Robert Carradine, the actor who played Lewis Skolnick in the Revenge of the Nerds films and later became a familiar television father on Disney Channel’s Lizzie McGuire, died on February 23, 2026, at age 71. Deadline reported that he died in Los Angeles and described the death as suicide.
Carradine belonged to one of Hollywood’s most enduring acting families. He was the son of John Carradine and Sonia Sorel, the brother of Keith Carradine, and the half-brother of David Carradine. Obituaries in The New York Times and other outlets placed his death within that larger family story.
His family said he had lived with bipolar disorder for roughly 20 years. Later reporting added details about a hospital stay in Los Angeles, a death certificate, and a wrongful-death lawsuit. Here is what is known.
How Did Robert Carradine Die?
The initial announcement came from trade and news outlets on February 23, 2026. ABC7 was among the first to report that Carradine had taken his own life, with his family adding that he had dealt with bipolar disorder for approximately two decades.
Robert Carradine: Key Facts at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Died | February 23, 2026, age 71, Los Angeles |
| Known For | Revenge of the Nerds, Lizzie McGuire, The Big Red One, Escape from L.A. |
| Family | Brother of actors David Carradine and Keith Carradine |
| Reported Cause of Death | Suicide |
The reporting around his death produced several points that stand out:
- Robert Carradine died on February 23, 2026, at age 71; multiple outlets reported the death as suicide.
- Search interest in “Robert Carradine accident” conflicts with the reporting; no accident has been reported.
- His career combined cult comedies, film dramas, and Disney Channel television.
- The “Django” query points to his appearance in Django Unchained (2012).
- Public net worth figures should be treated as unverified; no authoritative source in the gathered coverage provided a confirmed figure.
- Later reporting said he had been hospitalized at UCLA’s Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital since January 2026.
- In August 2026, his family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit connected to his treatment at UCLA.
Robert Carradine: Snapshot Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Born | March 24, 1954, Hollywood, California |
| Died | February 23, 2026, Los Angeles, age 71 |
| Occupation | Actor, producer |
| Known For | Lewis Skolnick in Revenge of the Nerds; Sam McGuire in Lizzie McGuire |
| Other Notable Credits | The Big Red One, Escape from L.A., Django Unchained |
| Family | Part of the Carradine acting family; brother of David and Keith Carradine |
| Net Worth | Not verified; treat online estimates as speculative |
What Was Robert Carradine’s Cause of Death?
USA Today later reported that Carradine had checked into UCLA’s Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital in January 2026. After a suicide attempt, he suffered an anoxic brain injury and died after weeks of hospitalization. TMZ subsequently published details from his death certificate.
The NY Daily News reported in August 2026 that Carradine’s family had filed a wrongful-death lawsuit connected to his treatment at UCLA. The suit added a legal dimension to questions that began with the first death announcement.
Was Robert Carradine’s Death an Accident?
No. The reporting gathered here consistently describes the death as suicide. No credible outlet reported an accident, and no accidental-cause explanation appears in the obituary coverage.
Where Did the Accident Question Come From?
The “accident” phrasing likely comes from confusion with David Carradine, Robert’s half-brother. David Carradine’s death in 2009 was ruled an accidental asphyxiation. That separate event may be driving some online searches for “Robert Carradine accident.”
David Carradine’s 2009 death was ruled accidental asphyxiation. That ruling is often mentioned in coverage of the Carradine family, and it may explain why some searches pair Robert Carradine’s name with the word “accident.”
Who Were Robert Carradine’s Brothers?
Keith Carradine, Robert’s full brother, and David Carradine, his half-brother, were both prominent actors. According to Cinema Scholars, the Carradine siblings came from a family whose patriarch, John Carradine, established the acting tradition.
Robert Carradine’s Brothers in Acting
Of the three brothers, Robert was the youngest. A profile at MovieFanfare described how John Carradine’s children and descendants carried the family name across film and television for decades.
David Carradine: The Half-Brother
David Carradine was the best known of the brothers internationally, with a career that included the Kung Fu series and the Kill Bill films. His 2009 death in Bangkok was ruled an accident, a fact that continues to appear in online searches about the family.
Keith Carradine: The Closest Sibling
Keith Carradine shared both parents with Robert. He built a long career in film, television, and theater and is often described alongside David as one of the “better-known” brothers in obituary coverage of Robert.
John Carradine was the family patriarch, and several of his children and descendants pursued acting. Robert, Keith, and David were among the most recognized siblings; later generations, including actress Ever Carradine, also appeared on-screen.
What Were Robert Carradine’s Most Famous Movies and TV Shows?
Revenge of the Nerds was his signature role. According to Wikipedia, Carradine starred as Lewis Skolnick in the teen comedy series and as Sam McGuire in the Disney Channel sitcom Lizzie McGuire.
