David Carradine
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1936-12-08
Day of Death
2009-06-03 (72 years old)
Place of Birth
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
David Carradine
Biography
David Carradine (born John Arthur Carradine Jr.; December 8, 1936 – June 3, 2009) was an American actor best known for playing martial arts roles. He is perhaps best known as the star of the 1970s television series Kung Fu, playing Kwai Chang Caine, a peace-loving Shaolin monk travelling through the American Old West. He also portrayed the title character of both of the Kill Bill films. He appeared in two Martin Scorsese films: Boxcar Bertha and Mean Streets.
David Carradine was a member of the Carradine family of actors that began with his father, John Carradine. The elder Carradine's acting career, which included major and minor roles on stage, television, and in cinema, spanned more than four decades. A prolific "B" movie actor, David Carradine appeared in more than 100 feature films in a career spanning more than six decades. He received nominations for a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award for his work on Kung Fu, and received three additional Golden Globe nominations for his performances in the Woody Guthrie biopic Bound for Glory (1976), the television miniseries North and South (1985), and Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Volume 2, for which he won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Throughout his life, Carradine was arrested and prosecuted for a variety of offenses, which often involved substance abuse. Films that featured Carradine continued to be released after his death. These posthumous credits were from a variety of genres including action, documentaries, drama, horror, martial arts, science fiction, and westerns. In addition to his acting career, Carradine was a director and musician. Moreover, influenced by his Kung Fu role, he studied martial arts. On April 1, 1997, Carradine received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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Known For
Acting
(2025)
Mata Hari
as Self (archive footage)
(2019)
Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks
as Self (archive footage)
(2016)
A Tale of James Brown
as Self
(2013)
(2012)
Night of the Templar
as Shopkeeper
(2012)
Eldorado
as The Spirit Guide
(2011)
Stretch
as Monteiro
(2011)
Corman's World
as Self - Actor
(2010)
True Legend
as Anthony
(2010)
Detention
as Principal Hoskins
(2010)
Dinocroc vs. Supergator
as Jason Drake
(2009)
Crank: High Voltage
as Poon Dong
(2009)
My Suicide
as Vargas
(2009)
Break
as The Bishop
(2009)
Absolute Evil
as Raf McCane
(2009)
Road of No Return
as Mr. Hover
(2009)
Bad Cop
as Det. Humes
(2009)
(2009)
Tattoos: A Scarred History
as Self
(2009)
Autumn
as Philip
(2009)
Dark Fields
as Clive Jonis
(2009)
All Hell Broke Loose
as Marshal Ian McHenry
(2008)
Death Race
as Frankenstein (voice)
(2008)
Camille
as Cowboy Bob
(2008)
Hell Ride
as The Deuce
(2008)
Kung Fu Killer
as Crane
(2008)
Last Hour
as Detective Mike Stone
(2008)
The Golden Boys
as Capt. Zebulon Hedge
(2008)
Kandisha
as The American
(2008)
Naked Movie
as Self
(2008)
A Vampire Reformed
as Self
(2007)
Fall Down Dead
as Wade Douglas
(2007)
Big Stan
as The Master
(2007)
Epic Movie
as Museum Curator
(2007)
How to Rob a Bank
