David Carradine Admitted Suicidal Thoughts
In Candid 2004 IGN Interview Carradine Spoke of Death
Jun 12, 2009
In an April 13, 2004 IGN.com interview by Spence D., David Carradine responded to a question about how he would like to die. "'Look, there was a period in my life when I had a single action Colt 45, loaded, in my desk drawer. And every night I would take it out and think about blowing my head off. And then decide not to and go on with my life . . . ., death doesn't bother me.'" He continued to state that he almost committed suicide on another occasion, while sitting on a windowsill at the Plaza Hotel.
Risky Behavior
These thoughts came from a man whose death has sparked many rumors of suicide, accidental death and murder. Ranging from an assassination by the Chinese Mafia to a freak sexual act gone terribly wrong. It seems accidental death or suicide is the strongest possibility, since he appeared to enjoy coming close with death. He even admitted to Spence D. that he was having great fun with his life at the time of the Plaza Hotel event. Depression does not seem to be a factor when it comes to Carradine and his considerations of death.
Did sexual deviancy outweigh the possibility of death? Did he consider how he would be viewed in retrospect? It appears Carradine was a risk taker. A strong personality trait could influence any decision a risk taker may seize. In Marvin Zuckerman's book entitled Sensation Seeking and Risky Behavior [American Psychological Association, 2006], he looks at the role of genetics, biology and attitudes related to the behavior. Motivations are discussed, along with possible treatments. Carradine's conduct might be understood better with a study of his psychology.
Carradine's Childhood and Career
Carradine rose to fame from a troubled childhood as a famous actor's son (John Carradine), raised mostly in boarding and reform schools. He devoted his life to music, studying the theory and composition at San Fransisco State College (SFSC). Many people are probably not familiar with the fact that he recorded around 60 music tracks and also sang in numerous movies.
Furthermore, he discovered his passion for the stage while attending SFSC and went on to star in over 100 films, 24 television movies, and many plays, both on and off Broadway. See link above. He considered himself well-studied in about everything except acting. To learn more about Carradine's life, one should read his autobiography entitled Endless Highway [Journey Editions, 1995].
Legacy of an Actor
Hopefully people will remember Carradine for his talent and his long list of work. Sometimes the way a person dies can overshadow the memory he left behind. However, unless Carradine was in fact murdered, he chose his action and almost certainly understood the risk involved. This time he could not change his mind about the leap he wanted to take.
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