Entertainment
Revenge Of The Nerds Star Dies At 71, Under Tragic Circumstances
By Jennifer Asencio
| Published
Robert Carradine, famous for playing Louis Skolnick in Revenge of the Nerds and Sam McGuire in Disney’s Lizzie McGuire franchise, has died. Tragically, the actor succumbed to bipolar disorder and committed suicide on February 23, 2026.
A statement from the prolific Carradine family remembered Robert as a “beacon of light” and acknowledged the actor’s decades-long struggle with bipolar disorder, an illness marked by mood swings on a spectrum between excitable mania and severe depression. Brother Keith, speaking for the family, referred to Robert’s “valiant struggle” with the illness, saying, “There is no shame in it. It is an illness that got the best of him.”
Robert’s battle with bipolar disorder began after he was distraught about the death of Kung Fu star David Carradine, his brother and mentor, who encouraged him to audition for his first role in 1972. Traumatic events like the loss of a loved one have been known to trigger bipolar disorder, as well as clinical depression and severe anxiety. Genetic factors may establish a propensity to develop bipolar disorder, but environmental factors can cause major disruption, even to people who are being treated. Other episodes in Robert’s life, such as a car accident in 2015, were caused by psychotic episodes connected to the illness.
The youngest son of Golden Age actor John Carradine, Robert was born into a family dynasty that includes his actor brothers David and Keith, animator Christopher, and niece Martha Plimpton. Encouraged to join his famous family’s business, he debuted in the John Wayne classic The Cowboys, about a cattle driver forced to recruit a group of misfit teens to run the herd. This resulted in several years of steady work in small parts on television and the big screen. He also appeared in Mean Streets, Cannonball!, and Coming Home during this time, paving the way for stardom. His next major boon would come in 1980, with the dual release of The Long Riders, a western in which he starred with his brothers, and The Big Red One, a World War II film.
His breakout role was as Lewis, the leader of the Adams College chapter of Lambda Lambda Lambda and the nerds that comprise its membership. Four Revenge of the Nerds movies included Robert Carradine’s iconic character and distinctive “nerd laugh” as he leads and inspires the nerds in college hijinks against the jockish Alpha Beta fraternity. The original 1984 film was a cult classic that is still beloved despite a controversial prank played by the protagonists. Robert would later appear in numerous podcasts and guest appearances as an expert in all things nerdy, thanks to this franchise.
His other major role was on the Disney teen sitcom Lizzie McGuire, about the tribulations of the titular character as she navigates the world of middle school and coming of age. The show was marked by an animated version of Lizzie, whose fourth-wall-breaking comments reflected the character’s inner world. Robert Carradine played her oft-perplexed father, Sam, introducing his comedic acting to a new generation of fans. He also appeared in the 2019 proposed revival of the show, but filmed only two episodes before the project was canceled.
Robert has 150 credits to his name, with numerous television guest appearances on shows like NYPD Blue, Lois and Clark, and Nash Bridges. He appeared with David Carradine on two episodes of Kung Fu: The Legend Continues and with fellow “Tri-Lamb” nerd Anthony Edwards on E.R. Movie roles included Escape from L.A., Ghosts of Mars, and Django Unchained.
Tragically, he leaves behind some films that will be released posthumously, including a horror movie called Skate to Hell that is currently in limited release as of this writing, and an upcoming remake of Night of the Living Dead. Audiences will get to pay tribute to this celebrated actor for just a little longer as these films find their way to audiences.