Just read David Carridine son of John Carridine dead at 72... Loved Kung FU and Kill Bill... peace be with you David.
Yes, even worse the way he died. but we all make choices.
Wow. This one caught me off guard.
I've shared limousines, cigarettes, cocktails and laughs with David. At any given moment he was funny, cranky, enthusiastic, enigmatic. You could never tell what you'd get.
The last time I saw him, I gave him a print of some sketches I'd done of his dad. He really appreciated them. As Bill Stout said, "Those Carradine boys loved their Papa."
RIP David. I know it's been a wild ride.
So Sad. I always watched Kung Fu. I liked the flashbacks of being Grasshopper.
It's sad, especially in this day and time, that he felt it was necessary to commit suicide, when there is help available...
Peace be with you...
Bizarro Jeff
Hey Soldiers,
Just got the word that David Caradine ( Son of the late great John Cardine)has died in a Bangcok hotel.
63monsterkidd
I loved watching Kung Fu also. I remember thinking how cool it was when I found out that David's father was John, an actor I was very familiar with from old horror and wetern movies. I liked David in almost every thing he was in, but what really stands out in my mind was a little film from the early eighties titled "Americana", that he directed and starred in. Great movie! This really is sad, especially considering how he died.
Wow...did NOT expect this one. I've seen him many times at various Chiller shows in NJ. Very Moody guy. I remember one time he was on an elevator, smoking a cigarette. An unfortunate woman entering after him pointed out that you're not supposed to smoke in the elevator....I can't print what his reply was, but i will certainly never forget it! I was a huge fan of Kung Fu and Deathrace 2000. RIP David, hope you 're reunited with dad.
I just heard on the news now that their saying he died of natural causes??
That's really sad news. Rest in peace Grasshopper, you've earned it. :'( Can't understand why he would hang himself though.
Rest in peace, David. :'(
Very sad. And for anyone who's looked up the details... very creepy.
:'( - "THE WAY - :'( - YOU WALKED - :'( - WAS THORNY" - :'(
DAVID CARRADINE, may your tormented Soul, indeed, Rest, in Peace,
From the personal demons, that haunted you, may you, be Released.
GOD'S Mercy, EVERNOW, Attend You,
Immortal; Free, of, all, that tainted you,
Your TRUE IDENTITY, Released; with your DAD, be HEAVEN-BLESSED!
:'( - LOVE DIVINE - :'( - BE WITH YOU - :'( - IN PEACE, EVERNOW- :'(
EXANIMO EVERNOW,
TIMMY & THE BARON & BARONESS & FRIENDS, GOO-O-OODD-D!, B.G.G.
Shock, disbelief: I'm w/all of you. I've enjoyed David in many things. Kung Fu is probably my favorite show that isn't fantasy/horror/sci-fi. His Circle of Iron (aka The Silent Flute) is my favorite martial arts film, the only one in my collection actually.
R.I.P. David, thanks for gifts & talents you've shared.
I heard the news on the BBC on how he wqs found hanged in his room in Bangkok. The announcer didn't say "suicide" as if there was some question to his death. Has anyone heard anything more detailed?
A couple of months ago he appeared as a guest on the Chicago WGN Morning news. Can't remember what he was promoting at the time. He was intruduced thusly: "We welcome the legendary David Carradine. Hello!" David's reponse. "Wow. Legendary. Legend'f_ _king'dary." On live TV. I can't recall the rest of his interview sadly but thought at the time it was pretty darn funny.
Storied film and television history and great lineage to his father and extended family of actors. RIP, David.
Wow, how sad.
theres already a thread going on this topic. (And it's this one. Topics merged.)
Everything I've read points to suicide...TMZ reported that he's had trouble with suicidal ideation before, and ever posted a song to his website about a guy walking into traffic to kill himself. I haven't been there, so don't know.
Untreated clinical depression is the most frequent reason for suicide. Just goes to show we don't know what's going on in someone's mind....
Bizarro Jeff
I don't think it was suicide. The rope was affixed around his genitals as well. It was probably an accident.
This article about auto-erotic asphyxiation is explicit, but quite thorough. It was written by Matt Crowley, aka Matt the Tube from Jim Rose Sideshow fame.
http://www.orgoneresearch.com/Deadly%20Sex%20Thrills.htm (http://www.orgoneresearch.com/Deadly%20Sex%20Thrills.htm)
Which just makes his passing creepier and creepier. Yeeesshhhh.
