Robert Carradine of 'Lizzie McGuire' and 'Revenge of the Nerds' dies at 71

Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAYTue, February 24, 2026 at 12:42 PM UTC

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Actor Robert Carradine attends the premiere of Focus Features' "The Zookeeper's Wife" at ArcLight Hollywood on March 27, 2017, in Hollywood.

Robert Carradine, the actor known as Lewis in "Revenge of the Nerds" and dad to Hilary Duff in "Lizzie McGuire," has died. He was 71.

Carradine's brother, "Nashville" actor Keith Carradine, confirmed his death to Deadline late Monday, Feb. 23, saying the actor died by suicide.

"It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away. In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon [of] light to everyone around him," the family said in a statement. "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 older Carradine told the outlet that Robert was the bedrock of their family – which includes the late "Kill Bill" actor David Carradine and their patriarch, "The Grapes of Wrath" actor John Carradine.

The family's statement asked for privacy to grieve the "unfathomable loss."

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Robert Carradine got his start in acting in 1971, in a guest starring role on "Bonanza" before nabbing a role as Slim in the 1972 Western "The Cowboys," and its spinoff TV series. By 1980, with nearly two dozen credits to his name, he was starring as Bob Younger in "The Long Riders," a member of the James-Younger gang with brothers Keith and David.

He famously went on to portray dorky underdog Lewis Skolnick in his breakout role "Revenge of the Nerds" and its sequels, solidifying the nerd as a recognizable social group.

In between the film's three sequels, Carradine guest-starred in roles including "Monte Carlo," "ER," "Lois & Clark," "NYPD Blue" and the David Carradine-led "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues."

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Actor Robert Carradine arrives at Norby Walters' 22nd Annual Night Of 100 Stars Viewing Gala at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Feb. 26, 2012, in Beverly Hills, California.

Hilary Duff pays tribute to late 'Lizzie McGuire' producer Stan Rogow: 'A very special person'

By 2001, Carradine was starring as the corny but lovable dad Sam in the Disney Channel series "Lizzie McGuire" opposite Hilary Duff, and its 2003 film. He reprised the role in the short-lived 2020 reboot.

Jake Thomas, who played the actor's son and Lizzie's brother, paid tribute. "My heart hurts today," he captioned a throwback "Lizzie McGuire" era photo on Instagram Monday. "I was fortunate to know Bobby for most of my life. 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."

He ended the note, "Rest easy, Bobby. Love you. -'Jaker.'"

Carradine had more than 140 credits to his name, as recently as 2026 in the indie horror-comedy "Skate to Hell."

He is survived by daughters Marica and actress Ever Carradine, and son Ian Carradine.

If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call 988 any time day or night, or chat online. Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Robert Carradine death – dad from 'Lizzie McGuire' was 71

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