Linda Anne Gilbert and the Family Story Behind Her Life and Acting Career

Linda Anne Gilbert, commonly known as Linda Gilbert and Linda Carradine, is an American actress with ties to Roger McGuinn and David Carradine. Though connected to famous musicians and actors, she has kept a secluded life since her March 16, 1950, birth in the US.

Gilbert’s life is a mix of notoriety, family, and solitude. Interviews, public appearances, and a long acting career have not defined her, unlike many famous performers. She had two marriages, a few acting credits, and was the mother of actress and equestrian performer Kansas Carradine.

Her biography shows how someone can make entertainment history without becoming a celebrity. Gilbert appears in her prior husbands’ and daughter’s tales, but her personal life is mostly unknown.

Little is known about her childhood, education, early ambitions, and career outside acting. This makes it crucial to discern between known biographical facts and unproven claims.

Early Life and Family Background

Linda Anne Gilbert was born in the United States on March 16, 1950. Information about her childhood and upbringing is scarce, and there is little publicly documented material about her parents, siblings, or education.

Some genealogical accounts provide clues about her maternal family. Her maternal grandfather has been identified as William Isaac Gilbert, who was born in Oklahoma. He was reportedly the son of William Isaac Gilbert and Mary Lucy Witt. Her maternal grandmother’s surname was Gordon.

These family details offer a small window into Gilbert’s ancestry, although they do not establish a complete family tree. Information about her parents’ occupations, where she grew up, and the experiences that shaped her early adulthood remains largely unavailable.

There have also been references to possible Native American ancestry on her mother’s side. According to accounts associated with her daughter, Kansas Carradine, a maternal grandmother had Native American roots connected to an Oklahoma reservation. Some secondary descriptions suggest a possible Cree connection, but the specific tribal affiliation has not been established conclusively.

I would treat this part of Gilbert’s background with care. Ancestry is a meaningful aspect of family identity, but a possible connection should not be presented as a verified tribal affiliation without stronger documentation.

Her early life remains one of the least understood chapters of her biography. The absence of extensive public records leaves room for curiosity, but it does not justify filling the gaps with speculation.

Linda Gilbert and Her First Marriage to Roger McGuinn

One of the earliest major public milestones in Gilbert’s adult life was her marriage to Roger McGuinn in November 1971.

Roger McGuinn is best known as the founder and lead singer of The Byrds.

McGuinn, born James Joseph McGuinn III in 1942, became an influential figure in American popular music. As a founding member of The Byrds, he helped shape the sound of folk rock during the 1960s. His distinctive twelve-string guitar playing and vocals became central elements of the band’s identity.

The Byrds combined folk traditions with rock instrumentation, helping popularize a sound that influenced generations of musicians. McGuinn’s professional life unfolded in a highly visible world of touring, recording, and musical experimentation.

Gilbert married McGuinn during a period when his career was already established. Their marriage, however, lasted only a few years. They divorced in June 1975.

There are no documented children from their marriage, and publicly available information about their life together is limited. Their relationship is primarily recorded through marriage and divorce dates rather than detailed accounts of their private experiences.

McGuinn later married Camilla in 1978, and they have remained together. His earlier family history also includes relationships with Dolores, also identified as Ianthe DeLeon, and his sons Patrick and Henry.

Gilbert’s marriage to McGuinn represents a relatively brief chapter in her biography. Nevertheless, it connects her to an important period in American music history, when folk rock was helping reshape the popular music landscape.

Her Second Marriage to David Carradine

In Munich, Germany, Gilbert married David Carradine civilly in early February 1977. The wedding date is usually February 2, 1977.

John Arthur Carradine Jr., born December 8, 1936, was a famous television and film actor. He became famous as Kwai Chang Caine in the Kung Fu series, which merged martial skills, Western storytelling, and philosophy.

He worked in several genres. Later generations of viewers saw him as Bill, the main adversary in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill movie.

Carradine attended the Munich ceremony after filming Bergman’s The Serpent’s Egg. Gilbert married into a Hollywood family. David was the son of famous actor John Carradine and half-brother of Keith and Robert.

The Carradine family was known for film, TV, and theater. Gilbert joined this family’s multigenerational showbiz legacy.

Though divorced in 1983, her second marriage to David Carradine lasted longer. The couple had a daughter, Kansas Anne Carradine, in Los Angeles on April 19, 1978.

