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Dubai: Robert Carradine, the actor best known for playing lovable head nerd Lewis Skolnick in Revenge of the Nerds and Sam McGuire in Disney Channel’s Lizzie McGuire, has died at the age of 71.
He took his own life after battling bipolar disorder for nearly two decades, his family confirmed on Tuesday.
Family’s heartbreaking statement
His older brother, Keith Carradine, released a statement to Deadline on behalf of the family that was both devastating and deliberately honest about what Robert had been fighting.
“It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away,” the statement read.
“In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon of 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.”
The family made a deliberate choice to be open about the cause of death and the illness Robert had been living with. “We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness,” they wrote.
Keith spoke further to Deadline about why the family wanted people to know about his brother’s struggle. “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.”
Carradine’s career
Robert Carradine was born on 24th March 1954, the youngest son of actor John Carradine and brother to actors David Carradine, Keith Carradine and Disney Imagineer Christopher Carradine.
He made his film debut in 1972 alongside John Wayne in The Cowboys, a role his brother David convinced him to audition for by telling him he “had everything to gain, and nothing to lose.”
He went on to appear in Hal Ashby’s Oscar-winning film Coming Home in 1978 alongside Jane Fonda and Jon Voight, a performance that led to speculation he might be the best actor in the family. He also appeared in Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets in 1973.
In 1980, Robert had two films at the Cannes Film Festival: Samuel Fuller’s The Big Red One with Mark Hamill and Lee Marvin, and Walter Hill’s The Long Riders, in which he starred alongside his brothers David and Keith. Hill cast real brothers to play real-life outlaw brothers, creating one of the most memorable ensemble casts of that era.
Perhaps his biggest film success came in 1984 with Revenge of the Nerds, in which he starred as head nerd Lewis Skolnick alongside Anthony Edwards. It was a role that embedded him in the consciousness of a generation and became one of the most beloved franchises of the decade.
For younger audiences, Robert found a new generation of fans playing Sam McGuire, father of the title character in Disney Channel’s Lizzie McGuire series.
Hilary Duff pays tribute
Hilary Duff, who played his daughter in Lizzie McGuire, posted a heartbreaking tribute on Instagram following the news.
“This one hurts. It’s really hard to face this reality about an old friend,” she wrote. “There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents. I’ll be forever grateful for that. I’m deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering. My heart aches for him, his family, and everyone who loved him.”
Robert was a father to three children: actress Ever Carradine, whom he raised as a single dad, and Marika and Ian. He was a devoted grandfather to Ever’s children, Chaplin and Sam, and Marika’s son, Jack, regularly attending little league games and horse shows.
His niece, actress Martha Plimpton, described him as everyone’s favourite uncle, a role he cherished deeply.
Keith Carradine’s final words about his brother: “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.”
Areeba Hashmi is a trainee at Gulf News.
