Best Actor and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and
New York Film Critics Circle Award The New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) is an American film critic organization founded in 1935 by Wanda Hale from the New York ''Daily News''. Its membership includes over 30 film critics from New York-based daily and weekly newspapers, magazi ...
. Carradine worked very closely with his friend, singer-songwriter-guitarist Guthrie Thomas, on the film. Thomas assisted Carradine in the guitar style of the period and the songs that had been chosen to be in the film. Carradine made a third car chase film for Corman, '' Thunder and Lightning'', in 1977. Next came the role of the alcoholic, unemployed trapeze artist Abel Rosenberg in '' The Serpent's Egg'' (1977). Set in post-World War I Berlin, ''The Serpent's Egg'', which also starred Liv Ullmann, is together with '' The Touch'' one of the two only English-language films by Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. Carradine replaced Richard Harris, who was too ill to do it. Bergman said of his leading man, "I don't believe in God, but Heaven must have sent him." Carradine said that he and Bergman had plans to collaborate further, but Bergman's affection for him waned when he passionately protested a scene that included the butchering of a horse. The altercation caused Carradine to question the fate of Bergman's soul while the director declared, "Little Brother, I am an old whore. I have shot two other horses, burned one and strangled a dog." Back in Hollywood, Carradine co-starred with Charlton Heston in ''
Gray Lady Down ''Gray Lady Down'' is a 1978 American submarine disaster film directed by David Greene and starring Charlton Heston, David Carradine, Stacy Keach, Ned Beatty, Ronny Cox and Rosemary Forsyth, and includes the feature film debut of Christophe ...
'' (1978) and did another film for Corman, ''
Deathsport ''Deathsport'' is a 1978 science fiction B-film produced by Roger Corman and directed by Allan Arkush and Nicholas Niciphor. The film stars David Carradine and Playboy Playmate Claudia Jennings. It would be one of Jennings' last films before he ...
'' (1978), an unofficial sequel to ''Death Race 2000''. When Bruce Lee died in 1973, he left an unreleased movie script he had developed with James Coburn and
Stirling Silliphant Stirling Dale Silliphant (January 16, 1918 – April 26, 1996) was an American screenwriter and producer. He is best remembered for his screenplay for '' In the Heat of the Night'', for which he won an Academy Award in 1967, and for creating ...
, ''The Silent Flute''. The script became ''
Circle of Iron ''Circle of Iron'' is a 1978 martial arts fantasy film directed by Richard Moore and co-written by Bruce Lee, who intended to star in the film himself, but died before production. The film is also known as ''The Silent Flute'', which was the or ...
'' (1978), and in the film, Carradine played the four roles originally intended for Lee. Carradine considered this among his best work. Carradine made ''
Mr. Horn ''Mr. Horn'' is a 1979 American Western miniseries based on Tom Horn's writings, starring David Carradine. It was directed by Jack Starrett from a screenplay by William Goldman. This version came out just prior to the 1980 feature film ''Tom Hor ...
'' (1979) for TV, playing
Tom Horn Thomas Horn Jr., (November 21, 1860 – November 20, 1903) was an American scout, cowboy, soldier, range detective, and Pinkerton agent in the 19th-century and early 20th-century American Old West. Believed to have committed 17 killings as a ...
based on a script by
William Goldman William Goldman (August 12, 1931 – November 16, 2018) was an American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. He first came to prominence in the 1950s as a novelist before turning to screenwriting. He won Academy Awards for his screenplays '' ...
. After doing a fifth Corman action film, '' Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider'' (1979), directed by Steve Carver, Carradine played
Paul Gauguin Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin (, ; ; 7 June 1848 – 8 May 1903) was a French Post-Impressionist artist. Unappreciated until after his death, Gauguin is now recognized for his experimental use of colour and Synthetist style that were distinct fr ...
for TV in '' Gauguin the Savage'' (1980). In ''
The Long Riders ''The Long Riders'' is a 1980 American Western film directed by Walter Hill. It was produced by James Keach, Stacy Keach and Tim Zinnemann and featured an original soundtrack by Ry Cooder. Cooder won the ''Best Music'' award in 1980 from t ...
'' (1980), Carradine starred with his half-brothers
Keith Keith may refer to: People and fictional characters * Keith (given name), includes a list of people and fictional characters * Keith (surname) * Keith (singer), American singer James Keefer (born 1949) * Baron Keith, a line of Scottish barons ...
and
Robert Carradine Robert Reed Carradine ( ; born March 24, 1954) is an American actor. A member of the Carradine family, he made his first appearances on television Western series such as ''Bonanza'' and his brother David's TV series, '' Kung Fu''. Carradine's fi ...
as the Younger Brothers. The ensemble cast included three other brother/actor groupings:
Stacy Stacy or Stacey may refer to: Places In the United States: * Stacy, California, an unincorporated community * Stacy, Kentucky * Stacy, Minnesota, a city * Stacy, Virginia, a village People * Stacy (given name) * Stacy (singer) (born 199 ...
and
James Keach James Keach (born December 7, 1947) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the younger brother of actor Stacy Keach Jr. and son of actor Stacy Keach Sr. Early life and education Keach was born in Savannah, Georgia, the son of Mary Cain ( ...
; Dennis and
Randy Quaid Randy Randall Rudy Quaid (born October 1, 1950) is an American actor known for his roles in both serious drama and light comedy. He was nominated for an Academy Award, BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award for his role in '' The Last Detail'' ...
, and Christopher and
Nicholas Guest Nicholas Haden-Guest (born May 5, 1951), known as Nicholas Guest, is an American actor who has appeared in various movie and television roles, including that of headmaster Patrick James Elliot in the teen sitcom ''USA High''. Since 2000, he has p ...
. The movie, which was about the Jesse James gang, gave Carradine, who played
Cole Younger Thomas Coleman Younger (January 15, 1844 – March 21, 1916) was an American Confederate guerrilla during the American Civil War and later an outlaw leader with the James–Younger Gang. He was the elder brother of Jim, John and Bob Younge ...
, one of his most memorable roles.
Walter Hill Walter may refer to: People * Walter (name), both a surname and a given name * Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968) * Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born 1 ...
directed. Carradine played a pilot in ''
Cloud Dancer ''Cloud Dancer'' is a 1980 aviation drama film directed by Barry Brown. The film stars David Carradine, Jennifer O'Neill and Joseph Bottoms. ''Cloud Dancer'' follows a competition aerobatics pilot throughout his show season. Plot Brad Randolph ...
'' (1980) and was the villain in '' High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane'' (1980). He did a car chase film in Africa, ''
Safari 3000 ''Safari 3000'' is a 1982 American action-adventure comedy film directed by Harry Hurwitz and starring David Carradine, Stockard Channing, and Christopher Lee. The film was shot on location in Africa. Plot Daredevil stunt driver Eddie Miles h ...
'' (1980).


