Famous actor David Carradine, known from his roles in Kung Fu all the way to the more recent Kill Bill series was found dead in Bangkok. Reports from Thailand state that he was found hanged inside his hotel room, believing that this was an act of suicide. Carradine was in the area at the time filming his latest movie, Stretch.
David Carradine (December 8, 1936 - June 4, 2009)
That career now includes more than 100 feature films, a couple of dozen television movies, a whole range of theater on and off Broadway, and another hit series, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (1992) (TV). Carradine received the Best Actor Award from the National Board of Film Review as well as a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of Woody Guthrie in Hal Ashby‘s Bound for Glory (1976), and won critical acclaim for his work as Cole Younger in The Long Riders (1980). “Kung Fu” also received seven Emmy nominations in its first season, including one for Carradine as Best Actor. In addition he won the People’s Prize at the Cannes Film Festival’s “Director’s Fortnight” for his work on Americana (1983), and a second Golden Globe nomination for his supporting role in “North and South” (1985) (Courtesy of IMDB). Carradine is survived by his wife Annie Bierman.
One of my favorite movies that David Carradine was in is the Chuck Norris classic “Lone Wolf McQuade.” I remember seeing that with my dad at the old Westview Movies and seeing the ending fight between David “Kung Fu” Carradine and Chuck “Karate” Norris was a magical dream come true. You got to see who had the better moves; alas Chuck won as it was his movie but it was a good fight between two of the best 70′s action fighters.
Then there was the countless times he got pigeon-holed/typcast as the Kung Fu expert which he eventually turned into a niche performance in various Movie, TV shows, and commercials.
He’ll be missed by many.
Fuck David Carradine. Yeah thats right you little yes men well wishing hangers on to the great matrial arts fraud. This guy was a hack and a drug addict. Bruce Lee was a true and dedicated martial artist and this Carradine guy was just another white man who looked cute on camera, and in case anyone is wondering I am white.