Robert Carradine’s Movies and TV Shows
His filmography spans several genres. IMDb lists early credits including The Big Red One (1980) and The Long Riders (1980), followed by Revenge of the Nerds (1984) and Escape from L.A. (1996). Between 2001 and 2004, he played Lizzie McGuire’s father, Sam McGuire, on Disney Channel.
Obituary coverage in The Philadelphia Inquirer emphasized how these two roles gave him a dual legacy: a cult-film favorite for one generation and a familiar TV dad for another.
Robert Carradine’s Role in Django Unchained
Filmography records also list Django Unchained (2012) among his later credits. The role has become a frequent search point, likely because viewers recognize his face from earlier work but associate the title with a later period in his career.
Revenge of the Nerds gave Carradine a devoted comedy following. Lizzie McGuire introduced him to a younger audience. The Long Riders, The Big Red One, and Escape from L.A. added range to his filmography.
What Were the Key Dates in Robert Carradine’s Life and Career?
The following timeline assembles the milestones most often cited in established biographies and obituary coverage.
- — Born in Hollywood, California.
- — Appeared in The Big Red One and The Long Riders.
- — Played Lewis Skolnick in Revenge of the Nerds.
- — Appeared in Escape from L.A.
- — Played Sam McGuire in Lizzie McGuire.
- — Appeared in Django Unchained.
- — Died at age 71 in Los Angeles; reports say he took his own life.
- — An obituary in The Guardian noted his reported bipolar disorder.
What Is Known and What Remains Uncertain?
The published record includes some firmly established facts. Other details, including the official wording of the coroner’s finding and any financial figures, have not been fully confirmed.
| Established Information | Information That Remains Unclear |
|---|---|
| Robert Carradine died on February 23, 2026, at age 71. | The official coroner’s determination has not been quoted in the gathered coverage. |
| He was known for Revenge of the Nerds, Lizzie McGuire, The Big Red One, Escape from L.A., and Django Unchained. | Net worth figures are not verified; online estimates should be treated cautiously. |
| Keith Carradine and David Carradine were his brothers. | Search queries using “accident” conflict with the reports; no accident has been reported. |
What Was the Carradine Family’s Place in Hollywood?
John Carradine, Robert’s father, built a long career in film and television and became the anchor of a family that would span multiple generations of actors. Robert, Keith, and David each followed him into the profession, and later relatives, including actress Ever Carradine, continued the pattern.
Robert’s particular place in that family was that of the youngest acting son. He lacked the international profile of David Carradine or the steady leading-man reputation of Keith Carradine, yet his roles reached audiences in ways that the others’ did not. Revenge of the Nerds made him a campus-comedy icon, and Lizzie McGuire made him part of childhoods across the country.
Obituary coverage also pointed to a contrast: the actor who made audiences laugh as a nerdy college student spent his private years coping with a serious mental-health condition. That contrast, rather than any single role, shaped much of the public response to his death. Similar questions about cause, family, and legacy followed the death of Willie Garson – Cause of Death, Wife, and Complete Biography, another beloved TV actor whose final years drew intense reader interest.
What Did the Original Reporting Say?
The first reports were direct about the cause of death. The Guardian later published one of the most detailed obituaries, connecting his career to his personal struggles. For anyone seeking primary material from Carradine himself, his official Instagram account contains photographs and videos from his life and career.
“Robert Carradine has died at age 71. He took his own life Monday.”
Deadline, February 23, 2026
“The youngest, Robert Carradine, acted continuously without ever becoming a star. He has taken his own life aged 71, after suffering from bipolar…”
The Guardian, February 27, 2026
What Is Robert Carradine’s Legacy?
Robert Carradine’s career connected two distinct generations: one that knew him as Lewis Skolnick, and another that saw him as Lizzie McGuire’s father. His death, reported as suicide, brought renewed attention to the man behind those familiar comic faces. For a similar story about a beloved TV actor whose death prompted widespread questions, see Dustin Diamond – His Cause of Death, Net Worth, and TV Legacy.
What Else Do People Want to Know About Robert Carradine?
What was Robert Carradine’s net worth?
No reliable figure was provided in the search results. Net worth estimates online should be treated as unverified unless backed by official financial disclosures.
Who were Robert Carradine’s parents?
His father was actor John Carradine and his mother was Sonia Sorel.
Was Robert Carradine married?
He was married to Edith/Edie Mani for many years.
Did Robert Carradine have children?
Yes, he had children, including actress Ever Carradine.
What was Robert Carradine’s full name?
Robert Reed Carradine. He was born on March 24, 1954, in Hollywood, California.
How old was Robert Carradine when he died?
He was 71. His death was reported on February 23, 2026.