David Carradine Biography and Filmography

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Naked Photos of David Carradine are available at MaleStars.com. They currently feature over 65,000 Nude Pics, Biographies, Video Clips, Articles, and Movie Reviews of famous stars.

Actresses who appeared with David Carradine on screen:

Drew Barrymore
Uma Thurman
Carmen Electra
Tera Patrick
Naomi Watts
Lacy Chabert
Lacey Chabert
Eva Mendes
Traci Lords
Mila Kunis
Lucy Lui
Lucy Liu
Candace Cameron
Candace Cameron Bure
Ali Larter
Daryl Hannah

David Carradine
Birthday: December 8, 1936
Birth Place: Hollywood, California, USA
Height: 6' 0"

Below is a complete filmography (list of movies he's appeared in) for David Carradine. If you have any corrections or additions, please email us at corrections@actorsofhollywood.com. We'd also be interested in any trivia or other information you have.

Biography

Though he has found success on stage, screen, and television, American actor David Carradine has developed a cult following for his work in two realms: for B-movie martial arts actioners and in television for the portrayal of Kwai Chang Caine, the peripatetic Chinese-American Shaolin priest and martial arts master in the innovative NBC series Kung Fu (1972-1975). David Carradine is the eldest son of veteran character actor John Carradine and was born and raised in Hollywood. With his limp, stringy hair, thick facial features, sad eyes, and rangy build, David is ideal for character roles, and he has proved himself equally adept at playing heroes and villains. His tendency for unpredictability and eccentricity are also traits he shares with his father. Before entering show business, Carradine graduated from San Francisco State University and then spent a few years as a transient laborer working around the country and performing as a folksinger/songwriter. At this time, Carradine experimented with psychedelic drugs. He made his film debut with a bit part in the Western Taggart (1964). In 1965, he appeared on Broadway in The Royal Hunt of the Sun and then was cast in the title role of the short-lived TV Western Shane. After that, he continued with his film career. During this time, Carradine was frequently cast as heartless villains in a number of Westerns. Adept at martial arts, Carradine was chosen over Bruce Lee to play Caine in Kung Fu, while Lee became the technical advisor. In film, Carradine and Barbara Hershey (whom he was living with at the time) appeared in Martin Scorsese's Boxcar Bertha (1972).In 1975, Carradine began a long association with producer Roger Corman, appearing as a racecar driver in such films as Paul Bartel's Death Race 2000 and Cannonball (1976). In 1976, Carradine also appeared in his most distinguished movie role in Hal Ashby's biography of folksinger Woody Guthrie, Bound for Glory. Carradine's own talent for singing and guitar playing, coupled with his earlier taste of the hobo's life, made him well suited for playing Guthrie. But while the film won high praise from critics, it did poorly at the box office, and Carradine did not win too many more roles in major films. He did, however, offer a memorable turn as a Jewish trapeze artist in Ingmar Bergman's The Serpent's Egg (1977), in which Liv Ullman was his co-star. Over the next several years, Carradine mostly appeared in low-budget action films while continuing to appear on television and in theatrical productions such as Black Elk Speaks and Don Juan Speaks. In 1981, he made his debut as a screenwriter/director/producer with the feature film Americana, a low-key drama in which he plays a taciturn Vietnam veteran who heals himself and a troubled Midwestern town by refurbishing an old carousel. And in the early '90s, Carradine reprised his role of Kwai Chang Caine in the cable series Kung Fu: The Legend Continues. After years of near-obscurity, performing in straight-to-video schlock and made-for-television movies, Carradine resurfaced in 2003 with the help of Quentin Tarantino, the same critically acclaimed filmmaker responsible for reviving the career of John Travolta. That year, Carradine briefly appeared in the titular role in Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 1 with Uma Thurman. He reprised the role of charming yet evil criminal boss Bill for Vol. 2 in 2004, this time with a much-expanded part. Upon the release of the second volume, Carradine received a great deal of positive critical notice for his impressive, commanding performance. His new-found success seemed to indicate that a career resurgence was on the horizon for the veteran actor. In addition to his starring work on several television series, Carradine has also done a good deal of guest-starring work on the small screen, including appearing on the popular spy drama Alias in 2003 and 2004, where he was once again able to demonstrate his martial arts skills. Carradine has also written two books, the philosophical Spirit of Shaolin and his autobiography, Endless Highway, and has made a pair of popular instructional videos, David Carradine's Tai Chi Workout and David Carradine's Kung Fu Workout. When not working, the actor enjoys painting, sculpting, and performing music. His most recent musical endeavor was writing and performing several songs for the 2003 film American Reel, in which he starred as struggling singer/songwriter James Lee Springer.

