The manner of death of Robert Carradine, a well-known actor best known for his roles in Lizzie McGuire and the Revenge of the Nerds franchise, has been confirmed by the Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office following his passing on Monday, February 23. The late actor was 71 years old. According to online records from the Medical Examiner’s Office, Carradine’s death has been ruled a suicide.
Deadline was the first to report on February 23 that Carradine had taken his own life. His family shared a statement with PEOPLE confirming the news. “It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother, Robert Carradine, has passed away,” the statement said. “In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon of light to everyone around him.”
The statement continued, “We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby’s 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.” The family asked for privacy as they grieved the “unfathomable loss,” adding, “With gratitude for your understanding and compassion.”
Carradine’s on-screen career began in 1972 opposite John Wayne in The Cowboys. His credits include Mean Streets in 1973 and the Oscar-winning film Coming Home in 1978, starring Jane Fonda and Jon Voight. He is known for starring in the comedy franchise Revenge of the Nerds as one of the titular nerds, Lewis Skolnick, and playing Hilary Duff’s on-screen father, Sam, in Lizzie McGuire and The Lizzie McGuire Movie from 2001 to 2004.
Duff reflected on Carradine’s death in an Instagram post, referring to him as an “old friend.” “There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents,” she wrote. “I’ll be forever grateful for that. I’m deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering. My heart aches for him, his family, and everyone who loved him.”
Jake Thomas, who played Carradine’s son and Duff’s brother Matt, wrote on Instagram that his “heart hurts.” “I was fortunate to know Bobby for most of my life,” said Thomas. “And he was one of the coolest guys you could ever meet. Funny, pragmatic, sometimes cranky, always a little eccentric. He was a talented actor, musician, and director. But more than anything, he was family.”
“I have many fond memories being with him and his family throughout my life,” he continued. “Good moments, challenging moments, and lots of laughs between. I looked up to him growing up. And later in life, I came to realize he thought I was pretty neat, too. So I guess I was doing something right in his eyes. My heart is with Marika and Ian. Rest easy, Bobby. Love you – ‘Jaker.’”
Carradine is survived by his three children: Ever, whom he shared with ex Susan Snyder; and Ian and Marika, whom he shared with ex-wife Edie Mani. Ever shared a touching tribute praising the way he raised her as a single dad.
“Growing up in the 70s and 80s with a single dad in Laurel Canyon is not exactly the recipe for a grounded childhood, but somehow mine was,” Ever wrote on Instagram. “Whenever anyone asks me how I turned out so normal, I always tell them it’s because of my dad. I knew my dad loved me, I knew it deep in my bones, and I always knew he had my back.”
The actress added that she and her dad “basically grew up together,” noting that a 20-year age difference really isn’t that much. While she never thought of him as a sibling, she always thought of him as her partner. They were in it together, and she never wanted to let him down or make him doubt her love and support for him. She praised her father for being a lover, not a fighter and asked anyone who sees her to ask her about her dad, Bobby Carradine, who made her who she is today.
