--- name: "David Carradine" canonical: "https://film.one/person/david-carradine" fi1m_id: "david-carradine" imdb_id: "nm0001016" tmdb_id: 141 wikidata_id: "Q187038" roles: ["Actor"] born: "8 December 1936" died: "3 June 2009" reviewed_on_fi1m: 6 average_fi1m_score: 70 average_as: "actor" average_over: 5 updated: "2026-10-04T21:19:12.694959+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # David Carradine ## Identity David Carradine - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/david-carradine - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** david-carradine - **IMDb ID:** nm0001016 - **TMDB ID:** 141 - **Wikidata ID:** Q187038 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Carradine, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q187038, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001016/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/141 Actor. Born 8 December 1936 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA. Died 3 June 2009. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 8 December 1936, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA - **Died:** 3 June 2009 - **Active:** 1973–2004 - **Also known as:** John Arthur Carradine, John Arthur Carradine Jr. - **Titles on Fi1m:** 6: 5 acting, 1 other - **Frequently works with:** [Daryl Hannah](https://film.one/person/daryl-hannah.md), [Lawrence Bender](https://film.one/person/lawrence-bender.md), [Quentin Tarantino](https://film.one/person/quentin-tarantino.md), [Uma Thurman](https://film.one/person/uma-thurman.md) - **Average Fi1m score:** 70, as actor, over 5 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 81 (3), 1990s 44 (1), 2000s 74 (2) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 77 to 74 across 4 titles - **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 1 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 2 of 5 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Crime 3, Action 2, Drama 2, Adventure 1, Comedy 1, Music 1 - **Screen time:** 10 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $475m across 4 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Carradine, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q187038, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001016/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/141 ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Kill Bill: Vol. 2*](https://film.one/film/kill-bill-vol-2.md) (77), [*Kill Bill: Vol. 1*](https://film.one/film/kill-bill-vol-1.md) (72), [*Bird on a Wire*](https://film.one/film/bird-on-a-wire.md) (44) - **Tubi:** [*Mean Streets*](https://film.one/film/mean-streets.md) (87) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on David Carradine > David Carradine could make a quiet voice more unsettling than a raised one. We rate him most when a director gives that spare, dry delivery something substantial to do; *Kill Bill: Vol. 2* makes the case. In *Kill Bill: Vol. 2* (2004), Bill announces himself with a flute outside a wedding chapel, and David Carradine's voice reaches us before his face does. He sounds courteous, patient and quite comfortable with himself. We felt uneasy because his soft, reasonable voice made the threat harder to judge. Robert Richardson's wide framing makes the fuss inside the chapel a useful contrast to that unhurried voice. Carradine does not underline the danger, and the entrance works because he gives us so little help in deciding what this man might do. That mixture of restraint and the possibility of violence had served him long before Bill. As Kwai Chang Caine, the wandering Shaolin monk of *Kung Fu* (1972–1975), he became associated with a thoughtful outsider who could also fight. *Bound for Glory* (1976) gave him Woody Guthrie, another outsider suited to his understated delivery. We would not send someone to Martin Scorsese's *Mean Streets* (1973) to understand Carradine: his part is a drunk, and a small one. The leading roles gave that terse manner more room to work. Later decades brought long stretches of direct-to-video work, and Quentin Tarantino's casting of him as Bill restored his prominence. In *Kill Bill: Vol. 1* (2003), though, he is a voice on a telephone and a pair of hands. The casting makes economical use of his manner, but there is too little of