David Carradine
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- December 8, 1936
- Died
- June 3, 2009
- Birthplace
- Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
David Carradine (born John Arthur Carradine Jr.; December 8, 1936 – June 3, 2009) was an American actor best known for playing martial arts roles. He is perhaps best known as the star of the 1970s television series Kung Fu, playing Kwai Chang Caine, a peace-loving Shaolin monk travelling through the American Old West. He also portrayed the title character of both of the Kill Bill films. He appeared in two Martin Scorsese films: Boxcar Bertha and Mean Streets. David Carradine was a member of the Carradine family of actors that began with his father, John Carradine. The elder Carradine's acting career, which included major and minor roles on stage, television, and in cinema, spanned more than four decades. A prolific "B" movie actor, David Carradine appeared in more than 100 feature films in a career spanning more than six decades. He received nominations for a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award for his work on Kung Fu, and received three additional Golden Globe nominations for his performances in the Woody Guthrie biopic Bound for Glory (1976), the television miniseries North and South (1985), and Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Volume 2, for which he won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor. Throughout his life, Carradine was arrested and prosecuted for a variety of offenses, which often involved substance abuse. Films that featured Carradine continued to be released after his death. These posthumous credits were from a variety of genres including action, documentaries, drama, horror, martial arts, science fiction, and westerns. In addition to his acting career, Carradine was a director and musician. Moreover, influenced by his Kung Fu role, he studied martial arts. On April 1, 1997, Carradine received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Description above from the Wikipedia article David Carradine, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Filmography
- The Good Life
The Good Life TBA
Actor
Mata Hari 2026
as Self (archive footage)
Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks 2019
as Self (archive footage)
A Tale of James Brown 2016
as Self
- Madoff: Made Off with America
Madoff: Made Off with America 2013
as Neal
Night of the Templar 2012
as Shopkeeper
Eldorado 2012
as The Spirit Guide
Corman's World 2011
as Self - Actor
Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair 2011
as Bill (Snake Charmer)
Stretch 2011
as Monteiro
Six Days in Paradise 2010
as Vernon Billings
Dinocroc vs. Supergator 2010
as Jason Drake
True Legend 2010
as Anthony
Detention 2010
as Principal Hoskins
All Hell Broke Loose 2009
as Marshal Ian McHenry
Road of No Return 2009
as Mr. Hover, Associate Producer
Bad Cop 2009
as Det. Humes
Dark Fields 2009
as Clive Jonis
Autumn 2009
as Philip
Starz Inside - Unforgettably Evil 2009
as Self
Tattoos: A Scarred History 2009
as Self
Break 2009
as The Bishop
Crank: High Voltage 2009
as Poon Dong
Absolute Evil 2009
as Raf McCane
My Suicide 2009
as Vargas
Kandisha 2008
as The American
The Golden Boys 2008
as Capt. Zebulon Hedge
Death Race 2008
as Frankenstein (voice)
Kung Fu Killer 2008
as Crane
Hell Ride 2008
as The Deuce
Last Hour 2008
as Detective Mike Stone
Camille 2008
as Cowboy Bob
Naked Movie 2008
as Self
- A Vampire Reformed
A Vampire Reformed 2008
as Self
Big Stan 2007
as The Master
