David Carradine

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David Carradine

David Carradine, April 2006
Born John Arthur Carradine
December 8, 1936(1936-12-08)
Hollywood, California, U.S.
Died June 3, 2009 (aged 72)
Bangkok, Thailand
Occupation Actor
Years active 1963–2009
Spouse(s) Donna Lee Becht (1960–1968)
Linda Gilbert
(1977–1983)
Gail Jensen
(1986–1997)[1]
Marina Anderson
(1999–2003)[2]
Annie Bierman
(2004–2009)[3]
Domestic partner(s) Barbara Hershey
(1972–1975)
Official website

David Carradine (December 8, 1936— June 3, 2009)[4][5][6] was a popular American character actor of stage, director, martial artist, spokesman and singer, who in his four decades of television is best known for his work in the 1970s television series, Kung Fu, the sequel of the 1990s television show, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, and more recently in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill. He appeared in more than 100 feature films[7] and was nominated four times for a Golden Globe Award.[8]

Contents

[edit] Early life

He was born John Arthur Carradine in Hollywood, California, the son of Ardanelle Abigail (née McCool; 1911-1989)[9] and noted American actor John Carradine (1906-1988).[10] He was a brother of Bruce,[4] half-brother of Keith, Christopher and Robert Carradine, and an uncle of Ever Carradine and Martha Plimpton. His ancestry reportedly included Irish, English, Scottish, Welsh, German, Spanish, Italian, Ukrainian and Cherokee.[11] In 1942, when he was only 5, he tried to commit suicide; his popular parents were divorcing as he was shuttled around foster homes, boarding and reform schools.[citation needed] Carradine graduated from Oakland Junior College,[3] and studied drama at San Francisco State College,[3] before becoming an actor. It was there that he took to writing music for the drama department's annual revues, and began openly experimenting with drugs. He was drafted in the U.S. Army. He adopted the name David when he began his television career.

Beginning in 1963, Carradine became a well-regarded character actor by making his debut on an episode of Armstrong Circle Theatre. The part led to other roles such as East Side/West Side, Arrest and Trial, Coronet Blue, Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, The Trials of O'Brien, Gunsmoke, 3 episodes of Ironside, Night Gallery, The Family Holvak, The Fall Guy, Airwolf, Cimarron Strip, The Name of the Game, Amazing Stories, Night Heat, 3 episodes of Matlock, The Young Riders, Human Target, among many others, including his second-to-last guest-starring role was on In Case of Emergency.

[edit] Film/television career

He made his feature film debut in 1964 in Taggart, a western based on a novel by Louis L'Amour. Moving to the Broadway stage, he appeared in The Royal Hunt of the Sun, a play by Peter Shaffer about the destruction of the Inca empire by conquistador Francisco Pizarro. Carradine won a Theatre World Award for Best Debut Performance in 1965.[12][13] He returned to TV in the series Shane, a 1966 western based upon a 1949 novel of the same name and previously filmed in 1953. In 1972, he starred as 'Big' Bill Shelly in one of Martin Scorsese's earliest films Boxcar Bertha, costarring Barbara Hershey.

[edit] Kung Fu and other roles

For three seasons, Carradine starred as Kwai Chang Caine on the ABC hit TV series Kung Fu (1972–1975) and was nominated for an Emmy and a Golden Globe Award. Carradine was not in fact Chinese. He earned critical praise as folksinger Woody Guthrie in Bound for Glory (1976) and won a National Board of Review Award for Best Actor, in addition to being nominated for a Golden Globe and New York Film Critics Circle Award. He played Abel Rosenberg in The Serpent's Egg (1977), set in post-World War I Berlin, the only Hollywood film made by legendary Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. He also starred in the cult science-fiction classic Death Race 2000 (1975).

In 1983, he narrated the PBS anthropology series Faces of Culture.[citation needed] He appeared in a supporting role in North and South, a miniseries about the American Civil War with a large cast that included Patrick Swayze in a leading role. It was telecast in November 1985 and spawned two sequel miniseries. Carradine was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his performance. He also appeared in North and South, Book II, telecast in May 1986. In 1986, Carradine appeared in the TV movie Kung Fu: The Movie, reprising his role as Kwai Chang Caine. Brandon Lee (son of Bruce Lee, in his acting debut) portrayed his son. The same year, Carradine appeared on the Steven Spielberg-created series Amazing Stories, in the episodeThanksgiving.