him to treat it as a substantial performance. We prefer the second film because it gives him time to speak, rather than merely promising that he will matter. Tarantino gets the most from him by allowing the courtesy to remain intact: Carradine need not advertise Bill's cruelty with a growl. His calm makes us listen for the threat in an ordinary sentence, and gives Uma Thurman something to respond to beyond another physical challenge. The qualification is that this depends on the writing; those pauses need words worth waiting for. The film supplies them, though we still think it runs about twenty minutes too long, and Carradine cannot make every conversation necessary. For Carradine, make time for both parts, and forgive the second a little of its dawdling. ## Biography David Carradine was an American actor. Born John Arthur Carradine Jr. in Hollywood, California, he was the eldest son of actor John Carradine and a member of the Carradine acting family. He trained at San Francisco State University and began his career in theatre before appearing in films and television. He is best known for playing Kwai Chang Caine in the 1970s series *Kung Fu* and Bill in Quentin Tarantino’s *Kill Bill: Vol. 1* (2003) and *Kill Bill: Vol. 2* (2004). He also appeared in Martin Scorsese’s *Boxcar Bertha* (1972) and *Mean Streets* (1973). Carradine received Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations for *Kung Fu* and further Golden Globe nominations for *Bound for Glory* (1976), *North and South* (1985) and *Kill Bill: Vol. 2*. He won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for the latter. *Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org, nytimes.com.* ## On Fi1m (6) ### Performed in (5) — the average rests on these - *Kill Bill: Vol. 2* (2004), Fi1m 77, as Bill 'Snake Charmer' — [page](https://film.one/film/kill-bill-vol-2.md) - *Kill Bill: Vol. 1* (2003), Fi1m 72, as Bill — [page](https://film.one/film/kill-bill-vol-1.md) - *Bird on a Wire* (1990), Fi1m 44, as Eugene Sorensen — [page](https://film.one/film/bird-on-a-wire.md) - *Bound for Glory* (1976), Fi1m 71, as Woody Guthrie — [page](https://film.one/film/bound-for-glory.md) - *Mean Streets* (1973), Fi1m 87, as Drunk — [page](https://film.one/film/mean-streets.md) ### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited - *The Long Goodbye* (1973), Fi1m 86, as Dave aka Socrates (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-long-goodbye.md) ## Complete filmography (220) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Madam Secretary* (2014), series, as President Conrad Dalton - *Madoff: Made Off with America* (2013), as Neal - *Night of the Templar* (2012), as Shopkeeper - *Eldorado* (2012), as The Spirit Guide - *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 - *Mental* (2009), series, as Gideon Graham - *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 - *Kung Fu Killer* (2008), series, as Crane - *Hell Ride* (2008), as The Deuce - *Last Hour* (2008), as Detective Mike Stone - *Camille* (2008), as Cowboy Bob - *Son of the Dragon* (2008), series, as Bird - *Big Stan* (2007), as The Master - *Fuego* (2007), as Lobo - *Permanent Vacation* (2007), as Old Man - *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 - *Epic Movie* (2007), as Museum Curator - *How to Rob a Bank* (2007), as Nick - *In Case of Emergency* (2007), series, as Guru Danny - *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) - *Medium* (2005), series, as Jessica's Brother - *Brothers in Arms* (2005), as Driscoll - *Max Havoc: Curse Of The Dragon* (2004), as Grand Master - *Last Goodbye* (2004), as Fred McGillicuddie - *Hair High* (2004), as Mr. Snerz (voice) - *Kill Bill: Vol. 2* (2004), as Bill 'Snake Charmer' — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/kill-bill-vol-2.md) - *Danny Phantom* (2004), series, as Clockwork (voice) - *Dead & Breakfast* (2004), as Mr. Wise - *American Reel* (2003), as James Lee Springer - *Kill Bill: Vol. 1* (2003), as Bill — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/kill-bill-vol-1.md) - *Lost Bullet* (2003), as Michael Morrison - *Eve* (2003), series, as Kung Fu Master - *The Outsider* (2002), as Doctor Lucas Henry - *Balto: Wolf Quest* (2002), as Nava the Wolf Shaman (voice) - *Down 'n Dirty* (2001), as Gil