Thursday, June 4, 2009

RIP: David Carradine (1936-2009)

Kung Fu, Kill Bill actor apparently took own life in Thailand

BY EMIL TIEDEMANN

Although unconfirmed, television, theatre and film legend David Carradine, 72, has committed suicide, found hanging in his luxury hotel room in central Bangkok, Thailand. Michael Turner, a spokeman for the U.S. embassy in Thailand, said the actor died either late Wednesday night or in the early morning of Thurday (June 3), though further details have not yet been provided.

The prolific thespian has appeared in more than 100 feature films over his lengthy career, but will be best remembered as Kwai Chang Caine in the '70s TV series Kung Fu (1972-75), as well as its popular spin-off series Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (1993-97) and a 1986 TV movie (Kung Fu: The Movie). He was also an expert in Tai chi and Qi Gong martial arts training.

Carradine, who recently returned to the spotlight in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill movies (2003 & 2004), is part of Hollywood royalty that includes his actor father John Carradine (The Hurricane), brother Bruce Carradine (Kung Fu), half-brothers Keith Carradine (Nashville) & Robert Carradine (Revenge of the Nerds), and neices Ever Carradine (Bubble Boy) and Martha Plimpton (The Goonies).

Also a Broadway performer, the Golden Globe-nominated actor (born John Arthur Carradine in Hollywood, California) studied drama at San Francisco State College and landed smaller roles before he changed his given name to David, to avoid confusion with his own father. In 1965 he won a Theatre World Award as Best Debut Performance for his role in Broadway's The Royal Hunt of the Sun.

In addition to the Kill Bill features, Carradine's filmography also includes Taggart (1964) (his first), The Violent Ones (1967), Boxcar Bertha (1972), Death Race 2000 (1975), Bound for Glory (1976), Q (1982), Bird on a Wire (1990), Epic Movie (2007), and his latest appearance, Crank: High Voltage (2009). He's also been featured in numerous other TV shows, including The Virginian (1964), Gunsmoke (1971), Airwolf (1984), Matlock (1987), Charmed (1999), Alias (2005) and Mental (2009).

Carradine, who had married five times, leaves behind daughters Calista and Kansas, son Tom, and widow Annie, whom he married on Boxing Day 2004. According to a police statement a maid of the Swissotel Nai Lert Park Hotel discovered Carradine hanging from a cord wrapped around his neck and body. He was in Thailand for the filming of a movie titled Stretch.

2 comments:

cenquist said...

Man, trav is gonna be pissed!

Trav said...

Yea man. hearin this news definetly shook me up. i grew up watchin this dude. what a great loss. legends never die! RIP