---
name: "Keith Carradine"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/keith-carradine"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "8 August 1949"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 90
updated: "2026-09-16T10:12:55.659016+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."
---

# Keith Carradine

Actor. Born 8 August 1949 in San Mateo, California, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 8 August 1949, San Mateo, California, USA
- **Active:** 1971–1975
- **Also known as:** Keith Ian Carradine
- **Works often with:** Robert Altman

## Fi1m on Keith Carradine

> Keith Carradine is unusually good at making an unreliable man seem worth listening to. We value his relaxed manner most in Robert Altman's ensembles, where charm can become troubling without the performance turning showy.

In *Nashville* (1975), Keith Carradine sings 'I'm Easy' with an ease that makes Tom Frank's appeal quite understandable. Carradine wrote the song, and Robert Altman uses its apparent sincerity for something considerably less innocent. We felt slightly ashamed of warming to Tom: the musical sweetness makes his manipulation attractive. Carradine lets the song work on us without making a show of the calculation behind it. He is particularly good at playing someone whose company we enjoy before we have decided whether to trust him.

In the earlier *McCabe & Mrs. Miller* (1971), he plays Cowboy in a Western carried by Warren Beatty and Julie Christie. The film's patience suits his unforced manner; he can make a small contribution count without competing for the centre. Altman gets the most from him by letting that ease sit within the ensemble, rather than asking him to press for our attention. Between these two films came *Thieves Like Us* (1974), the other part of the three-film partnership that established him.

The limitation became apparent in the casting that followed *Nashville*: more cads and womanisers, with a persuasive performance becoming a label that was difficult to shake. Leading parts outside Altman included Armand d'Hubert in Ridley Scott's *The Duellists* (1977) and E. J. Bellocq in Louis Malle's *Pretty Baby* (1978). His choices of material were uneven in the 1970s. We would be cautious about choosing a film simply because Carradine is in it.

Television later made more use of his authority, notably as Wild Bill Hickok in *Deadwood* (2004) and FBI agent Frank Lundy in *Dexter* (2006). That is a sensible development for an actor whose relaxed presence can make experience seem ordinary. The danger is that dependable casting leaves too little for him to do beyond lending a programme some weight. We prefer him when that apparent ease gives us something to question. Start with *Nashville*, and pay attention to how readily the song earns the trust its singer has not.

## Biography

Keith Carradine is an American actor. He is known for his role as Tom Frank in Robert Altman's *Nashville* (1975).

Born in San Mateo, California, in 1949, he is a member of the Carradine family of actors. His father was the actor John Carradine.

On film he has also appeared in *Pretty Baby* (1978) and *Choose Me* (1984). On television his credits include *Deadwood* (2004) as Wild Bill Hickok, *Dexter* (2006) as Frank Lundy, and *Fargo* (2014) as Lou Solverson. He won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for the song "I'm Easy" from *Nashville*.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *Nashville* (1975), Fi1m 89, as Tom Frank — [page](https://film.one/film/nashville.md)
- *McCabe & Mrs. Miller* (1971), Fi1m 90, as Cowboy — [page](https://film.one/film/mccabe-and-mrs-miller.md)

## Also known for

- *The Big Bang Theory* (2007), Wyatt Teller
- *Dexter* (2006), Frank Lundy, Special Agent Frank Lundy — [page](https://film.one/tv/dexter.md)
- *Cowboys & Aliens* (2011), Sheriff John Taggart
- *Fear the Walking Dead* (2015), John Dorie
- *Criminal Minds* (2005), Frank Breitkopf
- *Fargo* (2014), Lou Solverson
- *The Power of the Dog* (2021), The Governor
- *NCIS* (2003), Mannheim Gold

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© 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/keith-carradine