I was scrolling through my feed when the same line kept popping up: a short family statement, a stunned emoji, a dozen memories. You felt it too — that small, sudden drop in the chest when someone from your childhood suddenly isn’t. For a few seconds everything ordinary — reruns, playlists, weekend plans — felt slightly off-kilter.
Lizzie McGuire’s Sam McGuire — Robert Carradine — has died at 71. I’m writing this because you want the facts, the context, and a sense of what comes next. You’ll find the family’s words, the cause cited by relatives, reactions from co-stars, and a concise look back at the roles that made him familiar across generations.
Early Monday, newsrooms and social feeds lit up with a family statement — Robert Carradine’s cause of death and what the family asked of the public
The Carradine family confirmed the actor’s death in a statement to Deadline and described his nearly two-decade struggle with bipolar disorder; they asked for privacy while saying they hoped his story could help reduce stigma around mental illness. ([people.com](https://people.com/robert-carradine-dies-at-71-after-valiant-struggle-with-bipolar-disorder-11912746?utm_source=openai))
Multiple outlets reporting on the statement noted the family’s phrase that “in a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon of light,” and reported that his brother Keith said the illness “got the best of him” while urging people not to shame mental-health challenges. ([ew.com](https://ew.com/robert-carradine-revenge-of-the-nerds-star-dies-at-71-11912744?utm_source=openai))
What was Robert Carradine’s cause of death?
Robert Carradine’s family and several news organizations reported he died by suicide after a long battle with Bipolar Disorder; the family framed sharing that information as an effort to reduce stigma and encourage honest conversation about mental illness. ([people.com](https://people.com/robert-carradine-dies-at-71-after-valiant-struggle-with-bipolar-disorder-11912746?utm_source=openai))
How old was Robert Carradine when he died?
He was 71 years old; outlets published notices on February 23–24, 2026, when the family statement circulated. ([people.com](https://people.com/robert-carradine-dies-at-71-after-valiant-struggle-with-bipolar-disorder-11912746?utm_source=openai))
What role did he play on Lizzie McGuire?
He played Sam McGuire, Lizzie’s warm-but-practical father — a role that introduced him to a new generation and brought fresh waves of appreciation from fans and former co-stars alike. ([tmz.com](https://www.tmz.com/2026/02/23/hilary-duff-mourns-death-lizzie-mcguire-dad-robert-carradine/?utm_source=openai))
Open feeds and comment threads show the shape of grief — immediate tributes and the small public rituals that follow a death
Within hours of the announcement, actors and fans posted photos and short notes; Hilary Duff, who played Lizzie, offered a public tribute that many outlets picked up and amplified. ([tmz.com](https://www.tmz.com/2026/02/23/hilary-duff-mourns-death-lizzie-mcguire-dad-robert-carradine/?utm_source=openai))
Colleagues remembered Carradine not only for his roles but for his temperament on set — funny, pragmatic, occasionally cranky, and deeply human. Those memories arrive like a threadbare photograph pulled from a shoebox: familiar details sharpen, then soften, and the actor’s private struggles sit alongside his public warmth. ([tmz.com](https://www.tmz.com/2026/02/23/lizzie-mcguire-star-robert-carradine-dead-at-71/?utm_source=openai))
A glance at the credits — the roles that made him a household face across decades
Open IMDb or any streaming catalog and you’ll find his name attached to films and shows from the 1970s onward; his career crossed cult films, studio pictures, and a Disney Channel hit that doubled as a formative show for many viewers.
- Key films: Revenge of the Nerds (1984–1994 series), The Cowboys (1972 debut), Escape from L.A. (1996), Ghosts of Mars (2001), The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003). ([people.com](https://people.com/robert-carradine-dies-at-71-after-valiant-struggle-with-bipolar-disorder-11912746?utm_source=openai))
- Notable TV: Kung Fu (1972–1975), Bonanza (early role), Lizzie McGuire (2001–2004), guest spots on Columbo and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and a later appearance on The Big Bang Theory. ([people.com](https://people.com/robert-carradine-dies-at-71-after-valiant-struggle-with-bipolar-disorder-11912746?utm_source=openai))
- Other industry ties: Part of the Carradine acting family (son of John Carradine; brother to David and Keith), which framed his career inside a larger Hollywood lineage. ([ew.com](https://ew.com/robert-carradine-revenge-of-the-nerds-star-dies-at-71-11912744?utm_source=openai))
For many, his Lewis Skolnick in Revenge of the Nerds defined a certain era; for younger viewers, Sam McGuire made him a kind of safe, ordinary dad on-screen. His body of work acts as a bridge between different pop-culture moments — a steady presence in changing entertainment currents.
Tributes, context, and why the family named bipolar publicly — small actions with large social consequences
Fans didn’t just react; they asked questions. Why share the diagnosis now? What does that mean for public conversations about mental illness? The family and Keith Carradine framed the disclosure as part remembrance, part public service — hoping the admission reduces shame around diagnosis and treatment. ([people.com](https://people.com/robert-carradine-dies-at-71-after-valiant-struggle-with-bipolar-disorder-11912746?utm_source=openai))
Newsrooms and legacy outlets that carried the story cited the family statement and echoed calls for compassion; many pieces also included resources for people in crisis. If you’re reading this and feeling affected, consider calling or texting 988 (U.S.) to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — help is available right now.
Across reporting you’ll see familiar platforms and names: Deadline as the outlet that first posted the family statement to reporters, major entertainment outlets like People, Entertainment Weekly, and TMZ following with reactions, and archival resources like IMDb for career context. ([people.com](https://people.com/robert-carradine-dies-at-71-after-valiant-struggle-with-bipolar-disorder-11912746?utm_source=openai))
He fought privately for years; publicly, he gave performances that made people laugh and feel seen. His life was, in equal parts, work and weather — sometimes calm, sometimes stormy — and that mixture is what made him human to audiences who recognized him for decades.
As someone who followed these stories, I’ll be watching how studios, streaming platforms, and co-stars mark his passing: a tribute montage, a streaming “in memoriam,” a hashtag that resurfaces old clips. What will the industry actually do to honor him, and what does it say when an actor known to multiple generations slips quietly from the spotlight — and into conversation about mental health?