1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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David Carradine Biography (1936-)

Original name, John Arthur Carradine; born December 8, 1936, in Hollywood, CA; son of John Richmond Reed (an actor) and Ardanelle Abigail (McCool) Carradine; half-brother of Keith Carradine and Robert Carradine (both actors); uncleof Martha Plimpton and Ever Carradine (both actresses); married Donna Lee Becht (an actress; divorced); companion of Barbara Hershey (an actress; also known as Barbara Seagull), 1972-75; married Linda Gilbert, 1977 (divorced, 1983); married Gail Jensen (a manager, producer, and songwriter), 1986 (divorced,c. 1997); married Marina Benjamin (an actress and producer), February, 1997;children: (first marriage) Calista (an actress); (with Barbara Hershey) Tom(a special effects artist; also known as Free); (second marriage) Kansas (a student). Education: Attended Oakland Junior College, San Francisco State College (now San Francisco State University), and the University of California, Berkeley; studied acting, dialects, voice, piano, tap, ballet, martialarts, fencing, aerobatic flying, horsemanship, and fast draws. Politics:"Jeffersonian Democrat." Religion: Christian Scientist. Avocational interests: Music, songwriting, filmmaking, sculpting, painting, creating computer art, philosophy, art, science, horses, children, French, the American Revolution, tai chi, baseball, coaching athletes of the Special Olympics. Addresses: Agent-- Gilla Roos West, 9744 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Career: Actor, director, producer, and writer. Composer of more than seventy songs for the publishing company of Catahoula andCarlin. Affiliated with Art House. Also worked as a commercial illustrator and at the Lucky Lager Brewery. Military service: U.S. Army, 1960-62. Member: Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Actors' Equity Association, Directors Guild of America, Writers Guild of America, Muscular Dystrophy Association, National Rifle Association, Fraternal Order of Police (honorary member), 1199 Club. Awards, Honors: Theatre World Award, most promising personality, 1965, for TheRoyal Hunt of the Sun; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding continued performance by an actor in a leading role in a drama series, 1972, and Golden Globe Award nomination, best television actor--drama, 1974, both for Kung Fu; National Board of Review Award, best actor, and Golden Globe Award nomination, best motion picture actor--drama, both 1976, for Bound for Glory; Man of the Year Award, Fraternal Order of Police, 1985; Golden Globe Awardnomination, best performance by an actor in a supporting role in a series, miniseries, or motion picture made for television, 1986, for North and South; received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, 1997; Directors Fortnight Award, Cannes International Film Festival, for the score of Mata Hari. Addresses: Agent: Gilla Roos West, 9744 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Occupation

