kickingfrog Posted June 4, 2009 Report Posted June 4, 2009 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/d...article1168528/ David Carradine found dead in Bangkok Star of 1970s TV series Kung Fu and the Kill Bill films was a leading member of a venerable Hollywood acting family Kung Fu star Carradine dies in Bangkok Article Video Comments (34) Bangkok — Associated Press, Thursday, Jun. 04, 2009 11:18AM EDT Actor David Carradine, star of the 1970s TV series Kung Fu who also had a wide-ranging career in the movies, has been found dead in Bangkok. A news report said he was found hanged in his hotel room and was believed to have committed suicide. A spokesman for the U.S. Embassy, Michael Turner, confirmed the death of the 72-year-old actor. He said the embassy was informed by Thai authorities that Mr. Carradine died either late Wednesday or early today, but he could not provide further details out of consideration for his family. The Web site of the Thai newspaper The Nation cited unidentified police sources as saying Mr. Carradine was found hanged in his luxury hotel room. It said he was in Bangkok to shoot a movie and had been staying at the hotel since Tuesday. The newspaper said Mr. Carradine could not be contacted after he failed to appear for a meal with the rest of the film crew on Wednesday, and that his body was found by a hotel maid at 10 a.m. Thursday morning. The name of the movie was not immediately available. It said a preliminary police investigation found that he had hanged himself with a cord used with the room's curtains. It cited police as saying he had been dead at least 12 hours and there was no sign that he had been assaulted. A police officer at Bangkok's Lumpini precinct station would not confirm the identity of the dead man, but said the luxury Swissotel Nai Lert Park hotel had reported that a male guest killed himself there. Mr. Carradine was a leading member of a venerable Hollywood acting family that included his father, character actor John Carradine, and brother Keith. In all, he appeared in more than 100 feature films with such directors as Martin Scorsese, Ingmar Bergman and Hal Ashby. But he was best known for his role as Kwai Chang Caine, a Shaolin priest travelling the 1800s American frontier West in the TV series Kung Fu , which aired from 1972-75. He reprised the role in a mid-1980s TV movie and played Caine's grandson in the 1990s syndicated series Kung Fu: The Legend Continues. The series, which can still be seen in reruns, was shot in Toronto, where Carradine lived for part of the time while it was in production. He returned to the top in recent years as the title character in Quentin Tarantino's two-part saga Kill Bill.
JohnF Posted June 4, 2009 Report Posted June 4, 2009 Anyone else ever find it interesting how much closer we feel to those folks we've watched in movies and tv? Once in a while I try to sort out why it is I relate to a story like this but am less than unaware when I hear about the same thing happening to someone I've never heard of. It's not like I knew the guy. I kinda got a kick out of his "Grasshopper" schtick, but didn't particularly enjoy anything else he did, including the later series with his son the detective. It's always sad when anyone gets so beaten down (however that happens) that they take their own life. It seems to be even harder for celebs to cope with a waning career, or getting old, or falling from the public eye, whatever. He gave some of us many hours of good entertainment. Life can never take that away from him. JF
HTHM Posted June 4, 2009 Report Posted June 4, 2009 BFD in my opinion, my neice is dealing with her boyfriend doing the same thing at 20 years of age. That is far more important in my life than some celeb doin himself in.
Terry Posted June 4, 2009 Report Posted June 4, 2009 I put no man above another well except Chuck Norris who in lone wolf Mcquade kicked Carradines butt
holdfast Posted June 4, 2009 Report Posted June 4, 2009 72 years old and he offed himself, couldnt of been over a woman.
