John Arthur "David" Carradine (December 8, 1936 – June 3, 2009)[4][5] was an Americanactor best known for his work in the 1970s television series Kung Fu and more recently in the Kill Bill films. He appeared in more than 100 feature films[6] and was nominated four times for a Golden Globe Award.[7]
Other notable roles include the lead in Shane (the 1966 television series based upon the 1949 novel of the same name) and a gunslinger in Taggart, a 1964western film based on a novel by Louis L'Amour. More recently, he portrayed Tempus on the television seriesCharmed and Conrad in the television seriesAlias. He currently appears as the host of Wild West Tech on the History Channel, taking over the duties from his brother Keith.
Carradine is also known for producing and starring in several exercise videos teaching the martial arts of Tai chi and Qi Gong exercises. Carradine actually had no knowledge of martial arts prior to starring in the series Kung Fu, but developed an interest in it after this experience and has since become an avid practitioner.
David Carradine has also narrated part of or several videos part of the "Faces of Anthropology" series.
Carradine appears in an episode of Disney's Lizzie McGuire. In this episode, an upcoming Jet Li film is auditioning boys the age of Lizzie's brother Matt for the role of the sidekick. Carradine plays an old friend of Lizzie's father, Sam McGuire, who teaches Matt a few Kung fu moves for his audition tape. When asked how he knows Carradine's character, Mr. McGuire replies cryptically, "He's like a brother to me." This is an in-joke as the actor who portrays Sam, Robert Carradine, is David Carradine's actual (half-) brother. Additionally, a large portion of the episode is spent in parody of Kung Fu, one of Carradine's most famous projects.
He has also provided his voice for the King of the Hill episode, Returning Japanese where he voiced the character of Hank's Japanese half brother, Junichiro who lives in Japan.
He provided the voice for Lo Pei, the ancient warrior who was responsible for Shendu's petrification in the animated series: Jackie Chan Adventures.
He has twice played a supernatural being with the power to control time: "Tempus" on Charmed and "Clockwork" on Danny Phantom.
In 2006, he became the spokesman in the commercial for the Yellow Book
Provided the voice for Sharp, leader of the Westside Rollerz gang, on the video game Saint's Row.
He also had an unusual guest appearance in an episode of Medium: he played the spirit of a murdered mentally disturbed mathematician whose constant fantasies of being a hero caused him to believe he looked like David Carradine (which reflected in the appearance of his spirit). In the end of the episode, after his murderer is caught, he seems to improve and tells Allison that next time they meet he will "look more like [himself]".
He appeared in a Mad tv skit in where Will Sasso (Portraying Steven Seagal) snaps his neck several times, but repeatedly fails at killing Carradine as Carradine simply returns to his feet rubbing his neck, Sasso as Seagal refers to Carradine as being "a tough old bird". Sasso as Steven Seagal seems to have a horrible memory and repeatedly asks who Carradine was and Carradine reminds him that he was asked by him to star in a new Kung-Fu movie along side him as Master Po while Sasso as Segal was to portray Caine, he also reminded him it was their ninth time having the same conversation. They had a small stare down with each other briefly with Sasso as Segal sweating and looking a little uneasy, then distracted Carradine by asking him who the man was behind him waving at him. This was the first time Segal snapped Carradine's neck. On the final time Carradine's was asked who he was he replied by saying "Steven Segal" and proceeded to snap Sasso's, as Segal, neck and walked away shaking his head after picking up a cup off the snack table they were standing at.
Death
On June 4, 2009, Carradine was found dead in his room at the Swissôtel Nai Lert Park Hotel on Wireless Road, near Sukhumvit, in central Bangkok, Thailand.[4][5] A police official said Carradine was found hanging by a rope in the room's closet,[9][10] and the Bangkok Post reported that his body was found curled up in the wardrobe with a shoelace tied around his neck.[11] The same officer said: "Under these circumstances we cannot be sure that he committed suicide."[12] Carradine was in Bangkok to shoot his latest movie, Stretch, and was expected to join the film crew for dinner on June 3. The crew noticed his absence when going out, but they assumed that he took a rest because of his age.[4]
KhunyingPornthip Rojanasunand, a Thaiforensicpathologist and Director of Central Institute of Forensic Science, stated the incident met four of the criteria for accidental death involving autoerotic asphyxiation leading to an autoerotic fatality. Police Lieutenant General Worapong Chewprecha, Commander of the Metropolitan Police, remarked that the closed circuit television installed within the hotel supported the theory that no other persons were involved with the death.[13][14][15][16] Carradine's representative and family members told the press that they believed the death to be accidental and not a suicide.[17] It has also been reported that Carradine was found "with his hands tied behind his back."[18] Chuck Binder, Carradine's manager of six years[19], indicated neither suicide nor accident was the likely cause since "the family has been told Carradine's hands were immobilized (behind his back) by the rope."[18] However this is contradicted by photographic evidence from the scene published by Thai Rath newspaper, showing "hands apparently bound together above the head".[20]
On June 5, the Carradine family lawyer Mark Geragos spoke on Larry King Live and dismissed claims of suicide, stating instead that David Carradine could have been murdered by a secret sect of kung fu assassins, after it was revealed that Carradine had been attempting to uncover groups working in the martial-arts underworld.[21]
Two of Carradine's ex-wives (Gail Jensen[1][22] and Marina Anderson[23][24][25]) stated that his sexual interests included the practice of self-bondage.
Carradine's funeral was held on June 13, 2009 in Los Angeles.[26]
Relevant quality search results and fast easy navigation throughout the
different sections of the site, make Americola.com
a great entertainment
search engine offering
celebrity biographies, high resolution
celebrity photos, videos and more.