Actor, director, producer, writer

Birth Details

December 8, 1936

Hollywood, California, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Title role, Shane, ABC, 1966
• Kwai Chang Caine, Kung Fu, ABC, 1972-75
• Kwai Chang Caine, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, syndicated, 1993-97
• Walking after Midnight,1999
• Television Work
• Series
• Director, Kung Fu, ABC, 1972-75
• Producer (with Larry Lelonde and Phil Bedard), Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, syndicated, 1993-97
• Television Appearances
• Miniseries
• Tom Horn, Mr. Horn, CBS, 1979
• Justin LaMotte, North and South, ABC, 1985
• Justin LaMotte, North and South, Book II, ABC, 1986
• Also appeared in Confessional.
• Movies
• Flack, Maybe I'll Come Home in the Spring(also known as Deadly Desire and Maybe I'll Be Home in the Spring), ABC, 1970
• Ben Irons, High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane(also knownas High Noon, Part II and The Return of Will Kane), CBS, 1980
• Paul Gauguin, Gauguin the Savage, CBS, 1980
• Bobby DuChamp, Jealousy, ABC, 1984
• Leroy Jessup, The Bad Seed, ABC, 1985
• J. C. Busch, Oceans of Fire, CBS, 1986
• Kwai Chang Caine, Kung Fu: The Movie, CBS, 1986
• Bernard Coy, Six against the Rock, NBC, 1987
• The Cup,1988
• Stephen Lancer, I Saw What You Did(also known as I Saw What YouDid... and I Know Who You Are!), CBS, 1988
• Slade, The Cover Girl and the Cop(also known as Beauty and Denise), NBC, 1989
• John Tucker, Future Force(also known as Civilian Operated Police Systems and COPS), syndicated, 1990
• Artemis McBride, Brotherhood of the Gun(also known as Knuckleduster and Spanish Gulch), CBS, 1991
• John Tucker, Future Zone(also known as Back to the Past andFuture Force II), syndicated, 1991
• Kwai Chang Caine, Luck of the Draw: The Gambler Returns(also knownas The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw), NBC, 1991
• Lieutenant, Deadly Surveillance, Showtime, 1991
• Duane Kidston, Last Stand at Saber River, TNT, 1997
• Martin Shaw, Lost Treasure of Dos Santos, The Family Channel, 1997
• Martian Law,1998
• Out of the Wilderness,1998
• Sheldon Blake, The New Swiss Family Robinson, ABC, 1998
• Mike Sullivan, The Warden, syndicated, 2000
• Nick, By Dawn's Early Light, Showtime, 2000
• Television Work
• Movies
• Producer, Kung Fu: The Movie, CBS, 1986
• Associate producer, Future Force(also known as Civilian Operated Police Systems and COPS), syndicated, 1990
• Television Appearances
• Specials
• Locky, Johnny Belinda, ABC, 1967
• Don Johnson's Music Video Feature and Heartbeat(also known asHeartbeat), HBO, 1987
• Mr. Big, Too Hot to Skate, CBS, 1997
• Episodic
• "The Eli Bancroft Story," Wagon Train, ABC, 1963
• "Go Fight City Hall," East Side, West Side, CBS, 1963
• "The Intruders," The Virginian, NBC, 1964
• "Thou Still Unravished Bride," The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, NBC, 1965
• "The War and Eric Kurtz," Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theater,NBC, 1965
• "The Greatest Game," Trials of O'Brien, CBS, 1966
• "Cortez and the Legend," Saga of Western Man, NBC, 1967
• "The Hunted," Cimarron Strip, CBS, 1967
• Walter Arnold, "The Rebels," Coronet Blue, CBS, 1967
• Pogo Weems, "Due Process of Law," Ironside, NBC, 1968
• "Tarot," The Name of the Game, NBC, 1970
• "License to Kill," Ironside, NBC, 1971
• "The Quincunx," Ironside, NBC, 1971
• Clint, "Lavery," Gunsmoke, CBS, 1971
• Gideon, "The Phantom Farmhouse," Night Gallery, NBC, 1971
• "The Long Way Home," The Family Holvak, CBS, 1975
• Host, Saturday Night Live(also known as NBC's Saturday Night, Saturday Night, and SNL), NBC, 1980
• "Hostage," Today's F.B.I., ABC, 1981
• Hitchhiker, "Partnership," Darkroom, ABC, 1981
• Pat Patterson, "To the Finish," The Fall Guy, ABC, 1983
• "Mind of the Machine," Airwolf, CBS, 1984
• "Paddles Up," Partners in Crime, NBC, 1984
• Caretaker, "October the 31st," The Fall Guy, ABC, 1984
• Michael Harris, "A Distant Scream" (also known as "Dying Truth"), Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense, Associated Television and Hammer Film Productions, 1984
• Himself, "Dead Ringer," The Fall Guy, ABC, 1985
• Calvin, "Thanksgiving," Amazing Stories, NBC, 1986
• "And the Moon Be Still As Bright," The Ray Bradbury Theater, USA Network, 1987
• "Tell Me a Story," Night Heat, CBS, 1987
• Jimmy Legrand, "The Country Boy," Matlock, NBC, 1987
• Steve Mazarofski, "The Prisoner" (parts one and two), Matlock, NBC, 1989
• The buzzard eater, "Ghosts," The Young Riders, ABC, 1990
• Huston, "Hostage," Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, CBS, 1996
• Voice of Mandrax, "Ape-pocalypse... A Little Later!," Captain Simian and The Space Monkeys(animated), syndicated, 1997