''Americana'' and decline as star

Carradine returned to the director's chair with ''
Americana Americana may refer to: *Americana (music), a genre or style of American music *Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States Film, radio and television * ''Americana'' (1992 TV series), a documentary series presented by J ...
'' (1981) (which was actually the completion of the earlier movie Around), which he also starred in, produced and edited. The film took ten years to complete due to difficulty in financing. It featured several of his friends and family members in supporting roles. It won the People's Choice Award at the
Director's Fortnight The Directors' Fortnight (french: Quinzaine des Réalisateurs) is an independent selection of the Cannes Film Festival. It was started in 1969 by the French Directors Guild after the events of May 1968 resulted in cancellation of the Cannes festi ...
at
Cannes Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. T ...
, but failed to achieve critical support or adequate distribution. He also directed the unreleased ''
Mata Hari Margaretha Geertruida MacLeod (née Zelle; 7 August 187615 October 1917), better known by the stage name Mata Hari (), was a Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan who was convicted of being a spy for Germany during World War I. She was executed ...
'', an epic that starred his daughter, Calista. Carradine guest-starred on an episode of '' Darkroom'' and starred in
Larry Cohen Lawrence George Cohen (July 15, 1936 – March 23, 2019) was an American screenwriter, producer, and director of film and television, best known as an author of horror and science fiction films — often containing police procedural and ...
's '' Q'' (1982). He made a cameo in ''
Trick or Treats ''Trick or Treats'' is a 1982 American slasher dark comedy film directed by Gary Graver and starring Jacqueline Giroux, Peter Jason, Chris Graver, David Carradine, Carrie Snodgress, and Steve Railsback. Plot Malcolm O'Keefe is admitted to an a ...
'' (1982) and was the villain in ''
Lone Wolf McQuade ''Lone Wolf McQuade'' is a 1983 American Western film directed by Steve Carver and starring Chuck Norris, David Carradine, Barbara Carrera, L.Q. Jones, R.G. Armstrong, Leon Isaac Kennedy and Robert Beltran. Plot J.J. McQuade (Norris) is a f ...
'' (1983) with
Chuck Norris Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris (born March 10, 1940) is an American martial artist and actor. He is a black belt in Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu jitsu and judo. After serving in the United States Air Force, Norris won many martial arts champions ...
. Carradine returned to guest-starring on regular TV series like ''
The Fall Guy ''The Fall Guy'' is an American action/adventure television series produced for ABC and originally broadcast from November 4, 1981, to May 2, 1986. It starred Lee Majors, Douglas Barr, and Heather Thomas as Hollywood stunt performers who mo ...
'', ''
Airwolf ''Airwolf'' is an American action military drama television series that centers on a high-technology military helicopter, code-named ''Airwolf'', and its crew. The show follows them as they undertake various exotic missions, many involving e ...
'', '' Fox Mystery Theater'' and '' Partners in Crime''. He starred in TV movies like ''
Jealousy Jealousy generally refers to the thoughts or feelings of insecurity, fear, and concern over a relative lack of possessions or safety. Jealousy can consist of one or more emotions such as anger, resentment, inadequacy, helplessness or disgus ...
'' (1984) and ''
The Bad Seed ''The Bad Seed'' is a 1954 novel by American writer William March, the last of his major works published before his death. Nominated for the 1955 National Book Award for Fiction, ''The Bad Seed'' tells the story of a mother's realization that h ...
'' (1985), and was still in demand as the star of cheaper action films such as ''
The Warrior and the Sorceress ''The Warrior and the Sorceress'' is a 1984 Argentine-American fantasy action film directed by John C. Broderick and starring David Carradine, María Socas and Luke Askew. It was written by Broderick (story and screenplay) and William Stout (sto ...
'' (1984) and '' On the Line'' (1984).


''North and South''

Carradine attracted notice in 1985 when he appeared in a major supporting role in ''
North and South North and South may refer to: Literature * ''North and South'' (Gaskell novel), an 1854 novel by Elizabeth Gaskell * ''North and South'' (trilogy), a series of novels by John Jakes (1982–1987) ** ''North and South'' (Jakes novel), first novel ...
'', a miniseries about the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
, as the evil and abusive Justin LaMotte. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his performance. Carradine reprised his role as Caine in '' Kung Fu: The Movie'' (1986) for TV, which he also produced. It was the acting debut of Bruce Lee's son,
Brandon Lee Brandon Bruce Lee (February 1, 1965 – March 31, 1993) was an American actor and martial artist. Establishing himself as a rising action star in the early 1990s, he landed his breakthrough role as Eric Draven in the dark fantasy film '' T ...
. He starred in the low-budget action film '' Behind Enemy Lines'' (1986) and reprised his role as LaMotte in '' North and South, Book II'', telecast in May 1986.