Fuego 2007
as Lobo
Permanent Vacation 2007
as Old Man
Spiral Fitness Beginnings 2007
as Self
Being Michael Madsen 2007
as Self
Fall Down Dead 2007
as Wade Douglas, Associate Producer
Homo Erectus 2007
as Mookoo / Uncle Unky
Richard III 2007
as Buckingham, Executive Producer
The Ultimate Fighter 2007
as Mikhail
Treasure Raiders 2007
as Pierre
How to Rob a Bank 2007
as Nick
Epic Movie 2007
as Museum Curator
World War I: American Legacy 2006
as narrator
The Last Sect 2006
as Van Helsing
Final Move 2006
as Captain Baker
Miracle at Sage Creek 2005
as Ike
Danny Phantom: The Ultimate Enemy 2005
as Clockwork (voice)
Ringers: Lord of the Fans 2005
as Self
Brothers in Arms 2005
as Driscoll
Max Havoc: Curse Of The Dragon 2004
as Grand Master
UnConventional 2004
as Self
The Making of 'Kill Bill Vol. 2' 2004
as Self
Last Goodbye 2004
as Fred McGillicuddie
Hair High 2004
as Mr. Snerz (voice)
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 2004
as Bill 'Snake Charmer'
Dead & Breakfast 2004
as Mr. Wise
Away from Home 2004
as Self
American Reel 2003
as James Lee Springer
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 2003
as Bill
Lost Bullet 2003
as Michael Morrison
The Outsider 2002
as Doctor Lucas Henry
Modern Warriors 2002
as Self
The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies 2002
as Self
Balto: Wolf Quest 2002
as Nava the Wolf Shaman (voice)
Down 'n Dirty 2001
as Gil Garner
The Nightmare Room: Scareful What You Wish For 2001
as Mr. Farber
Warden of Red Rock 2001
as Mike Sullivan
By Dawn's Early Light 2001
as Nick Decker
The Donor 2001
as Mike
Guaranteed on Delivery 2001
as Norman Williams
Out of the Wilderness 2001
as Clint Dugan
Nightfall 2000
as Gnomen
- Kung Fu Action Masters
Kung Fu Action Masters 2000
as Narrator
Full Blast 2000
as Maceo
Dangerous Curves 2000
as Lemmy
Code Name: Jaguar 1999
as Max Kaufman
Kiss of a Stranger 1999
as Sean O'Leary
- The Bitter End
The Bitter End 1999
Actor
- The Puzzle in the Air
The Puzzle in the Air 1999
as The General
Knocking on Death's Door 1999
as Doc Hadley
The Monster Hunter 1999
as Louis Dehoven
Lovers and Liars 1998
as Mr. Montague
The Effects of Magic 1998
as The Cabinet Maker
The Shepherd 1998
as Ventriloquist
Masters of the Martial Arts Presented by Wesley Snipes 1998
as Self
The New Swiss Family Robinson 1998
as Sheldon Blake
Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror 1998
as Luke
Nosferatu: The First Vampire 1998
as Host
An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island 1998
as Chief Wulisso (voice)
- Mystic Origins of the Martial Arts
Mystic Origins of the Martial Arts 1998
Actor
- Light Speed
Light Speed 1998
as Miles
The Rage 1997
as Lucas McDermott
- Lost Treasure of Dos Santos
Lost Treasure of Dos Santos 1997
as Martin Shaw
Last Stand at Saber River 1997
as Duane Kidston
Woof! Woof!! Uncle Matty's Ultimate Guide to Dog Training 1997
Actor
Macon County Jail 1997
as Coley
The Eagle and the Horse 1994
as John Freemont
Dead Center 1994
as Chavez
Desperately Looking For Success 1994
as James Lorrimer
Kill Zone 1993
as Col. Horace Wiggins
Code... Death: Frontera Sur 1993
as Colonel
Distant Justice 1992
as Joe Foley
Animal Instincts 1992
as William Lamberti
Night Rhythms 1992
as Vincent
Waxwork II: Lost in Time 1992
as The Beggar
Roadside Prophets 1992
as Othello Jones
Double Trouble 1992
as Mr. C
Evil Toons 1992
as Gideon Fisk
Kung Fu - A Legend Reborn 1992
as Kwai Chang Caine
Capital Punishment 1991
as Michale Maltin
The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw 1991
as Kwai-Chang Caine
Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat 1991
as Mardulak
- Brotherhood of the Gun
Brotherhood of the Gun 1991
as Artemis McBride
Karate Cop 1991
as Dad
Deadly Surveillance 1991
as Lieutenant
Project Eliminator 1991
as Ron Morrell, Associate Producer
Midnight Fear 1991
as Hanley
Dune Warriors 1991
as Michael
Field of Fire 1991
as Gen. Corman
That's Action 1990
as John Tucker (archive footage) (uncredited)
Martial Law 1990
as Dalton Rhodes
Future Zone 1990
as John Tucker
Bird on a Wire 1990
as Eugene Sorensen
- The Trace of Lynx
The Trace of Lynx 1989
Actor
Warlords 1989
as Dow
Think Big 1989
as Sweeney
Try This One for Size 1989
as Bradley
Sonny Boy 1989
as Pearl, Theme Song Performance
Nowhere to Run 1989
as Harmon
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II 1989
as Dark One
Future Force 1989
as John Tucker, Associate Producer
The Cover Girl and the Cop 1989
as Slade
Night Children 1989
as Max Crawford
The Mad Bunch 1989
as Professor Foxwood
Crime of Crimes 1989
as Frank McEntire, Producer
Crime Zone 1988
as Jason, Executive Producer
Tropical Snow 1988
as Oskar
I Saw What You Did 1988
as Stephen
Fatal Secret 1988
as Michael LeWinter
Run for Your Life 1988
as Maggiore Charles Forsythe
Animal Protector 1988
as Col. Whitlock
Open Fire 1988
as Joe Rourke
The Misfit Brigade 1987
as Col. Von Weisshagen
Six Against the Rock 1987
as Bernard 'Bernie' Paul Coy
Heartbeat 1987
as Man Playing Dice
Armed Response 1986
as Jim Roth
Oceans of Fire 1986
as J.C. Busch
P.O.W. The Escape 1986
as Col. James Cooper
Kung Fu: The Movie 1986
as Kwai Chang Caine, Co-Producer
The Bad Seed 1985
as Leroy Jessup
On the Line 1984
as Bryant
A Distant Scream 1984
as Michael
The Warrior and the Sorceress 1984
as Kain
Jealousy 1984
as Bobby Dee
Lone Wolf McQuade 1983
as Rawley Wilkes
Trick or Treats 1982
as Richard Adams
Q 1982
as Shepard
Safari 3000 1982
as Eddie Miles
The Best of Sex and Violence 1982
as Self - Cameo Appearance
Americana 1981
as The American Soldier, Director, Editor, Producer
High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane 1980
as Ben Irons
Cloud Dancer 1980
as Brad Randolph
The Long Riders 1980
as Cole Younger
Gauguin the Savage 1980
as Paul Gauguin
Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider 1979
as Charlie Swattle
I've Got You, You've Got Me by the Chin Hairs 1979
as Le professeur d'arts martiaux à LAPD
Circle of Iron 1978
as The Blind Man / Monkeyman / Death / Changsha
Roger Corman: Hollywood's Wild Angel 1978
as Self
Deathsport 1978
as Kaz Oshay
Gray Lady Down 1978
as Captain Gates
The Serpent's Egg 1977
as Abel Rosenberg
Thunder and Lightning 1977
as Harley Thomas
Bound for Glory 1976
as Woody Guthrie
Cannonball 1976
as Coy "Cannonball" Buckman
Long Way Home 1975
as Craw Dantley
You and Me 1975
as Zeto, Editor, Director, Original Music Composer
Death Race 2000 1975
as Frankenstein
Mean Streets 1973
as Drunk
The Long Goodbye 1973
as Dave aka Socrates (uncredited)
Boxcar Bertha 1972
as Big Bill Shelly
Kung Fu: The Way of the Tiger, the Sign of the Dragon 1972
as Kwai Chang Caine
Macho Callahan 1971
as David Mountford
Maybe I'll Come Home in the Spring 1971
as Flack
The McMasters 1970
as White Feather
Young Billy Young 1969
as Jesse Boone
The Good Guys and the Bad Guys 1969
as Waco
Heaven with a Gun 1969
as Coke Beck
Johnny Belinda 1967
as Locky
The Hunted 1967
as Gene Gauge
The Violent Ones 1967
as Lucas Barnes
Too Many Thieves 1966
as Felix
Bus Riley's Back in Town 1965
as Stretch
Taggart 1965
as Cal Dodge
Credits from TMDB.