Sketch profiles for David Carradine's quintessential characters. Click EasyEdit to update this page!
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Character name: Bill
Appears in:Kill Bill 1 & 2
Date(s): 2004
Award(s):won saturn award for best supporting actor
nominated for 4 other awards
| Character back story: he is the leader of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, which included his brother, Budd
Bill's codename is "Snake Charmer". His origins are not known, but his full name is revealed by Kiddo in the first movie.
He collected father figures, the first of them a pimp named Esteban Vihaio. At some point he became the student of legendary swordsmith Hattori Hanz? and kung fu master Pai Mei. He is also fond of comic books.
| | Inspiration for character: | Age/Occupation:60s-70s
assassin | Personality type:cold,ruthless,corrupt
loving father,old fashioned | | Signature look: | | Resides:mexico | | Character connections: | Fun facts/trivia:Warren Beatty was considered for the role of Bill.
Michael Jai White filmed several scenes in Volume Two with David Carradine, but these were cut from the final theatrical version due to pacing concerns. A lengthy confrontation between the two is the one and only deleted scene on the Vol. 2 DVD.
The large wooden flute played by Bill (David Carradine) actually is the exact same flute that David Carradine plays as Kwai Chang Caine in "Kung Fu" (1972). Carradine brought the flute to rehearsals and Quentin Tarantino decided to find a way to put it in the movie.
Correction: The flute used in Kill Bill was one of four that Carradine had made and used in "The Circle of Iron" (AKA: The Silent Flute". (From: Carradine, David; (2006) The Kill Bill Diary). The flute that he used in Kung Fu was actually several flutes because, he said, he used to give them away.
The brothers played by David Carradine and Michael Madsen are named Bill and Budd. Billy Budd was the title character of a novel written by Herman Melville. |
| | Character Quotes & Catchphrases | The Bride: Aso. The point emerges.
Bill: You would've worn the costume of Arlene Plimpton. But you were born Beatrix Kiddo. And every morning when you woke up, you'd still be Beatrix Kiddo. Oh, you can take the needle out.
The Bride: [does so] Are you calling me a superhero?
Bill: I'm calling you a killer. A natural born killer. You always have been, and you always will be. Moving to El Paso, working in a used record store, goin' to the movies with Tommy, clipping coupons. That's you, trying to disguise yourself as a worker bee That's you tryin' to blend in with the hive. But you're not a worker bee. You're a renegade killer bee. And no matter how much beer you drank or barbecue you ate or how fat your ass got, nothing in the world would ever change that.
Bill: I suppose the traditional way to conclude this is, we cross Hanzo swords. Well, it just so happens, this hacienda comes with its very own private beach. And this private beach just so happens to look particularly beautiful bathed in moonlight. And there just so happens to be a full moon out tonight. So, swordfighter, if you want to sword fight, that's where I suggest. But if you wanna be old school about it - and you know I'm all about old school - then we can wait till dawn, and slice each other up at sunrise, like a couple real-life, honest-to-goodness samurais.
Bill: Do you find me sadistic? You know, Kiddo, I'd like to believe that you're aware enough even now to know that there's nothing sadistic in my actions. At this moment, this is me at my most masochistic.
The Bride: Bill, it's your baby.
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Character name: Kwai Chang Caine
Appears in:Kung Fu
Date(s): series 1972-1975
tv movie 1986
tv series 1993-97
Award(s):won TP de Oro award for best foreign actor
nominated for an emmy
| Character back story: In the late 19th century, Kwai Chang Caine (David Carradine) is the orphaned son of an American man and a Chinese woman. He has been raised in the Shaolin Monastery, and trained by the monks to be a Shaolin master.
