DAVID CARRADINE (1936-2009) Goodbye 'Grasshopper'

I practically grew up watching David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine in the TV series 'Kung Fu' on IBC 13 here in the Philippines. He was a big part of the Kung Fu craze in the 1970s thanks in big part to the legendary Bruce Lee. David Carradine wasn't a martial artist before he starred in Kung Fu. The Kung Fu TV series was conceived by Bruce Lee himself and presented the conception to the Warner Bros. executives. Unfortunately, Warner Bros. honchos picked David Carradine to play Kwai Chang Caine instead of Bruce Lee because Lee wasn't a bankable star at the time and was Chinese.


This is the image that I will always remember David Carradine, the serene priest in 'Kung Fu' also known as 'grasshopper' by the Shaolin priest in the TV series.

Carradine was found dead Thursday (June 4, 2009) in Thailand. The 72-year-old actor appeared to have hanged himself in a suite at the luxury Swissotel Nai Lert Park Hotel, said Lt. Teerapop Luanseng, the officer responsible for investigating the death.

"I can confirm that we found his body, naked, hanging in the closet," Teerapop said. He said police were investigating and suspected suicide, though one of his managers questioned that theory.

"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."

Carradine had flown to Thailand last week and began work on "Stretch" two days before his death, Smith said. He had several other projects lined up after the action film, which was being directed by Charles De Meaux with Carradine in the lead.

David Carradine can be seen in the Jonas Brothers' music video 'Burnin' Up' which was released last year.