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David Canary

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David Canary
Canary in Hombre (1967)
Born
David Hoyt Canary

(1938-08-25)August 25, 1938
Elwood, Indiana, U.S.
DiedNovember 16, 2015(2015-11-16) (aged 77)
Wilton, Connecticut, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Cincinnati
OccupationActor
Years active1965–2013
Spouses
  • Julie M. Anderson
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1965; div. 1971)​
  • Maureen Maloney
    ​
    (m. 1982)​
Children3

David Hoyt Canary (August 25, 1938 – November 16, 2015) was an American actor. Canary is best known for his roles as ranch foreman Candy Canaday in the NBC Western drama Bonanza, and as Adam Chandler in the television soap opera All My Children, for which he received 16 Daytime Emmy Award nominations and won five times.[1]

Early life

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Canary was born in Elwood, Indiana, and grew up in Massillon, Ohio.[2][3] He was the middle son of Hilary Canary and Lorena Heal.[4] His brothers were actor John Canary, who once had a role in All My Children, and writer Hilary Glenn Canary. The brothers were purportedly great-great-nephews of Martha Jane Canary, Calamity Jane.[5][unreliable source?][6]

Football

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Canary starred as an end on both offense and defense on the football team at Massillon Washington High School, where he graduated in 1956.[7] The school honored him as a Distinguished Citizen 35 years later in 1991.[8] He earned a football scholarship to the University of Cincinnati, where he was a three-year letterman from 1957 to 1959 and the recipient of the John Pease Award, as the program's best lineman, in his junior and senior years.[9] Canary trained as a singer at the university's College of Arts and Sciences and received his bachelor's degree in music in 1960.[10] He was picked by the Denver Broncos in the inaugural 1960 American Football League (AFL) draft.[11][7] Commenting on the selection in a 2004 interview for the Archive of American Television, he said, "I thought they were out of their minds. I was 172 pounds, I wasn't very fast, and I couldn't catch a pass. They called me stone fingers."[12]

Career

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Instead of signing with the Broncos, he opted to head to New York City to become an actor.[7] He served two years in the United States Army, where he entered an All-Army Entertainment Contest in 1963. After ending his service, Canary moved to Los Angeles to continue his acting career.[13]

After a semi-regular role as Russ Gehring in the primetime serial Peyton Place, Canary came to international prominence in 1967 on the Western series Bonanza.[14][15] In 1967, he appeared in the now-classic Western movie Hombre with Paul Newman, Richard Boone, and Cameron Mitchell.[16] Canary guest-starred in the two-part episode of CBS's Gunsmoke entitled "Nitro" (S12E28-29) as George McClaney, a poor man who found high pay creating nitroglycerin.[17] He also played mobster Frank Gusenberg in the film The St. Valentine's Day Massacre and appeared on the short-lived CBS Western Dundee and the Culhane.[18][19]

A contract dispute that year between Leonard Nimoy and the producers of Star Trek forced Herb Solow, Robert H. Justman, and Gene Roddenberry to compile a list of candidates for consideration to take over the role of Mr. Spock. As revealed in Solow and Justman's book, Star Trek - The Inside Story, Canary was one of these candidates.[20]

David Dortort, the creator and producer of Bonanza, saw Canary in Hombre and cast him in the role of the new ranch foreman, Candy Canaday. Dortort said that Canary was "the kind of kid who comes on and suddenly, there's nobody else on the screen."[21] Canary left Bonanza in June 1970 after a contract dispute. He returned in May 1972 after Dan Blocker's death.[22] Canary said that he loved Bonanza, except for filming in Nevada in 100° heat.

Canary's most notable stage performance was on Broadway in the original production of Tennessee Williams's Clothes for a Summer Hotel, which starred Geraldine Page.[23] A baritone, he also appeared on Broadway with Colleen Dewhurst in Great Day in the Morning, and he did numerous musical stage roles in shows such as Kismet, Man Of La Mancha, The Fantasticks, Sweeney Todd and Carousel, along with dramatic performances in The Seagull, Macbeth, and Clarence Darrow.[24]

Canary's first daytime television role was on Search for Tomorrow, where he played the short-term role of Liza Walton's agent. He had two short stints on The Doctors as Far Wind, a cult leader who took the hospital staff hostage and killed Melissa Dancy (Dorian Lo Pinto). In 1981, he assumed the role of Steve Frame on the soap opera Another World. The revival of the Steve/Alice/Rachel love triangle was unsuccessful, and he left the show in 1983 after his character was killed off.