Caine’s beloved mentor and elder, Master Po, is murdered by the Chinese emperor's nephew, and Caine retaliates by killing the nephew. In order to avoid execution for his crime, Caine flees from China to western America, where he seeks to find his half-brother, Danny Caine. | Inspiration for character:bruce lee created the concept of the show & the character
Whether or not Bruce Lee created the concept or the character is a hotly debated issue-one that Carradine was made to argue many times throughout his life. Ed Spielman is the creator of record. Jerry Thorpe, the producer has stated that Lee auditioned for the role, but that he always intended for Carradine to play it. | Age/Occupation:20s-30s
monk,railroad worker,priest | | Personality type:humble, intelligent, inquisitive, and usually very soft-spoken | | Signature look: | Resides:a monastery in china
west coast of the u.s-travels east | | Character connections: Grandson of Mathew Caine, bother of Danny Caine and uncle of Zeke Caine. | Fun facts/trivia:David Carradine got the lead role over martial arts legend Bruce Lee, who originated and pitched the concept to the network and had extensive involvement in its development. The network felt the American audience was "not ready" for an Asian actor in the lead of a network series, even though Lee had been on "The Green Hornet" (1966).
Again, a hotly debated issue. "In my eyes and in the eyes of Jerry Thorpe," says Harvey Frand, "David Carradine was always our first choice to play Caine. But there was some disagreement because the network was interested in a more muscular actor and the studio was interested in getting Bruce Lee." Frand says Lee wouldn't have really been appropriate for the series — despite the fact that he went on to considerable success in the martial arts film world. The Kung Fu show needed a serene person, and Carradine was more appropriate for the role." Plato, Herbie (1993) The Kung Fu Book of Caine
Phillip Ahn, who played Master Kan, was not Chinese, but Korean-American. His parents were the first Korean immigrants to the United States.
The only reason this show went off the air was because star David Carradine quit the series. He had sustained so many injuries, he felt he could not go on. The show got high ratings all three seasons it aired.
In a few episodes, a younger Kwai Chang Caine was played by Keith Carradine, David Carradine's younger brother. Their another brother Robert Carradine and their father John Carradine also appeared in episodes (as Sonny Jim and Serenity Johnson, respectively). David's brother, Bruce Carradine, also appeared in one episode.
Boston's FOX affiliate ignorantly showed footage of Keith Carradine in a scene from Kung Fu while eulogizing David Carradine. |
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Character name: Cole Younger
Appears in:The Long Riders
Date(s):1980
Award(s):
| Character back story: Thomas Coleman Younger was a famous Confederate guerrilla and an outlaw after the American Civil War.
With his brothers Jim, John and Bob Younger, he joined with Jesse and Frank James to lead the James-Younger gang of Missouri bandits. | | Inspiration for character:based on the real life cole younger | Age/Occupation:30s-40s
outlaw/bandit | | Personality type: charismatic and good humoured | | Signature look: | | Resides:missouri/kentucky | | Character connections: | Fun facts/trivia:
The gentleman thats bothering Cole Younger (David Carradine) outside the bank just before the shootout is speaking Swedish. He asks (in Swedish) if he can buy Coles horse which the latter refuses. After being refused the Swede states: "A shame. Its a beautiful horse". |
| | Character Quotes & Catchphrases | Jim Younger: [before the Northfield Raid] Maybe we need to send a couple of people down there and look things over before we just ride in there.
Jesse James: Clell's already scouted it out. What's wrong with you, Jim? Talkin' soft is something I'd expect from Cole or Frank.
Cole Younger: I gave up tryin' to talk sense to you a long time ago, Jesse.
Belle Starr: Coleman Younger! Seems like you folks are havin' a real nice party in there.
Cole Younger: I expect so, with free food and drink and all.
Belle Starr: How come I wasn't invited?
Cole Younger: 'Cause you're a whore, Belle.
Belle Starr: I might be; but at least I ain't a cheap one.
Cole Younger: You still chargin' $15?
Belle Starr: [laughing] I sure am.
Cole Younger: [shaking his head] Lot of money.
Belle Starr: Well, at the rate you're losin' you won't have to worry about it. Course you could always hold up another bank; scare some more innocent people half to death.
Jacob Rixley: What do you and your brothers think about a life sentence? I mean, you're lucky they don't allow hanging in this state. Come on, Cole, tell me what you think about this?
Cole Younger: Ah, hell. We played a rough game... and we lost
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Character name: Frankenstein
Appears in: Death Race 2000
Date(s): 1975
Award(s):
| Character back story: Frankenstein is the most celebrated & popular racer and he is also the government's champion.
He is reputed to be part machine, rebuilt after many crashes.
