Robert Carradine, Revenge of the Nerds and Lizzie McGuire Actor, Dies by Suicide at 71

Actor Robert Carradine, known for his roles as Lewis Skolnick in Revenge of the Nerds and Sam McGuire in Lizzie McGuire, has died by suicide at the age of 71. His family confirmed his death and stated he had struggled with bipolar disorder for nearly two decades, expressing a desire to raise awareness about mental illness and address associated stigma.

Death and Family Acknowledgment

Robert Carradine's family confirmed his death at 71 by suicide. In a statement released to Deadline, the family acknowledged his nearly two-decade battle with bipolar disorder, expressing sorrow and hoping his journey would "shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness."

His older brother, actor Keith Carradine, emphasized the family's desire for public awareness of his brother's mental illness, stating there was "no shame in it." The family requested privacy during their period of grief.

Career Overview

Born on March 24, 1954, Robert Carradine debuted on screen in 1972 in The Cowboys. His early career included appearances in Hal Ashby’s Coming Home and Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets in 1973.

In 1980, he appeared in Samuel Fuller’s The Big Red One and Walter Hill’s The Long Riders. In The Long Riders, he starred alongside his brothers David and Keith as members of the Younger gang. A prominent role was as Lewis Skolnick in the 1984 comedy Revenge of the Nerds, a character he reprised in three sequels. From 2001 to 2004, he played Sam McGuire, the father of the title character, in 65 episodes of the television series Lizzie McGuire.

Family Background

Carradine was the youngest son of actor John Carradine. He was part of an acting family that included older half-brothers David and Bruce Carradine, and older brothers Keith and Christopher Carradine.

Personal Life and Health

Carradine's family noted that his mental illness was triggered by the death of his older half-brother, David Carradine, in 2009, leading to his subsequent diagnosis with bipolar disorder.

He is survived by his children, Ever (from Susan Snyder), Marika, and Ian (from Edith Mani), as well as his grandchildren, brothers, nieces, and nephews. He raised his daughter Ever as a single father until 1990.

He was married to Edith Mani, with whom he had Marika and Ian, before their divorce in 2015. During divorce proceedings in 2017, Mani alleged Carradine had attempted to cause a car crash in 2015, an incident in which Carradine admitted he was in a "psychotic state."

Other Interests

Beyond acting, Carradine played guitar and performed with his brothers Keith and David, as well as with folk artists Peter Yarrow and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott. He was also part of a band called The Waybacks with Mare Winningham.

Carradine pursued race car driving from age 11, competing at the Grand Prix level and partnering with Paul Newman on Team Lotus in the late 1980s and 1990s.