• Voice of Mandrax, "The Mandrill Who Knew Too Much," Captain Simian & The Space Monkeys(animated), syndicated, 1997
• Profiler, NBC, 1999
• Tempus, "Deja Vu All Over Again," Charmed, The WB, 1999
• Also appeared in an episode of Armstrong Circle Theater(also knownas Circle Theater), NBC and CBS.
• Pilots
• Kwai Chang Caine, Kung Fu, ABC, 1972
• Kwai Chang Caine, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, syndicated, 1993
• Music Videos
• "Heartbeat," by Don Johnson, c. 1987
• Film Appearances
• Cal Dodge, Taggart, Universal, 1964
• Stretch, Bus Riley's Back in Town, Universal, 1965
• Lucas Barnes, The Violent Ones(also known as Touch White, TouchBlack), Feature Film, 1967
• Too Many Thieves, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1968
• Coke Beck, Heaven with a Gun, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1969
• Jesse Boone, Young Billy Young(also known as Who Rides with Kane), United Artists, 1969
• Waco, The Good Guys and the Bad Guys, Warner Bros., 1969
• Colonel David Mountford, Macho Callahan, Avco-Embassy, 1970
• White Feather, The McMasters(also known as The Blood Crowdand The McMasters... Tougher Than the West Itself), Chevron, 1970
• "Big" Bill Shelley, Boxcar Bertha, American International Pictures, 1972
• House of Dracula's Daughter,1973
• Drunk, Mean Streets, Warner Bros., 1973
• (Uncredited) Inmate, The Long Goodbye, United Artists, 1973
• You and Me,1975
• Frankenstein, Death Race 2000, New World Pictures, 1975
• Coy "Cannonball" Buckman, Cannonball(also known as Carquake), New World Pictures, 1976
• Woody Guthrie, Bound for Glory, United Artists, 1976
• Abel Rosenberg, The Serpent's Egg(also known as Das Schlangenei), Paramount, 1977
• Harley Thomas, Thunder and Lightning(also known as Thunder on the Highway), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1977
• Himself, A Look at Liv(documentary), Win Kao Productions, 1977
• Roger Corman: Hollywood's Wild Angel(documentary), Blackwood Films, 1978
• Captain Gates, Gray Lady Down, Universal, 1978
• Kaz Oshay, Deathsport, New World Pictures, 1978
• Brad Randolph, Cloud Dancer, Blossom Pictures, 1979
• Chang-sha, blind man, monkey-man, and Death, Circle of Iron(also known as The Silent Flute), Avco-Embassy, 1979
• Charlie Swattle, Fast Charlie, the Moonbeam Rider(also known as Fast Charlie and the Moonbeam), Universal, 1979
• Cole Younger, The Long Riders, United Artists, 1980
• The American soldier, Americana, Crown International, 1981
• Cameo appearance, The Best of Sex and Violence(documentary), Wizard Video, 1981
• Detective Shepard, Q(also known as Q: The Winged Serpent, Serpent, and The Winged Serpent), United Film Distributors, 1982
• Eddie Miles, Safari 3000, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1982
• Richard, Trick or Treats, Lone Star International Pictures, 1982
• Rawley Wilkes, Lone Wolf McQuade, Orion, 1983
• Bryant, On the Line(also known as Rio abajo), El Iman/Amber, 1984
• Kain, Kain of the Dark Planet,1984
• Kain, The Warrior and the Sorceress, New World Pictures, 1984
• Labyrinth, TriStar, 1986
• Colonel Jim Cooper, P.O.W.: The Escape(also known as Behind Enemy Lines), Cannon, 1986
• Jim Roth, Armed Response(also known as Jade Jungle), CineTel, 1986
• Colonel Von Weisshagen, Wheels of Terror, Manley, 1986 released asThe Misfit Brigade, Trans World, 1988
• Marathon,1987
• Run for Your Life(also known as Lute: El camino o revienta), Multivideo, 1987
• Colonel Whitlock, Animal Protector, Producers Corporation, 1988
• The dark one, Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II, Concorde-New Horizons, 1988
• Dow, Warlords, American International Pictures, 1988
• Joe Rourke, Open Fire,1988
• Michael LeWinter, Fatal Secret, Swedish Action Film Force, 1988
• Singer, Maniac Cop, Shapiro-Glickenhaus, 1988
• Crime of Crimes, Trident Releasing, 1989
• Las huellas del lince, A. G. Films/Casablanca Films/Tripode Films,1989
• Ministry of Vengeance, Concorde Pictures, 1989
• Bradley, Sauf votre respect(also known as Try This One for Size), Candice Productions, 1989
• Harmon, Nowhere to Run, Concorde Pictures, 1989
• Jason, Crime Zone, Concorde Pictures, 1989
• Jozek Mardulak/Count Dracula, Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat, Vestron Video, 1989
• Oskar, Tropical Snow,1989
• Professor Foxwood, The Mad Bunch, Swedish Action Film Force, 1989
• Dalton Rhodes, Martial Law, Media Home Entertainment, 1990
• Eugene Sorenson, Bird on a Wire, Universal, 1990
• John Sweeney, Think Big, Concorde Pictures, 1990
• Pearl, Sonny Boy, Triumph Releasing, 1990
• Dad, Omega Cop II: The Challenge(also known as Karate Cop and Omega Cop II), Romarc, 1991
• Michael, Dune Warriors, Concorde Pictures, 1991
• Ron Morrell, Project Eliminator, Victory Pictures, 1991