Garner - *Alias* (2001), series, as Conrad — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/alias.md) - *The Nightmare Room* (2001), series, 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 - *Largo Winch* (2001), series, as Nério Winch - *Out of the Wilderness* (2001), as Clint Dugan - *Jackie Chan Adventures* (2000), series, as Lo Pei (voice) - *Nightfall* (2000), as Gnomen - *Kung Fu Action Masters* (2000), as Narrator - *Full Blast* (2000), as Maceo - *Titus* (2000), series, as Bob Hawkins - *Dangerous Curves* (2000), as Lemmy - *Code Name: Jaguar* (1999), as Max Kaufman - *Kiss of a Stranger* (1999), as Sean O'Leary - *Family Law* (1999), series, as Andrew Weller - *The Bitter End* (1999), Actor - *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 - *Charmed* (1998), series, as Tempus - *The Effects of Magic* (1998), as The Cabinet Maker - *The Shepherd* (1998), as Ventriloquist - *The New Swiss Family Robinson* (1998), as Sheldon Blake - *Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror* (1998), as Luke - *An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island* (1998), as Chief Wulisso (voice) - *Light Speed* (1998), as Miles - *Mystic Origins of the Martial Arts* (1998), Actor - *The Rage* (1997), as Lucas McDermott - *Fast Track* (1997), series, Actor - *Lost Treasure of Dos Santos* (1997), as Martin Shaw - *Just Shoot Me!* (1997), series, as David Carradine - *Last Stand at Saber River* (1997), as Duane Kidston - *King of the Hill* (1997), series, as Junichiro (voice) — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/king-of-the-hill-1997.md) - *Macon County Jail* (1997), as Coley - *Woof! Woof!! Uncle Matty's Ultimate Guide to Dog Training* (1997), Actor - *Profiler* (1996), series, as Christopher Joe Allman - *Captain Simian & the Space Monkeys* (1996), series, as Mandrax (voice) - *The Eagle and the Horse* (1994), as John Freemont - *Dead Center* (1994), as Chavez - *Desperately Looking For Success* (1994), as James Lorrimer - *Acapulco H.E.A.T.* (1993), series, as Victor Garrison - *Kill Zone* (1993), as Col. Horace Wiggins - *Kung Fu: The Legend Continues* (1993), series, as Kwai Chang Caine · Producer - *Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman* (1993), series, as Houston Currier - *Code... Death: Frontera Sur* (1993), as Colonel - *Distant Justice* (1992), as Joe Foley - *Animal Instincts* (1992), as William Lamberti - *Night Rhythms* (1992), as Vincent - *Human Target* (1992), series, as Harry Solow - *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* (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 — Fi1m 44, [page](https://film.one/film/bird-on-a-wire.md) - *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 - *Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II* (1989), as Dark One - *Nowhere to Run* (1989), as Harmon - *Future Force* (1989), as John Tucker · Associate Producer - *The Cover Girl and the Cop* (1989), as Slade - *Night Children* (1989), as Max Crawford - *Crime of Crimes* (1989), as Frank McEntire · Producer - *The Mad Bunch* (1989), as Professor Foxwood - *Crime Zone* (1988), as Jason · Executive Producer - *Tropical Snow* (1988), as Oskar - *I Saw What You Did* (1988), as Stephen - *Open Fire* (1988), as Joe Rourke - *Run for Your Life* (1988), as Maggiore Charles Forsythe - *Fatal Secret* (1988), as Michael LeWinter - *Animal Protector* (1988), as Col. Whitlock - *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 - *Matlock* (1986), series, as Jimmy Legrand, Steve Mazarowski - *Kung Fu: The Movie* (1986), as Kwai Chang Caine · Co-Producer - *North and South* (1985), series, as Justin LaMotte - *Amazing Stories* (1985), series, as Calvin - *The Ray Bradbury Theater* (1985), series, as Spender - *The Bad Seed* (1985), as Leroy Jessup - *On the Line* (1984), as Bryant - *A Distant Scream* (1984), as Michael - *Partners in Crime* (1984), series, as Hermanski - *The Warrior and the Sorceress* (1984), as Kain - *Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense* (1984), series, as Michael/Harris - *Jealousy* (1984), as Bobby Dee - *Airwolf* (1984), series, as Dr. Robert Winchester - *Faces of Culture* (1983), series, as Narrator - *Lone Wolf McQuade* (1983), as Rawley Wilkes - *Trick or Treats* (1982), as Richard Adams - *Q* (1982), as Shepard - *Safari 3000* (1982), as Eddie Miles - *Darkroom* (1981), series, as Biker / Hitchhiker - *Today's F.B.I.