[edit] Kung Fu: The Legend Continues

Early in the decade, he was a spokesperson for Lipton[14] ("This ain't no sippin' tea") in a memorable TV ad where he paid homage not only to Kung Fu but also The Three Stooges. He returned to series TV in Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (1993–97) as the grandson of his original character. Though the film was produced in 1992, that quickly turned into a series, where it became a cult classic all over Canada. Also in its first season, it was an immediate hit. In addition to Carradine starring in the series, he served as Executive Producer and Director of Kung-Fu: The Legend Continues, making him the series' driving force. Carradine also became very popular with the one character he always associated with since 1972. Also starring on Kung Fu: The Legend Continues was an unfamiliar struggling actor, spokesperson and singer from Toronto, Chris Potter, in the role of Caine's crime-fighting son and partner, Peter Caine. The on- and off-camera relationship between Carradine & Potter were a huge success story of 1990s television, as the two had shared a lot of issues with each other, becoming close buddies, and very often, Potter putting up with Carradine's drinking issues, despite having an alcohol problem, and many more. Despite the show being popular, and with Carradine's alcohol problems escalated which put him in rehab prior to being sober, it was canceled in 1997, after 5 1/2 seasons, and 88 episodes, but later reruns aired on TNT and in syndication.

[edit] Other roles

In 1999, he portrayed Tempus, a powerful demon with the ability to manipulate time, on the series Charmed.

Carradine signing autographs in Malmö, 2005.

In 2001, he appeared in the episode The Serpent of the syndicated tv series Queen of Swords as the sword wielding bandit El Serpiente filmed at Texas Hollywood studio's, home of many spaghetti westerns, Southern Spain. Also in 2001, he appeared in an episode of the Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire (on which his brother Robert was a regular performer). Also in 2001, he provided the voice for Lo Pei, the ancient warrior responsible for Shendu's petrification on the animated series Jackie Chan Adventures. In 2002, Carradine voiced a character on King of the Hill in the episode Returning Japanese, portraying Hank's Japanese half-brother Junichiro. In 2003, he appeared as Conrad on the series Alias.

In 2003, he produced and starred in several instructional videos on the martial arts of Tai chi and Qi Gong. These made him a natural as the title character in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill films, Vol. 1 (2003) and Vol. 2 (2004). In 2005, he took over hosting duties from his brother Keith on Wild West Tech on the History Channel. On two episodes of the animated series Danny Phantom (2005–2006), he provided the voice for "Clockwork", a supernatural being with the power to control time (similar to his 1999 role on Charmed). In 2006, he became the spokesman for Yellowbook, a publisher of independent telephone directories in the United States.

Carradine also appeared in the music video for "Minus You" by the Southern California band Chapel of Thieves, which was co-directed by YouTube personality Boh3m3.[citation needed] He also worked with the Jonas Brothers in their video Burnin' Up, playing a Kung Fu master, and planned to work with Miley Cyrus.[citation needed] In 2009, he played a 100-year-old Chinese gangster in Crank: High Voltage and guest-starred in the TV show Mental.

[edit] Personal life

Carradine had a son, Free (born 1972; name since changed to Tom)[15] with Barbara Hershey, his domestic partner from 1972 to 1975.[16]

Carradine was married five times.[16] He had a daughter Calista (born April 1962) by first wife Donna (neé Donna Lea Becht, born September 26 1937)[3][15] and a daughter Kansas (born April 19 1978) by second wife Linda (neé Linda Anne Gilbert, born March 16 1950). He had three stepdaughters, Amanda Eckelberry (born November 29 1989), Madeleine Rose (born April 4 1995) and Olivia Jane (born 1998) and a stepson, Max Richard (born 1998), who were all children of his fifth wife Annie Bierman (neé Anne Kirstie Fraser, born December 1960) from a previous relationship.[16]

Each of Carradine's first four marriages ended in divorce. On December 26, 2004, he married Annie Bierman[3] at the seaside Malibu home of his friend, Michael Madsen. Vicki Roberts, his attorney and longtime friend of his wife, performed the ceremony.

According to ex-wife Marina Anderson in an interview with Access Hollywood, "There was a dark side to David, there was a very intense side to David. People around him know that." Previously in her divorce filing she had claimed that "It was the continuation of abhorrent and deviant sexual behavior which was potentially deadly."[17]

Carradine also had a stepmother from his father's second marriage, Sonia Sorel, who died in 2004, just 3 months before he married Annie.

