Robert Carradine, an American actor best known for his roles in the 1984 comedy film “Revenge of the Nerds” and the 2001 Disney Channel original series “Lizzie McGuire,” has died. He was 71.
Hilary Duff, who played Carradine’s titular on-screen daughter in “Lizzie McGuire,” shared news of the actor’s death in an Instagram tribute on Monday night.
“This one hurts,” she wrote. “It’s really hard to face this reality about an old friend.
There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents. I’ll be forever grateful for that. I’m deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering. My heart aches for him , his family and everyone who loved him.”
Jake Thomas, who played Carradine’s son Matt McGuire on the Disney sitcom, also shared a tribute on Instagram.
“My heart hurts today,” Thomas wrote. “I was fortunate to know Bobby for most of my life. And he was one of the coolest guys you could ever meet. Funny, pragmatic, sometimes cranky, always a little eccentric. He was a talented actor, musician and director. But more than anything, he was family. I have many fond memories of being with him and his family throughout my life. Good moments, challenging moments and lots of laughs in between.”
He continued, “I looked up to him growing up. And later, I came to realize he thought I was pretty neat, too. So I guess I was doing something right.”
Robert Carradine starred alongside Anthony Edwards in Jeff Kanew’s 1984 cult classic “Revenge of the Nerds.” In “Lizzie McGuire,” he played the McGuire family patriarch, Sam. His other notable film credits include “Escape from L.A.,” “The Big Red One,” “Body Bags,” “The Long Riders” and “Django Unchained.”
Robert Carradine was born in 1954 to a family of entertainers. His father was actor John Carradine. Two of his brothers, David and Keith Carradine, were actors and filmmakers, while his third sibling, Christopher Carradine, was a Disney Imagineer. His breakout film was the 1972 western “The Cowboys,” in which he appeared alongside John Wayne.