It's a sad, sad day in the movie world. Legendary 'Kung Fu' and 'Kill Bill' star David Carradine has died at the age of 72, having reportedly accidentally hanged himself in his Bangkok hotel room. In the wake of the shocking news, Moviefone honors the departed actor by celebrating his most brightly shining on-screen moments. -- By Tom DiChiara'Kung Fu' (1972): David Carradine first garnered attention with the TV movie 'Kung Fu,' in which he played a Shaolin monk who, after avenging his teacher's death in China, flees to the American West and becomes a defender of the weak and oppressed. The telepic was a hit, birthing a TV series that would run from 1972-75 and become the defining role of Carradine's career.
'Boxcar Bertha' (1972): That same year, Carradine made a splash on the big screen, starring opposite Barbara Hershey in Martin Scorsese's Depression-era drama about a union leader and a young woman who team up to battle the corrupt railroad establishment.
Remembering David Carradine
(FILES) Actor David Carradine arrives for the screening of "Polanski Unauthorized" in Los Angeles on April 23, 2008. It has been reported June 4, 2009 that Carradine, star of the 1970s TV series "Kung Fu" who also had a wide-ranging career in the movies, has been found dead in the Thai capital, Bangkok. A spokesman for the US Embassy, Michael Turner, confirmed the death of the 72-year-old actor. AFP PHOTO / VALERIE MACON /FILES (Photo credit should read VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
(FILES) Actor David Carradine arrives for the screening of "Polanski Unauthorized" in Los Angeles on April 23, 2008. It has been reported June 4, 2009 that Carradine, star of the 1970s TV series "Kung Fu" who also had a wide-ranging career in the movies, has been found dead in the Thai capital, Bangkok. A spokesman for the US Embassy, Michael Turner, confirmed the death of the 72-year-old actor. AFP PHOTO / VALERIE MACON /FILES (Photo credit should read VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
FILE - This March 10, 2004 file photo shows actor David Carradine demonstrating a straight toe kick at his home in the Tarzana section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ric Francis, File)
AP
FILE - This Jan.16, 2005, file photo shows director Quentin Tarantino, right, and actor David Carradine, nominated for best supporting actor for his work in "Kill Bill Vol. 2," arrive for the 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 16, 2005, in Beverly Hills, Calif. He returned to the top in recent years as the title character in Tarantino's two-part saga "Kill Bill." Carradine, star of the 1970s TV series "Kung Fu" who also had a wide-ranging career in the movies, was found dead in the Thai capital, Bangkok.(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill,file)
AP
(FILES) Actor David Carradine arrives for the screening of "Polanski Unauthorized" in Los Angeles on April 23, 2008. It has been reported June 4, 2009 that Carradine, star of the 1970s TV series "Kung Fu" who also had a wide-ranging career in the movies, has been found dead in the Thai capital, Bangkok. A spokesman for the US Embassy, Michael Turner, confirmed the death of the 72-year-old actor. AFP PHOTO / VALERIE MACON /FILES (Photo credit should read VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
FILE - In this Wednesday, March 10, 2004 file photo, actor David Carradine poses for a photo at his home in the Tarzana section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ric Francis)
AP
FILE - In this Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2006 file photo, actor David Carradine arrives for the 16th annual Environmental Media Awards in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Phil McCarten, file)
AP
FILE - In this Wednesday, March 10, 2004 file photo, actor David Carradine strikes a martial arts pose at his home in the Tarzana section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ric Francis, file)
AP
(L - R) Director Daniel Adams, actors Bruce Dern and David Carradine attend "The Golden Boys" photo call at The Playwright Tavern on April 9, 2009 in New York City. "The Golden Boys" Photo Call The Playwright Tavern New York, NY United States April 9, 2009 Photo by Bennett Raglin/WireImage.com To license this image (57161753), contact WireImage.com
Bennett Raglin/WireImage.com
Actors Bruce Dern and David Carradine attend "The Golden Boys" photo call at The Playwright Tavern on April 9, 2009 in New York City. "The Golden Boys" Photo Call The Playwright Tavern New York, NY United States April 9, 2009 Photo by Bennett Raglin/WireImage.com To license this image (57161714), contact WireImage.com
Bennett Raglin/WireImage.com
'Bound for Glory' (1976): He earned raves and a Golden Globe nomination for his iconic portrayal of folk singer Woody Guthrie in this biopic, which won two Oscars and was nominated for four more.