The early marriage to Donna Lee Becht and the extended engagement with Barbara Hershey are among Carradine’s personal partnerships. His subsequent marriages and partnerships drew attention.

Gilbert’s years with Carradine were important because they formed the family tie that would shape her public life.

Linda Gilbert’s Daughter Kansas Carradine

Kansas Anne Carradine is the best-known member of Gilbert’s immediate family in the context of her own professional achievements. Born on April 19, 1978, she developed a career that combines acting, equestrian performance, stunt riding, and personal development.

Kansas followed a different path from her famous father. Although she appeared in films, she became particularly associated with horses and physical performance. Her professional identity includes work as an equestrian performer and trick rider, earning her the nickname “Circus Cowgirl.”

Her acting credits include Rapid Eye Movement (2006) and Homo Erectus (2007). She has also participated in equestrian productions such as Cavalia, a theatrical show combining horses, acrobatics, and live performance.

Her work requires a blend of athleticism, timing, and trust between rider and animal. Unlike conventional screen acting, equestrian performance places the body and the horse at the center of the storytelling.

Kansas has also explored wellness and personal development, including approaches involving horses and techniques associated with HeartMath. Her interests reflect a professional life that extends beyond Hollywood and into experiential learning, performance, and emotional well-being.

Her family history has not always been easy. In interviews, Kansas has spoken about a turbulent childhood, her parents’ separation, and challenges involving her mother’s substance use. She has also described losing custody arrangements with her mother at around six years old and being raised in part by other family members.

These experiences are personal and should be understood through Kansas’s own accounts rather than treated as a complete explanation of her mother’s life. Family difficulties can shape a childhood in profound ways, but public comments rarely capture every dimension of a complicated relationship.

Horses became a consistent presence in Kansas’s life. They offered a focus for her skills and, eventually, a foundation for her professional identity. Her journey shows how an unconventional upbringing can become part of a larger story of independence, discipline, and reinvention.

Kansas Carradine’s Marriage and Children

In 2004, Kansas Carradine married Alain Gauthier. Gauthier works with Cirque du Soleil, which combines acrobatics and narrative.

Their partnership links equestrian arts extravaganza with current circus physical creativity.

Public accounts identify Kansas and Alain’s kids as Phoenix, also known as Phoenix Rose, and Kuwaleah. Some accounts link the younger child’s name to Bodhi, although details vary.

Kansas has pursued equestrian training, teaching, and personal development in Lake Tahoe and Truckee.

The following generation of the Carradine family is involved in entertainment, but not just performing. Kansas and Alain continue the family story through horses, performance, and art.

Gilbert considers her grandchildren another generation of her family, but she has not publicly highlighted their relationship.

Linda Gilbert’s Acting Career and Film Credits

Gilbert’s acting career is modest compared with those of her former husbands and daughter. Her known credits are limited to a few screen appearances, sometimes listed under the name Linda Carradine.

Her documented roles span different decades and include an uncredited appearance, a supporting character in a Western, and an association with the long-running Mata Hari film project.

Q The Winged Serpent and Her Uncredited Appearance

The 1982 horror film Q: The Winged Serpent offers an example of Gilbert’s limited screen presence. Uncredited roles can be difficult to trace because they may not appear in the main cast listings or receive much attention in reviews.

Her reported appearance as Shepard’s Wife is a small part of a film whose larger reputation comes from its unusual premise, practical effects, and place in independent horror cinema.

David Carradine also appeared in the production, giving the film an additional connection to Gilbert’s family history.

Rockwell and Her Supporting Role

In the 1994 Western Rockwell, Gilbert is credited as Mrs. Neff. The role is a supporting family character rather than a leading performance.

The film explores the life of Porter Rockwell, a historical figure whose reputation combines law enforcement, frontier history, and religious associations. Its relatively obscure status means Gilbert’s contribution has not generated extensive critical discussion.

Still, the credit demonstrates that her screen work continued beyond the period of her marriage to Carradine. The gap between her early 1980s appearance and the 1994 production also suggests that acting was not a continuous, highly visible career for her.

The Long History of the Mata Hari Project

The Mata Hari project occupies a particularly unusual place in the Carradine family story. David Carradine pursued the film over an extended period, with his daughter Calista Carradine involved in the project as well.

