Actor David Carradine Dead At Age 72

Veteran actor David Carradine was been found dead in a Bangkok hotel room sometime last night or this morning. He was 72 years old. Several sources are speculating he might have committed suicide. The story is still developing and not a lot of details have been confirmed but the Thai newspaper, The Nation is reporting police do not suspect foul play:

It was a hotel's maid who opened his suite on Thursday at 10 am after her repeated calls at the door were unanswered. She found Carradine in a closet. He was described as being half naked. Police said evidence at the scene showed that he hung himself.

"It looks like a suicide," said Pol Col Somprasong Yentuam, chief of Lumpini police. "He was a big man and it would have been difficult for someone to move him in there and kill him in there."

People Magazine has a quote from Carradine's manager which seems to imply the producer of the movie Carradine was filming may have found the actor:

According to manager Chuck Binder, the movie's producer found Carradine dead in his hotel room. Binder told Fox News the death is "shocking and sad. He was full of life, always wanting to work ... a great person."

David Carradine was part of the Hollywood acting dynasty that consisted of father John Carradine, brother Bruce and half brothers, Keith and Robert. Carradine was a familiar face on television in the 60s and 70s but hit it big in the 1970s series "Kung Fu," about a wandering martial arts master in the Old West.

I never really watched "Kung Fu" as a kid but no one could escape Carradine's persona of Kwai Chang Caine, the main character in the show. The show used flashbacks to show Caine as a young man in training and his martial arts master nicknamed him "Grasshopper." The name became a punchline of many pop culture jokes along the lines of, "Think again, Grasshopper!"

Carradine was nominated for a Golden Globe for the 1976 film, "Bound for Glory" and once the series was over revisited his "Kung Fu" character, Caine in several TV movies.

More recently Carradine starred as the ruthless assassin Bill in Quentin Tarrantino's amazing, yet bloody, "Kill Bill" films.

Rebecca Murray of About.com did an interview with David Carradine about "Kill Bill," in which he commented about the violence in the film:

Well it is violent but Quentin gives you a break. I can't tell you how, but he avoids... Even when it's violent, it's funny. The movie is just fun from beginning to end. It's just awesome.

Reactions to Carradine's death are all over the blogosphere. The Slacker Chic:

Mr. Carradine was a master of his craft and will truely, trueyl be missed. RIP David Carradine! As a major martial arts movie fan I thank you for all the hours of enjoyment you have given me. Your body may be gone but your legacy will live on forever.

ElleVee at Fear and Loathing:

He was a great actor, and fun, and had the best voice. He could take the sh*ttiest of cinematic travesties and make them fairly cool, at least for the time he graced the screen with his presence. And that voice. The voice of hardened souls and killer angels. He had a great voice. It would soothe you and hypnotize you, and then he'd kill you, and you'd be HONORED.

Madam Miaow of Madam Miaow Says:

He may have done Bruce Lee out of his coveted role as Kwai Chang Caine in the 1970s series, Kung Fu, and looked damn stoopid in yellowface, but actor David Carradine still gave lots of pleasure once you got past the adhesive tape.

Lady Jessica of Welcome to my Nightmare:

Say what you will, he was one cool mother. And he always had a wink for you in the movies cause he was playing his zen self in everyone of them.

Peoria Pundit, Billy Dennis, loved the show "Kung Fu" as a kid:

This was one of my favorite shows as a kid. Mostly, this was because it was one of Dad's favorite show. I was quite upset when ABC moved it from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., which meant I couldn't stay up that late to watch it.

As you can tell from this clip "Kill Bill Vol. II," Carradine had an unflappable cool even when faced with Uma Thurman's Bride character, who's determined to kill him.