On New Year's Eve in 1983, he joined the cast of All My Children in the role of Adam Chandler.[25][26] The following year, he was also cast as Adam's meek twin brother, Stuart, who everybody (including the audience) believed was Adam. A May 2009 storyline had Adam accidentally shoot and kill Stuart while using prescription narcotics. Canary retired from full-time acting and departed from All My Children in 2010; his last episode was taped in late March and aired on April 23, 2010. He announced that he intended to return to AMC occasionally. He reprised both of his roles as Adam and Stuart Chandler for several days before the series finale on ABC on September 23, 2011. In 2013, he returned to the role of Adam when the show began to produce online episodes.

Canary's primetime television guest appearances include Law & Order, Touched by an Angel, S.W.A.T., Primus, Alias Smith and Jones, Police Story, Kung-Fu, Hawaii Five-O, Remember WENN, and Cimarron Strip. The actor also appeared as the locomotive engineer in the movie Atomic Train. In 2004, he appeared as mathematical genius Robert in a well-reviewed production of David Auburn's Proof in Canton, Ohio, near his hometown of Massillon.[23]

Canary was known to be affable and accessible to fans of both All My Children and Bonanza.[23] At Disney resorts, he did "meet and greet" appearances where he signed autographs for AMC fans. He also made several appearances at the Lake Tahoe site of the Ponderosa Ranch, a tourist attraction from 1967 to 2004. His last appearance at the ranch in character was in 2002 for a PAX-TV special. In March 2012, David was named as the replacement for the ailing, 90-year-old Jack Klugman in a limited-run production of Twelve Angry Men in New Brunswick, New Jersey.[27]

Personal life

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Canary was married to actress Maureen Maloney, with whom he had a son, Chris, and a daughter, Kate.[28][29] With his first wife, actress Julie M. Anderson, he had a daughter, Lisa.

Death

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Canary died on November 16, 2015 at an assisted living facility in Wilton, Connecticut, at the age of 77;[13][30][31][32][33] he had been diagnosed with dementia years before.[34]

Filmography

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Film
Year Title Role Notes
1967 Hombre Lamar Dean
1967 The St. Valentine's Day Massacre Frank Gusenberg
1969 The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes Mr. Walski Uncredited
1973 Incident on a Dark Street Peter Gallagher TV movie
1974 Melvin Purvis: G-Man Eugene T. Farber TV movie
1975 Sharks' Treasure Larry
1975 Posse Pensteman
1975 Johnny Firecloud Jesse
1990 In a Pig's Eye
1994 Secret Santa Santa Short
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1965-1966 Peyton Place Dr. Russ Gehrig 26 episodes
1967 Gunsmoke George McClaney Episodes: "Nitro Part 1 & 2"
1967 Dundee and the Culhane Charlie Montana Episode: "The Dead Man's Brief"
1967 Cimarron Strip Tal St. James Episode: "Knife in the Darkness"
1967-1973 Bonanza Candy Canaday 80 episodes
1971 The F.B.I. Eugene Bradshaw Episode: "The Last Job"
1971 Hawaii Five-O George Episode: "3000 Crooked Miles to Honolulu"
1971 Bearcats! Joe Bascom Episode: "The Hostage"
1971
1972 		Alias Smith and Jones Sheriff W.D. Coffin
Doc Donovan 		Episode: "Everything Else You Can Steal"
Episode: "The Strange Fate of Conrad Meyer Zulick"
1973 Police Story Wally Baker Episode: "Death on Credit"
1973 Kung Fu Frank Grogan Episode: "The Elixir"
1973
1974 		The Rookies TJ Curlew
Espositos 		Episode: "Down Home Boy"
Episode: "A Test of Courage"
1975 S.W.A.T. Blake Phillips Episode: "Kill S.W.A.T."
1978 The Dain Curse Jack Santos
1978 Search for Tomorrow Arthur Benson
1979-1980 The Doctors Warner Far Wind
1981-1983 Another World Steve Frame
1982 American Playhouse Bingham Episode: "King of America"
1983-2011, 2013
1984-2009, 2011 		All My Children Adam Chandler
Stuart Chandler 		(final appearance)
1997 Remember WENN Luke Langly Episode: "Strange Bedfellows"
1998 Law & Order Jeremy Orenstein Episode: "Venom"
2000
2005 		One Life to Live Adam Chandler
2001 Touched by an Angel Carter Winslow Episodes: "Shallow Water Part 1 & 2"
2011 Curb Your Enthusiasm White Haired Man at Park Episode: "The Bi-Sexual"

