Robert Carradine, Beloved ‘Lizzie McGuire’ Dad and Nerds Icon, Dies at 71 After Mental Health Battle
- Veteran American actor Robert Carradine has reportedly died at 71 after a two-decade battle with bipolar disorder, with his family confirming his passing on February 23, 2026
- Born into the famed Carradine acting dynasty as the son of John Carradine and Sonia Sorel, and brother to David Carradine and Keith Carradine
- Tributes poured in from devastated fans, with many remembering him as the beloved dad on Disney Channel's Lizzie McGuire and a cult comedy icon
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Popular American actor Robert Carradine has reportedly died at the age of 71, sparking tributes from colleagues and fans.
Source: Getty Images
The actor’s death was confirmed by his family in a statement released on Monday, February 23, 2026.
According to the statement shared with Deadline, the actor died after a battle with bipolar disorder.
“It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away," the statement read.
"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,” it added.
Who was Robert Carradine?
The late actor was born on March 24, 1954, in Hollywood to parents who were both actors. His father was character actor John Carradine, while his mother was the actress Sonia Sorel. He had two famous brothers who were also actors, David and Keith Carradine.
Robert Carradine started his career with appearances in several popular 1970s films, including The Cowboys, Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid, and The Big Red One. He received his breakout role as Lewis Skolnick on the cult classic Revenge of the Nerds.
Carradine later appeared as Sam McGuire, the dad of the titular character in the popular Disney Channel production Lizzie McGuire. Carradine also loved cars and was a guitarist, according to his online profile. He is survived by three children, including actress Ever Carradine.
Below is a YouTube video of Robert Carradine in Revenge of the Nerds.
Reactions to Robert Carradine’s death
YEN.com.gh compiled some comments reacting to the death of David Carradine after a battle with bipolar disorder.
Kamakana DeCoite said:
"Not Lizzie McGuire's Dad!"
April Mahaffey wrote:
"2026 needs to calm down, we’re only in February."
Bob L Stone commented:
"I’m dressing as Skolnik tomorrow to honour him, dude made my day when I met him in Sacramento a few years back, I could tell he was having a rough day, so I did some quotes from a few of his movies, and he cracked up, really was a nice guy honestly😢."
Anaisa Guzman said:
"Definitely going to cry for this one ☝️. He played a huge part as the tv dad on the Disney Channel set of Liz McGuire."
Source: Getty Images
Grey's Anatomy star Eric Dane dies
Previously, YEN.com.gh reported that Grey's Anatomy star Eric Dane died on February 19, 2026, at the age of 53.
According to a statement from his family, Dane died following a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