Movie Credits

Buttermilk Sky (2007)
[ Michael Madsen ][ Francesco Quinn ]

Camille (2007)
[ James Franco ][ Scott Glenn ]

Blizhny Boy: Final Fight (2007)
[ Eric Roberts ]

Big Stan (2007)
[ Rob Schneider ][ M. Emmet Walsh ][ Bob Sapp ][ Henry Gibson ][ Kevin Gage ]

Beyond Legend: Johnny Kakota (2006)
[ Christian Slater ][ Billy Zane ][ Kip Pardue ][ James Duval ][ Tommy 'Tiny' Lister ]

Saints Row (2006)
[ Michael Clarke Duncan ][ Clancy Brown ][ Michael Rapaport ][ Daniel Dae Kim ][ Joaquim de Almeida ]

The Last Sect (2006)

What We Did on Our Holidays (2006)
[ Charles Shaughnessy ]

My Suicide (2006)
[ Harry Shearer ][ Joe Mantegna ][ Steven Anthony Lawrence ][ Michael Welch ][ Tony Hale ]

How to Rob a Bank (2006)
[ Nick Stahl ][ Leo Fitzpatrick ][ Terry Crews ][ Gavin Rossdale ]

Treasure Raiders (2006)

Richard III (2006)
[ Danny Trejo ][ Richard Tyson ][ Vincent De Paul ]

Final Move (2006)
[ Daniel Baldwin ][ Lochlyn Munro ][ Matt Schulze ]

Last Hour (2006)
[ Michael Madsen ][ William Baldwin ][ Paul Sorvino ]

Homo Erectus (2006)
[ Ron Jeremy ][ Giuseppe Andrews ]

Miracle at Sage Creek (2005)
[ Wes Studi ][ Martin Kove ]

Brothers in Arms (2005)
[ Peter Greene ][ Glenn Plummer ][ Clifton Powell ][ Raymond Cruz ]

Alamo Tech (2004)

Max Havoc: Curse of the Dragon (2004)
[ Richard Roundtree ]

Last Goodbye (2004)

Hair High (2004)
[ Dermot Mulroney ][ Justin Long ][ Craig Bierko ][ Keith Carradine ][ Tom Noonan ]

Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
[ Samuel L. Jackson ][ Michael Madsen ][ Johnny Cash ][ Sid Haig ][ Robert Ri'chard ]

Dead & Breakfast (2004)
[ Jeremy Sisto ][ Diedrich Bader ][ Erik Palladino ][ Devon Gummersall ][ Jeffrey Dean Morgan ]

Countdown (2003)

Bala perdida (2003)

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
[ Michael Madsen ][ Sonny Chiba ][ Robert Ri'chard ]

American Reel (2003)

The Outsider (2002)
[ Timothy Daly ][ Keith Carradine ]

Wheatfield with Crows (2002)

Balto II: Wolf Quest (2002)
[ Mark Hamill ][ Peter MacNicol ][ Maurice LaMarche ][ Rob Paulsen ][ Jeff Bennett ]

Out of the Wilderness (2001)
[ David Naughton ]

The Defectors (2001)

The Serpent (2001)