'Kung Fu: The Legend Continues' (1993-97): Carradine returned to the role that made him a star with the 1992 TV movie -- and subsequent TV series of the same name -- 'Kung Fu: The Legend Continues,' which found Carradine's Kwai Chang Caine fighting crime with the help of his gun-toting, police-officer son.
'Kill Bill: Vol 2' (2004): Quentin Tarantino's 'Kill Bill: Vol. 1' and 'Kill Bill: Vol 2' introduced Carradine to a whole new generation of audiences and scored him a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe nomination to boot. As the titular villain, Carradine steals every scene he has in 'Vol. 2,' including his climactic "five-point-palm-exploding-heart technique" showdown with Uma Thurman.
Carradine may be gone, but his legend continues.
Reader Comments (14)
blacc at 1:47PM on Jun 4th 2009
David Carradine, star of the 1970s television series "Kung Fu." has been found dead in a Bangkok hotel room. For more on this breaking story ...
Read more and see a movie about his life here:David Carradine-film
blacc at 1:49PM on Jun 4th 2009
David Carradine, star of the 1970s television series "Kung Fu." has been found dead in a Bangkok hotel room.
Read more and see a movie about his life here:David Carradine-film
tft460 at 5:32PM on Jun 4th 2009
You guys forgot another cult classic which they just did a remake of, DEATH RACE 2000!
How many points was it for the old folks in the wheelchairs?
dave at 6:35PM on Jun 4th 2009
He was 72. Sixteen years older than I am, but he could kick my ass and that's for damn sure.
Diane at 8:37AM on Jun 5th 2009
He will be missed by all. As a teenager, I watched all of his series. He reminded me a lot of the "Fugitive", roaming from one place to another. He met up with nice people and some that were not so nice, but always managed to get himself back on track and continue on with his journey.!! I can remember always worrying if he was hungry when he was travelling on foot and no place to stay, LOL!! Quite the actor he was.
Sharon L. Ray at 12:05PM on Jun 5th 2009
I cannot understand how David Carradine was able to tie his hands behind his back if he commited suicide. If he did commit suicide he had to have someone to tie his hands. Hope that they find out what really happened. I thought that he was a very good actor, and he will be missed. My prayers for his family and friends.
Antonio Pineda at 9:48PM on Jun 6th 2009
I am a blogger on the scene in Bangkok at the hotel where Carradine died and am blogging about this on http://magickpapers.com/blog
ICON OF AN AMERICAN FILM DYNASTY
BY ANTONIO PINEDA
The announcer for the BBC breaks the story on TV. David Carradine was found dead in the Swiss Hotel on Soi Nailert. The film star was found in the closet of his room bound by curtain rope around his neck, and the inference is that his genitals were bound as well. The news ran through the Bangkok film colony like a forest fire.
I consult investigative journalist David Walker. He is also a screenwriter and author of the cult classic book, Hello My Big Big Honey. Walker is at the hotel. He has already led a CBS crew to legendary film producer-director David Winters penthouse office. Winters is a dear friend of Carradine from their glory days in Hollywood. Walker wants to see the surveilance tapes. No chance Bagger Vance. Dr. Pornthip, a colorful Thai forensic scientist is on the scene at the hotel. Walker says Pornthip, who is famous for sporting many hued punk hair styles and is a bit of a celebrity,delares the case to be death by auto sexual strangulation.