Quote from: Toy Ranch on June 04, 2009, 09:15:08 PM
I don't think it was suicide. The rope was affixed around his genitals as well. It was probably an accident.
This article about auto-erotic asphyxiation is explicit, but quite thorough. It was written by Matt Crowley, aka Matt the Tube from Jim Rose Sideshow fame.
http://www.orgoneresearch.com/Deadly%20Sex%20Thrills.htm (http://www.orgoneresearch.com/Deadly%20Sex%20Thrills.htm)
If indeed this was the case with Carradine, I
really hope he didn't write all kinds of perverted stuff all over his body, like Albert Dekker was purported to have done!
No matter what, it's still sad. R.I.P. David, I hope you are at peace now!
Quote from: Toy Ranch on June 04, 2009, 09:15:08 PM
I don't think it was suicide. The rope was affixed around his genitals as well. It was probably an accident.
The more I read about the story the more I agree with you. I'd also guess there was probably someone else in the room. Okay, just speculating here, but my guess would be a hooker. Hey, he was in Bangkok. My guess is that it was meant to be a sexual encounter involving auto-erotic asphyxiation and it just went horribly wrong. The woman was probably so freaked that she just got out of there. Both scenarios are unpleasant (suicide or the erotic asphyxiation). Certainly not the way any of us would want to remember him. Just damn sad... And really really stupid.
"Just damn sad... And really really stupid."
Facto, it is indeed both - and it's no insult to Carridine to be honest about the latter.
ABC news this morning (Friday) reported now that the death is suspicious. He was found naked hanging in a closet with the cord tied around his body. That is certainly more than auto erotic. It suggests he wasn't alone. Also, he supposedly gave up drinking and his only vices were coffee and cigarettes. Yet, the first time he was at Chiller he'd allegedly given up drinking and to see him on that Chiller video so toasted--it's sad.
Quote from: Jscareshock on June 05, 2009, 09:34:42 AM
ABC news this morning (Friday) reported now that the death is suspicious. He was found naked hanging in a closet with the cord tied around his body. That is certainly more than auto erotic. It suggests he wasn't alone.
In what way is it more than autoerotic asphyxia? The circumstances are textbook autoerotic asphyxia. In order to hang oneself in a hotel room, one needs something high capable to supporting their weight. In a hotel room, the clothing bar in a closet would fill that need probably better than anything else available.
From the article I posted a link to:
It is undoubtedly the most dangerous of all sex
practices. Approximately 500 to 1000 people die from it
each year. It has claimed the lives of cartoonist
Vaughn Bode and actor Albert Dekker. Years ago, medical
examiners often made the mistaken conclusion that these
deaths were suicidal hangings. Several factors
differentiate an AA hanging from suicidal hanging.
1. The feet are often touching the ground. This
enables the practitioner to vary the pressure
that the ligature is applying to the neck by
lifting his body up or down from the floor.
2. The rope or ligature is often tied in a
highly complex manner. This is done to
provide an "escape mechanism" to manipulate
the pressure on the neck with arms, legs, or
torso.
3. The victim will often have padding around the
neck to prevent tell-tale bruises and
abrasions.
4. Pornography is present.
5. The victim had no known motive to commit
suicide.
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20283427,00.html (http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20283427,00.html)
"The body was in a sitting position, with a yellow rope wrapped around the neck and attached to a closet bar, said police Col. Somprasong Yentuam, chief of the Lumpini area station. "We believe that Mr. David committed suicide but it is suspicious," said Yentuam."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31118992/ (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31118992/)
"Carradine's associates had questioned that theory (suicide) and authorities later said no suicide note was found in his room.
Police Lt. Gen. Worapong Chewprecha told reporters that Carradine was found with a rope tied around his genitals 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."
"All we can say is, we know David would never have committed suicide," said Tiffany Smith of Binder & Associates, his management company. "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."
"that's not something David would ever do to himself."
That's something that many friends said about George Reeves for years; and most of them have come around to the likelyhood of suicide.
Obviously we don't know for sure - and may never - but a blanket statement like that, though well-meant, usually doesn't take into account the complexity of life, and the varieties of depression.
-Craig
Very true, Craig. However the other circumstances support that contention. People just don't commit suicide in a sitting position with complex rope ligatures around their neck and genitals. They do die of autoerotic asphyxiation that way though.