Awards and nominations

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Canary won five Daytime Emmy Awards as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, and was nominated an additional 11 times, most recently in 2008 for Best Lead Actor.[35]

References

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  1. ^ "David Canary, Star of 'All My Children' for Decades, Dies at 77". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  2. ^ Lincoln, Ross A. (November 24, 2015). "David Canary Dies: 'All My Children' Star Was 77". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  3. ^ Grimes, William (November 25, 2015). "David Canary, Star of 'All My Children,' Dies at 77". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  4. ^ "Soap Star and Wiltonian David Canary dies at 77". The Hour. Wilton, Connecticut. November 24, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  5. ^ "David Canary". IMDb. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  6. ^ Chandler, Adam (May 7, 2013). "Adam Chandler: Soap Opera Institution". Tablet. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c Canary, Kate (January 6, 2019). "Did football kill my father? It's not just the NFL; blows to the head sustained in high school and college have damaged countless brains". nydailynews.com. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  8. ^ Knapp, Amy L. "Massillon mourns loss of beloved actor David Canary". The Independent.
  9. ^ "University of Cincinnati 2015 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 4, 2017. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
  10. ^ "Interview with an 'All My Children' star". University of Cincinnati.
  11. ^ "AMERICAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE DRAFT - 1960". www.remembertheafl.com.
  12. ^ Grimes, William (November 25, 2015). "David Canary, Star of 'All My Children,' Dies at 77". The New York Times.
  13. ^ a b Dagan, Carmel (November 24, 2015). "David Canary, Longtime 'All My Children' Star, Dies at 77". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  14. ^ "Ask TV Scout". The Southeast Missourian. June 27, 1968. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  15. ^ Evans Price, Deborah (August 18, 2023). "10 Fascinating Facts About the 'Bonanza' Cast". Woman's World. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  16. ^ "Realism Painful in Fight Scenes". Times Daily. August 14, 1966. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  17. ^ "TV Time Previews". Youngstown Vindicator. April 12, 1971. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  18. ^ "Post Magazine". Post Weekender. October 5, 1967. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  19. ^ "Tonight's Television Highlights". Warsaw Times-Union. October 4, 1967. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  20. ^ METV STAFF (November 24, 2015). "David Canary, Candy From 'Bonanza,' Passes Away At 77; The Western Star And 'All My Children' Regular Nearly Replaced Spock On 'Star Trek.'". Me-TV. Weigel Broadcasting. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  21. ^ Leiby, Bruce (January 1, 2001). A Reference Guide to Television's Bonanza: Episodes, Personnel and Broadcast History.
  22. ^ Kleiner, Dick (July 27, 1972). "Bonanza Faces Up to Family Death". Rome News-Tribune. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  23. ^ a b c "David Canary Biography - Bonanza Boomers". Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  24. ^ Glover, William (March 28, 1962). "Big-Hearted Auntie Keeps Whole Family Spinning in 'Great Day in the Morning'". Lewiston Evening Journal. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  25. ^ Shister, Gail. "2 Impostors Taking on Chef Tell on WIOQ." Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA) November 10, 1983, Final, Features Television Radio: D14. NewsBank. Web. June 11, 2014.
  26. ^ Shister, Gail. "Prime-Time Anchor Seen as Male Role." Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA) November 17, 1983, Final, Features Television Radio: C18. NewsBank. Web. June 11, 2014.
  27. ^ "Playbill". March 6, 2012. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  28. ^ "All My Children Star David Canary Dies at 77". Us Weekly. November 24, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  29. ^ Wilson, John (December 31, 1981). "Tube Talk". The Leader-Post. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  30. ^ Puente, Maria (November 24, 2015). "Soap star David Canary dies". USA Today. Gannett Company. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  31. ^ Ausiello, Michael (November 24, 2015). "AMC Vet David Canary Dead at 77". TVLine. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  32. ^ Baker, Kendra (November 24, 2015). "David Canary dies at 77". Wilton Bulletin. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  33. ^ Mike Barnes, Cheryl Cheng (November 24, 2015). "David Canary, Star of 'All My Children' for Decades, Dies at 77". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 25, 2015.
  34. ^ "Did football kill my father? It's not just the NFL; blows to the head sustained in high school and college have damaged countless brains". New York Daily News. January 6, 2019.
  35. ^ Puente, Maria (November 24, 2015). "Soap star David Canary dies". USA TODAY. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
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