Straight-to-video action films

Carradine continued to be in demand for action films, either aimed at the video market or for TV: '' Oceans of Fire'' (1986), '' Armed Response'' (1986) for
Fred Olen Ray Fred Olen Ray (born September 10, 1954) is an American film producer, director, and screenwriter of more than 200 low-to-medium-budget feature films in many genres, including horror, science fiction, action/adventure, erotic thrillers, crime d ...
, '' The Misfit Brigade'' (1987), and ''
Six Against the Rock ''Six Against the Rock'' is a 1987 American film on TV about the Battle of Alcatraz The Battle of Alcatraz, which lasted from May 2 to 4, 1946, was the result of an escape attempt at Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary by armed convicts. Two Federal ...
'' (1987) as Bernie Coy. Carradine also guest starred on ''
Amazing Stories ''Amazing Stories'' is an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction. Science fiction stories had made regular appearances ...
'' and ''
Night Heat ''Night Heat'' is a Canadian police crime drama series that aired on both CTV in Canada and CBS in the United States. Original episodes were broadcast from 1985 to 1989. ''Night Heat'' was the first Canadian original drama series that was also ...
'' and he was in ''
I Saw What You Did ''I Saw What You Did'' is a 1965 American thriller film released by Universal Pictures and starring Joan Crawford and John Ireland. The plot follows two teenage girls who find themselves in serious danger after making a prank phone call to a man ...
'' (1988), '' Run for Your Life'' (1988), ''
Warlords A warlord is a person who exercises military, economic, and political control over a region in a country without a strong national government; largely because of coercive control over the armed forces. Warlords have existed throughout much of h ...
'' (1988) (again for Ray), ''
Tropical Snow ''Tropical Snow'' is a 1988 American drama film directed by Ciro Durán and starring David Carradine, Madeleine Stowe, and Jsu Garcia. The plot concerns cocaine smuggling. It was Tim Allen Timothy Alan Dick (born June 13, 1953), known pro ...
'' (1989), and '' The Cover Girl and the Cop'' (1989). He received some good reviews for '' Sonny Boy'' (1989), on which he sang on the soundtrack. He starred in three films for Corman: ''
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II ''Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II'' is a 1989 American sword and sorcery film written and directed by Charles B. Griffith and starring David Carradine, Mel Welles and Lana Clarkson. It was Griffith's last feature film credit and is a sequel to the ...
'' (1989), directed by Charles B. Griffith; '' Nowhere to Run'' (1989), directed by
Carl Franklin Carl Franklin (born April 11, 1949) is an American filmmaker. Franklin is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley, and continued his education at the AFI Conservatory, where he graduated with an M.F.A. degree in directing in 1986. Earl ...
; and ''
Crime Zone ''Crime Zone'' (also known as ''Calles Peligrossas'' in Peru) is a 1989 American-Peruvian science fiction action film directed by Luis Llosa, written by Daryl Haney and starring David Carradine, Peter Nelson, Sherilyn Fenn, and Michael Shaner. Ca ...
'' (1990) directed by
Luis Llosa Luis Llosa Urquidi (born 1951) is a Peruvian film director. He is best known for ''Sniper'', '' The Specialist'', and ''Anaconda''. Career Luis Llosa was originally a film critic. He is known for his early Peruvian work, English-language exp ...
; Carradine co produced the latter. He was also in '' Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat'' (1989), directed by Anthony Hickox; '' Try This One for Size'' (1989), '' Open Fire'' (1989), and '' Future Force'' (1989), which he helped produce. In 1989 he starred in the low-budget direct-to-video Swedish action movie ''
The Mad Bunch ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' directed by Mats Helge Olsson, making him one of three actors (including
Heinz Hopf Heinz Hopf (19 November 1894 – 3 June 1971) was a German mathematician who worked on the fields of topology and geometry. Early life and education Hopf was born in Gräbschen, Germany (now , part of Wrocław, Poland), the son of Elizabeth ( ...
and
Tor Isedal Tor Isedal (20 July 1924 – 18 February 1990) was a Swedish actor on stage, screen and television. He appeared in more than 70 films between 1952 and 1990. One of his sons is Swedish actor Ola Isedal. Partial filmography * ''She Came Like ...
) who have starred in both an Ingmar Bergman movie and an Olsson movie. He followed it with '' Night Children'' (1989), '' Crime of Crimes'' (1989) (which he produced), ''
Animal Protector Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals consume organic material, breathe oxygen, are able to move, can reproduce sexually, and go through an ontogenetic stage in ...
'' (1989), '' Dune Warriors'' (1990), ''
Martial Law Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory. Use Marti ...
'' (1990) and '' The Trace of Lynx'' (1990). Carradine made his first studio film in a long time with '' Bird on a Wire'' (1990) and he guest starred on shows like '' Matlock'', ''
The Young Riders ''The Young Riders'' is an American western television series created by Ed Spielman that presents a fictionalized account of a group of young Pony Express riders (some of whom are young versions of legendary figures in Old West history) based at ...
'', and ''
The Ray Bradbury Theatre ''The Ray Bradbury Theater'' is an anthology series that ran for three seasons on First Choice Superchannel in Canada and HBO in the United States from 1985 to 1986, and then on USA Network, running for four additional seasons from 1988 to 19 ...
''. However he predominantly worked as the star of straight to video action films: ''
Future Zone ''Future Zone'' is a 1990 science-fiction film written and directed by David A. Prior and starring David Carradine. It was the sequel to the 1989 film '' Future Force''. Synopsis John Tucker, a bounty hunter comes face to face with the most dang ...
'' (1990), a sequel to ''Future Force'', ''
Fatal Secret Fatal may refer to: * ''Fatal'' (album), by Hussein Fatal, 2002 * ''Fatal'' (film), a 2010 French film starring Michaël Youn and Stéphane Rousseau * '' F.A.T.A.L.'', a tabletop role-playing game released in 2003 * Fatal Recordings, a record ...
'' (1990), '' Midnight Fear'' (1991), '' Project Eliminator'' (1991) (which he helped produce), '' Deadly Surveillance'' (1991), and '' Brotherhood of the Gun'' (1991). Carradine had support roles in '' The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw'' (1991) and could be seen in ''
Capital Punishment Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that t ...
'' (1991) and '' Karate Cop'' (1991). Carradine was in ''
Battle Gear , previously known as , is a series of racing video games developed and published by Taito, first released in arcades with ''Side by Side'' in 1996. The series was later released for various home consoles, such as the PlayStation and PlayStation ...
'' (1991) and ''
Evil Toons ''Evil Toons'' is a 1992 American live-action/adult animated comedy horror B-movie written and directed by Fred Olen Ray. The film is a light spoof of traditional haunted-house films. Plot In the past, Gideon Fisk hangs himself in the basement ...
'' (1992) for Ray, and had support parts in '' Double Trouble'' (1992), ''
Roadside Prophets ''Roadside Prophets'' is a 1992 American comedy film written and directed by Abbe Wool, featuring musicians John Doe of the L.A. punk band X, and Adam Horovitz of the Beastie Boys with cameo appearances by, amongst others, Timothy Leary, Arlo ...
'' (1992), ''Night Rhythms'' (1992), '' Waxwork II: Lost in Time'' (1992), and '' Distant Justice'' (1992). In a 2005 interview, Carradine talks about how there was a period where he was working as much as he could. ''Psychotronic Magazine'' gave him an award for the "Most Working Actor in the Universe". "Because I did nineteen movies in eighteen months. And they actually missed a couple!" Carradine thought it could not last. "That whole era of independent movies died. They clotted the market. I didn't know how to get out of that, so I did he second series of Kung Fu.


''Kung Fu: The Legend Continues''

