Randy Quaid: "Star Whackers" Got Me

Oscar- and Emmy-nominated actor Randy Quaid and his wife, Evi, have been on the run for more than a year, avoiding felony charges in Santa Barbara, Calif., saying they don't want to be targeted by people they call "star-whackers."

This week, after missing another court date, Evi forfeited her $500,000 bond.

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The Quaids say they believe people are singling out celebrities to either steal their fortunes, or kill them. They say David Carradine -- who was found hanged in a Bangkok hotel room, and Heath Ledger -- who died of a drug overdose -- were victims of the same murderous conspiracy.

"I believe these actors were whacked," Quaid has said. "... We believe there to be a malignant tumor of star whackers in Hollywood."

The couple has said they're seeking asylum in Canada for their protection.

Quaid has told reporters, "We are not criminals, or fugitives from justice. Nor are we crazy."

In California, the Quaids are facing charges of trespassing and vandalism -- accused of illegally squatting in a home they'd already sold. They provided CBS with a photo of their key in the front door as their proof that they still own it.

But police believe they don't own the home, and now Quaid, who's appeared in more than 90 films, has gone from actor to outlaw.

In an exclusive "Early Show" interview, Randy Quaid discussed his current troubles from Vancouver.

Co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez asked Quaid why he and his wife missed her court date this week if they have done nothing wrong.

Quaid answered, "Well, I didn't miss the court date. I didn't have to appear. I have other issues up here that prevented me from attending that court date."

He then read what he said was something from the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office, saying, "It says that the Quaids are due back in court on Oct. 18, 2010. However, that is subject to change. Court dates are listed under court calendar on the website sbcourts.org for the superior court for California, Santa Barbara County. We looked at this website. We monitored this website."

Rodriguez offered, "So you didn't know about the court date?"

Quaid responded, "We didn't know about it, no."

Rodriguez said, "OK. But that's not what your lawyer says, right? The lawyer told the judge yesterday the reason Evi didn't appear was because ... she didn't want to leave you alone in Vancouver."

Quaid said, "Right. Well, she's very close. We're a very close couple and she has an opportunity to appear within the next few days. And we're assessing our options, as far as her appearance. As far as we're concerned, we're going to do everything that - legally -- that we have that protects our interests and our safety and, you know, we defer to our attorneys."

Rodriguez turned to the Quaids' fearing for their safety. Why do they think people are out to kill them?

Quaid said, "I have -- I have a fear -- that fear because there, for the last three years and really the last 20 years, there -- I've been racketeered on. My finances have been decimated by a group of people, such as my ex-attorney, my ex-business manager, and an estate planner, specifically. And they have conspired together to -- to co-op my corporations, put in trustees without my knowledge."

Rodriguez asked, "Are they now trying to kill you?"

Quaid replied, "Well, yes. I mean, they -- not in a -- not in a sense where, you know, they're going to come out and shoot me with a gun or anything like that. But, the way they've -- they've manipulated the system, the court system to have us falsely arrested and to make it impossible for us to operate on a daily basis in the most basic way, I mean, banking, owning a house, renting a house, renting a car, I mean, we cannot -- we cannot function."

Rodriguez said, "So, if I understand you correctly, it's not that you feel that someone's going to kill you literally, it's that you feel they are trying to decimate you and take things away."

He added, "I feel if things keep going the way they are, we will be out -- if things keep going the way they are and we don't do something to expose these people -- my wife and I will be out on the street and have nothing to eat. OK? That's how bad it is."

So why has Quaid said he feels the same people -- whom he believes killed David Carradine and Heath Ledger -- are out to kill him, too?

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Quaid explained, "Well, they are star whackers. I mean, they're -- they're people who -- I knew David Carradine and... "

Rodriguez said, "He was found dead in Bangkok. Do you believe they hanged him in Bangkok?"

Quaid replied simply, "Yes."

"And they forced Heath Ledger to take drugs in New York?" Rodriguez said.

"I can't believe that David would commit suicide," Quaid said. "His wife has recently come out and said she doesn't believe that -- that she believes that he was murdered. Heath was an athlete. He played Australian football. He was robust. It's just -- I've had eight friends of mine who have either died mysteriously or had scandals surrounding them in recent years, and this is what I'm talking about when I (say) star whacking. I mean, it's not killing somebody necessarily; it's just creating a scandal or a mystery around a celebrity that -- that discredits them."

However, he added, "And Heath -- I think it was possible that he could have taken some tainted prescription drugs, yes."

So can Quaid ever come back to Hollywood and get back his career?

Dina Sansing, an US Weekly correspondent, said, "It's going to be very difficult for Randy's career to recover at this point, but there's always a chance. Everyone loves a Hollywood comeback."