It's certainly tragic, and like with Bob Crane, we don't like to have our image of these icons of our childhood shattered with these sexually bizarre details at the end of their lives. Our level of familiarity with these things being very low (I've read about it before, but don't have any practical experience to cite), it's hard to accept what is obvious if you are somewhat familiar with the nature of autoerotic asphixia. I can't come up with a good analogy, but if it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck... as the circumstances of his death do... then it's a duck.
All that aside, I really enjoyed a great deal of his work, from Kung Fu to Death Race 2000 to Kill Bill, and etc. etc. etc. My opinion of him and his work hasn't changed. I'm sorry he died and will miss him.
Carradine really was into Zen/Buddhism and 'enlightened', which to me makes suicide seem unlikely, as it would go against his religious grain. :-\
I think, considering the news report coming out of Thailand, its apparent he died accidently, after engaging in erotic auto-asphyxiation. Pity...he'll be remembered for that.
Bizarro Jeff
Bobby, I agree with you as to the likely cause of death; I was just making the point that humanity is complex and vulnerable enough that "I know he would never do that" is always a thin-ice statement.
Bob, suicide is not only against Carradine's worldview, it is against most religious philosophies. But see "vulnerable" comment above; Jews, Christians, and Muslims take their own lives every day.
-Craig
Let us all be careful in our speculation. Reportedly, police now are in interested in security video, as his hands were tied behind his back. Though the circumstances of his death are relevent to discussing his passing, let's not get too lurid. The man was more interesting than the manner of his death.
None of us here know exactly what the circumstances were. Also, although no one has crossed any lines yet, let's let this thread stay strictly to the topic of David Carradine, 'kay?
Thanks.
Quote from: Jscareshock on June 05, 2009, 09:34:42 AM
ABC news this morning (Friday) reported now that the death is suspicious. He was found naked hanging in a closet with the cord tied around his body. That is certainly more than auto erotic. It suggests he wasn't alone. Also, he supposedly gave up drinking and his only vices were coffee and cigarettes. Yet, the first time he was at Chiller he'd allegedly given up drinking and to see him on that Chiller video so toasted--it's sad.
If he was practicing auto-erotic asphyxiation with a hooker in a hotel room, I don't think his only remaining vices were coffee and cigarettes. I find it difficult to believe he was hung against his will in this manner, in a sitting position. But, it's also obvious he didn't tie his own hands behind his back. So likely he was a willing participant with some outside help.
I sure hope the security cameras catch something.
David Carridine very sad news :'(
The latest from CNN is that it was an accidental death. He was engaged in auto erotic nonsense when he had a heart attack and was unable to pull the release cord.
So which is more embaressing: Elvis dying in the crapper or Carradine uh well how can you tactfully say it?
Quote from: Jscareshock on June 08, 2009, 11:03:35 AM
So which is more embaressing: Elvis dying in the crapper or Carradine uh well how can you tactfully say it?
Well, we
all gotta go sometime and where better for a king to die but on the throne, but the auto-asphyxiation thing is about as screwed up as it gets. Yuck. :P
Quote from: Monster Bob on June 08, 2009, 12:49:00 PM
Well, we all gotta go sometime and where better for a king to die but on the throne, but the auto-asphyxiation thing is about as screwed up as it gets. Yuck. :P
I agree Bob. Personaly, I won't let the cause of death tarnish the image of a man whose work I, for the most part, enjoyed. But c'mon...to even consider auto-asphyxiation as a form of sexual stimulation tells
me the man was suicidal. Perhaps it wasn't intentional, but it was still suicide. You know, its not always just "inner" demons people wrestle with.
Whatever the case may be,everyone,we all agree that the man deserves our respect,and our prayers,if you feel inclined to that sort of sentiment.
In any event,this speculation about the hows and whys of his death really don't help us,or David himself, at all.
True ,he died in a very strange and bizarre fashion and locale,but dwelling on it serves no purpose but to inflict doubt and agony on our memories of him AS WE KNEW him.
I know one thing...
I will always remember him as Kwai Chang Caine,as Kaz O'Shay,as Count Mardulak,as the Blind Flautist,and as Bill,regardless of how he died,or what was implied about him while he lay dead and unable to rebutt his detractors.
He will always be to me one of the greatest of the Carradine family of actors,and May God bless his remaining family.
They are in sore need of our good wishes and positive words for their loss.
And it is a loss we ALL share.collectively as a society,a culture,for he gave us so much to relish,as a result of his existence.
Rest In Peace ,David.
Baron Latos.