8mm Forum: Star of "Kung Fu" found dead......

This is topic Star of "Kung Fu" found dead...... in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=001317

Posted by Keith Ashfield (Member # 741) on June 05, 2009, 03:42 AM:

Sadly, David Carradine, star of the “Kung Fu” T.V. Series has, it appears, committed suicide. He was found hanging by the neck, in his hotel room in Bangkok, Thailand.

David had appeared in many movies, including his most recent memorable roll in the “Kill Bill” movies. He will be best remembered as Kwai Chang Caine – the hero of the “Kung Fu2 series, which was originally conceived by, and as a role for, Bruce Lee. He also played the role of singer Woodie Guthrie in “Bound for Glory”.

He has played some memorable parts as a villain, the best of which, I think, was in “Lone Wolf McQuade”.

David was 72 years old and the son of the legendary 1940’s actor John Carradine.

Posted by Mark Williams (Member # 794) on June 05, 2009, 03:57 AM:

Keith,I was really shocked to hear this news yesterday,I screened my copy of CARQUAKE aka CANNONBAL in tribute to him last night.

He really was the king of the B picture in the 70's,must have made dozens of exploitation movies.

My favouites were..

DEATH RACE 2000
CANNONBALL!
THE SILENT FLUTE aka CIRCLE OF IRON
LONE WOLF MCQUADE
Q-THE WINGED SERPENT
KILL BILL PARTS 1 & 2

His career had really taken off again after starring in KILL BILL,his most recent appearance was in CRANK 2.

He will be sadly missed by audiences worldwide.

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on June 05, 2009, 06:11 AM:

Very Sad, I wonder if he wasn`t too well ( Physically ) obviously he was in difficulties in himself !!!

I can`t imagine another actor who could have brought what he did to Kung Fu, a wonderful classic. We have series 1 + 2 on dvd, they are usually very good value and a wonderful show. They also project beautifully as well.

Bye David.

Best Mark.

Posted by Keith Ashfield (Member # 741) on June 05, 2009, 06:32 AM:

The irony is that if the original part of Caine had gone to Bruce Lee and not David Carradine, would David have then become a "star" and would Bruce Lee have avoided his fate and not become a legend.

The fact that David starred in "Silent Flute", another original idea, penned by Bruce Lee and Stirling Stilliphant, also entwines the lives of these two actors, whose fame was founded on martial arts and whose fate, in the end, were both tragic.

"Ah, Glasshopper?"

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on June 05, 2009, 06:36 AM:

Well,
Being a bit Contraversal...
It is a sad loss in the acting world, with a long carear and also quite well respected throughout, what we have seen outside of the "actor" david carradine is another celebrity who (possibly) in his private life seems to have been up to some weird stuff, check out the news websites and you'll see what im trying to say without sounding too contraversal. That said and whatever the cause it is very sad.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on June 05, 2009, 09:34 AM:

I loved him in Lone Wolf McQuade, but my persoanl favorite for his roles has to be as the eldest brother in "The Long Riders", (I think they were the "Clantons").

He has a VERY authentic knife fight where he and an indian warrior take the woman's scarf, (the woman they are fighting over), putting it in thier teeth, so they constantly stay at blades length, and go at it.

David won.

A great actor. A lot of people gave him a ribbing for constantly appearing in bargain basement films, but Mr. Carradine reportedly didn't think much of the film-making industry in general, and thought it was all way too bloated and over-hyped up. He therefore just took the jobs as they came.

Farewell grass-hopper.

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on June 05, 2009, 11:16 AM:

Met him at CHILLER THEATRE, here in Secaucus NJ - Nice man, sorry he wanted to leave us so quickly - As a fellow-actor, God Bless

Posted by Jon Anders Klausen (Member # 818) on June 05, 2009, 12:39 PM:

That's sad news [Frown]

Loved him in Kung Fu and Kill Bill..

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on June 05, 2009, 01:26 PM:

He had a show on the History Channel called "Wild West Tech" where he talked about and demonstrated various technologies that were used on the frontier.

It was great in a funky kind of way and other than Jack Palance I can't think of anybody else that could pull it off as well as he did.

Posted by Joe Taffis (Member # 4) on June 05, 2009, 04:06 PM:

one of my favorites, as was his Dad. Osi, he potrayed Cole Younger in The Long Riders. The latest is that this may not have been a suicide....we'll see

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on June 05, 2009, 04:27 PM:

I've heard those stories too.

It's one of the bad aspects of celebrity that something that might happen in quiet to the guy down the street becomes a public obsession when it happens to celebrities.

I have absolutely no desire to ever be famous: there is a lot to be said for being able to walk down the street and neither worry about being noticed or not being noticed.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on June 05, 2009, 06:11 PM:

Your right, Cole Younger. We're going to watch that film tomorrow. It is one the better underrated western of the late 70's.

Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on June 05, 2009, 08:14 PM:

Just screening a film here called BIG STAN and he is in it as a fighting guru for the film's main character Stan played by Rob Schnider.
RIP
Pat

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2