Profile of John Carradine on Famous Like Me

John Carradine (February 5, 1906 - November 27, 1988) was an American actor.

Born Richmond Reed Carradine in New York City, he began his career in show business as a Shakespearean dramatic actor and made his cinematic debut in 1930 under the name Peter Richmond. He adopted the stage name "John Carradine" in 1933, and took the name as his own two years later.

He appeared in more than 200 movies, mostly in B-movies, usually playing eccentric, mad or diabolical characters, especially in the horror genre with which he had become identified as a "star" by the mid-1940s. He also appeared in ten John Ford productions (including The Grapes of Wrath (1940)), portrayed Biblical hero Aaron in The Ten Commandments (1956), and made numerous television cameos (notably on The Munsters, in recurring guest appearances as mortician Mr. Gateman). He also did considerable stage work, much of which provided his only opportunity to work in a classic drama context, and appeared on Broadway.

For his contribution to the motion picture industry, John Carradine has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6240 Hollywood Blvd. In 2003, he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Carradine's idiosyncratic habit of strolling Hollywood streets while reciting Shakespearean soliloquies earned him the nickname "Bard of the Boardwalk".

Four sons, David, Robert, Keith and Bruce are also actors. John Carradine appeared with his son David in the pilot episode of Kung Fu.

He died on a visit to Milan, Italy, at the age of 82.

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