Warden of Red Rock (2001)
[ James Caan ][ Stephen Gyllenhaal ][ Mark Metcalf ][ Jim Beaver ]

G.O.D. (2001)
[ Olivier Gruner ]

Largo Winch: The Heir (2001)

The Warrior Incarnate (2001)

Telling Lies, Conclusion (2000)

Going Home (2000)
[ Jason Robards ][ Charles Martin Smith ][ Christopher Rich ][ Clint Black ]

Dangerous Curves (2000)
[ Robert Carradine ]

Nightfall (2000)

By Dawn's Early Light (2000)
[ Richard Crenna ][ Chris Olivero ]

The Donor (2000)

Down 'n Dirty (2000)
[ Gary Busey ][ Fred Williamson ][ Bubba Smith ]

Kiss of a Stranger (1999)
[ Corbin Bernsen ][ David Millbern ]

Zoo (1999)

The Puzzle in the Air (1999)

Natural Selection (1999)
[ Stephen Root ][ Bob Balaban ]

Knocking on Death's Door (1999)
[ John Doe ][ Brian Bloom ]

Shepherd (1999)
[ C. Thomas Howell ][ Clarence Williams III ]

An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island (1998)
[ Ron Perlman ][ Rene Auberjonois ][ Dom DeLuise ][ Tony Jay ][ John Kassir ]

The Effects of Magic (1998)
[ Robert Carradine ]

The New Swiss Family Robinson (1998)

Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror (1998)
[ Stephen King ][ Alexis Arquette ][ Kane Hodder ][ Greg Vaughan ][ Fred Williamson ]

Nosferatu: The First Vampire (1998)

Lovers and Liars (1998)
[ Michael York ][ David Faustino ]

Sublet (1998)
[ Danny Nucci ]

Martian Law (1998)
[ Robert Carradine ]

Light Speed (1998)

Full Blast (1997)

The Rage (1997)
[ Gary Busey ][ Roy Scheider ][ Lorenzo Lamas ][ Brandon Smith ]

Lost Treasure of Dos Santos (1997)
[ Lee Majors ][ John Wesley Shipp ]

Last Stand at Saber River (1997)
[ Haley Joel Osment ][ Tom Selleck ][ Keith Carradine ][ Harry Carey Jr. ][ Raymond Cruz ]

Macon County Jail (1997)

Dead Center (1994)
[ Justin Lazard ]

Bitter End (1993)

Kill Zone (1993)

Frontera Sur (1993)

Distant Justice (1992)
[ George Kennedy ][ Sasha Jenson ]

Animal Instincts (1992)
[ Maxwell Caulfield ][ Jan-Michael Vincent ][ John Saxon ]

Roadside Prophets (1992)
[ John Cusack ][ Don Cheadle ][ Flea ][ Stephen Tobolowsky ][ Lee Arenberg ]

Night Rhythms (1992)
[ Martin Hewitt ]

Waxwork II: Lost in Time (1992)
[ Bruce Campbell ][ Maxwell Caulfield ][ Kane Hodder ][ Martin Kemp ][ Frank Zagarino ]

Double Trouble (1992)
[ Roddy McDowall ][ Kane Hodder ][ James Doohan ][ Bill Mumy ][ Lewis Arquette ]

Evil Toons (1992)

Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (1992)
[ Chris Potter ]

Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (1991)
[ Bruce Campbell ][ Maxwell Caulfield ][ M. Emmet Walsh ][ Dabbs Greer ]

Águila y el caballo, El (1991)

Project Eliminator (1991)
[ Frank Zagarino ]

Capital Punishment (1991)

Field of Fire (1991)

Karate Cop (1991)

The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw (1991)
[ Mickey Rooney ][ Brian Keith ][ Chuck Connors ][ Doug McClure ][ Don S. Davis ]

Brotherhood of the Gun (1991)
[ James Remar ][ Brian Bloom ]

