Robert Carradine & Wife Edith 'Edie' Carradine Had a Difficult Divorce
Robert Carradine, who died of suicide at the age of 71, was married once, to former wife Edie Carradine. Their marriage was a long-term one; it lasted 25 years, but ended contentiously.
How bad did things get? According to People, Edith Carradine alleged that the Revenge of the Nerds star once purposely tried to kill them both in a car crash along a Colorado highway. On February 24, Robert's life ended tragically when he took his own life, his family said in a statement. It discussed his struggles with bipolar disorder.
Robert Carradine's Estranged Wife Edie Mani Claimed He Deliberately Tried to 'Kill Us Both' by Driving Into a Semi Truck
The divorce turned so ugly that Edith Carradine accused her estranged husband of trying to "kill" them both.
Edie Carradine said in the court documents that Robert “confessed to me and our two children that he deliberately drove into the truck to kill us both," People reported in 2017. She had "confronted him" about the crash, in which he "veered across the highway and into an oncoming semi-truck while driving down a Colorado highway," added People.
(Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
According to People, Robert claimed that he suffered from "acute psychosis" because he wasn't taking his bipolar disorder medication. Neither suffered life-threatening injuries.
Edith alleged that Robert's depression emerged after the death of his half-brother, David Carradine, in Thailand; Edith asked to take possession of his 17 guns during the divorce, according to People.
Edith confronted Robert about four months after the crash, TMZ reported. According to TMZ, she alleged that Robert was an "experienced professional race car driver" who was wide awake during the crash. Thus, according to TMZ, she alleged that "when he suddenly veered across the highway and into the full sized semi-truck, he did so on purpose." At the time, she said in the court documents that he was broke and jobless, TMZ reported.
Edie Mani Carradine & Robert Carradine Had 2 Kids Together
Robert Carradine leaves behind three kids, two of them with Edie.
According to Hello!, he "shares daughter Ever with Susan Snyder, as well as daughter Marika and son Ian with ex-wife Edie Mani, to whom he was married from 1990 to 2018."
Ever Carradine, an actress, wrote a lengthy tribute to her dad on Instagram. "My dad died today. My sweet, funny dad, who’s only 20 years older than I am, who never missed an opportunity to drive me to the airport or tell me how much he loved my homemade salad dressing, is gone," she wrote.
"If you knew my dad, you know he’s the guy that’s always there. Invite him to dinner? He’s in. Kid’s Little League game in Simi Valley, just tell him what time. Red eye flight and need a ride home from the airport, just text him your column number after you get your bags," she added.
"Growing up in the 70s and 80 with a single dad in Laurel Canyon is not exactly the recipe for a grounded childhood, but somehow mine was. Whenever anyone asks me how I turned out so normal, I always tell them it’s because of my dad. I knew my dad loved me, I knew it deep in my bones, and I always knew he had my back," continued Ever.
In a statement after Robert died, his family discussed his bipolar disorder.
It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away," his family told Deadline. "In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon on light to everyone around him. We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby’s valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with Bipolar Disorder. We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness. At this time we ask for the privacy to grieve this unfathomable loss. With gratitude for your understanding and compassion."
Robert Carradine was one of the five kids born to actor John Carradine.