Who was David Canary? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: David Hoyt Canary

Died At Age: 77

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Maureen Maloney (m. 1982), Julie M. Anderson (m. 1965 - div. 1971)

father: Hilary Canary

mother: Lorena Canary

children: Christopher Canary, Katy Canary, Lisa Canary

Born Country: United States

Actors American Men

Height: 5'11" (180 cm), 5'11" Males

Died on: November 16, 2015

place of death: Wilton, Connecticut, United States

Cause of Death: Natural Causes

U.S. State: Indiana

Notable Alumni: University Of Cincinnati

More Facts

education: University Of Cincinnati

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Childhood & Early Life

David Hoyt Canary was born on August 25, 1938, in Elwood, Indiana, the USA, to Hilary and Lorena Heal Canary. He grew up in Massillon, Ohio. His elder brother was writer H. Glenn Canary who passed away in 2008. His younger brother is actor, John Canary.

Canary was an American football prodigy and played for the ‘Massillon Washington High School’ until his graduation in 1956. He went on to earn a football scholarship and study at the ‘University of Cincinnati’.

From 1957 to 1959, David was a three-year letterman. He won the ‘John Pease Award’ for being the best lineman, both in his junior and senior years. Simultaneously, he also earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music from the university in 1960.

To his surprise, he was selected by the ‘Denver Broncos’ in the first-ever ‘American Football League’ in 1960. But Canary’s heart was set on acting and he opted to go to New York instead of signing with the ‘Denver Broncos’.

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Career

After moving to New York, David Canary started auditioning for roles. He got his first break in the TV series ‘Peyton Place’ (1965 – 1966) as Dr. Russ Gehring. It was a major role and established him as an actor.

He also started using his musical and acting talents on stage. He was first seen in the Off-Broadway production of ‘Kittiwake Island’ (1960). In 1961, he made his Broadway debut in ‘The Happiest Girl in the World’ (April 3, 1961 - June 24, 1961).

David returned to Broadway twice for ‘Great Day in the Morning’ (March 28, 1962 - April 7, 1962) and ‘Clothes for a Summer Hotel’ (March 26, 1980 – April 6, 1980).

In 1967, Canary made his movie debut in the western ‘Hombre’, as Lamar Dean. The movie was a critical and commercial hit.

1967 turned out to be a mixed year for David Canary’s breakthrough year. He starred in the box office disaster,‘The St. Valentine's Day Massacre’. However, he also appeared in hit TV series like ‘Gunsmoke’ and ‘Cimarron Strip’.

The leading role of Candy Canaday in ‘Bonanza’ (1967 – 1973), turned David Canary to a bona fide TV star. In the next few years, he co-starred in series like, ‘Hawaii Five-O’ (1971), ‘Alias Smith and Jones’ (1971 – 1972), and ‘The Rookies’ (1973 – 1974).

He also appeared in theatre productions like, ‘Macbeth’ (March 22, 1973 – April 15, 1973) and ‘Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris’ (February 2, 1975 – March 23, 1975), etc.

Unfortunately, he never made it big as a movie star in his career. Some of his noteworthy movies have been, ‘Shark’s Treasure’ & ‘Posse’ in 1975, ‘In a Pig’s Eye’ (1990), and ‘Secret Santa’ (1994).

David Canary was recognized as one of the finest television actors. After appearing in ‘Another World’ (1981 – 1982), he was cast in ‘All My Children’ (1983 – 2011). His dual portrayal of twins Adam and Stuart Chandler in the series immortalized his legacy. He reprised the role of Adam again in ‘All My Children’ (2013).

Major Works

David Canary’s greatest roles were as Adam and Stuart Chandler in the TV drama ‘All My Children’ (1983 – 2013). The role earned him 15 ‘Daytime Emmy’ nominations in the ‘Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series’ category. He won it five times: in 1986, 1988, 1989, 1993, and 2001.

Family & Personal Life

David Canary was married to Julie M. Anderson from July 4, 1965, until their divorce in 1971. They have a daughter, Lisa Canary (born January 21, 1966), who is also known as ‘Diamond’.

He was happily married to Maureen Maloney from May 8, 1982, until his death on November 16, 2015, from Alzheimer’s disease. They have two children together, son, Christopher (born November 1983) and daughter, Kathryn ‘Katy’ (born 1986).

David Canary Biography