David Carradine is the eldest son of legendary character actor John Carradine and now presides over an acting family that includes brothers Keith Carradine, Robert Carradine and Michael Bowen as well as his daughter Kansas Carradine and nieces Ever Carradine and Martha Plimpton.

He was born in Hollywood and educated at San Francisco State College, where he studied music theory and composition. It was while writing music for the Drama Department's annual revues that he discovered his own passion for the stage, joining a Shakespearean repertory company and learning his craft on his feet.

After a two-year stint in the army, he found work in New York as a commercial artist and later found fame on Broadway in "The Deputy" and "The Royal Hunt of the Sun" opposite Christopher Plummer. With that experience he returned to Hollywood, landing the short-lived TV series Shane before being tapped to star opposite Barbara Hershey in Martin Scorsese's first Hollywood film, Boxcar Bertha. The iconic Kung Fu followed, catapulting Carradine to superstardom for the next three years, until he left the series to pursue his film career.

That career now includes more than 100 feature films, a couple of dozen television movies, a whole range of theater on and off Broadway, and another hit series, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues. Carradine received the Best Actor Award from the National Board of Film Review as well as a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of Woody Guthrie in Hal Ashby's Bound for Glory, and won critical acclaim for his work as Cole Younger in The Long Riders. "Kung Fu" also received seven Emmy nominations in its first season, including one for Carradine as Best Actor. In addition he won the People's Prize at the Cannes Film Festival's "Director's Fortnight" for his work on Americana, and a second Golden Globe nomination for his supporting role in North and South.

Among his other most notable film credits are Gray Lady Down, Mean Streets, Bird on a Wire, The Long Goodbye, The Serpent's Egg and Circle of Iron.

He recently returned to the screen in what could be his greatest performance to date, playing the title role in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (Miramax), for which he received his fourth Golden Globe nomination.

Carradine has also continued his devotion to music, and has recorded some 60 tracks from various musical genres and sung in several movies. He makes his home in Los Angeles with his wife Annie, her four children and their two dogs.


Son of John Carradine; half-brother of Keith Carradine, Robert Carradine, brother of Bruce Carradine. Convicted of drunk driving in October 1989. Served 48 hours in jail and did community service. Uncle of actresses Martha Plimpton and Ever Carradine. Daughter: Kansas Carradine (b. 1978). Studied drama at San Francisco State University. To date, he is the only actor who has appeared in films directed by Martin Scorsese, Ingmar Bergman and Quentin Tarantino. A great deal of his characters posses lethal martial arts skills. This is a nod to his most famous character, the deadly yet benevolent Kwai Chang Caine in the TV series "Kung Fu" (1972). He married his fifth wife, Annie Bierman at the home of Michael Madsen. Vicki Roberts officiated and pronounced them husband and wife. Quentin Tarantino had originally envisioned the character "Bill" in the "Kill Bill" films as a suave "James Bond-type" man and had first approached Warren Beatty for the role. Beatty turned it down and suggested that Quentin get David for the role. His manager was Chuck Binder. Was an honorary member of the Fraternal Order of Police. Stepmother Sonia Sorel died in 2004, just 3 months before he was married to Annie Bierman. His first series, "Kung Fu" (1972), was canceled after the third season, due to the injuries he sustained on the set. Has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Was an alcohol abuser for many years, until he entered rehab. He was sober at 59. He had 12 hobbies: collecting comic books, painting, writing, sculpting, singing, dancing, Kung-Fu, spending time with family, race car driving, exercising, traveling, horse breeding and reading. His ancestry included Irish, English, Scottish, Welsh, German, Spanish, Italian, Ukrainian and Cherokee. Stepson of Sonia Sorel. James Cromwell, Tom Selleck, Steve Railsback, Frances Fisher, Lucy Liu, and Vicki Roberts attended his funeral, which occurred ten days after his death. First came to public attention in 1963, appearing in the Armstrong Circle Theatre, on television. Played truant from school at the age of 13. Step-father of Max Carradine, who is intent on following his step-dad's footsteps and continuing the family acting dynasty. Began his contract career for MGM in 1969. Was the second of five children. Was healthy and physically active until his death of accidental asphyxiation at age 72. Son: Free Carradine (b. 1972). Step-son: Max Richard Bierman (b. 1998). Step-daughter: Madeleine Rose Bierman (b. 1995). His paternal half-brothers Keith Carradine and Robert Carradine, both appeared in The Long Riders (1980), with him. Created several flutes for the movie Circle of Iron (1978), one of which he later played in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003). He played various instruments: piano, guitar, flute, among many others. Graduated from Oakland High School in Oakland, California, in 1955. As a teenager, he moved back to California - residing in Oakland, in the early 1950s. When he was seven, his parents were divorced and his father left California to escape court actions in the alimony settlement.