I roll up to Winters penthouse office. He is devastated by the tragic loss of a dear friend. He has not slept. CBS and People Magazine have already come by to solicit intelligence. David is shocked by the tawdry inferrences. He has spoken to 3 of Carradines agents. The agents declare that Carradine was on the roll of a lifetime. Quentin Tarantino redefined the 72 year old actor in Kill Bill. Carradine recieved a Golden Globe nomination for his work with Tarantino. The actor of the classic cult TV series Kung Fu had starred in 13 motion pictures since Kill Bill. His salary was in the stratosphere.
The strange circumstances of the verdict by auto- sexual strangulation trouble Winters. It takes two to tango. Why indeed would a man of his talent take his own life alone. Bangkok is known as a city with love for sale. Film people come here to shoot and avail themselves of the pleasures to be found in the gilded city of sin. Kinky sex is no big deal. Could this be a coverup for a sex robbery murder. The Royal Thai Police have shut the door on this case all too quickly. The tourist industry has been severely damaged by the recession and political instability. The murder of a famous film star would be a final nail in the coffin of the tourism industry. Winters says that Carradine, son of John , iconic members of an American cinema dynasty were above the fray. David Carradine was according to Winters a consumate gentleman, a brilliant actor, and a man for all seasons.
I run into local film producer Tom Waller at a reception hosted by the Italian Embassy. Tom does not believe in the verdict of death by auto-sexual strangulation. He concludes that it was a sex robbery gone wrong, and that to cover the motives the body had been arranged to fit the profile of death by auto- sexual strangulation, a theory once confined to the genre of novels classified as psychological thrillers. The denizens of the film colony in Bangkok are incredulous at the grisly circumstances of the sad demise of this brilliant talent.
The reception is attended by beaucoup des artistes and cineastes. Film critic Nick Palevski and I schmooze at the bar. Between glasses of vino rosso and spumante Nick expresses his distaste for the tawdy belching of the media and press. He is the critic for Auteur, a web site devoted to film criticism. He can not believe the shabby and sensational manner in which this case is being exploited.
In no way is this story meant to impugn the reputation of the Royal Thai Police, their meritorious service is well known. Nor is it meant to slander the bereaved Carradine family. The American Embassy has issued a statement wishing the family the best in this tragic moment, embassy staff have no other conclusion re this case except the finding of the body. Aristotelian logic might conclude that something is rotten in Denmark. Western countries would conduct a far more sophisticated investigation.
The epilogue is delivered by my dear friend in Santa Monica Martin Zweiback. He is a writer- producer director with 50 years of credits in Hollywood. Martin scrpted the original Kung Fu series and is a close friend of David Carradine. Martin is a gentleman of class and distinction. He often graces the Bangkok film colony with his presence. It is fitting that a cineaste of his stature have the final word in this affair. I recieved this e mail from Martin, and with all due respect to this fine bloke it is represented here below as a final testament to this sordid affair.
Antonio, my friend,
Sorry I've been neglectful about keeping in touch of late.
Thinking about Carradine this day, I recall when writing the Kung Fu show, how often his image inspired the words, and how much depth he brought to them. They sometimes had to pour him onto the set but he never read a line wrong. He was a gifted and underrated actor. I saw him at a screening of Kill Bill not too long ago. He seemed vibrant and clearly excited by the "second chance" Tarantino's film had given him. Suicide in the middle of shooting a movie at this point in his life just doesn't compute -- but it does remind us to count our Blessings, Gifts, and Challenges -- and be careful what we wish for.
With All Good Thoughts,
Martin
more to follow on http://magickpaperrs.com/blog
ronniewalnut at 4:08PM on Jun 6th 2009
As many of us heard last thursday, we have lost a good friend of abc and the movie business. David Carradine. David's closest friends and all of the celebrites associated with aol and moviefone will miss his witty, his chramed and martial arts and his smooth steady challenge after a hunged by the wire when choked to death. Was it Phneumonia, Heart Problems, Natural Causes or Accidental Exhaustion? We want to send shockwaves to E! News for that story. along with The Insider, E.T., Extra and Access Hollywood on that sad story outside Bangkok, Thialand where BBC and GMTV and other across the country say about the 73 years old man. Encore and TNT and ALN American Life Network and TV land has an agreement to air a rememberance including Telemundo, too cause we all heard on the death of David Carradine. Ever Carradine, David's daughter is also hearing us on moviefone.com that we have lost a kung-fu star. May god bless David.
