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It was through music, which he studied at university, and theater that Carradine first made his move into the entertainment world.
His first major big screen role came playing a Depression-era union leader in Martin Scorcese's 1972 "Boxcar Bertha."
The legendary New York director would employ Carradine's talent a year later in the classic "Mean Streets," where he played opposite silver screen icons Robert De Niro and Harvey Keitel.
But at that time Carradine was already a star in the United States through his role as Kwai Chang Caine in the hit TV series "Kung Fu." He portrayed a US-Chinese man fighting evil with martial arts skills in the American Wild West.
The cocktail of western and kung-fu styles proved a hit formula, lasting three seasons in its original format, and later spawned the 1986 film "Kung Fu: The Movie," starring Carradine and martial arts hero Bruce Lee's son, Brandon Lee.
By the time the first incarnation of "Kung Fu" left the US small screen, however, Carradine was himself popular culture icon.
In 1976 he was nominated for a Golden Globe award for his portrayal of folk musician Woody Gutherie in "Bound for Glory."
The following year, director Ingmar Bergman called on Carradine to play a wandering out-of-work American Jew in poverty-struck Weimar Germany, for the movie "The Serpent's Egg."
Swedish master Bergman was said to have entrusted Carradine to take the role for his commanding physical presence, recalling that of his father.
In the following two decades Carradine continued to work, but failed to find success outside of cult "B movies," as he was beset by the use of drugs and alcohol.
In the mid-1990s, he resumed the role as Kwai Chang Caine in "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues," which found home on US TV for a further 60 episodes.
A huge fan of his B movie work during the 1980s and 1990s, director Quentin Tarantino called on Carradine to play the title character in the 2002-2003 revenge-action-epic "Kill Bill" and "Kill Bill II."
Carradine's work on the 2002-2003 movies earned him a fourth Golden Globe "Best Actor" nomination.
Married five times, most recently in 2004, and the father of two daughters, Carradine was still working at the time of his death, on a French film called "Stretch."
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His first major big screen role came playing a Depression-era union leader in Martin Scorcese's 1972 "Boxcar Bertha."
The legendary New York director would employ Carradine's talent a year later in the classic "Mean Streets," where he played opposite silver screen icons Robert De Niro and Harvey Keitel.
But at that time Carradine was already a star in the United States through his role as Kwai Chang Caine in the hit TV series "Kung Fu." He portrayed a US-Chinese man fighting evil with martial arts skills in the American Wild West.
The cocktail of western and kung-fu styles proved a hit formula, lasting three seasons in its original format, and later spawned the 1986 film "Kung Fu: The Movie," starring Carradine and martial arts hero Bruce Lee's son, Brandon Lee.
By the time the first incarnation of "Kung Fu" left the US small screen, however, Carradine was himself popular culture icon.
In 1976 he was nominated for a Golden Globe award for his portrayal of folk musician Woody Gutherie in "Bound for Glory."
The following year, director Ingmar Bergman called on Carradine to play a wandering out-of-work American Jew in poverty-struck Weimar Germany, for the movie "The Serpent's Egg."
Swedish master Bergman was said to have entrusted Carradine to take the role for his commanding physical presence, recalling that of his father.
In the following two decades Carradine continued to work, but failed to find success outside of cult "B movies," as he was beset by the use of drugs and alcohol.
In the mid-1990s, he resumed the role as Kwai Chang Caine in "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues," which found home on US TV for a further 60 episodes.
A huge fan of his B movie work during the 1980s and 1990s, director Quentin Tarantino called on Carradine to play the title character in the 2002-2003 revenge-action-epic "Kill Bill" and "Kill Bill II."
Carradine's work on the 2002-2003 movies earned him a fourth Golden Globe "Best Actor" nomination.
Married five times, most recently in 2004, and the father of two daughters, Carradine was still working at the time of his death, on a French film called "Stretch."
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