New Details Reveal Robert Carradine's Battle with Bipolar Disorder Before Suicide
New information has come to light regarding the final days of actor Robert Carradine, who died by suicide at age 71 earlier this year. According to reports, Carradine had been grappling with serious mental health issues for nearly two decades before his death.
TMZ reported that Carradine, best known for his roles in Lizzie McGuire and Revenge of the Nerds, had been dealing with bipolar disorder, severe depression, and anxiety. In the weeks leading up to his death, he experienced recurring suicidal thoughts and voluntarily checked himself into a psychiatric hospital in Los Angeles.
On January 16, the day after his admission, Carradine was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest in his hospital room, as reported by PEOPLE. He was subsequently placed in intensive care and passed away over a month later on February 23. The official cause of death was anoxic brain injury and hanging.
Family Statements on His Struggles
Carradine's brother, actor Keith Carradine, spoke about Robert's mental health struggles in a statement to Deadline. "There is no shame in it," Keith 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."
In a separate statement, Carradine's family described him as a loving father, grandfather, uncle, and brother. "In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon of light to everyone around him," they said. "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."
Career Highlights and Tributes
Born on March 24, 1954, Carradine came from a famous acting family, including his father John Carradine and brothers David and Keith Carradine. He made his film debut opposite John Wayne in The Cowboys (1972) and later appeared in Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets (1973) and the Oscar-winning Coming Home (1978).
His breakthrough role came in 1984 as Lewis Skolnick in Revenge of the Nerds, a character he reprised in three sequels. In 2001, he reached a new generation by playing Sam McGuire, the father of Hilary Duff's character on Lizzie McGuire.
Following his death, Duff paid tribute on Instagram, writing, "This one hurts. It's really hard to face this reality about an old friend. There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents." His former on-screen son Jake Thomas remembered him as "one of the coolest guys you could ever meet."
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