David Carradine Found Dead
David Carradine
Actor David Carradine was found dead in his Bangkok hotel room, hanging from a nylon rope in his closet, according to Thai police officials. The rope was apparently from the room curtains.
“Circumstances surrounding his death are still unknown, and there will be no further comment until more information can be confirmed,” the statement said.
“The family appreciates the many expressions of condolence, and asks for privacy at this time.”
Carradine, 72, became famous in the 1970s in the TV show Kung Fu portraying Shaolin monk Kwai Chang Caine. More recently, Carradine played the role of “Bill” in Kill Bill, directed by Quentin Tarrantino. He won a 2005 Golden Globe for his appearance in the second of the two-film series. On Larry King Live, Tarrantino called Carradine one of “Hollywood’s great mad geniuses.”
Carradine’s career was back on the upswing, and he was in Bangkok filming “Stretch,” a movie being produced by a UK-based company. Carradine’s manager of six years, Chuck Binder, spoke to a producer in Thailand who suspected that it was foul play.
“I don’t know if I’d call it accidental,” Binder said.
Carradine’s career included 100 feature films, 24 television movies and theater work, according to the Internet Movie Database. He made appearences on TV shows such as Gunsmoke and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Carradine had his first starring role as the title character in the series Shane, in 1966.
He was the son of character actor John Carradine, who starred in hundreds of films, plays, and television series.
According to David Carradine’s website, “David’s career as an artist did not begin on the stage, though some of his early career was on and off Broadway. His earliest work was as a sculptor and painter.”
Carradine wrote, “I’ve always had an especially hard time with everything I’ve tried to do.”
“I’ve made it pretty big as an actor in spite of being terminally shy. … Invariably, I had huge obstacles to overcome in anything I tried. Had to work against my genes to achieve my dreams.”