Deadly Surveillance (1991)
[ Michael Ironside ]

Sonny Boy (1990)
[ Brad Dourif ]

Future Zone (1990)

Bird on a Wire (1990)
[ Mel Gibson ][ Hans Zimmer ][ Bill Duke ][ Stephen Tobolowsky ][ Christopher Judge ]

Huellas del lince, Las (1990)

Think Big (1990)
[ Richard Kiel ][ Tommy 'Tiny' Lister ][ Michael Winslow ][ Martin Mull ][ Peter Lupus ]

Dune Warriors (1990)

Martial Law (1990)
[ Chad McQueen ]

Future Force (1990)

Midnight Fear (1990)
[ Craig Wasson ]

Night Children (1990)

The Prisoner: Part 1 (1989)
[ Tommy 'Tiny' Lister ][ Al Sapienza ]

Warlords (1989)
[ Sid Haig ]

Try This One for Size (1989)
[ Rod Steiger ][ Guy Marchand ]

Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II (1989)
[ Sid Haig ][ Blake Bahner ]

The Cover Girl and the Cop (1989)
[ Jonathan Frakes ][ Blair Underwood ][ Robert Picardo ][ Parker Stevenson ][ Whip Hubley ]

Tropical Snow (1989)
[ Tim Allen ][ Jsu Garcia ]

Crime of Crimes (1989)
[ Aldo Ray ]

The Mad Bunch (1989)

Nowhere to Run (1989)
[ Jason Priestley ]

Crime Zone (1988)
[ Daryl Haney ]

I Saw What You Did (1988)
[ Robert Carradine ]

Open Fire (1988)

Run for Your Life (1988)
[ George Segal ][ Franco Nero ]

Animal Protector (1988)

Fatal Secret (1988)

The Misfit Brigade (1987)
[ Oliver Reed ][ Bruce Davison ][ David Patrick Kelly ][ Jay O. Sanders ]

The Country Boy (1987)

Six Against the Rock (1987)
[ David Morse ][ Dennis Farina ][ Jan-Michael Vincent ][ Howard Hesseman ]

Heartbeat (1987)
[ Don Johnson ][ Giancarlo Esposito ][ Dweezil Zappa ]

Armed Response (1986)
[ Lee Van Cleef ][ Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa ][ Mako ][ Michael Berryman ][ Brent Huff ]

Oceans of Fire (1986)
[ Billy Dee Williams ][ Gregory Harrison ][ Tony Burton ][ Ken Norton ]

Behind Enemy Lines (1986)
[ Mako ]

Kung Fu: The Movie (1986)
[ Brandon Lee ][ Martin Landau ][ Mako ]

The Bad Seed (1985)
[ David Ogden Stiers ][ Chad Allen ]

On the Line (1984)
[ Mitch Pileggi ]

The Warrior and the Sorceress (1984)

Jealousy (1984)
[ Paul Michael Glaser ][ Richard Mulligan ]

To the Finish (1983)

Americana (1983)

Lone Wolf McQuade (1983)
[ Chuck Norris ][ Kane Hodder ][ Robert Beltran ][ William Sanderson ][ Aaron Norris ]

Safari 3000 (1982)
[ Christopher Lee ]

Trick or Treats (1982)

Q (1982)
[ Michael Moriarty ][ Richard Roundtree ]

High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane (1980)
[ Lee Majors ][ M. Emmet Walsh ][ Pernell Roberts ][ Tracey Walter ]

Cloud Dancer (1980)
[ Joseph Bottoms ]

The Long Riders (1980)
[ Dennis Quaid ][ Christopher Guest ][ Randy Quaid ][ James Remar ][ Robert Carradine ]

Gauguin the Savage (1980)
[ Ian Richardson ]

Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider (1979)
[ Noble Willingham ][ David R. Ellis ]

Je te tiens, tu me tiens par la barbichette (1979)

Mr. Horn (1979)
[ Richard Widmark ]