[edit] Death

Search Wikinews Wikinews has related news: Kung Fu star Carradine found dead in Bangkok hotel

On June 4, 2009, Carradine was found dead in his room at the Swissôtel Nai Lert Park Hotel on Wireless Road, near Sukhumvit Road, in central Bangkok, Thailand.[5][6] A police official said Carradine was found hanging by a rope in the room's closet,[18][19] and the Bangkok Post reported that his body was found curled up in the wardrobe with one end of a shoelace tied around his penis and the other end around his neck.[20] The same officer said: "Under these circumstances we cannot be sure that he committed suicide."[21] It has also been reported that Carradine was found "with his hands tied behind his back."[22] Carradine was in Bangkok to shoot his latest film, Stretch, and was expected to join the film crew for dinner on June 3. The crew noticed his absence when going out, but they assumed that he took a rest because of his age.[5]

Khunying Pornthip Rojanasunand, a Thai forensic pathologist and Director of Central Institute of Forensic Science, stated the incident met four of the criteria for accidental death involving autoerotic asphyxiation leading to an autoerotic fatality. Police Lieutenant General Worapong Chewprecha, Commander of the Metropolitan Police, remarked that the closed circuit television installed within the hotel supported the theory that no other persons were involved with the death.[23][24][25][26] Carradine's representative and family members told the press that they believed the death to be accidental and not a suicide.[27] Chuck Binder, Carradine's manager of six years,[16] indicated neither suicide nor accident was the likely cause since "the family has been told Carradine's hands were immobilized (behind his back) by the rope."[22] However, this is contradicted by photographic evidence from the scene published by Thai Rath newspaper, showing "hands apparently bound together above the head".[28]

In July 2009, it was reported that a private pathologist, after carrying out a second autopsy, also ruled out the possibility of suicide, but was still unable to "determine whether Carradine's death was accidental or a homicide" and was awaiting further toxicology test results.[29]

Two of Carradine's ex-wives (Gail Jensen[1][30] and Marina Anderson[31][32][33]) stated that his sexual interests included the practice of self-bondage.

Carradine's funeral was held on June 13, 2009 in Los Angeles. His casket was carried in a white hearse from Groman Eden Mortuary to his burial at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.[34] Among the many stars and family members that attended his private memorial were: Lucy Liu, Tom Selleck, Frances Fisher, James Cromwell, Vicki Roberts, Steve Railsback, and Chris Potter.

[edit] Selected filmography

Film
Year Film Role Notes
1965 Taggart Cal Dodge
1967 The Violent Ones Lucas Barnes
1969 Heaven with a Gun Coke Beck
Young Billy Young Jesse Boone
1972 Boxcar Bertha 'Big' Bill Shelly
1973 The Long Goodbye Dave aka Socrates — Marlowe's Cellmate Uncredited
Mean Streets Drunk
1975 Death Race 2000 Frankenstein
1976 Cannonball Coy 'Cannonball' Buckman
Bound for Glory Woody Guthrie National Board of Review Award for Best Actor[12]
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama[8]
Nominated — New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor[12]
1977 The Serpent's Egg Abel Rosenberg
Thunder and Lightning Harley Thomas
1978 Deathsport Kaz Oshay
Circle of Iron The Blind Man/Monkeyman/ Death/Changsha
Gray Lady Down Capt. Gates
1980 The Long Riders Cole Younger
1982 Q Detective Shepard Alternative titles: Q: The Winged Serpent
Serpent
The Winged Serpent
Trick Or Treats Richard
1983 Lone Wolf McQuade Rawley Wilkes
1984 The Warrior and the Sorceress Kain
1986 POW: The Escape Sarge
1988 Tropical Snow Oskar
1989 Night Children Max
1989 Sonny Boy
1990 Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat Jozek Mardulak/Count Dracula
Bird on a Wire Sorenson
1991 Karate Cop Dad
Martial Law Dalton Rhodes
1992 Evil Toons Gideon Fisk
Roadside Prophets Othello
Waxwork II: Lost in Time The Beggar
1998 Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror Luke Enright
An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island Chief Wulisso Voice only
1999 American Reel James Lee Springer
2000 Down 'n Dirty Gil Garner
2002 Balto II: Wolf Quest Nava the Wolf Shaman Voice only
2003 Kill Bill: Vol. I Bill
2004 Kill Bill: Volume II Bill Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor[12]
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture
Hair High Mr. Snerz Voice only
Dead & Breakfast Mr. Wise
Max Havoc: Curse of the Dragon Grand Master
2007 Homo Erectus Mookoo
Epic Movie The Curator
Fall Down Dead Wade
Camille Cowboy Bob
How to Rob a Bank Nick
Fuego Lobo
Big Stan The Master
2008 Richard III Buckingham
Hell Ride The Deuce
Last Hour Detective Mike Stone
Death Race Frankenstein (Voice)
My Suicide Vargas
Kung Fu Killer Crane
2009 Absolute Evil Raf McCane
Crank: High Voltage Poon Dong
The Golden Boys Captain Zeb
2010 Stretch Devon Saymout Final performance, David Morris reprised his role in the final scenes of the movie.
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1963 East Side/West Side Hal Sewoski 1 episode
1964 The Virginian The Utah Kid 1 episode
1965 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Fitzhugh 1 episode
1966 Shane Shane 16 episodes
1967 Johnny Belinda Locky Television movie
1970 The Name of the Game Jason 1 episode
1971 Gunsmoke Clint 1 episode
1972–1975 Kung Fu Kwai Chang Caine Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor - Drama Series[12]
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
1979 Mr. Horn Tom Horn Television movie
1981 Darkroom Biker/Hitchhiker 1 episode
1984 Airwolf Dr. Robert Winchester 1 episode
1985 North and South Justin LaMotte Miniseries
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
1986 Kung Fu: The Movie Kwai Chang Caine Television movie
1987 Night Heat Calvin 1 episode
1990 The Young Riders The Buzzard Eater 1 episode
1991 The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw Caine Television movie
1993–1997 Kung Fu: The Legend Continues Kwai Chang Caine 88 episodes
1997 Last Stand at Saber River Duane Kidston Television movie
1999 Charmed Tempus 1 episode
2001 Queen of Swords El Serpiente 2 episodes
2001 Warden of Red Rock Mike Sullivan Television movie
2002 The Outsider Haines Television movie
King of the Hill Junichiro Hill (voice) 2 episodes
2003–2004 Alias Conrad 2 episodes
2003-2005 Wild West Tech Host 21 Episodes (only host for Season 2 & 3)
2005–2006 Danny Phantom Clockwork (Voice) 2 episodes
2006 Medium Jessica's Brother 1 episode
2007 In Case of Emergency Guru Danny 1 episode
2008 Son of the Dragon Bird Miniseries
2009 Mental Gideon Graham 1 episode