During the race it is revealed that Frankenstein is just a name & that he is simply one of many people specially trained to race in the role. "When one is used up, they bring in another.
Frankenstein does'nt want to a government agent & he wants to win the race so he can kill the u.s president & put an end to the violence & abolish the race for good | | Inspiration for character: Based on the character, Willie Connors, from a short story by Ib Melchior. | Age/Occupation:unknown
racer | | Personality type:sadistic,violent, | | Signature look:black mask,helmet | | Resides:the u.s | | Character connections: | Fun facts/trivia: This movie is very loosely based on a short story, The Racer by Ib Melchior which was published in Escapade magazine in 1956. In 1936 Melchior had been present at the Indianapolis 500 when a driver crashed and burned. He was seated very close to the driver's grieving widow, while the crowd went wild over the crash.
Producer, Roger Corman and director, Paul Bartel, differed over the way the movie should end. Corman did not think that Frankenstein should be responsible for the reporters death. Carradine suggested that two versions be shot before they decide which one to use. They shot Bartels' version (the one that appears in the movie) then Carradine said he was too tired to continue working. Thus Bartel won the argument.
Both Sylvester Stallone and David Carradine did much of their own driving. In addition, producer Roger Corman drove in scenes that were shot on public streets, since the custom-built cars used in the movie were not street legal and the film's stunt drivers did not want to be caught driving them by the police.
Explaining why he took the Frankenstein role, David Carradine says, "I started that picture two weeks after I walked off the 'Kung Fu' set, and that was essentially my image, the 'Kung Fu' character, and a lot of people still believe I'm that guy. The idea actually was: No. 1, if you walk off a television series, you better do a movie right away or you might never get to do one. And the second thing was to do something right away that would create the image of a monster to get rid of the image of that little Chinese guy that I'd been playing for four years. And, you know, it did kick-start my movie career.
Was theatrically re-released in France in the mid-80s with its title changed from the accurate translation "Course a la Mort de l'an 2000, la" to a more evasive "Seigneurs de la Route, les" (meaning "Lords of the Road"). This time, David Carradine and Sylvester Stallone shared the top billing on the posters. |
| | Character Quotes & Catchphrases | Harold: Is it true that with your new mechanical arm you can shift gears in less than a twentieth of a second? Would you care to comment on that?
Frankenstein: No.
Harold: How do you feel about going into the race with a navigator you've never met?
Grace Pander: You'll love Annie. She's a red-hot sexpot.
Frankenstein: She'd better be a red-hot navigator.
Annie Paine: [pulls off Frankenstein's glove, revealing a grenade built into his hand] A grenade?
Frankenstein: A hand grenade!
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Character name: "Big" Bill Shelley
Appears in: Boxcar Bertha
Date(s): 1972
Award(s):
| Character back story:
Bill is a railroad worker turned union organizer. He is strongly attracted to Bertha Thompson and is present when her father is killed in a crop dusting accident. Bill crosses paths with Bertha several times and eventually takes her virginity.
Although tough and rough around the edges, Bill is not criminal but, because of his involvement in the union and his friendship with an African American,Von, Bill attracts the negative attention of the law. After Bertha initiates Bill's escape from jail, the pair take up with Von and her friend, a gambler named Rake, and they become thieves, particularly train robbers.
After being rejected by the union for his association with "whores and Negroes", Bill rationalizes his crimes as a method of damaging the railroad and he declares war of the Reader Railroad which is operated by H. Buckram Sartoris | | Inspiration for character: | | Age/Occupation:unknown/Railroad worker and Union Organizer.Rumored to be a crazy Bolshevik. | | Personality type: compassionate, horny, religious. | | Signature look: | | Resides: Arkansas | | Character connections: Lover of Bertha Thompson, friend of Von and Rake. Enemy of H. B. Sartoris. | Fun Fact/Trivia: Carradine's personal involvement with the star of the movie, Barbara Hershey, lead to some pretty steamy sex scenes. It was speculated that she conceived their son on the set, but Carradine denied that. Later the love scenes were recreated in a Playboy spread.
This was Martin Scorsese's first major film and was made in a month on $600,000.
The dog who appears in Boxcar Bertha is most likely David's beloved Buffalo, who later appeared credited in Americana. |
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