Circle of Iron (1978)
[ Christopher Lee ][ Eli Wallach ][ Roddy McDowall ]

Deathsport (1978)
[ David R. Ellis ]

Gray Lady Down (1978)
[ Christopher Reeve ][ Charlton Heston ][ Stacy Keach ][ Ned Beatty ]

The Serpent's Egg (1977)
[ Ingmar Bergman ][ James Whitmore ]

Thunder and Lightning (1977)

Bound for Glory (1976)
[ Randy Quaid ][ M. Emmet Walsh ][ Brion James ][ David R. Ellis ][ Tony Becker ]

Cannonball! (1976)
[ Sylvester Stallone ][ Robert Carradine ][ Bill McKinney ][ Aron Kincaid ]

You and Me (1975)
[ Gary Busey ][ Robert Carradine ][ Keith Carradine ]

Death Race 2000 (1975)
[ Sylvester Stallone ][ Martin Kove ]

One Step to Darkness (1975)

The Long Way Home: Part 1 (1975)

The Squawman (1973)

Mean Streets (1973)
[ Robert De Niro ][ Martin Scorsese ][ Harvey Keitel ][ Robert Carradine ][ Eric Clapton ]

The Long Goodbye (1973)
[ Arnold Schwarzenegger ][ Robert Altman ][ Elliott Gould ][ John Williams ][ Sterling Hayden ]

Boxcar Bertha (1972)
[ Martin Scorsese ][ Bernie Casey ]

Kung Fu (1972)
[ Keith Carradine ]

Maybe I'll Come Home in the Spring (1971)
[ Jackie Cooper ]

Macho Callahan (1970)
[ Lee J. Cobb ][ James Gammon ]

The McMasters (1970)
[ Jack Palance ][ Alan Vint ]

The Good Guys and the Bad Guys (1969)
[ Robert Mitchum ][ George Kennedy ][ Martin Balsam ]

Young Billy Young (1969)
[ Robert Mitchum ]

Heaven with a Gun (1969)
[ Glenn Ford ]

Due Process of the Law (1968)

Johnny Belinda (1967)

The Violent Ones (1967)
[ Aldo Ray ]

The Greatest Game: Part 1 (1966)

Too Many Thieves (1966)

Bus Riley's Back in Town (1965)
[ James Doohan ]

Ten Minutes from Now (1964)

Taggart (1964)
[ Harry Carey Jr. ]

Trivia

Son of John Carradine; half-brother of Keith Carradine, Robert Carradine and Michael Bowen, brother of Bruce Carradine.
Lived with Barbara Hershey. (She added Seagull to her name during this time.) They have a son whom they named Free Carradine at birth, but who has since changed his name to Tom Carradine. [1972-1975]
Convicted of drunk driving in October 1989. Served 48 hours in jail and did community service.
Has a lifelong fascination with Eastern philosphies and culture which resulted in him writing the book "Spirit Of The Shaolin" about the philosophy of Kung Fu.
Uncle of actresses Martha Plimpton and Ever Carradine.
Daughter: Calista Miranda Carradine (b. 1962).
Daughter: Kansas Carradine (b. 1978).
Began studying the Martial Arts after getting cast in "Kung Fu" (1972).
Studied drama at San Francisco State University.
September 2004: Was suppose to attended the Armaggeddon Pulp Culture Expo Convention in Wellington, New Zealand as a special "Kill Bill" guest but had to pull out at the last minute due to filming commitments.
To date, he is the only actor who has appeared in films directed by Martin Scorsese, Ingmar Bergman and Quentin Tarantino.
Because of his look, his stint on the TV series "Kung Fu" and his fascination with eastern philosophies, people often assume that he is at least part Asian. He is not.

Naked Photos of David Carradine are available at MaleStars.com. They currently feature over 65,000 Nude Pics, Biographies, Video Clips, Articles, and Movie Reviews of famous stars.