‘Revenge of the Nerds’ star Robert Carradine dies at 71 as family reveals heartbreaking bipolar battle

Robert Carradine, the actor best known for his roles in Revenge of the Nerds and Lizzie McGuire, has died at the age of 71, his family confirmed.

In a statement shared with Deadline, the Carradine family said the actor died by suicide following a long struggle with bipolar disorder and expressed hope that speaking publicly would help raise awareness around mental illness.

“It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away,” the family said.

They described Carradine as “a beacon of light” and highlighted what they called his nearly two-decade battle with bipolar disorder, urging greater openness around mental health.

His older brother, actor Keith Carradine, also told Deadline the family wanted to remove stigma around mental illness.

“We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it,” he said, describing his brother as “profoundly gifted”.

Born in 1954, Carradine was the youngest son of actor John Carradine and part of the well-known Carradine acting family. He made his film debut opposite John Wayne in The Cowboys (1972) and later appeared in Mean Streets (1973) and the Oscar-winning Coming Home.

His breakthrough came with the 1984 comedy Revenge of the Nerds, in which he played lead character Lewis Skolnick. The film became a cult hit and spawned three sequels.

A new generation of viewers later recognised him as Sam McGuire, the father of Hilary Duff’s title character in Lizzie McGuire, appearing in 65 episodes between 2001 and 2004.

Carradine is survived by his children, including actor Ever Carradine.