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Robert Carradine<\/a>, the veteran actor best known for playing dorky underdog Lewis Skolnick in \u201cRevenge of the Nerds\u201d and the warmhearted father Sam McGuire on Disney Channel\u2019s \u201cLizzie McGuire,\u201d has died. He was 71.<\/p>\n Carradine\u2019s brother, actor Keith Carradine, confirmed his death to USA TODAY on Tuesday, Feb. 24, saying Carradine died by suicide.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away,\u201d the family said in a statement. \u201cIn a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon of light to everyone around him. \u2026 We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby\u2019s valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with Bipolar Disorder. We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness.\u201d<\/p>\n Deadline was first to report the news. The family asked for privacy as they grieve the \u201cunfathomable loss.\u201d<\/p>\n Here’s what to know about Carradine and his deep ties to California.<\/p>\n Actor Robert Carradine attends the premiere of Focus Features’ “The Zookeeper’s Wife” at ArcLight Hollywood on March 27, 2017, in Hollywood.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Born into one of Hollywood\u2019s most storied acting families, Carradine was the son of legendary character actor John Carradine and the brother of actors David and Keith Carradine. While his work spanned decades and genres, Carradine\u2019s career was deeply intertwined with California\u2019s entertainment industry, from classic Westerns to blockbuster studio films and beloved television series.<\/p>\n Carradine began acting in 1971 with a guest appearance on \u201cBonanza,\u201d a staple of California-produced television. He soon landed a role as Slim in the 1972 John Wayne Western \u201cThe Cowboys,\u201d followed by its short-lived television spinoff.<\/p>\n Throughout the 1970s, Carradine steadily built a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 that reflected Hollywood\u2019s evolving storytelling, appearing in the Oscar-winning \u201cComing Home.” By the end of the decade, he had amassed nearly two dozen screen credits.<\/p>\n Carradine gained wider recognition in 1980 starring as outlaw Bob Younger in \u201cThe Long Riders,\u201d appearing alongside brothers Keith and David as members of the James-Younger gang. That same year, he portrayed Private Zab in Samuel Fuller\u2019s war epic \u201cThe Big Red One.\u201d<\/p>\n His most iconic role arrived in 1984 with \u201cRevenge of the Nerds,\u201d where Carradine\u2019s portrayal of earnest, bespectacled Lewis Skolnick helped cement the \u201cnerd\u201d as a recognizable and sympathetic cultural identity. The film\u2019s success spawned three sequels, firmly embedding Carradine in 1980s pop culture.<\/p>\n Between sequels, Carradine remained a familiar presence on television, guest-starring on series including \u201cMonte Carlo,\u201d \u201cER,\u201d \u201cLois & Clark,\u201d \u201cNYPD Blue\u201d and \u201cKung Fu: The Legend Continues,\u201d which starred his brother David. His later film work included \u201cEscape from L.A.\u201d (1996).<\/p>\n A new generation came to know Carradine in 2001 when he starred as Sam McGuire, the corny but deeply loving father on Disney Channel\u2019s \u201cLizzie McGuire,\u201d<\/em> opposite Hilary Duff. Carradine reprised the role in the 2003 feature film and again for the short-lived 2020 reboot.<\/p>\n Duff paid tribute on Instagram Tuesday, writing that her \u201cheart aches\u201d following the news.<\/p>\nA California-rooted Hollywood legacy<\/h2>\n
Breakout roles and pop-culture impact<\/h2>\n
America\u2019s TV dad on \u2018Lizzie McGuire\u2019<\/h2>\n