Lizzie McGuire actor Robert Carradine, who passed away in February 2026 at the age of 71, came from a famous acting family.
The Carradine family is one of the most famous families in Hollywood history.
Robert’s late father John Carradine, late half-brother David Carradine, and younger brother Keith Carradine are all famous actors.
So are Robert’s daughter Ever Carradine and niece Martha Plimpton.
Keith, 76, confirmed Robert died by suicide after battling bipolar disorder.
“In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon of light for those around him. We are saddened by the loss of this beautiful soul and would like to honor Bobby’s courageous fight against bipolar disorder for nearly 20 years,” Robert’s family told Deadline in a statement.
In an interview with Media Mikes in October 2025, Robert revealed that his father did not force him to become an actor.
“I remember him telling me that if I was interested in pursuing acting, I needed to get a literary education,” the “Revenge of the Nerds” actor said at the time.
Keep reading to learn more about the members of the Carradine family.
beverly carradine
Robert’s great-grandfather, Beverly Carradine, was the patriarch of the Carradine family dynasty.
He was a Methodist minister and a leading evangelist in the sanctification movement. He also wrote several books, mainly on sanctification.
Beverly was married twice, first to Laura Green Reed and then to Modesta A.M. Burke.
He had nine children, including William Reed Carradine, father of John, grandfather of Robert, David and Keith.
Beverly died on April 22, 1931. He passed away at the age of 83.
john carradine
John Carradine was a prolific character actor who appeared in over 200 films.
He primarily worked with John Ford, appearing in such classics as The Grapes of Wrath (1940), Stagecoach (1939), and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962).
John is also famous for playing Count Dracula in several films, including The House of Frankenstein (1944), The House of Dracula (1945), and Billy the Kid vs. Dracula (1966).
He also co-starred with Lucille Ball and Chester Morris in 1939’s The Five Come Back.
On television, John appeared in episodes of “Gunsmoke,” “The Twilight Zone,” “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “The Munsters,” “Lost in Space,” and “Land of the Giants.”
He was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.
John had five sons from four marriages.
Four of his children, David, Keith, Robert, and Bruce, followed in his footsteps and became actors.
John co-starred with David in several films, including The Good Guys and the Bad Guys (1969) and Boxcar Bertha (1972). John also appeared in an episode of David’s Western television show, Kung Fu.
In 1984, John starred in an episode of Fall Guys, with David, Keith, and Robert also appearing in cameos. Two years later, John and Robert appeared together in the first “Twilight Zone” revival episode.
John passed away on November 27, 1988 at the age of 82. He suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, which caused heart and kidney failure.
david carradine
David was born on December 8, 1936, the eldest son of John and his wife Ardanelle Abigail.
He was best known for starring in “Kung Fu” from 1972 to 1975. The show followed Shaolin monk Kwai Chan Kae’s journey through the American West.
Some of David’s famous films include “The Boxcar Versa,” “Death Race 200,” “Cannonball,” “Q: The Winged Serpent,” and “Bound for Glory.”
After a slump in his career, David made a comeback by playing the title character in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill, which was released in 2003 and 2004.
He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1997.
David was married five times and dated actress Barbara Hershey for seven years.
He had three children. He has a daughter, Calista, with his first wife, Donna, a son, Tom, with Hershey, and a daughter, Kansas, with his second wife, Linda Gilbert.
David passed away at the age of 72 in Thailand in May 2009 while filming the movie Stretch.
It was initially suspected that David had died by suicide, but the coroner confirmed he died of asphyxiation.
keith carradine
Keith was born on August 8, 1949 to John and his second wife Sonia Sorrell.
He is best known for the films ‘Nashville,’ ‘Pretty Baby,’ and ‘Choose Me.’
In 1976, Keith wrote and performed “I’m Easy” from “Nashville,” which won an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
On television, Keith appeared on “Deadwood,” “Dexter,” “Fargo,” “The Big Bang Theory,” and “Madam Secretary.”
Keith has four children with actress Shelley Plimpton, including actress Martha Plimpton.
He married his second wife, actress Hayley Dumond, in 2006. The two met on the set of the 1997 Burt Reynolds film Hunter’s Moon.
robert carradine
Robert was born March 24, 1954 to John and Sorrell.
Carradine made his film debut in the 1972 John Wayne western Cowboys, and also appeared in Martin Scorsese’s crime classic Mean Streets in 1973.
He also appeared in the 1978 war film Coming Home, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.
He is best known for playing Louis Skolnick in the 1984 comedy Revenge of the Nerds and its three sequels.
In 2001, Robert began playing Sam McGuire, the father of Hilary Duff’s titular character, in the television series and film Lizzie McGuire.
Robert had a daughter, Ever, with Susan Snyder in 1974. He later married Edith Manni and had two children, Marika and Ian, but the couple divorced after 25 years together.
Robert’s death was confirmed by his brother Keith.
Keith said in a statement: “Bobby was always a beacon of light to those around him in a world that can feel so dark. We are saddened by the loss of this beautiful soul and would like to pay tribute to Bobby’s courageous fight against bipolar disorder for nearly 20 years.”
“We hope that his journey will shine a light and encourage us to address the stigma that surrounds mental illness. At this time, we ask for privacy as we grieve this unfathomable loss. Thank you for your understanding and compassion.”
Duff also paid tribute to Robert in an emotional post on Instagram, saying: “This is heartbreaking. It’s hard to face this reality for an old friend. So sad to know that Bobby was suffering. My heart breaks for him, his family and everyone who loved him.”
Martha Plimpton
Martha (born November 1970) is one of Keith’s four children.
Martha’s prolific acting career earned her an Emmy Award for her role in The Good Wife and three Tony Award nominations for her performances in Coast of Utopia, Top Girls, and Pal Joey.
Some of her notable films include “Mosquito Coast,” “Shy People,” “Beautiful Girls,” and “Frozen 2.”
Martha recently starred in the HBO series “Tusk” alongside Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelphrey.
ever carradine
Ever, the oldest of Robert’s three children, has been an actor since the late 1990s.
She has appeared on the television shows Once and Again, Commander in Chief, Runaways, Shameless, and The Handmaid’s Tale, and has guest-starred on Grey’s Anatomy, House, 24, Supernatural, Good Girls, and The Conners.
He has never before expressed his emotional eulogy on Instagram as he mourns the death of his father.
“Today my father passed away. Only 20 years older than me, my sweet and funny father took every opportunity to drop me off at the airport or tell me how much he loved my homemade salad dressing,” she wrote.
Robert said he “loved[her]” and was always rooting for her because they “basically grew up together” due to their 20-year age difference.
“My father was not a fighter, he was a lover. He was truly genuine. In a world full of conflict and division, I think today we can take a page from his book and open our hearts, feel love, and share,” she added.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
