Biography

David Carradine's lengthy career endeavors span nearly five decades with more than 200 credits in film, television, and theater. As an actor, film director, martial artist, spokesman, artist, writer, and musician, Carradine was most recognized for his legendary role as Kwai Chang Caine, who he portrayed for three seasons in the television series Kung Fu (1972-1975) and its later series Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (1993-1997). Carradine's inherent Zen-like quality and dancer's agility gave him iconoclastic status as a Shaolin monk and he introduced many viewers to Asian marital arts and Chinese philosophy. He later acquired a revived notoriety for his role in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill sagas.

Early Years

David Carradine was born as John Arthur Carradine on December 8, 1936 in Hollywood, California. He went to school at San Francisco State College, where he studied music theory and composition. Carradine followed his father John, who was a star during the golden era of Hollywood, into the family business after discovering his own passion for acting. He then joined a Shakespearean repertory company and started to learn the craft.

After heading to the army for two years, Carradine found work as a commercial artist in New York and later appeared in two Broadway hits The Deputy and The Royal Hunt of the Sun. Accumulating more acting experience, he returned home to Hollywood and landed a role in Kung Fu. This wise career move catapulted him into the public eye for years to come. In his professional career spanning 46 years, Carradine appeared in 200 films, 27 television movies, 32 plays, 35+ guest appearances and 3 television series.

Movie Career

Carradine made his big screen debut in the R.G. Springsteen-directed western Taggart (1964), starring Dan Duryea. Afterwards he appeared in the drama Bus Riley's Back in Town (1965), starring Ann Margaret. Highlights from his films include Martin Scorsese's socially and politically ambitious film Box Car Bertha, starring opposite Barbara Hershey; co-starring as the memorable Jewish trapeze artist with Liv Ulmann in The Serpent's Egg (1977), Ingmar Bergman's only English language feature film; starring in Roger Corman's underground action thriller Deathrace 2000 (1975); starring as music legend Woody Guthrie in the big-budget Hollywood feature Bound for Glory (1976), a performance for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe and named Best Actor by the National Board of Review; as Dave aka Socrates - Marlowe's cellmate in the revisionist detective film The Long Goodbye (1973) directed by Robert Altman; as the Drunk in Mean Streets (1973), a Scorsese classic; co-starring with his brothers Keith and Robert in The Long Riders (1980), Walter Hill's sympathetic portrayal of the Jesse James' gang; composing, directing, producing, starring, and editing the main theme for Americana (1981), a film which was awarded the People's Prize at the Cannes Film Festival; his notably bizarre performance portraying an ex-con cross-dressing as a Mid-Western housewife running a gang of thieves in Sonny Boy (1989); starring as the notorious anti-hero Bill in Quentin Tarantino's smash hit, Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003), which garnered him a Golden Globe nomination; starring in the sequel Kill Bill Vol. II (2004); and in the romantic comedy Golden Boys (2009) with Mariel Hemingway. Carradine also completed roles in the independent feature Homo Erectus, The Caveman Comedy (2007) directed by Adam Rifkin; as "The Master" guru in the Rob Schneider comedy, Big Stan (2007); in the romantic comedy Camille (2007), a twisted honeymoon adventure, where he co-starred with James Franco and Sienna Miller; and the action film Blizhiny Boy: The Ultimate Fighter (2007).

Television Career

Carradine's television work also spans nearly five decades, dating back to appearances on series such as East Side, West Side (1963), starring George C. Scott. He began landing guest appearances on television series such as Wagon Train, The Virginian, Gunsmoke, Ironside, Rod Sterling's Night Gallery and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. Carradine continued making guest appearances on Westerns such as The Young Riders (1989-1992) and Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman (1993-1998), the Sci-fi cop drama Profiler (1996-2000), the supernatural series Charmed (1998-2006), the fictional fashion magazine series Just Shoot Me (1997-2003), and the currently popular supernatural hit Medium (2005-present). He had recurring roles on Largo Winch (2001); a TV series based on a Belgian comic book, the television drama Family Law (1999-2002), and the action adventure The Queen of Swords (2000-2001), and the action series Alias (2001-2006). In the miniseries category, Carradine starred as the legendary lawman turned assassin in Mr. Horn (1979), portrayed the impressionist artist Paul Gauguin in Gauguin, The Savage (1980), and he skillfully depicted the sadistic Justin LaMotte in the Civil War era epic hit, North and South (1985) and its sequel Love and War: North and South II (1986). He later starred as "Bird" in RHI Entertainment miniseries, Son of the Dragon (2008); and starred as "Crane" in the Spike TV miniseries Kung Fu Killer (2008). His television movies also include productions of the horror/thriller The Bad Seed (1985), appearing opposite Mia Farrow in David Susskind's adaptation of Johnny Belinda, Gambler IV-The Luck of the Draw (1991), the made-for-cable Western By the Dawn's Early Light (2002), and a starring role in The Outsider (2002), a riff on the John Wayne Western Angel and the Badman, among many others.