Carradine returned to the part of Caine in '' Kung Fu: The Legend Continues'' (1992), which led to a new TV series that ran from 1993 to 1997, and consisted of 88 episodes. Carradine also worked as a producer and directed an episode. He starred in ''
Kill Zone In military tactics, the kill zone, also known as killing zone, is an area entirely covered by direct and effective fire, an element of ambush within which an approaching enemy force is trapped and destroyed. The objective of the ambush force i ...
'' (1993), '' Dead Center'' (1993) for Steve Carver, '' Code... Death: Frontera Sur'' (1993), and ''
Bitter End Bitter end or The Bitter End may refer to: * Bitter end, the part of a rope used to form a knot *The Bitter End, a nightclub in New York City Geography * Bitter End, Tennessee *Bitter End, Virgin Gorda Arts, entertainment, and media Literature ...
'' (1993). He was featured in a Lipton Tea commercial, which first aired during the broadcast of Super Bowl XXVIII. The advertisement paid tribute to
The Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical farce and slapstick. Six Stooges appeared ...
while satirizing his role in ''Kung Fu''. In 1997, Carradine was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The presenters played an April Fool's Day prank on him by first unveiling a star bearing the name of his brother,
Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
. When ''Kung Fu: The Legend Continues'' ended, Carradine went into ''
Last Stand at Saber River ''Last Stand at Saber River'' is a 1997 American Western television film directed by Dick Lowry and starring Tom Selleck, Suzy Amis, Haley Joel Osment, Keith Carradine, David Carradine, Tracey Needham, David Dukes and Harry Carey Jr. Based o ...
'' (1997), an episode of ''
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman ''Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman'' is an American Western drama television series created and executive produced by Beth Sullivan and starring Jane Seymour, who plays Dr. Michaela Quinn, a physician who leaves Boston in search of adventure in the O ...
'', '' Lost Treasure of Dos Santos'' (1997), '' The Rage'' (1997), '' The Good Life'' (1997), '' Macon County Jail'' (1997), '' Nosferatu: The First Vampire'' (1997), '' Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror'' (1998), ''
The New Swiss Family Robinson ''The New Swiss Family Robinson'' is a 1998 American adventure film directed by Stewart Raffill. The film is based on the 1812 novel ''The Swiss Family Robinson'' by Johann David Wyss, and stars Jane Seymour, David Carradine, James Keach, John Mall ...
'' (1998), '' Shepherd'' (1998), '' The Effects of Magic'' (1998), ''
Kiss of a Stranger A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, Passion (emotion), passion, romance (l ...
'' (1998), ''
Sublet A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the user (referred to as the ''lessee'') to pay the owner (referred to as the ''lessor'') for the use of an asset. Property, buildings and vehicles are common assets that are leased. Industrial ...
'' (1998), '' Martian Law'' (1998) for Hickox, ''
Lovers and Liars ''Lovers and Liars'' (''Viaggio con Anita'') is a 1979 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Monicelli and starring Goldie Hawn and Giancarlo Giannini. It is Hawn's only foreign film. It was released in the United States in February 1981. Plot ...
'' (1998), ''
Light Speed The speed of light in vacuum, commonly denoted , is a universal physical constant that is important in many areas of physics. The speed of light is exactly equal to ). According to the special theory of relativity, is the upper limit fo ...
'' (1998), and '' Knocking on Death's Door'' (1999). In 1999, he made an appearance as the demon Tempus in the Season 1 finale episode of '' Charmed''. He guest starred on shows such as '' Acapulco H.E.A.T.'', ''
Just Shoot Me! ''Just Shoot Me!'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC from March 4, 1997, to November 26, 2003, with a total of 145 half-hour episodes spanning seven seasons. The show was created by Steven Levitan, the show's executive ...
'', and ''
Family Law Family law (also called matrimonial law or the law of domestic relations) is an area of the law that deals with family matters and domestic relations. Overview Subjects that commonly fall under a nation's body of family law include: * Marriage ...
''. Carradine starred in ''
Natural Selection Natural selection is the differential survival and reproduction of individuals due to differences in phenotype. It is a key mechanism of evolution, the change in the heritable traits characteristic of a population over generations. Cha ...
'' (1999), '' Full Blast'' (1999), ''
Zoo A zoo (short for zoological garden; also called an animal park or menagerie) is a facility in which animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for conservation purposes. The term ''zoological garden'' refers to zoo ...
'' (1999), '' The Puzzle in the Air'' (1999), '' Dangerous Curves'' (2000) (starring Robert), ''
Down 'n Dirty ''Down 'n Dirty'' is an 2000 American action film directed by and starring Fred Williamson as Dakota Smith. It also stars Bubba Smith, Gary Busey, Tony Lo Bianco, Beverly Johnson, Randy J. Goodwin, David Carradine, and Charles Napier. Plot Dak ...
'', '' Nightfall'' (2000), and ''By Dawn's Early Light'' (2000). In 2001, he appeared in the episode "The Serpent" of the syndicated TV series ''
Queen of Swords The Queen of Swords is a card in the Suit of Swords, part of the Minor Arcana set of the Tarot. Tarot cards are used throughout much of Europe to play tarot card games. In English-speaking countries, Tarot cards are utilized primarily for div ...
'' as the sword-wielding bandit ''El Serpiente'' filmed at
Texas Hollywood Texas Hollywood/Fort Bravo is a Western-styled theme park in the province of Almería in Spain. Built in the early 1970s, it lies a few kilometres to the north of the N-340 road highway (468 km mark), near the town of Tabernas. History Arou ...
studios in Almeria, Spain, home of many Spaghetti Westerns. Carradine was increasingly becoming a support actor in films: '' Largo Winch: The Heir'' (2001), ''
G.O.D. Groove Over Dose, known by the acronym g.o.d (), is a South Korean boy band formed by SidusHQ. Debuting in 1999, the group became one of the most popular boy bands of the early 2000s in South Korea. The members had gone on to solo careers in th ...
'' (2001), '' Warden of Red Rock'' (2001), '' The Donor'' (2001), ''
Out of the Wilderness ''Out of the Wilderness'' is a 2001 television film directed by Steve Kroschel. Plot This is the story of a raven, considered by ornithologists to be the most intelligent of bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constit ...
'' (2001), '' The Defectors'' (2001), ''
Wheatfield with Crows ''Wheatfield with Crows'' ( nl, Korenveld met kraaien) is a July 1890 painting by Vincent van Gogh. It has been cited by several critics as one of his greatest works. It is commonly stated that this was van Gogh's final painting because Vincen ...
'' (2002) and '' The Outsider'' (2002). He guest-starred in ''
The Nightmare Room ''The Nightmare Room'' is an American children's anthology horror series that aired on Kids' WB. The series was based on the short-lived children's book series that went by the same title created by ''Goosebumps'' author, R. L. Stine. ''The Nig ...
'', ''
Jackie Chan Adventures ''Jackie Chan Adventures'' is an American animated television series, created by John Rogers, Duane Capizzi and Jeff Kline, and produced by Sony Pictures Television (originally as Columbia TriStar Television for the first three seasons). The ca ...
'', ''
Titus Titus Caesar Vespasianus ( ; 30 December 39 – 13 September 81 AD) was Roman emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death. Before becoming emperor, Titus gained renown as a mili ...
'', and ''
King of the Hill ''King of the Hill'' is an American animated sitcom created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired its original non-syndicated run from January 12, 1997, to September 13, 2009, and centers on the Hills, an Am ...
''. David also made a guest appearance in episode 11 of ''
Lizzie McGuire ''Lizzie McGuire'' is an American comedy television series created by Terri Minsky that premiered on Disney Channel on January 12, 2001. The series stars Hilary Duff as the titular character, who navigates the personal and social issues of her t ...
'' as himself, which gave him an opportunity to work with his brother Robert, who played Lizzie's father in the series.


''Kill Bill''