[edit] Awards and honors

[edit] See also

[edit] Bibliography

[edit] Further reading

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b James, Susan Donaldson (June 9, 2009). "Ex-Wife Reveals David Carradine's 'Kinky' Habits". ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=7793986&page=1. Retrieved 2009-06-09. 
  2. ^ James, Susan Donaldson (June 7, 2009). "David Carradine Marriage Was 'Roller Coaster'". ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=7777993&page=1. Retrieved 2009-06-09. 
  3. ^ a b c d e Who's Who in America - 2009 (63 ed.). 2008. 
  4. ^ a b "California Birth Index, 1905-1995 [database on-line]". United States: The Generations Network. 2005. http://www.ancestry.com. Retrieved 2009-10-06. 
  5. ^ a b c "David Carradine Found Dead in Bangkok". The Nation. 06/03/2009. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/06/04/headlines/headlines_30104421.php. Retrieved 2009-06-04. 
  6. ^ a b "Kung Fu Star Carradine Found Dead". BBC News. 06/04/2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8083479.stm. Retrieved 2009-06-04. 
  7. ^ "David Carradine". The Daily Telegraph. 2009-06-04. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/tv-radio-obituaries/5446396/David-Carradine.html. Retrieved 2009-06-04. 
  8. ^ a b "HFPA Awards Search, Nominations & Wins". Hollywood Foreign Press Association. http://www.goldenglobes.org/browse/member/28656. Retrieved 2009-06-04. 
  9. ^ "Social Security Death Index". Ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com. http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved 2009-07-06. 
  10. ^ "David Carradine Biography (1936-)". Filmreference.com. http://www.filmreference.com/film/99/David-Carradine.html. Retrieved 2008-07-06. 
  11. ^ Schneiderman, Matt (2003-10-10). "David Carradine". Stuff Magazine. http://www.stuffmagazine.com/articles/index.aspx?id=562. Retrieved 2009-06-04. 
  12. ^ a b c d e f "David Carradine Awards & Nominations". Entertainment Awards Database. Los Angeles Times. http://theenvelope.latimes.com/factsheets/awardsdb/env-awards-db-search,0,7169155.htmlstory?searchtype=person&query=David+Carradine&x=8&y=6. Retrieved 2009-06-04. 
  13. ^ "Theatre World Awards, 1965–66". http://www.theatreworldawards.org/award.html. Retrieved 2009-06-04. 
  14. ^ "David Carradine in Lipton Tea Commercial". Adland.tv. 1994-02-01. http://adland.tv/commercials/lipton-original-david-carradine-kung-fu-1994-030-usa. Retrieved 2009-07-06. 
  15. ^ a b David Carradine Biography at Internet Movie Database
  16. ^ a b c d Weber, Bruce (June 4, 2009). "David Carradine, Actor, Is Dead at 72". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/05/movies/05carradine.html. Retrieved June 6, 2009. 
  17. ^ "Carradine’s Ex Says He Had A Dark Side". MSNBC. June 8, 2009. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31173132/. 
  18. ^ Goldman, Russell (2009-06-04). "Police: Carradine Found Naked, Hanged in Closet". ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=7757144&page=1. Retrieved 2009-06-04. 
  19. ^ "Actor David Carradine Found Dead". CNN. 2009-06-04. http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/06/04/obit.david.carradine/index.html. Retrieved 2009-06-04. 
  20. ^ Ngamkham, Wassayos (2009-06-05). "'Kung Fu' Star Carradine Dead". Bangkok Post. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/17906/kung-fu-star-carradine-dead. Retrieved 2009-06-05. 