The production’s long development history makes it different from a conventional feature film completed within a single shooting schedule. Work associated with the project spanned multiple periods, and Gilbert’s reported role as a French student is connected to that history.

A 2025 documentary titled Mata Hari, directed by Joe Beshenkovsky and James A. Smith, brought renewed attention to the unfinished project and the relationship between David and Calista Carradine.

Gilbert has also been associated with a self appearance in connection with the 2025 documentary or related archival material. Such a credit should be distinguished from a traditional acting role in the original film project.

Taken together, these credits reveal a small but identifiable screen history. They do not establish a large body of additional television, theater, voice acting, or commercial work.

Her Life Away From the Spotlight

Gilbert’s history is notable for her secrecy outside of family and acting.

Her schooling, career, business, and present employment are unknown. She has less documentation of her post-divorce years than McGuinn and Carradine.

Privacy makes narrative construction difficult. The absence of interviews and public appearances may suggest a certain lifestyle, but silence cannot tell us if someone is retired, working privately, living near family, or following non-media activities.

Financial questions require prudence. Gilbert’s wealth, assets, and income are unknown. Undocumented estimates are not facts.

Thus, her public profile is limited, not mysterious. Some personalities remain in entertainment history without participating in its publicity cycle.

David Carradine’s Later Life and Legacy

David Carradine remained a major film and TV star after his divorce from Gilbert. The portrayal of Kwai Chang Caine in Kung Fu made him a TV star, while Bill in Kill Bill exposed him to a new generation of moviegoers.

His varied career included martial arts dramas, Westerns, independent films, and experimental projects.

At 72, Carradine died in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 3, 2009. His death gained international notice and rekindled interest in his personal and professional life.

Gilbert’s death linked her name to a public figure whose life remained biographically interesting. Their divorce occurred decades previously, and the available information does not clarify their relationship afterward.

Their daughter Kansas has linked Hollywood history to equestrian performance with her work.

A Timeline of Linda Anne Gilbert’s Life

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Linda Anne Gilbert?

Linda Anne Gilbert is an American actress born on March 16, 1950. She is known publicly for her former marriages to musician Roger McGuinn and actor David Carradine, as well as for being the mother of actress and equestrian performer Kansas Carradine.

What is Linda Gilbert’s connection to Roger McGuinn?

Gilbert married Roger McGuinn, the founding member and lead singer of The Byrds, in November 1971. Their marriage ended in divorce in June 1975. They did not have children together.

When did Linda Gilbert marry David Carradine?

Gilbert married David Carradine in early February 1977, with the ceremony commonly dated February 2. The civil ceremony took place in Munich, Germany. They had one daughter, Kansas Carradine, and divorced around 1983.

Who is Linda Gilbert’s daughter?

Her daughter is Kansas Anne Carradine, born on April 19, 1978, in Los Angeles. Kansas is an actress, professional trick rider, equestrian performer, and wellness advocate whose work has extended beyond traditional Hollywood productions.

What movies did Linda Gilbert appear in?

Her reported acting credits include Q: The Winged Serpent (1982), in which she played Shepard’s Wife in an uncredited appearance, and Rockwell (1994), in which she played Mrs. Neff. She is also associated with David Carradine’s long-running Mata Hari film project as a French student.

Did Linda Gilbert have a major acting career?

The publicly documented evidence points to a limited acting career rather than a sustained, high-profile profession. Her known screen credits are few, and there is little reliable information about additional television, theater, or voice work.

Does Linda Gilbert have grandchildren?

Yes. Her daughter Kansas Carradine and son-in-law Alain Gauthier have two daughters, identified in public accounts as Phoenix and Kuwaleah. Some accounts use additional names for the children, and the details are not always consistent.

What is known about Linda Gilbert’s ancestry?

Some genealogical accounts identify her maternal grandfather as William Isaac Gilbert and her maternal grandmother by the surname Gordon. There are also references to possible Native American ancestry through her maternal grandmother, including a possible Cree connection, but the specific tribal affiliation remains unconfirmed.

What is Linda Gilbert’s net worth?

There is no reliable, publicly verified estimate of Linda Gilbert’s net worth. Her income, assets, investments, and current employment have not been documented sufficiently to support a credible financial estimate.

Where is Linda Gilbert now?

Her current residence, daily activities, and professional pursuits are not well documented publicly. She has maintained a low profile, and there is insufficient reliable information to establish details about her present circumstances.