Carradine enjoyed a revival of his fame when he was cast in
Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, dark humor, non-linear storylines, cameos, ensembl ...
's sequential ''Kill Bill'' movies, '' Kill Bill: Volume 1'' (2003) and '' Kill Bill: Volume 2'' (2004). Among those who thought his portrayal of Bill, the assassin extraordinaire, would earn him an Academy Award nomination was
Scott Mantz Scott Alan Mantz, born 1968, is an American film critic, writer, producer and event moderator. In 2014, Mantz was the recipient of the Press Award (honoring Outstanding Entertainment Journalism) from the ICG Publicists Guild. From October 2000 ...
of ''The Mediadrome'', who said, "Carradine practically steals every scene he's in with confident gusto, and he gives a soulful performance that should all but ensure a spot on next year's Oscar ballot." Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper each had ''Kill Bill Vol. 2'' on their top ten list for of Academy Awards predictions. Although the films received no notice from the Academy, Carradine did receive a Golden Globe nomination and a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Bill. Carradine had a good part in ''
American Reel ''American Reel'' is a 1999 drama film directed by Mark Archer and starring David Carradine, Michael Maloney, and Mariel Hemingway. Written by Junior Burke and Scott Fivelson, the film is set in Chicago, Illinois, though primary filming location ...
'' (2003) but the overall quality of his roles did not improve: ''
Dead & Breakfast ''Dead & Breakfast'' is a 2004 musical zombie comedy film directed by Matthew Leutwyler starring Ever Carradine, Gina Philips, Erik Palladino, Bianca Lawson, Jeremy Sisto and Oz Perkins. The film premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival ...
'' (2004), '' Last Goodbye'' (2004), '' Max Havoc: Curse of the Dragon'' (2004), '' Brothers in Arms'' (2005), '' Miracle at Sage Creek'' (2005), '' Final Move'' (2006), ''
Saints Row ''Saints Row'' is a series of action-adventure video games created by Volition and published by THQ and Deep Silver. The series follows the 3rd Street Saints, a fictional street gang originally operating out of the Saints Row district, hence ...
'' (2006) and '' The Last Sect'' (2006). David Carradine took over hosting duties from his brother
Keith Keith may refer to: People and fictional characters * Keith (given name), includes a list of people and fictional characters * Keith (surname) * Keith (singer), American singer James Keefer (born 1949) * Baron Keith, a line of Scottish barons ...
on '' Wild West Tech'' on the
History Channel History (formerly The History Channel from January 1, 1995 to February 15, 2008, stylized as HISTORY) is an American pay television network and flagship channel owned by A&E Networks, a joint venture between Hearst Communications and the Disney ...
, in 2005. The same year, he also played both himself and the ghost of a dead man for an episode of the NBC TV show ''
Medium Medium may refer to: Science and technology Aviation *Medium bomber, a class of war plane *Tecma Medium, a French hang glider design Communication * Media (communication), tools used to store and deliver information or data * Medium of ...
''. By 2006, he had become the spokesperson for Yellowbook, a publisher of independent telephone directories in the United States. He also appeared as
Clockwork Clockwork refers to the inner workings of either mechanical devices called clocks and watches (where it is also called the movement) or other mechanisms that work similarly, using a series of gears driven by a spring or weight. A clockwork mec ...
, the ghost of time, in two episodes of the animated series, '' Danny Phantom''. He had a cameo in ''
Epic Movie ''Epic Movie'' is a 2007 American parody film written and directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer and produced by Paul Schiff. It stars Kal Penn, Adam Campbell, Jayma Mays, Jennifer Coolidge, Faune A. Chambers, Crispin Glover, Tony Cox ...
'' (2007) and was in ''
Treasure Raiders ''Treasure Raiders'' is a 2007 independently produced treasure-hunt film, directed by Brent Huff and written by Alexander Izotov and Alexey Overchuk, starring Steven Brand and well-known actors David Carradine, Sherilyn Fenn and Russian actor Ale ...
'' (2007), ''
How to Rob a Bank (and 10 Tips to Actually Get Away with It) ''How to Rob a Bank (and 10 Tips to Actually Get Away with It)'' is an American independent film, independent crime comedy film. It finished filming in March 2006. It premiered at the 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival, and opened in limited release in ...
'' (2007), '' Fall Down Dead'' (2007) (which he helped produce), '' Permanent Vacation'' (2007), and '' Fuego'' (2007). Carradine played Buckingham in a version of '' Richard III'' (2007) which he helped produce, and was in a studio film when he supported
Rob Schneider Robert Michael Schneider (; born October 31, 1963) is an American actor, comedian, and screenwriter. A stand-up comic and veteran of the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'', he went on to a career in feature films, including starri ...
in '' Big Stan'' (2007). He did another comedy '' Homo Erectus'' (2007) and was in '' Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter'' (2007) and ''
Hell Ride ''Hell Ride'' is a 2008 American action/neo-outlaw biker film written and directed by Larry Bishop and starring Bishop, Michael Madsen, Dennis Hopper, Eric Balfour, Vinnie Jones, Leonor Varela and David Carradine. It was released under the "Que ...
'' (2008), He starred in the 2008 TV movie, ''
Kung Fu Killer ''Kung Fu Killer'' is a 2008 two-part miniseries that aired on Spike TV The film also includes many eastern Kung Fu talent including Osric Chau. The miniseries alludes to the "Kung Fu" programs of the 1970s that brought David Carradine to fame. ...
'', in which he played a Chinese martial arts master very similar to his ''Kung Fu'' series "Caine" persona—his character in this movie named "White Crane", and mostly referred to or addressed as "Crane", frequently pronounced in a manner that minimized the R sound.


Final years

Carradine's last performances included a role in the music video of the Jonas Brothers' song '' Burnin' Up'' (2008), '' Camille'' (2008), '' Last Hour'' (2008), ''
Break Break or Breaks or The Break may refer to: Time off from duties * Recess (break), time in which a group of people is temporarily dismissed from its duties * Break (work), time off during a shift/recess ** Coffee break, a short mid-morning res ...
'' (2008), ''
The Golden Boys ''The Golden Boys'' is a romantic comedy, set on Cape Cod in 1905, about three 70-year-old retired sea captains who try to lure an attractive middle-aged woman into marriage. Developed under the working title ''Chatham'', the film is an adaptat ...
'' (2008), '' Kandisha'' (2008), '' Archie's Final Project'' (2009), '' Absolute Evil - Final Exit'' (2009), '' Road of No Return'' (2009) with Michael Madsen, '' Crank: High Voltage'' (2009), and '' Autumn'' (2009).


Posthumous releases

The actor, who once received an award for being the hardest-working actor in Hollywood, still had approximately a dozen films in post-production at the time of his death in 2009. Most of these roles were cameos or small parts in independent,
direct-to-DVD Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, TV series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strategy was p ...
productions. Among them are a horror film, '' Dark Fields'' (2009); an action film, ''Bad Cop'' (2009); and a western, ''All Hell Broke Loose'' (2009); and '' Detention'' (2010), a thriller. He made one last film for Corman, '' Dinocroc vs. Supergator'' (2010) directed by
Jim Wynorski Jim Wynorski (born August 14, 1950) is an American screenwriter, director, and producer. Wynorski has been making B-movies and exploitation movies since the early 1980s, and has directed over 150 feature films. His earliest films were releas ...
. Ken Tucker, writing for
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...
, said the film was "impeccable" and "goofy fun all the way". He was also in '' Six Days in Paradise'' (2010) with Madsen; '' Money to Burn'' (2010); '' Stretch'' (2011); ''
Highway to Hell ''Highway to Hell'' is the sixth studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC, released on 27 July 1979. It was the last album featuring lead singer Bon Scott, who would die early the following year on 19 February 1980. Background By 1978 ...
'' (2012); and '' The Banksters, Madoff with America'' (2013). Carradine also appeared in a minor role in Yuen Woo-ping's Chinese kung fu epic ''
True Legend ''True Legend'' is a 2010 martial arts film directed by Yuen Woo-ping in his first film as directed since 1996. The film stars Vincent Zhao, Zhou Xun, Jay Chou, Michelle Yeoh, Andy On, David Carradine (in his final film role before his death), ...
''; they had first met while filming ''Kill Bill''. Yuen eulogized Carradine on the ''True Legend'' website, describing him as a "good friend". Yuen said of Carradine: He appeared in the music video of the song ''Devil'' by
Ours One Union of Regional Staff (OURS) was a trade union in the United Kingdom. The union was formed in early 2010 by the merger of the Derbyshire Group Staff Union and the Cheshire Group Staff Union. It organises former Derbyshire Building Soc ...
(2013), with images originally shot four years before for the unreleased short film ''8 For Infinity'', directed by Michael Maxxis. His final released movie was the cult independent film, '' Night of the Templar'' (2013), directed by his friend Paul Sampson, in which Carradine wielded a sword (katana) for the final time on screen. Almost like a foreshadowing, there are several peculiar and eerie references in the film that coincidentally relate to the circumstances of Carradine's untimely passing, which include
auto-erotic asphyxiation Erotic asphyxiation (variously called asphyxiophilia, hypoxyphilia or breath control play) is the intentional restriction of oxygen to the brain for the purposes of sexual arousal. The term autoerotic asphyxiation is used when the act is done ...
. His last scene on screen ended in the following dialog: "Well, old friend, see you in the next lifetime." / "Yeah, old friends, old soul mates." / "Yes, we are." Carradine co-produced a full-length documentary about luthier Stuart Mossman, which has been identified as the actor's last film appearance.. ''Santa Barbara Independent''. Accessed June 1, 2010 ''The Legend of Stuart Mossman: A Modern Stradivari'', directed by Barry Brown, premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, in February 2010. It featured David, Keith, and Robert Carradine performing their music on Mossman guitars. Mossman had appeared with Carradine in ''Cloud Dancer'' (1980), which Brown also directed, and in ''The Long Riders''. On the small screen, Carradine appeared in a guest spot on the television series '' Mental'' that was broadcast just days after his death. On October 3, 2009, '' Celebrity Ghost Stories'' premiered on the
Biography Channel FYI (stylized as fyi,) is an American basic cable channel owned by A&E Networks, a joint venture between the Disney Media Networks subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company and Hearst Communications (each owns 50%). The network features lifestyle pr ...
with an interview of Carradine discussing his belief that his closet was haunted by his wife's deceased previous husband. The segment, which was described as "eerie," was filmed four months before his own death.