Directing Career

Carradine initially made his directorial debut on three episodes of Kung Fu. During the Kung Fu series, he tried his hand at directing some independent projects of his own. Americana (1983), which took ten years to complete due to financing difficulties. The film featured Carradine in the starring role and several of his friends and family members in supporting roles. It won the People's Choice Award at the Director's Fortnight at Cannes , but failed to achieve critical support and distribution. In addition, he directed You and Me (1972) starring his brothers Robert and Keith, and two unreleased productions: Mata Hari (1978), an epic that starred his daughter, Calista, and a feature length musical called A Country Mile.

Martial Artist

After his stints in the Kung Fu series, Carradine became an avid practitioner of martial arts.

Carradine's portrayal of a Shaolin monk skilled in Kung Fu was so convincingly realistic that it is difficult to believe that he wasn't born a Zen Buddhist. He truly mastered the marital virtues of discipline, restraint, respect, and humility. His mastery of these attributes became his philosophy and reflected spiritual lifestyle.

He later starred in several exercise videos teaching the martial arts of Tai Chi and Chi Kung. He was also interested in oriental herbs and philosophy and wrote a personal memoir called Spirit of Shaolin (1991).

Spokesman

After the Kill Bill sagas, Carradine shot back into the spotlight and became the spokesman for the Yellowbook telephone directories in the United States. He was also in a memorable Lipton tea commercial where he paid homage to Kung Fu and The Three Stooges.

Artist

Carradine was a contemporary "Renaissance Man;" he possessed an inborn talent for creativity and became an accomplished artist and sculptor. His artwork was comparable to the proficiency and accomplishments of an expert. As an voracious reader of art history, he was influenced by numerous great artists and he mastered a variety of styles and techniques.

In spite of his self-described "color confusion," Carradine actively engaged in artistic endeavors. Truly an innovative "Master of the Arts," he became adept in many aesthetic disciplines: drawing, computer graphics, acting, dancing, writing, filmmaking, photography, and music. Several times throughout his life, Carradine was approached by gallery owners and museums that wanted to display his masterpieces; however, he modestly declined their offers due to his perpetual evolving and perfectionism as an artist.

Writer

In 1995 Carradine published his autobiography, "Endless Highway". He said that this took him 8 years to write. This book is an absolutely intriguing and brutally honest portrayal of Carradine's life and career. In it, he unflinchingly recounts the highs and lows of his life in show business.

Carradine's, "The Kill Bill Diary: The making of a Tarantino Classic as Seen Through the Eyes of a Screen Legend" was published in 2006. This book captures all the magic of the widely acclaimed Kill Bill films. The actor's journal takes a close-up look at the filmmaking process and the amazing cast and crew.

He also co-wrote a couple of books with his longtime friend, David Nakahara, entitled, "David Carradine's Tai Chi Workout: The Beginner's Program for a Healthier Mind and Body" as well as "David Carradine's Introduction to Chi Kung: The Beginner's Program For Physical, Emotional, And Spiritual Well-Being."

Music Career

In his early years, Carradine studied musical theory and composition at San Francisco State College. Later on in his life he started writing and composing his music. To date, he has written and recorded over 60 original tunes.

A proven talent on the piano, and equally adept with guitar, flute, clarinet, saxophone, drums and the sitar, his musical talents were often integrated into his screen performances.

He performed several of Woody Guthrie's songs for the movie Bound for Glory. For the Kung Fu series, he made flutes out of bamboo that he had planted on the Warner's Brother's lot which he played on the program. He later made several flutes for the movie Circle of Iron (aka The Silent Flute), one of which he later played in Kill Bill. Carradine wrote and performed the theme songs for at least two movies that he starred in: Americana and Sonny Boy. He wrote and performed several songs for American Reel and wrote the score for You and Me. He also wrote the score for the movie Mata Hari.

Here is a quote from what he has written on his "AS IS" CD:

I write songs because I can't help it. I get an idea and I scratch the lyrics on a napkin or a back of a menu. I lay the chords out on a piano, if one's handy, or on my old Gibson. I don't write melodies, I write harmonies. The tune takes care of itself. Most of the songs are about things that happened to me. There are always some philosophical edges, along with a few laughs. But they're all really about love. What else is there?"

Later Years

Carradine spent the last 8 years of his life (2001 – 2009) with his wife Annie and her four children living in Los Angeles, California. During this time he produced over 50 paintings and drawings, wrote The Kill Bill Diaries, and played music with his band, The Cosmic Rescue Team in addition to his busy movie schedule which included 49 feature films.

He died in Bangkok, Thailand on June 3, 2009 while filming a movie entitled Stretch. He was 72. He is survived by his wife Annie, stepchildren Amanda, Madeleine, Max and Olivia, his eldest daughter Calista, son Free, and daughter Kansas, as well as grandchildren Mariah, Sienna, Phoenix, and Bodhi, and great-granddaughter Ryana.