as Nick
(2007)
Homo Erectus
as Mookoo / Uncle Unky
(2007)
The Ultimate Fighter
as Mikhail
(2007)
Fuego
as Lobo
(2007)
Treasure Raiders
as Pierre
(2007)
Richard III
as Buckingham
(2007)
Being Michael Madsen
as Self
(2007)
Permanent Vacation
as Old Man
(2007)
Spiral Fitness Beginnings
as Self
(2006)
Final Move
as Captain Baker
(2006)
Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair
as Bill (Snake Charmer)
(2006)
The Last Sect
as Van Helsing
(2005)
Miracle at Sage Creek
as Ike
(2005)
Brothers in Arms
as Driscoll
(2005)
Ringers: Lord of the Fans
as Self
(2004)
Kill Bill: Vol. 2
as Bill 'Snake Charmer'
(2004)
(2004)
Dead & Breakfast
as Mr. Wise
(2004)
Last Goodbye
as Fred McGillicuddie
(2004)
Away from Home
as Self
(2004)
Max Havoc: Curse Of The Dragon
as Grand Master
(2004)
UnConventional
as Self
(2004)
Hair High
as Mr. Snerz (voice)
(2003)
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
as Bill
(2003)
Lost Bullet
as Michael Morrison
(2003)
American Reel
as James Lee Springer
(2002)
Balto: Wolf Quest
as Nava the Wolf Shaman (voice)
(2002)
The Outsider
as Doctor Lucas Henry
(2002)
(2002)
Modern Warriors
as Self
(2001)
By Dawn's Early Light
as Nick Decker
(2001)
The Donor
as Mike
(2001)
Warden of Red Rock
as Mike Sullivan
(2001)
Guaranteed on Delivery
as Norman Williams
(2001)
Down 'n Dirty
as Gil Garner
(2001)
Out of the Wilderness
as Clint Dugan
(2000)
Dangerous Curves
as Lemmy
(2000)
Nightfall
as Gnomen
(2000)
Full Blast
as Maceo
(2000)
Kung Fu Action Masters
as Narrator
(1999)
Code Name: Jaguar
as Max Kaufman
(1999)
Knocking on Death's Door
as Doc Hadley
(1999)
The Monster Hunter
as Louis Dehoven
(1999)
The Puzzle in the Air
as The General
(1999)
Kiss of a Stranger
as Sean O'Leary
(1999)
(1998)
The Shepherd
as Ventriloquist
(1998)
The New Swiss Family Robinson
as Sheldon Blake
(1998)
Nosferatu: The First Vampire
as Host
(1998)
An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island
as Chief Wulisso (voice)
(1998)
(1998)
Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror
as Luke Enright
(1998)
Light Speed
as Miles
(1998)
The Effects of Magic
as The Cabinet Maker
(1998)
Lovers and Liars
as Mr. Montague
(1997)
The Rage
as Lucas McDermott
(1997)
Last Stand at Saber River
as Duane Kidston
(1997)
Lost Treasure of Dos Santos
as Martin Shaw
(1997)
Macon County Jail
as Coley
(1997)
(1994)
Dead Center
as Chavez
(1994)
The Eagle and the Horse
as John Freemont
(1994)
Desperately Looking For Success
as James Lorrimer
(1993)
Kill Zone
as Col. Horace Wiggins
(1993)
Code... Death: Frontera Sur
as Colonel
(1992)
Roadside Prophets
as Othello Jones
(1992)
Animal Instincts
as William Lamberti
(1992)
Evil Toons
as Gideon Fisk
(1992)
Waxwork II: Lost in Time
as The Beggar
(1992)
Double Trouble
as Mr. C
(1992)
Night Rhythms
as Vincent
(1992)
Distant Justice
as Joe Foley
(1992)
Kung Fu - A Legend Reborn
as Kwai Chang Caine
(1991)
Midnight Fear
as Hanley
(1991)
The Gambler: The Luck Of The Draw
as Kwai-Chang Caine
(1991)
Karate Cop
as Dad
(1991)
Capital Punishment
as Michale Maltin
(1991)
Project Eliminator
as Ron Morrell
(1991)
Field of Fire
as Gen. Corman
(1991)
Deadly Surveillance
as Lieutenant
(1991)
Dune Warriors
as Michael
(1991)
Brotherhood of the Gun
as Artemis McBride
(1990)
Bird on a Wire
as Eugene Sorensen
(1990)
Future Zone
as John Tucker
(1990)
Martial Law
as Dalton Rhodes