Martial artist

Carradine knew nothing of the practice of
kung fu Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to commo ...
at the time he was cast in the role of Kwai Chang Caine; instead, he relied on his experience as a dancer for the part. He also had experience in sword fighting,
boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermine ...
, and
street fighting Street fighting is hand-to-hand combat in public places, between individuals or groups of people. The venue is usually a public place (e.g. a street) and the fight sometimes results in serious injury or occasionally even death. Some street fig ...
on which to draw. For the first half of the original series, David Chow provided technical assistance with kung fu, followed by
Kam Yuen Kam Yuen, (born in Hong Kong), is a Chinese-born American martial arts expert who was the consultant and stunt coordinator for the original television series ''Kung Fu''. He also played the roles of Wong Ti and Lin Wu in the series and was the do ...
, who became Carradine's martial arts instructor. He never considered himself a master of the art, but rather an "
evangelist Evangelist may refer to: Religion * Four Evangelists, the authors of the canonical Christian Gospels * Evangelism, publicly preaching the Gospel with the intention of spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ * Evangelist (Anglican Church), a c ...
" of kung fu. By 2003, he had acquired enough expertise in martial arts to produce and star in several instructional videos on
T'ai chi Tai chi (), short for Tai chi ch'üan ( zh, s=太极拳, t=太極拳, first=t, p=Tàijíquán, labels=no), sometimes called " shadowboxing", is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits and meditation. ...
and
Qigong ''Qigong'' (), ''qi gong'', ''chi kung'', ''chi 'ung'', or ''chi gung'' () is a system of coordinated body-posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for the purposes of health, spirituality, and martial-arts training. With roots in ...
. In 2005, Carradine visited the
Shaolin Monastery Shaolin Monastery (少林寺 ''Shàolínsì''), also known as Shaolin Temple, is a renowned monastic institution recognized as the birthplace of Chan Buddhism and the cradle of Shaolin Kung Fu. It is located at the foot of Wuru Peak of the So ...
in Henan, China, as part of the extra features for the third season of the ''Kung Fu'' DVDs. During his visit, the abbot, Shi Yǒngxìn, said that he recognized Carradine's important contribution to the promotion of the Shaolin Monastery and kung fu culture, to which Carradine replied, "I am happy to serve."


Music career

In addition to his acting career, Carradine was a musician. He sang and played the
piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...
, the
guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...
, and the flute, among other instruments.Hyatt, Jeff (June 4, 2009
Carradine Leaves Behind a Musical Legacy
, ''Beat Crave''
In 1970, Carradine played one half of a flower-power beatnik duo in the season 4 ''Ironside'' episode, "The Quincunx", performing the songs "I Stepped on a Flower", "Lonesome Stranger", and "Sorrow of the Singing Tree". He recorded an album titled ''Grasshopper'', which was released in 1975. His musical talents were often integrated into his screen performances. He performed several of Woody Guthrie's songs for the movie, ''Bound for Glory''. For the ''Kung Fu'' series, he made flutes out of bamboo that he had planted on the Warner Brothers lot. He later made several flutes for the movie ''
Circle of Iron ''Circle of Iron'' is a 1978 martial arts fantasy film directed by Richard Moore and co-written by Bruce Lee, who intended to star in the film himself, but died before production. The film is also known as ''The Silent Flute'', which was the or ...
'', one of which he later played in ''
Kill Bill ''Kill Bill: Volume 1'' is a 2003 American martial arts film Martial arts films are a subgenre of action films that feature numerous martial arts combat between characters. These combats are usually the films' primary appeal and entertainment ...
''. Carradine wrote and performed the theme songs for at least two movies that he starred in, ''Americana'' and '' Sonny Boy''. The first line from the ''Sonny Boy'' theme, "Paint", which he wrote while filming ''Americana'' in 1973, is engraved on his headstone.David Carradine Grave Marker
December 7, 2009 Radar online
He wrote and performed several songs for ''American Reel'' (2003) and wrote the score for ''You and Me''. He and his brother, Robert, also performed with a band, the ''Cosmic Rescue Team'' (also known as ''Soul Dogs''). The band performed primarily in small venues and at charity benefits.


Personal life

Shortly after being drafted into the
U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
in 1960, Carradine proposed to Donna Lee Becht (born September 26, 1937), whom he had met when they were students at Oakland High School; they married on Christmas Day that year. She lived with him off-base when he was stationed at
Fort Eustis Fort Eustis is a United States Army installation in Newport News, Virginia. In 2010, it was combined with nearby Langley Air Force Base to form Joint Base Langley–Eustis. The post is the home to the United States Army Training and Doctrine ...
in Virginia. In April 1962, she gave birth to their daughter Calista. After Carradine's discharge, the family lived in New York while Carradine established his acting career, appearing on
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
in ''The Deputy'' and ''Royal Hunt of the Sun''. The marriage dissolved in 1968, whereupon Carradine left New York and headed back to California to continue his television and film careers. In 1968, Carradine met actress
Barbara Hershey Barbara Lynn Herzstein, better known as Barbara Hershey (born February 5, 1948), is an American actress. In a career spanning more than 50 years, she has played a variety of roles on television and in cinema in several genres, including weste ...
while the two of them were working on ''
Heaven with a Gun ''Heaven with a Gun'' is a 1969 American Western film starring Glenn Ford and directed by Lee H. Katzin. Plot Jim Killian arrives at the town of Vinegaroon, which is divided between cattlemen and sheepherders, and purchases a vacant barn. Cattl ...
''. The pair lived together until 1975. They appeared in other films together, including Martin Scorsese's ''Boxcar Bertha''. In 1972, they appeared together in a nude ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's Lifestyle magazine, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from H ...
'' spread, recreating some sex scenes from ''Boxcar Bertha''. That year, Hershey gave birth to their son, Free (who, when aged nine, changed his name to Tom, much to his father's chagrin). The couple's relationship fell apart around the time of Carradine's 1974 burglary arrest, when Carradine began an affair with
Season Hubley Season Hubley (born Susan Hubley; March 14, 1951) is an American retired actress and singer. Best known for Nikki in '' Hardcore'' (1979), Priscilla Presley in '' Elvis'' (1979), and Angelique in ''All My Children'' (1992–1994). Early life H ...
, who had guest-starred on ''Kung Fu''. Carradine was engaged to Hubley for a time, but they never married. In February 1977, Carradine married his second wife Linda ('' née'' Linda Anne Gilbert) in a civil ceremony in
Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Ha ...
, Germany, after filming ''The Serpent's Egg''. Gilbert was previously married to
Roger McGuinn James Roger McGuinn (born James Joseph McGuinn III; July 13, 1942) is an American musician. He is best known for being the frontman and leader of the Byrds. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with the Byrds. As a ...
of
The Byrds The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole cons ...
. Their daughter, Kansas, was born in 1978. Carradine's second marriage ended in divorce, as did the two that followed. He was married to Gail Jensen from 1986 to 1997 and to Marina Anderson from 1998 to 2001. On December 26, 2004, Carradine married the widowed Annie Bierman (''née'' Anne Kirstie Fraser, December 21, 1960) at the seaside Malibu home of his friend
Michael Madsen Michael Søren Madsen (born September 25, 1957) is an American actor. He has starred in many films and television series, frequently collaborating with director Quentin Tarantino, most famously in the latter's debut film '' Reservoir Dogs'' (1 ...
.
Vicki Roberts Vicki Michele Roberts (born July 3, 1959) is an American attorney and an on-air legal commentator, as well as a television and film personality. Born in Long Island, New York, Roberts obtained a degree in Radio, Television, and Film from Cali ...
, his attorney and a longtime friend of his wife's, performed the ceremony. With this marriage he acquired three stepdaughters, Amanda Eckelberry (born 1989), Madeleine Rose (born 1995), and Olivia Juliette (born 1998) as well as a stepson, actor Max Richard Carradine (born 1998). In one of his final interviews, Carradine stated that at 71, he was still "in excellent shape", attributing it to a good diet and having a youthful circle of friends. "Everybody that I know is at least 10 or 20 years younger than I am. My wife Annie is 24 years younger than I am. My daughter asks why I don't hang with women my age and I say, 'Most of the women my age are a lot older than me!


