In a Monday statement, Carradine's family said he struggled with bipolar disorder and died by suicide.
"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," the statement 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. At this time we ask for the privacy to grieve this unfathomable loss. With gratitude for your understanding and compassion."
The youngest of a prolific Hollywood family, Carradine's siblings include actors David and Keith and architect Christopher, of Walt Disney Imagineering. David Carradine died in 2009 at age 72. Their brother Bruce, who died in 2016, was also an actor.
Keith Carradine told that his family wanted everyone to know about Robert's struggle with bipolar disorder.
"We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it," he told the outlet. "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. We will take solace in how funny he could be, how wise and utterly accepting and tolerant he was. That’s who my baby brother was."
The L.A.-born actor enjoyed a prolific 50-plus-year career in film and television. To prepare for his role on the 1984 comedy "Revenge of the Nerds," Robert Carradine spent two weeks wearing "nerd clothes," a wig and glasses everywhere he went.This included heading to fraternity row at the University of Arizona during rush week while in character with a fellow actor. They asked the head of a fraternity if they could join.
"The guy took one look at us and said, "No way," ' Carradine recalled in 1990. By the time the first day of shooting rolled around, I was in full flight as a nerd.
The youngest son of prolific character actor John Carradine, Robert Carradine was born on March 24, 1954, in Los Angeles. Known for both his film and television work, Carradine made his debut in a 1971 episode of the long-running western “Bonanza. His first film appearance was in the 1972 John Wayne western “The Cowboys.”
During his 50-year Hollywood career, he appeared alongside his brother David in a 1972 episode of "Kung Fu" and the 1973 Martin Scorsese film "Mean Streets." David, Keith and Robert joined other sets of acting siblings to portray sets of real-life siblings in the 1980 Western "The Long Riders." Carradine also landed roles in Hal Ashby's 1978 Vietman War drama "Coming Home" and Samuel Fuller's 1980 World War II epic "The Big Red One."
While Carradine found success in the family business, he also had a love for racing. "There are certain people who are supposed to be race car drivers," Carradine told The Times in 1991. "And I've got that. I've got that thing that makes me have to race. I have to do it."
At the time he was balancing both careers, racing at the Grand Prix level in a Lotus Esprit Turbo SE. But it was clear he would have chosen racing over acting if he could.
In the 2000s, Carradine charmed a new generation of fans as lovable TV dad Sam in "Lizzie McGuire."
"There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents," the show's star Hilary Duff wrote in her Instagram tribute to her on-screen dad. "I'll be forever grateful for that. I'm deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering. My heart aches for him, his family, and everyone who loved him."
Carradine is survived by his three children — actor Ever Carradine, Marika Reed Carradine and Ian Alexander Carradine — as well as his brothers, nieces including actor Martha Plimpton, nephews and grandchildren.
The Academy Is... have released a new single "Miracle," the second from their long-awaited new album, Almost There, arriving via I Surrender Records on March 27, 2026. The song sways between intense, driving guitars and reflective moments underlined by glimmering tones. The band throws themselves into the iridescence headfirst, as William Beckett sings, "I need to love again/Turn me on my head/I need to feel the warmth/Tell me I'm not dead." "With this track, we were chasing the feeling of when you discovered your new favorite song..." guitarist Mike Carden explains. "'Miracle' reminds us of LimeWire era vibes; finally finding that song that takes you by surprise, a very distinct feeling. We wanted it to hit and pull you straight in. We feel like...mission accomplished."
The EP featured the band more heavily utilising samplers, which allowed them to play back sounds on keyboard. Sampled sounds include guitar feedback, vocals, and a BBC stock sound effects recording used to create a low-end effect on "To Here Knows When", and a Turkish belly dancing track ripped from cassette on the track "Swallow". The title is a reference to the band's heavy usage of guitar tremolo and vibrato to create blurred, dreamlike tones.
Tremolo was the second of two extended-plays released during the prolonged recording sessions of My Bloody Valentine’s shoegaze masterpiece Loveless. In contrast to its sister – the heavier Glider – Tremolo forsakes indie/alternative stylings for abstract composites of sound produced by instruments that just so happen to also make rock music. The title refered to lead guitarist/vocalist Kevin Shield’s “glide guitar method” of strumming while applying tremolo/vibrato pedal effects, which gave the band its signature surreal sound.
Leading off with Loveless's most ethereal cut and first cut "To Here Knows When," this EP had little of the Isn’t Anything structured noise pop. "Swallow" featured the hyper-processed flute-loop sound that prominently featured in "What You Want" from Loveless. It was a bit lighter than anything on that album, with a much softer mix and a lack of heavy guitar reverb. "Honey Power" was the closest track to anything that was on Glider, featuring backwards-sampled guitar loops and a less abstruse song structure. The closer "Moon Song" was the only track on Tremolo to feature Shields' voice with no processing or after-effect; it’s easily the most surreal track on the album, featuring kaleidoscopic guitar samples and a curious jungle beat that hints at the group’s interest in dance music toward the end of Loveless and prior to their 1997 break-up.
Tremolo was interesting caused the addition of certain elements such as three codas to the end of each track but "Moon Song," all of which highlight the druggy, intimate atmosphere therein. Of particular note is the one on "To Here Knows When," which was different and maybe better than the final mix released on Loveless. These were not mere not sloppy interludes tacked onto the end; they underscored the phantasmagorical experience commonly listening to My Bloody Valentine's nineties work, and their short length provides the illusion that the listener is transitioning between dreams.
Videos were filmed for the songs "Swallow" and "To Here Knows When" under the direction of Angus Cameron. The single "To Here Knows When" reached number 29 on the UK Singles Chart and were described it as the most strangest single ever to chart.