craigdritchie Posted June 5, 2009 Report Posted June 5, 2009 May not have been suicide after all, but a very .... um .... bizarre ... accident. Talk about a strange way to be found dead. From the Hamilton Spectator ... http://thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/578004 AUTO-EROTIC DEATH FOR CARRADINE? Michael Casey The Associated Press BANGKOK — The body of American actor David Carradine, best known for the 1970s TV series “Kung Fu,” was found in a hotel room closet with a rope tied to his neck and genitals, and his death may have been accidental suffocation, Thai police said Friday. The 72-year-old actor’s body was discovered Thursday in his luxury suite at Bangkok’s Swissotel Nai Lert Park Hotel. Police initially said they suspected suicide, though Carradine’s associates had questioned that theory. Police Lt.-Gen. Worapong Chewprecha told reporters that Carradine was found with a rope “tied around his penis and another rope around his neck.” “The two ropes were tied together,” he said. “It is unclear whether he committed suicide or not or he died of suffocation or heart failure due to an orgasm.” Thai police completed an autopsy on Carradine Friday but so far have not released the results. Dr. Nanthana Sirisap, director of Chulalongkorn Hospital’s Autopsy Centre, told reporters that the autopsy was conducted because of the “unusual circumstances surrounding Carradine’s death,” but he did not elaborate. Police Lt. Teerapop Luanseng had said on Thursday that Carradine’s body was found “naked, hanging in a closet,” and that police at the time suspected suicide. But one of Carradine’s managers, Tiffany Smith of Binder & Associates, dismissed the theory. “All we can say is, we know David would never have committed suicide,” Smith said. “We’re just waiting for them to finish the investigation and find out what really happened. He really appreciated everything life has to give ... and that’s not something David would ever do to himself.” Carradine had flown to Thailand last week and began work on a film titled “Stretch” two days before his death, Smith said. He had several other projects lined up after the action film, which was being directed by Charles De Meaux. Carradine was “in good spirits” when he left the U.S. for Thailand on May 29, Smith said. “David was excited to do it and excited to be a part of it,” she said by phone from Beverly Hills. Filming began Tuesday, she said, adding that the crew was devastated by Carradine’s death and did not wish to speak publicly about it for the time being. Aurelio Giraudo, the hotel’s general manager, said Carradine checked into the hotel May 31 and he last saw him June 3. He said Carradine chatted with staff and even played piano a few nights in the lobby as well as flute which the “guests really enjoyed.” “I was a fan. I had a very nice talk with him when he checked in,” Giraudo said. “He was very much a person full of life. I mentioned to him that I had seen (the movie) “Crank” with my family and that was the last smile he gave me.” Giraudo said a chambermaid discovered Carradine’s body, adding that she knocked and entered after there was no response. Police arrived shortly thereafter. Carradine, a martial arts practitioner himself, was best known for the U.S. TV series “Kung Fu,” which aired from 1972-75. He played Kwai Chang Caine, an orphan who was raised by Shaolin monks and fled China after killing the emperor’s nephew in retaliation for the murder of his kung fu master. Carradine also appeared in more than 100 feature films with such directors as Scorsese, Ingmar Bergman and Hal Ashby. He returned to the top in recent years as the title character in Quentin Tarantino’s two-part saga “Kill Bill.” Bill, the worldly father figure of a pack of crack assassins, was a shadowy presence in 2003’s “Kill Bill — Vol. 1.” In that film, one of Bill’s former assassins (Uma Thurman) begins a vengeful rampage against her old associates, including Bill.
Terry Posted June 5, 2009 Report Posted June 5, 2009 AUTO-EROTIC DEATH ...now that is not the way you want people to find you when you die....oh well he's a stiff now
kickingfrog Posted June 5, 2009 Author Report Posted June 5, 2009 I just saw a bumper sticker the other day and it went something like: Don't do anything that you would be embarrassed to explain to a paramedic.
Joey Posted June 5, 2009 Report Posted June 5, 2009 I believe that is exactly how Michael Hutchense of INXS died several years ago. I say if you want to play that game, always bring a friend Joey
throne7 Posted June 5, 2009 Report Posted June 5, 2009 Bill Kill'd.... himself. nah, he was trying to do an erotic asphixia and accidentally killed himself
throne7 Posted June 5, 2009 Report Posted June 5, 2009 AUTO-EROTIC DEATH ...now that is not the way you want people to find you when you die....oh well he's a stiff now yeah weird. I don't get it. How does choking yourself suppose to get you a greater high?
huey graphite Posted June 6, 2009 Report Posted June 6, 2009 The Kill Bill movies are amongst my favourites and thought he was excellent in them. Sorry to hear of his death.
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