* (1981), series, as The Leader - *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 - *Mr. Horn* (1979), series, as Tom Horn - *Circle of Iron* (1978), as The Blind Man / Monkeyman / Death / Changsha - *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 — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/bound-for-glory.md) - *Cannonball* (1976), as Coy "Cannonball" Buckman - *The Family Holvak* (1975), series, as Craw - *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 — Fi1m 87, [page](https://film.one/film/mean-streets.md) - *The Long Goodbye* (1973), as Dave aka Socrates (uncredited) — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/the-long-goodbye.md) - *Kung Fu* (1972), series, as Kwai Chang Caine · Director - *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 - *Night Gallery* (1970), series, as Gideon - *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 - *The Name of the Game* (1968), series, as Jason Blake - *Johnny Belinda* (1967), as Locky - *The Hunted* (1967), as Gene Gauge - *The Violent Ones* (1967), as Lucas Barnes - *Cimarron Strip* (1967), series, as Gene Gauge - *Ironside* (1967), series, as Pogo Weems, Luke Roberts, Frank Carlson - *Too Many Thieves* (1966), as Felix - *Shane* (1966), series, as Shane - *Bus Riley's Back in Town* (1965), as Stretch - *Taggart* (1965), as Cal Dodge - *Arrest and Trial* (1963), series, as Wally Carpen - *The Alfred Hitchcock Hour* (1962), series, as Edward Clarke - *The Virginian* (1962), series, as The Utah Kid - *Gunsmoke* (1955), series, as Clint ## Gallery - ![David Carradine](https://film.one/media/person/9084/gallery-436337594647.jpg) David Carradine — Credit to lukeford.net (permission statement at en:User:Tabercil/Luke Ford permission), CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/David_Carradine_Polanski_Unauthorized.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![David Carradine in Almaty, Kazakhstan September 2006. International film festival "Eurasia".](https://film.one/media/person/9084/gallery-e8b0f53951d7.jpg) David Carradine in Almaty, Kazakhstan September 2006. International film festival "Eurasia". — Andrey Lunin at https://www.flickr.com/photos/16458073@N03/, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/DavidCarradineSept06.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![David Carradine (1987)](https://film.one/media/person/9084/gallery-37bb9b0183a6.jpg) David Carradine (1987) — Gerrits, Roland / Anefo, CC BY-SA 3.0 nl, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/David_Carradine_1987.jpg/1280px-David_Carradine_1987.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![David Carradine (1987)](https://film.one/media/person/9084/gallery-3bacd70b99db.jpg) David Carradine (1987) — Gerrits, Roland / Anefo, CC BY-SA 3.0 nl, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/David_Carradine_1987_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-David_Carradine_1987_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![David Carradine](https://film.one/media/person/9084/gallery-6d4bf20f99e9.jpg) David Carradine — Image via TMDB - ![David Carradine](https://film.one/media/person/9084/gallery-7c29e4f5e98d.jpg) David Carradine — Image via TMDB - ![Photo of David Carradine and Chief Dan George from the television program Kung Fu. (1973)](https://film.one/media/person/9084/gallery-cc3707618403.jpg) Photo of David Carradine and Chief Dan George from the television program Kung Fu. (1973) — ABC Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/David_Carradine_Chief_Dan_George_Kung_Fu_1973.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Photo of David Carradine from the television program Kung Fu. (1972)](https://film.one/media/person/9084/gallery-22694e709914.jpg) Photo of David Carradine from the television program Kung Fu. (1972) — ABC Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/David_Carradine_Kung_Fu_1972.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) ## Awards ### Other awards — 2 won - Saturn Awards 2005: Saturn Awards (won) - Theatre World Award 1966: Theatre World Award (won) *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/david-carradine