Robert Carradine, an actor known for his roles in Lizzie McGuire and Revenge of the Nerds, has died. He was 71.
Per a report from Deadline, the actor and musician—who played Sam McGuire, father to Hilary Duff’s Lizzie McGuire, on the Disney Channel comedy—died by suicide. In a statement provided to the publication, Carradine’s family remembered him as “a beacon of light” in a dark world.
“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,” the family said. “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.”
Duff remembered Carradine as “an old friend,” telling fans in a statement shared to Instagram early Tuesday (Feb. 24) that she was “deeply grateful” for their time together as part of an onscreen family.
“This one hurts,” Duff said. “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 onscreen parents. 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.”
Jake Thomas, who played Lizzie’s brother Matt on the beloved series, also shared a statement.
“My heart hurts today,” Thomas said. “I was fortunate to know Bobby for most of my life. And he was one of the coolest guys you could ever meet. Funny, pragmatic, sometimes cranky, always a little eccentric. He was a talented actor, musician, and director. But more than anything, he was family. I have many fond memories being with him and his family throughout my life. Good moments, challenging moments, and lots of laughs between.”
Thomas continued: “I looked up to him growing up. And later in life, I came to realize he thought I was pretty neat, too. So I guess I was doing something right in his eyes. My heart is with Marika and Ian. Rest easy, Bobby. Love you.”
In the early 1970s, Carradine began his acting career with parts in TV series like Bonanza and Kung Fu, while his feature film debut came with 1972’s John Wayne-starring The Cowboys. He went on to appear in numerous films, including the family-filled The Long Riders (also featuring David and Keith Carradine), as well as several Revenge of the Nerds entries.
In 2003, he joined Duff in The Lizzie McGuire Movie. A Lizzie McGuire revival series featuring Duff and Carradine, among other returning stars, was officially announced in 2019. However, the project was ultimately canceled, seemingly acrimoniously.
More recently, Carradine, also known for being a competitive race car driver, was a host on the Party Nerds Pop-Cast series.
Ever Carradine, daughter to Robert and also an actor, credited her father with having “made me who I am” in a statement shared to social media.
“Whenever anyone asks me how I turned out so normal, I always tell them it’s because of my dad,” she said. “I knew my dad loved me, I knew it deep in my bones, and I always knew he had my back.”
RIP.