Arrests and prosecutions

In the late 1950s, while living in San Francisco, Carradine was arrested for assaulting a police officer. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of
disturbing the peace Breach of the peace, or disturbing the peace, is a legal term used in constitutional law in English-speaking countries and in a public order sense in the several jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. It is a form of disorderly conduct. Public ord ...
. While in the Army, he faced court-martial on more than one occasion for shoplifting. After he became an established actor and had changed his name to David, he was arrested in 1967 for possession of marijuana. In 1974, at the height of his popularity in ''Kung Fu'', Carradine was arrested again, this time for attempted burglary and malicious mischief. While under the influence of peyote, Carradine began wandering nude around his
Laurel Canyon Laurel Canyon is a mountainous neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills region of the Santa Monica Mountains, within the Hollywood Hills West district of Los Angeles, California. The main thoroughfare of Laurel Canyon Boulevard connects the neighb ...
neighborhood. He broke into a neighbor's home, smashing a window and cutting his arm, and accosted two young women, allegedly assaulting one while asking her if she was a witch. Carradine pleaded
no contest ' is a legal term that comes from the Latin phrase for "I do not wish to contend". It is also referred to as a plea of no contest or no defense. In criminal trials in certain United States jurisdictions, it is a plea where the defendant neith ...
to the mischief charge and was given probation. He was never charged with assault, but the young woman sued him for $1.1 million"Woman Sues, Says T.V. Actor Attacked Her," ''L.A. Times'' (October 23, 1974) p. 1 and was awarded $20,000."David Carradine Ordered to Pay in Assault Suit". Mtnra, Oliver; ''L.A. Times'', July 11, 1975, p. 3 In 1980, while in South Africa filming ''
Safari 3000 ''Safari 3000'' is a 1982 American action-adventure comedy film directed by Harry Hurwitz and starring David Carradine, Stockard Channing, and Christopher Lee. The film was shot on location in Africa. Plot Daredevil stunt driver Eddie Miles h ...
'' (also known as ''Rally''), which co-starred Stockard Channing, Carradine was arrested for possession of marijuana. He was convicted and given a suspended sentence. He claimed that he had been framed by the
apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...
government, as he had been seen dancing with
Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American-born Swiss retired singer and actress. Widely referred to as the " Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue before ...
. During the 1980s, Carradine was arrested at least twice for driving under the influence of alcohol, once in 1984 and again in 1989. In the second case, Carradine pleaded no contest. Of this incident, the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
'' reported: "Legal experts say Carradine was handed a harsher-than-average sentence, even for a second-time offender: three years' summary probation, 48 hours in jail, 100 hours of community service, 30 days' work picking up trash for the
California Department of Transportation The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is an executive department of the U.S. state of California. The department is part of the cabinet-level California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA). Caltrans is headquartered in Sacr ...
, attendance at a drunk driving awareness meeting and completion of an alcohol rehabilitation program." In 1994, in Toronto, filming '' Kung Fu: The Legend Continues'', Carradine was arrested for kicking in a door at the SkyDome while attending a Rolling Stones concert. He later claimed that he was trying to avoid being swarmed by fans.


Death

David Carradine arrived in
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...
, Thailand on May 31, 2009, to shoot his latest film, titled '' Stretch''. He was last seen alive on June 3, but his assistant and other film staffers could not reach Carradine when they were going to have dinner and decided to leave without him. Carradine called the assistant an hour later but was told the group was across town and he would have to make his own arrangements that evening. On June 4 (Thursday), at the age of 72, Carradine was found dead in his room at the Swissôtel Nai Lert Park Hotel, located on 2
Witthayu Road Witthayu Road from above Witthayu Road ( th, ถนนวิทยุ, , ), commonly known in English as Wireless Road, is a road in Bangkok, located almost entirely in Lumphini Subdistrict of Pathum Wan District. Witthayu Road originally link ...
, in central Bangkok. Lt. Teerapop Luanseng, Lt. Col. Pirom Jantrapirom, and Col. Somprasong Yenthuam, Superintendent of the nearby Lumphini Police Station (139 Witthayu Road), said that Carradine was found naked and had hanged himself in the room's closet with a curtain cord. Police said he had been dead for at least 12 hours and found no sign of struggle. Thai police suggested the death might have been from accidental suffocation due to
auto-erotic asphyxiation Erotic asphyxiation (variously called asphyxiophilia, hypoxyphilia or breath control play) is the intentional restriction of oxygen to the brain for the purposes of sexual arousal. The term autoerotic asphyxiation is used when the act is done ...
, since there was no suicide note and he was found with a rope tied to both his neck and his genitals.