• Night Children(also known as Children of the Night), Columbia/TriStar Home Video, 1992
• Beggar, Waxwork II: Lost in Time(also known as Lost in Timeand Space Shift: Waxwork II), LIVE Home Video, 1992
• General Corman, Field of Fire(also known as Battle Gear), Concorde Pictures, 1992
• Gideon Fisk, Evil Toons, American Independent Pictures, 1992
• Hanley, Midnight Fear, Rhino Home Video, 1992
• Joe Foley, Distant Justice, Columbia/TriStar Home Video, 1992
• Lamberti, Animal Instincts, Academy, 1992
• Mr. C., Double Trouble(also known as Cold Sweat, Twice as Hard, and Under the Gun), Motion Picture Corporation of America,1992
• Othello Jones, Roadside Prophets, New Line Cinema, 1992
• Vincent, Night Rhythms, Imperial Entertainment, 1992
• Frontera Sur(also known as Code Death), 1993
• Colonel Horace Wiggins, Kill Zone, New Horizons Home Video, 1993
• Chavez, Dead Center(also known as Crazy Joe), 21st CenturyFilm Corporation, 1994
• Michael Maltin, Capital Punishment, Screen Pix Home Video, 1996
• Full Blast, Showcase Entertainment, 1997
• Knocking on Death's Door, Concorde Pictures, 1997
• The Defectors,1998
• Light Speed, Santelmo Entertainment, 1998
• Nosferatu: The First Vampire,[video], 1998
• Dehoven, Natural Selection, Rio Bravo Entertainment, 1998
• Lemmy, Stray Bullet II, New Horizons Home Video, 1998
• Lucas, The Rage, Miramax, 1998
• Luke Enright, Children of the Corn V: Field of Terror(also known as Children of the Corn 5), Dimension Films, 1998
• Max Kaufman, Sublet, Krasko Productions, 1998
• Mr. Montague, Lovers and Liars,1998
• Sean, Drop-Dead, Libra Pictures/Regent Entertainment, 1998
• Coley, Crossroads of Destiny(also known as Jailbreak and Macon County Jail), Concorde Pictures, 1999
• Drexel Turnquist, Zoo, Pilgrims 5, 1999
• James Lee Springer, American Reel, KiMina Entertainment/North by Northwest Entertainment, 1999
• Sean O'Leary, Kiss of a Stranger, Libra Pictures/Regent Entertainment, 1999
• Ventriloquist, Shepherd(also known as Cybercity), 1999
• The Donor, RGH/Lions Share Pictures, 2000
• Down and Dirty, Golden Lion Productions, 2000
• Nightfall(also known as Isaac Asimov's Nightfall), Concorde-New Horizons, 2000
• Norman Williams, G.O.D., Amsell Entertainment, 2000
• Voice characterization, An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island(animated), Universal Pictures Home Video, 2000
• Appeared in the documentary Shows of Strength: David Carradine's Martial Arts Adventure; also appeared in Action Force Team and Caddo Lake.
• Film Work
• Director, You and Me,1975
• Director, producer, and editor, Americana, Crown International, 1981
• Associate producer, Project Eliminator, Victory Pictures, 1991
• Stage Appearances
• Iago, Othello, San Francisco State College (now San Francisco State University), San Francisco, CA, c. 1958
• The Deputy, Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York City, 1963
• Atahualpa (the sovereign Inca), The Royal Hunt of the Sun, American National Theatre and Academy, New York City, 1965
• The Transgressor Rides Again,1969
• The Ballad of Johnny Pot,1970
• Appeared as Tybalt, Romeo and Juliet, Playbox Theatre, Berkeley, CA; appeared in Black Elk Speaks, American Indian Theatre, Tulsa, OK; also appeared in productions of other Shakespearian plays, including Hamlet.
• Stage Work
• Producer, Othello, San Francisco State College (now San FranciscoState University), c. 1958
• RECORDINGS
• Videos
• (With David Nakahara) David Carradine's Tai Chi Workout, Boxtree (London, England), 1994 produced as David Carradine's Tai Chi Workout: The Beginner's Program for a Healthier Mind and Body, Henry Holt(New York City), 1995
• (With David Nakahara) David Carradine's Introduction to Chi Kung:The Beginner's Program for Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Well-Being, Henry Holt, 1997
• WRITINGS
• Screenplays
• Americana, Crown International, 1981
• Composer for Films, Unless Otherwise Noted
• Americana, Crown International, 1981
• Songs, American Reel, KiMina Entertainment/North by Northwest Entertainment, 1999
• Composed the score of Mata Hari.
• Composer for the Stage
• Composed music for the annual revues of the Drama Department, San Francisco State College (now San Francisco State University).
• Nonfiction
• The Spirit of Shaolin, Tuttle (Boston, MA), 1991
• Endless Highway(autobiography), Journey Editions (Boston, MA), 1995
• Other Writings
• Author (with Christopher Sergel) of the book Troublemaker; composer of songs.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

• Booklist, December 1, 1995 , p. 603.
• Entertainment Weekly, December 8, 1995 , p. 59.
• Library Journal, February 15, 1998 , pp. 180-181.
• People Weekly, January 11, 1999 , p. 133.

Other:

• The Official David Carradine Website, October 2, 2000 http://www.davidcarradine.org ().