Robert Carradine, the beloved actor recognized for his work in Revenge of the Nerds and Lizzie McGuire, has died at 71.
According to a statement his family shared with Deadline, Carradine spent nearly 20 years battling bipolar disorder — a struggle they say ultimately led to his death.
“We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness,” the Carradine family said.
Carradine came from one of Hollywood’s most recognizable acting dynasties. He was the son of legendary actor John Carradine and the brother of fellow performers David Carradine and Keith Carradine, as well as Christopher Carradine, a former vice president at Walt Disney Imagineering.
While Carradine built a steady career across decades, younger audiences especially remember him as the caring dad to Hilary Duff’s character on the hit Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire. Duff, who starred in the show, shared an emotional tribute on Instagram after hearing the news.
“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,” Duff wrote. “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’s career stretched far beyond Disney. He became a cult favorite as Lewis in the long-running Revenge of the Nerds franchise and also appeared in the Oscar-winning drama Coming Home.
His Hollywood journey began back in 1972, when he made his film debut alongside John Wayne in The Cowboys — the start of a career that would leave a lasting impression on generations of movie and TV fans.