Robert Carradine, who rose to fame in the “Revenge of the Nerds” film franchise and later played Hilary Duff’s dad on “Lizzie McGuire,” has died at the age of 71. Carradine died by suicide, Deadline reports, and struggled with bipolar disorder for years.
His family released a statement: “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 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. 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.”
Carradine’s early acting credits included an episode of his brother David Carradine’s series “Kung Fu.” He then appeared in films like “Mean Streets,” “Coming Home,” and “The Long Riders” before starring as nerd Lewis Skolnick in the 1984 college comedy “Revenge of the Nerds.” It became a hit, spawning three sequels, with the final two airing as TV movies. Carradine reunited with his “Nerds” co-star Curtis Armstrong to host the TBS reality competition “King of the Nerds,” which premiered in 2013 and ran for three seasons.
In 2001, Carradine took on the role of Lizzie’s dad Sam on the Disney Channel series “Lizzie McGuire,” starring a young Hilary Duff as Lizzie. He reprised the role in 2003’s “The Lizzie McGuire Movie,” and was set to return for a Disney+ revival, but that was scrapped in 2020 before making it to air. His other TV credits include guest roles on “ER,” “NYPD Blue,” and “The Practice.”