Actor David Carradine Found Dead at 72

Actor David Carradine, Broadway veteran and star of the iconic 70s TV series Kung Fu, has been found dead in his hotel room in Bangkok, Thailand. Early reports on June 4 state the death is believed to have been a suicide. Carradine was 72.

A theatrical legacy, Carradine was the eldest member of the esteemed family of actors that included late father John Carradine, half-brothers Keith Carradine, Robert Carradine and Michael Bowen and niece Martha Plimpton. 

The Tony-nominated star of Pal Joey issued the following statement: "My Uncle David was a brilliantly talented, fiercely intelligent and generous man. He was the nexus of our family in so many ways, and drew us together over the years and kept us connected. I adored him as a child, and as an adult I admired and respected him. We will all miss him terribly, and are so grateful for everyone's condolences. The passing of someone so loved is extremely difficult under any circumstances, and I hope that all those in the media who admired David will respect his legacy and allow his family and loved ones to grieve peacefully."

Born in John Arthur Carradine in Hollywood on December 8, 1936, Carradine began his career in entertainment at San Francisco State College, where he studied musical theory and composition. While writing music for the college’s drama department, he discovered a passion for acting, eventually joining a Shakespearean repertory company. Carradine moved to New York City and began working as commercial artist before making his Broadway debut as a replacement in 1964’s The Deputy. He received acclaim the following season for his turn in Peter Shaffer’s The Royal Hunt of the Sun playing opposite Christopher Plummer, winning a 1966 Theatre World Award for his performance.

The actor returned to Hollywood shortly after the close of Hunt of the Sun, landing the short-lived TV series Shane in 1966 before appearing in Martin Scorsese’s debut Hollywood film, Boxcar Bertha. Carradine’s breakout occurred in the cult classic seriesKung Fu, spending 1972 through 1975 playing leading man Kwai Chang Caine, a Shaolin Monk who wanders the American West. Though Carradine became committed to studying martial arts only after landing the role, the show solidified him as a Kung Fu master in the public eye, an association that led to many other martial arts projects including Kung Fu: The Movie, Circle of Iron, a four-season revisiting of the original series titled Kung Fu: The Legend Continues in the mid-90s and the title role in director Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Billfilms. Other notable credits on Carradine’s long and diverse resume include Gray Lady Down, Bird on a Wire, Bound for Glory, The Serpent’s Egg and The Long Goodbye.

Carradine, four times divorced and five times married, is survived by wife Annie Bierman, son Tom, and daughters Calista and Kansas.