Antonio Pineda at 4:07AM on Jun 9th 2009
The bomb. Today http://magickpapers.com/blog releases the inside story from film maker David Winters in Bangkok who knew Carradine best and who says "this may get me killed". An excerpt.
David Carradine was murdered and there is a cover up over here in Bangkok. It was probably done by a ladyboy, either on purpose or accidentaly. The ladyboy would be strong enough and big enough to pick him up and place him in the closet. I want to see the tapes from the hotel"s cameras. Please try to get your hands on them and check them out as they may have been tampered with already.
I think the police and the hotel are both involved.
David would never kill himself �. for sure �. he was happily working and that was all he wanted in life � he was on a roll as Chuck and Tiffany his managers say. He had many more films to make and money was rolling in.
the rest at http://magickpapers.com/blog
phyllis harris at 11:29AM on Jun 8th 2009
I REMEMBER HIM IN THE KUNG FU, SHANE SERIES.....HE WAS A EXCELLENT ACTOR...... IF HIS DEATH WAS ACCIDENTAL..... COULD HE HAVE BE REHEARSING A SCENCE????? IF HE HAD COMMITTED SUCIDE WHY WOULD HE GO TO THE EXTREME OF HANGING HIMSELF AND THE REST OF HIS BODY PARTS?????? ALL I SAY IS NEVER SAY NEVER.....IT IS TRULY SAD ALL THE WAY AROUND.....RIP...............
phyllis harris at 11:28AM on Jun 8th 2009
I REMEMBER DAVID IN THE KUNGFU,SHANE SERIES.......IF HIS DEATH WAS ACCIDENTDAL..WAS HE REHEARSHING A SCENCE????? IF NOT WHY WOULD HE GO THE EXTREME AND PUT A CORD AROUND HIS NECK AND GENITAL PART....AND TAKES HIS CLOTHES OFF????? MOST SUCIDAL VICTIMS NORMALLY MAKE IT SIMPLE AND FAST TO KILL THEMSELVES........ HOPEFULLY THE TRUTH WILL COME OUT....ONLY GOD KNOWS AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED.....IT SO SAD.....RIP...........
anne.6996 at 5:36PM on Jun 19th 2009
I am so b.s. about Davids Murder the first thought I had was that he was murdered and I will stick to that till the day I die. He truly had an impression on me in the 70's I would watch him and listen to his philosophy learning so much from him and keeping myself out of harms way - look it was the seventies & I survived and I owe alot of the credit to the person David was on the Kung Fu Show I watched everyone and any show he was in I saw him in Kill Bill only because the impression he had banged into my head hell I was a kid and he helped me. This is truly a tradgedy, my heart goes out to his family, children and all... I looked up to the man. Such a loss.
anne.6996 at 5:44PM on Jun 19th 2009
My gut feeling told me what happen to him & I was right, this world is so screwed up. I believe that this whole damn thing was such a loss... I have written down and actually remembered after all these years some of his words, his philosophy such a loss. I hope and with alotta prayer that they find out who has done this horrible crime... It was great to see him come back in Kill Bill (I missed him through the years)I wondered where he went..I know I am distraught and miss him... Rest in Peace my friend...
sheyebrow at 5:27AM on Aug 1st 2009
Exclusive interview of KUNG FU's legendary star David Carradine, sharing his splendid moments of working with Master Yuen Woo Ping. It would probably be David’s last interview before death…
TRUE LEGEND OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.yuenwooping-truelegend.com