David Carradine (December 8, 1936 – June 3, 2009)[4][5][6] was an American character actor, best known for his role as Kwai Chang Caine in the 1970s television series, Kung Fu[7] and its 1990s sequel series, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues. He was a member of a productive acting dynasty that began with his father, John Carradine. His acting career, which included major and minor roles on stage, television and cinema, spanned over four decades. A prolific "B" movie actor,[6] he appeared in more than 100 feature films[8] and was nominated four times for a Golden Globe Award.[9] The latest nomination was for his part in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill. In addition to his acting career, Carradine was also a musician and pursued a directing career. Influenced by his most popular acting role, he studied martial arts.

Kung Fu
David Carradine as Caine in the original Kung Fu

For three seasons, David Carradine starred as a half Chinese, half European Shaolin monk, Kwai Chang Caine on the A.B.C. hit TV series Kung Fu (1972–1975) and was nominated for an Emmy and a Golden Globe Award[9] for the role. The show, which took place in the "Old West", helped to popularize the martial arts and East Asian philosophy in Europe and North America and immortalized the character of Kwai Chang Caine, popularly referred to as "Grasshopper",.

Although the choice of a European man to play the role of Kwai Chang Caine stirred controversy, the show served as steady employment for several East Asian actors in the U.S.[30] In addition to Keye Luke and Philip Ahn, who held leading roles in the cast as Caine's Shaolin masters, Robert Ito, James Hong, Benson Fong, Richard Loo and Victor Sen Yung frequently appeared in the series. Kung Fu ended when Carradine quit to pursue a movie career, but he reprised the role of Kwai Chang Caine in 1986 in Kung Fu: The Movie. Brandon Lee, son of Bruce Lee, in his acting debut, portrayed his son.

Early in the 1990s, Carradine once again reprised the role of Kwai Chang Caine in Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (1993–97) playing the grandson of the original character of the same name. Carradine starred in the program and served as Executive Producer and Director. The program offered him the opportunity to recreate the character for which he was most widely recognized. Also starring on Kung Fu: The Legend Continues was an unfamiliar struggling actor, spokesman and singer from Toronto, Chris Potter. During this time Carradine's alcoholism escalated and he entred alcohol rehabilitation. The show was canceled in 1997, after 4 seasons, and 88 episodes.