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KILL BILL star David Carradine was found hanged in his Thai hotel room yesterday after an apparent sex game went wrong.

The 72-year-old was naked in a closet and had a curtain cord around his neck. It was also attached to his private parts.

Police in Thailand, where Carradine was making a movie called Stretch, said a maid at his Bangkok hotel found him hanging from the door of a wardrobe yesterday morning.

Chuck Binder, the actor's manager, described his death as "accidental".

He added: "It's just shocking. He was full of life, always wanting to work - a great person."

It was believed Carradine - who rose to fame as Grasshopper in cult 70s TV series Kung Fu - had committed suicide. But there was no note and pals insisted he had not been depressed.

One of Carradine's friends, David Winters, said it was "impossible" he would have killed himself.

He added: "I'd have to see a suicide note to believe that David would ever contemplate such a thing."

Police later refused to confirm or deny Carradine's death was the result of an "auto-erotic" sex act similar to the one that killed INXS rocker Michael Hutchence in 1997.

But a spokesman added: "We do not believe anybody else was involved in his death." They said Carradine had been dead for at least 12 hours before he was found.

His body was taken to hospital for an autopsy. The actor arrived in Thailand on Tuesday and checked in to room 352 of the five-star Nai Lert Park Hotel.

He was due to have dinner with the crew from his film onWednesday night but failed to turn up for the meal.

Carradine appeared in almost 200 films, including Death Race 2000 and The Long Riders. For most of his career, he played villains and elderly martial arts experts in low-budget thrillers.

But he returned to the limelight in 2003 when Quentin Tarantino cast him as Bill in revenge movie Kill Bill.

He also appeared in Kill Bill - Vol II, in 2004, earning a Golden Globe nomination as best supporting actor.

Carradine said at the time: "All that was ever required was somebody with Quentin's courage to take and put me in the spotlight."

Carradine admitted he had been hooked on drugs and booze in the past but had been sober for years.

He is survived by his fifth wife, Annie, and two daughters. His dad John, brother Bruce and half-brothers Keith and Robert were also actors.

Hutchence hanged himself with his belt from the door spring of a hotel room in Sydney. He was naked when he was found and he left no note.

His brother insisted his death was not suicide but as the result of a sex game. Cutting off oxygen to the brain during sex acts is believed by some to enhance pleasure.