John Carradine

John Carradine (born Richmond Reed Carradine) was an American actor known as one of the greatest character actors in American cinema. Carradine was born in New York City on February 5, 1906, and died on November 27, 1988, in Milan, Italy. He was highly acclaimed for his roles in horror films, Westerns, and Shakespearean theater. Some of his notable roles include Count Dracula in House of Frankenstein (1944), House of Dracula (1945), Billy the Kid Versus Dracula (1966), and Nocturna: Granddaughter of Dracula (1979). He also had a significant role as “Preacher Casy” in John Ford’s The Grapes of Wrath. Carradine starred in more than 351 film and television productions, which made him one of the most prolific English-speaking actors of all time.

In his personal life, Carradine was married four times and fathered five children. He is the patriarch of the Carradine family, many of whom are or were also actors. Beyond his work in film, Carradine was also known for his Shakespearean theater touring company. He did vast amounts of stage work, including Broadway roles in productions like Ferdinand, The Duchess of Malfi, and Lycus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Carradine lived a long and prolific career before his death at the age of 82.