(1990)
That's Action
as John Tucker (archive footage) (uncredited)
(1989)
(1989)
Nowhere to Run
as Harmon
(1989)
Sonny Boy
as Pearl
(1989)
Warlords
as Dow
(1989)
Crime of Crimes
as Frank McEntire
(1989)
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II
as Dark One
(1989)
Think Big
as Sweeney
(1989)
Future Force
as John Tucker
(1989)
The Mad Bunch
as Professor Foxwood
(1989)
Night Children
as Max Crawford
(1989)
Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat
as Mardulak
(1989)
The Cover Girl and the Cop
as Slade
(1989)
Try This One for Size
as Bradley
(1988)
I Saw What You Did
as Stephen
(1988)
Open Fire
as Joe Rourke
(1988)
Animal Protector
as Col. Whitlock
(1988)
Crime Zone
as Jason
(1988)
Fatal Secret
as Michael LeWinter
(1988)
Run for Your Life
as Maggiore Charles Forsythe
(1988)
Tropical Snow
as Oskar
(1987)
Heartbeat
as Man Playing Dice
(1987)
The Misfit Brigade
as Col. Von Weisshagen
(1987)
Six Against the Rock
as Bernard 'Bernie' Paul Coy
(1986)
Armed Response
as Jim Roth
(1986)
Oceans of Fire
as J.C. Busch
(1986)
P.O.W. The Escape
as Col. James Cooper
(1986)
Kung Fu: The Movie
as Kwai Chang Caine
(1985)
The Bad Seed
as Leroy Jessup
(1984)
Jealousy
as Bobby Dee
(1984)
(1984)
On the Line
as Bryant
(1984)
A Distant Scream
as Michael
(1983)
Lone Wolf McQuade
as Rawley Wilkes
(1982)
Safari 3000
as Eddie Miles
(1982)
Q
as Shepard
(1982)
Trick or Treats
as Richard Adams
(1982)
The Best of Sex and Violence
as Self - Cameo Appearance
(1981)
Americana
as The American Soldier
(1980)
The Long Riders
as Cole Younger
(1980)
Gauguin the Savage
as Paul Gauguin
(1980)
Cloud Dancer
as Brad Randolph
(1980)
High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane
as Ben Irons
(1979)
Mr. Horn
as Tom Horn
(1979)
Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider
as Charlie Swattle
(1979)
I've Got You, You've Got Me by the Chin Hairs
as Le professeur d'arts martiaux à LAPD
(1978)
Gray Lady Down
as Captain Gates
(1978)
Deathsport
as Kaz Oshay
(1978)
Circle of Iron
as The Blind Man / Monkeyman / Death / Changsha
(1978)
(1977)
The Serpent's Egg
as Abel Rosenberg
(1977)
Thunder and Lightning
as Harley Thomas
(1976)
Cannonball
as Coy "Cannonball" Buckman
(1976)
Bound for Glory
as Woody Guthrie
(1975)
Death Race 2000
as Frankenstein
(1975)
Long Way Home
as Craw Dantley
(1975)
You and Me
as Zeto
(1973)
Mean Streets
as Drunk
(1973)
The Long Goodbye
as Dave aka Socrates (uncredited)
(1972)
Boxcar Bertha
as Big Bill Shelly
(1972)
Kung Fu: The Way of the Tiger, the Sign of the Dragon
as Kwai Chang Caine
(1971)
Macho Callahan
as David Mountford
(1971)
(1970)
The McMasters
as White Feather
(1969)
Heaven with a Gun
as Coke Beck
(1969)
(1969)
Young Billy Young
as Jesse Boone
(1967)
The Violent Ones
as Lucas Barnes
(1967)
Johnny Belinda
as Locky
(1967)
The Hunted
as Gene Gauge
(1966)
Too Many Thieves
as Felix
(1965)
Taggart
as Cal Dodge
(1965)
Bus Riley's Back in Town
as Stretch
Crew
(2009)
Road of No Return
Associate Producer
(2007)
Fall Down Dead
Associate Producer
(2007)
Richard III
Executive Producer
(1991)
Project Eliminator
Associate Producer
(1989)
Crime of Crimes
Producer
(1989)
Future Force
Associate Producer
(1988)
Crime Zone
Executive Producer
(1986)
Kung Fu: The Movie
Co-Producer
(1981)
Americana
Director, Producer, Editor
(1975)
You and Me
Editor, Director, Original Music Composer