Filmography


Awards and honors

David Carradine was neither nominated nor won a
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
for ''The Royal Hunt of the Sun''. However, he was a participating artist at the 28th Annual Tony Awards, 1974. * 1966: Winner –
Theatre World Award The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre se ...
, for ''
The Royal Hunt of the Sun ''The Royal Hunt of the Sun'' is a 1964 play by Peter Shaffer that dramatizes the relation of two worlds entering in a conflict by portraying two characters: Atahuallpa Inca and Francisco Pizarro. Performance history Premiere ''The Royal Hunt ...
'' * 1973: Nominee – Primetime Emmy Award. Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Drama Series - Continuing), for ''Kung Fu'' * 1974: Nominee – Golden Globe Awards. Best Television Actor - Drama Series, for ''Kung Fu'' * 1974: Winner –
TP de Oro The TP de Oro were a series of Spanish annual television awards awarded between 1972 and 2011 by ''Teleprograma'' magazine. In 2012 they were absorbed by Fotogramas de Plata awards. References External links Web oficial de TPIMDb Page Spani ...
, Spain. Mejor actor extranjero (Best Foreign Actor), por ''Kung Fu'' * 1974: Nominee –
TP de Oro The TP de Oro were a series of Spanish annual television awards awarded between 1972 and 2011 by ''Teleprograma'' magazine. In 2012 they were absorbed by Fotogramas de Plata awards. References External links Web oficial de TPIMDb Page Spani ...
, Spain. Personaje más popular (Most Popular Character), por ''Kung Fu'' * 1976: Winner –
National Board of Review The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures is a non-profit organization of New York City area film enthusiasts. Its awards, which are announced in early December, are considered an early harbinger of the film awards season that culminat ...
Award. Best Actor, for ''Bound for Glory'' * 1976: Nominee –
New York Film Critics Circle Award The New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) is an American film critic organization founded in 1935 by Wanda Hale from the New York ''Daily News''. Its membership includes over 30 film critics from New York-based daily and weekly newspapers, magazi ...
. Best Actor, for ''Bound for Glory'' * 1977: Nominee – Golden Globe Awards. Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama, for ''Bound for Glory'' * 1986: Nominee – Golden Globe Awards. Best Supporting Actor - Television, for ''North and South'' * 1997: Honoree – Gold Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Television * 1998: Honoree –
Golden Boot Award Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall *Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestershir ...
(along with brothers
Keith Keith may refer to: People and fictional characters * Keith (given name), includes a list of people and fictional characters * Keith (surname) * Keith (singer), American singer James Keefer (born 1949) * Baron Keith, a line of Scottish barons ...
and
Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
) * 2004: Winner – The Golden Schmoes award. Best Supporting Actor, for ''Kill Bill (V2)'' * 2004: Honoree – Capri, Hollywood International Film Festival, Capri Legend Award. * 2005: Winner – Saturn Award. Best Supporting Actor, for ''Kill Bill: Volume 2'' * 2005: Nominee – Golden Globe Awards. Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture, for ''Kill Bill (Vol.2)'' * 2005: Winner – EW.com Award – Annual prize bestowed on deserving Golden Globe nominees, for ''Kill Bill - Vol.2'' * 2005: Nominee – 31º People’s Choice Awards. Favorite Villain Movie Star, for Bill in ''Kill Bill - Vol. 2.'' * 2005: Nominee –
Gold Derby Penske Media Corporation (PMC) () is an American digital media, publishing, and information services company based in Los Angeles and New York City. It publishes more than 20 digital and print brands, including ''Variety'', ''Rolling Stone'', '' ...
award. Supporting Actor, for Bill in ''Kill Bill, Volume 2'' * 2005: Nominee –
Satellite Award The Satellite Awards are annual awards given by the International Press Academy that are commonly noted in entertainment industry journals and blogs. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards. The award ceremonies take place ...
, Best Supporting Actor - Drama, for ''Kill Bill: Volume 2'' * 2005: Nominee – Online Film & Television Association, OFTA Awards. Best Supporting Actor, for ''Kill Bill, Vol. 2'' * 2005: Nominee –
Online Film Critics Society Awards 2004 8th Online Film Critics Society Awards January 10, 2005 ---- Best Picture Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind The 8th Online Film Critics Society Awards, honoring the best in filmmaking in 2004, were given on 10 January 2005. Winners and nom ...
. Best Supporting Actor, for ''Kill Bill: Volume 2'' * 2005: Winner – Action on Film International Film Festival, Lifetime Achievement Award - First annual recipient * 2005: Nominee – Albo d’oro, Italian Online Movie Awards (IOMA). Miglior attore non protagonista (Best Supporting Actor), per ''Kill Bill volume 2'' * 2008: Honoree – Bronze plaque on the Walk of Western Stars * 2010: Mención especial del jurado (Special Mention by the Jury) – Fancine - Festival de Cine Fantástico de la Universidad de Málaga (Málaga International Week of Fantastic Cinema), por Kandisha * 2013: Honoree – Hollywood Museum, Exhibition “The Barefoot Legend: David Carradine - a Contemporary Renaissance Man” * 2014: Inductee –
Martial Arts History Museum The Martial Arts History Museum is a museum in America devoted to the history of martial arts located in Burbank, California. It was created as an educational facility teaching young people and visitors about art, culture and tradition and how ...
, Hall of Fame


Bibliography

* (See
Shaolin Kung Fu Shaolin Kung Fu (), also called Shaolin Wushu (), or Shaolin quan (), is one of the oldest, largest, and most famous styles of wushu, or kung fu of Chan Buddhism. It combines Ch'an philosophy and martial arts and originated and was developed ...
) * Co-authored with David Nakahara. (Alternate
transliteration Transliteration is a type of conversion of a text from one script to another that involves swapping letters (thus ''trans-'' + '' liter-'') in predictable ways, such as Greek → , Cyrillic → , Greek → the digraph , Armenian → or L ...
of "T'ai Chi" is
T'ai chi ch'uan Tai chi (), short for Tai chi ch'üan ( zh, s=太极拳, t=太極拳, first=t, p=Tàijíquán, labels=no), sometimes called " shadowboxing", is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits and meditation. ...
) * (Autobiography) * Co-authored with David Nakahara. * Co-authored with David Nakahara. (Alternate
transliteration Transliteration is a type of conversion of a text from one script to another that involves swapping letters (thus ''trans-'' + '' liter-'') in predictable ways, such as Greek → , Cyrillic → , Greek → the digraph , Armenian → or L ...
is
Qigong ''Qigong'' (), ''qi gong'', ''chi kung'', ''chi 'ung'', or ''chi gung'' () is a system of coordinated body-posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for the purposes of health, spirituality, and martial-arts training. With roots in ...
) * Compilation of 19 articles published as a regular section in the magazine ''
Inside Kung Fu ''Inside Kung-Fu'' was a monthly United States magazine founded in December 1973. Its last issue was in April 2011. History The magazine featured articles on modern wushu and kung fu as well as tournaments and events in the United States and ...
'', from November 2003 onwards. *


Discography

* * * * * * * * * * *


Notes


External links

* * * * * * *
David Carradine
at
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corpora ...

2003 Interview by Hikari Takano, recorded at Mr. Carradine’s home

2004 Onion interview


*
2004, "A Fresh Thing": David Carradine
'

– ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...
'' obituary
McLellan, Dennis. "David Carradine dies at 72; star of 'Kung Fu'," ''Los Angeles Times'', Friday, June 5, 2009.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carradine, David 1936 births 2009 deaths 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors Accidental deaths in Thailand American male film actors Film producers from California American people of Irish descent American male television actors American male voice actors American television directors Television personalities from Los Angeles Television producers from California American wushu practitioners Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) Carradine family Deaths by hanging Deaths from asphyxiation Film directors from California Male actors from Hollywood, Los Angeles Male actors from Oakland, California Male actors from San Francisco Male Western (genre) film actors Military personnel from California People from Greater Los Angeles Polydor Records artists San Francisco State University alumni United States Army personnel who were court-martialed Western (genre) television actors