Robert Carradine, the American actor who became famous for his role in the classic comedy Revenge of the Nerds, has died at the age of 71.
His brother Keith Carradine confirmed the sad news in a public statement. He revealed that the actor died by suicide after he fought bipolar disorder for nearly twenty years.
Keith described his late brother as a guiding light during dark times. He expressed hope that the story of his battle would help remove the shame associated with mental illness. The family also requested privacy during their time of grief and thanked the public for their support.
“It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away. In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon on light to everyone around him,” the official statement read.
“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,” the family added.
Keith spoke warmly about the personality of his brother. He called him profoundly gifted, very funny, and wise. He noted that there should be no shame in the illness that eventually took his life.
“We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it. 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,” Keith said.
“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,” he stated.
Robert Carradine came from a family of entertainers. He was the youngest son of the late actor John Carradine. His brothers David, Keith, and Christopher are also well known in the entertainment industry.
He started his acting career in 1972 with a role in the movie The Cowboys. He spent decades working in studio films, independent movies, and television shows. He gained massive popularity in 1984 when he played the character Lewis Skolnick in Revenge of the Nerds.
Outside of acting, Carradine loved race car driving. He started racing go-karts at the age of 11. He later competed at the Grand Prix level in the late 1980s and 1990s.
He is survived by his three children, grandchildren, brothers, nieces, and nephews.
