Hundreds Attend Carradine's Funeral

Family, Former Co-Stars Honor Actor At Los Angeles Cemetery

(AP)  Hundreds gathered to honor David Carradine on Saturday at a funeral that was attended by family, former co-stars and other Hollywood elite.

Services were held under mostly gloomy skies with cold blasts of wind sweeping across a sprawling hillside cemetery in Los Angeles. The funeral lasted more than two hours and as more than 400 mourners left, clouds parted in the west offering a magnificent sunset.

The 72-year-old actor's body was found hanging in a Bangkok hotel room on June 4. Thai authorities continue to investigate his death. A statement released Thursday by a private pathologist said suicide had been ruled out as a cause of death.

Carradine's family stayed out of sight from a small group of reporters and cameras. His burial was private. The family has asked for privacy and patience as they grieve and authorities investigate.

His brother, Keith Carradine, briefly appeared outside before the service and greeted some people before heading back inside.

Among the hundreds of guests were numerous actors, including Michael Madsen, Jane Seymour, Tom Selleck, Daryl Hannah, Lucy Liu, Edward James Olmos, Ali Larter, and James Cromwell. Rob Schneider arrived, clutching a basket of flowers.

Madsen and Liu both starred alongside Carradine in Quentin Tarantino's two-part "Kill Bill" saga.

Carradine is perhaps best known for his role as Kwai Chang Caine on three seasons of the 1970s hit show "Kung Fu." His role in popular culture was cemented by the time he left the show after three seasons in 1975.

He later went on to star in the cult flick "Death Race 2000" and in Ingmar Bergman's "The Serpent's Egg" in 1977, but by the 1980s his career arc had moved to lower-budget fare.

He continued to foster interests in Asian herbs, exercise and philosophy, and made instructional videos on tai chi and other martial arts.

Tarantino's "Kill Bill" films offered Carradine a career resurgence. His role as the titular character earned Carradine a Golden Globe nomination for best supporting actor for his role in "Kill Bill - Vol. 2."

Carradine's father, John, was a character actor whose 50-year stage and screen career began during Hollywood's early years.

Some mourners on Saturday opted for bits of Western flair, with some sporting cowboy boots and hats and turquoise jewelry. Keith Carradine wore a bolo tie.

Guests gathered and hugged outside the hall, where security ensured only invited guests gained entry.

In an era when personal violence was seen as reasonably acceptable as a solution to disagreement, this man showed a livable example of peaceful resistance. From the first episode of 'Kung Fu', the average non-athlete saw a way to combine discipline, respect, calmness, and preparedness. Men, women, and children had a role model to follow to no longer walk in fear of stronger more powerful people. He was just and actor, yes - but Carradine bridged East and West for me, and melted my unfounded fears of the mysterious oriental people - humanizing them to me - opening the door for me to have many many friends among peoples I avoided until then.

I thank him for what he did for me and trust that I am not alone in what I learned from him.

[Meg003]

ChicagoOldHead

What do you know about the average Thai police officer? Do you really think they are more "filthy" than the average police officer in the U.S.?

I am not sure what you think would have happened had Carradine met such an unfortunate death in the United States. Perhaps not a whisper of the circumstances would ever have reached the public. Maybe no one would have leapt to the immediate and incorrect assumption that his death was a suicide.

But I doubt that the family of a Thai who died in the U.S. would receive the cooperation that the Thai police have accorded the bereaved Carradines. Nor do I think that Thai investigators would be given the access that the FBI has received in Thailand.

When living in Thailand I found the Thai police to be professional and effective, just as I have found most U.S. police officers to be.

[barbaraf4]

His children must be very proud.

[Illuminated1]

Is it possible he was assassinated because of his Kung Fu fame?

[ajjaxtheleast]

I too have had my "fun" with this,,,But never in looking
down at the man,,,,

When I reach 75 and had never been in a "closet"
of my own then I may,,,,however, till then,,,

[MalloryDavis]

adt13t=I don't know but it's really something.

[adt13t]

Not a martial artist to begin with-
an actor pretending to be the real deal.
spotlight ****/w pop culture of brittany spear
america, trailer trash willfully embrace self deception
worshipping paris in all the wrong places. bend over pawns unite.

[adt13t]

Fools confuse actors pulling poses
with the real deal, or in this case pulling
on the wrong end of the rope or was it simply
pulling a bit to hard - timing being everything.

[voxpopulus]

I think whoever killed him already died by asphyxiation.