‘Lizzie McGuire’ Star Dies By Suicide

Robert Carradine, the easygoing actor best known for his roles in The Long Riders, Revenge of the Nerds, and Disney’s Lizzie McGuire, has died at 71. He took his own life, according to family members.

Carradine, a member of the legendary Carradine acting dynasty, was remembered by relatives as a warm, steady presence who privately battled Bipolar Disorder for nearly two decades.

“It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away,” the family said in a statement to Deadline.

“In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon on light to everyone around him. We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby’s valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with Bipolar Disorder. We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness. At this time we ask for the privacy to grieve this unfathomable loss. With gratitude for your understanding and compassion.”

Older brother Keith Carradine said the family wanted to speak openly about Robert’s illness.

“We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it,” he said. “It is an illness that got the best of him, and I want to celebrate him for his struggle with it, and celebrate his beautiful soul. He was profoundly gifted, and we will miss him every day. We will take solace in how funny he could be, how wise and utterly accepting and tolerant he was. That’s who my baby brother was.”

Robert Carradine

Born March 24, 1954, Carradine was the youngest son of actor John Carradine and brother to actors David and Keith Carradine, as well as Disney Imagineer Christopher Carradine. He made his big-screen debut in 1972 opposite John Wayne in The Cowboys, a role he once said David urged him to pursue by telling him he “had everything to gain, and nothing to lose.”

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Carradine quickly carved out his own career, appearing in Hal Ashby’s Oscar-winning Coming Home alongside Jane Fonda and Jon Voight, then in Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets. In 1980, he appeared in two films showcased at the Cannes Film Festival: Samuel Fuller’s The Big Red One and Walter Hill’s The Long Riders, where Hill famously cast real-life siblings — including Robert, David and Keith Carradine — as outlaw brothers.

His most enduring role came in 1984 with Revenge of the Nerds, playing lovable underdog Lewis Skolnick opposite Anthony Edwards. The comedy became a cultural touchstone and cemented Carradine’s place with a generation of moviegoers. Years later, he won over younger audiences as the father in Disney Channel’s Lizzie McGuire.

Carradine is survived by his children, grandchildren, brothers, nieces, and nephews. The family asked for privacy as they mourn.

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