Robert Carradine died on Monday, 23 February 2026, at the age of 71. He had battled Bipolar Disorder for almost two decades, a long-term mental health condition that causes extreme mood changes, including emotional highs and deep lows. His brother, Keith Carradine, confirmed his death. The family released a heartfelt statement. In the family’s message, the family said they are shocked by the loss of a loving father, grandfather, uncle, and brother. They characterized Robert as a kind, positive person who brought light to the lives of those around him. They also discussed his longstanding struggle with Bipolar Disorder and expressed hope that his story helps raise awareness. The family requested privacy during this painful time and thanked everyone for their love and compassion.

An award-winning American actor, Robert Reed Carradine (Bobby) is best known for his roles as the nerd Lewis Skolnick in the 1984 film Revenge of the Nerds and Sam McGuire, Lizzie’s father, on the TV series Lizzie McGuire (2001–2004). The Lizzie McGuire series quickly became a hit with both young viewers and parents because of its teenage life. 

He was born on March 24, 1954, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., to artist Sonia Sorel and actor John Carradine. He was a brother of Christopher and Keith Carradine, a paternal half-brother of Bruce and David Carradine and a maternal half-brother of Michael Bowen. He had three children: the actress Ever Carradine with Susan Snyder, Marika, and his former wife Edie Mani, and was the uncle of the actress Martha Plimpton. His parents divorced when he was two years old, and after a custody battle, his father won custody of Robert and his brothers, Christopher and Keith. His maternal great-grandfather was the biochemist Max Henius, and his maternal great-grandmother was the sister of the historian Johan Ludvig Heiberg.

Robert’s first on-screen role in a movie came in 1972 with The Cowboys opposite John Wayne; he also appeared in a short-lived TV series inspired by that film. That same year, he made his television debut in the Western series Bonanza and later acted on his brother David’s show Kung Fu as Sunny Jim in the episode “Dark Angel,” with his father, John Carradine. He then played a killer in Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets, whose character shoots the part his brother David plays. In 1976, he pursued his love of car racing by appearing as Jim Cantrell in Cannonball, winning the race over the favorite character played by David Carradine. He starred in the thriller Orca in 1977 and gave a striking performance in the Oscar-winning Vietnam War drama Coming Home (1978), with Jane Fonda and Jon Voight, which led many to think he might be the best actor in the Carradine family. He later appeared on an episode of ER called “Sleepless in Chicago” alongside his Revenge of the Nerds co-star Anthony Edwards, reunited with Curtis Armstrong in 2013 to host King of the Nerds on TBS and was featured on Celebrity Wife Swap with Terrell Owens in 2015. 

His greatest commercial success was Revenge of the Nerds, for which he prepared by spending time at the University of Arizona during rush week, when no fraternity picked him, so that he could relate to the character. He reprised his role as Lewis Skolnick in three sequels and was an executive producer on the last two, later reuniting with co-stars Andrew Cassese and Don Gibb at the 2018 Niagara Falls Comic Con. 

He received an honorary award at the 16th Golden Boot Awards in 1998, was nominated for a Genie Award (3rd) in 1982, and a CableACE Award in 1987. His net worth has been estimated at $300,000 by Celebrity Net Worth, a figure that reflects his decades of work in film and on TV.