  21. ^ "David Carradine May Have Died From Sex Act, Say Thai Police". The Australian. Agence France-Presse. 2009-06-05. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25591884-2703,00.html. Retrieved 2009-06-05. 
  22. ^ a b "Carradine's Rep — David's Hands Were Tied". TMZ.com. 2009-06-05. http://www.tmz.com/2009/06/05/carradines-rep-davids-hands-were-tied/. Retrieved 2009-06-06. 
  23. ^ "Forensics pointing out the death of David was autoerotic". Thai Rath. 2009-06-05. http://www.thairath.co.th/content/region/10876. Retrieved 2009-06-05.  (Thai)
  24. ^ "Carradine Death 'Erotic Asphyxiation'". Bangkok Post. 2009-06-06. http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/145219/carradine-likely-died-from-erotic-asphyxiation. Retrieved 2009-06-05. 
  25. ^ Drummond, Andrew (2009-06-05). "Kung Fu Star David Carradine Died 'When Auto Erotic Sex Game Went Wrong'". Daily Record. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/2009/06/05/kung-fu-star-david-carradine-died-when-auto-erotic-sex-game-went-wrong-86908-21416527/. Retrieved 2009-06-05. 
  26. ^ Gardner, David; Drummond, Andrew; Killalea, Debra (2009-06-05). "Kung Fu and Kill Bill Star David Carradine Found Accidentally Hanged After 'Sex Games' in Bangkok Hotel Wardrobe". Daily Mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1190853/Kung-Fu-Kill-Bill-star-David-Carradine-accidentally-hanged-sex-games-Bangkok-hotel-wardrobe.html. Retrieved 2009-06-05. 
  27. ^ Grossberg, Josh; English, Whitney. "Carradine’s Family, Friends Dispute Suicide Theory". E! Online. http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b127499_carradines_family_friends_dispute.html. Retrieved 2009-06-04. 
  28. ^ "Carradine Family Upset by Thailand". Bangkok Post. 2009-06-07. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/145451/carradine-family-upset-by-thailand. Retrieved 2009-06-08. 
  29. ^ "Carradine death 'wasn't suicide'". http://www.teletext.co.uk/bigscreen/news/17c67e773584467856ded5110d89748d/Carradine+death+'wasn't+suicide'.aspx. Retrieved 6 July 2009. 
  30. ^ "David Carradine Branded 'Strange' by Ex". Contactmusic.com. June 9, 2009. http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/david-carradine-branded-strange-by-ex_1105933. Retrieved 2009-06-11. 
  31. ^ "Kung Fu Star David Carradine’s ‘Deviant’ Sex Games, By His Ex-Wife". Daily Mail. June 8, 2009. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1191349/David-Carradines-deviant-sex-games-ex-wife-Marina-Anderson.html. Retrieved 2009-06-10. 
  32. ^ McShane, Larry (June 5, 2009). "David Carradine a Fan of 'Potentially Deadly' Deviant Sex Acts, Ex-Wife Said in Court Papers". New York Daily News. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/06/05/2009-06-05_david_carradine_death.html. Retrieved 2009-06-10. 
  33. ^ Darwar, Anil (June 8, 2009). "Carradine Loved Deadly Sex Games, Says Ex-Wife". Daily Express. http://dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/106064/Carradine-loved-deadly-sex-games-says-ex-wife. Retrieved 2009-06-10. 
  34. ^ "Stars attend Carradine's funeral". June 14, 2009. http://www.gtagaming.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116599. Retrieved 2009-06-22. 
  35. ^ AOF Film International Festival Official Site — People

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Carradine"