David Carradine

1936 - 2009

Today, June 4, 2009, David Carradine was found dead in his room at the Park Nai Lert Hotel in Junfan Mulay, Bangkok, Thailand. The initial police investigation indicated that Carradine had hanged himself and was found by a hotel maid sitting in a wardrobe with a rope around his neck and body. He was the son of famed actor, John Carradine, the brother of Bruce Carradine, and the half-brother of Keith and Robert Carradine. Carradine studied drama at my alma mater, San Francisco State University, before working as an actor on stage as well as in television and cinema.

He is pictured above as one of the Clanton brothers in the movie, The Long Riders. David was known for his roles as Kwai Chang Caine in the 1970s television series, Kung Fu, (as well as the sequels in the 1980s and 1990s). He also played 'Big' Bill Shelly in Boxcar Bertha in 1972, and folksinger Woody Guthrie in Bound for Glory in 1976. The younger generation knows him as Bill in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill, Vols. 1 & 2 (2003, 2004, respectively). He is affectionately remembered and will be sorely missed.