Memories of Carradine include local filmmaking

David Carradine’s reported death stirred memories of “Kung Fu,” a 1970s show that lasted just three years but had a profound impact.

Carradine introduced a generation of Americans to the martial arts as Kwai Chang Caine, who was perhaps the first Chinese immigrant character in a TV show with any depth. The show made extensive use of flashbacks and focused more on the spiritual and mental aspects of kung fu than the physical. And his character’s youthful nickname of “Grasshopper” was part of the pop culture vernacular for years.

Carradine, of course, saw his star rise again in the 2003-04 “Kill Bill” movies. In between, he did a number of “B” movies – including “American Reel,” which was shot in Fort Wayne and brought the actor to the city in 1997.

One of his more interesting films was 1980’s “The Long Riders,” which told the story of the Jesse James gang and featured real brothers portraying the roles of brothers. David, Keith and Robert Carradine were the Younger brothers, while Stacey and James Keach were Jesse and Frank James. Dennis and Randy Quaid were also featured, as was the then little-known Christopher Guest playing a rare dramatic role alongside brother Nicholas Guest.

Though many of his obituaries don’t mention it, we remember when Carradine good-naturedly parodied the Caine/Grasshopper role in TV commercials for a telephone directory.

GM bankruptcy concerns 10,000 retirees in Anderson

While cities with a thriving General Motors presence anxiously await the outcome of the company’s bankruptcy petition, the former GM city of Anderson also has a deep stake in what happens.

Anderson was formerly second to Flint, Mich., in the concentration of GM employment, and some 10,000 GM retirees still live in the Anderson area. What happens with the company’s pension and retiree health care benefits is of great interest to the residents.

City officials care about that and more. GM once had two dozen factories covering more than 400 acres in Anderson and still owns some property in the city, including the large site of the former Guide Lamp, which made vehicle lights.

The company gave many other properties to the city of Anderson but still has some responsibility for environmental cleanup.

“We still are exploring how bankruptcy would affect that liability,” city Economic Development Director Linda Dawson told the Anderson Herald-Bulletin.