David Canary facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Canary
Canary in Hombre (1967)
Born	David Hoyt Canary (1938-08-25)August 25, 1938 Elwood, Indiana, U.S.
Died	November 16, 2015(2015-11-16) (aged 77) Wilton, Connecticut, U.S.
Education	University of Cincinnati
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1965–2013
Spouse(s)	Julie M. Anderson ​ ​ (m. 1965; div. 1971)​ Maureen Maloney ​ (m. 1982)​
Children	3

David Hoyt Canary (born August 25, 1938 – died November 16, 2015) was an American actor. He was famous for playing two big roles on TV. He was the ranch foreman Candy Canaday in the NBC Western show Bonanza. He also played Adam Chandler in the TV soap opera All My Children. For this role, he was nominated for the Daytime Emmy Award 16 times and won five of them!

Early Life and School

David Canary was born in Elwood, Indiana, in 1938. He grew up in Massillon, Ohio. He was the middle child of Hillary and Lorena Canary. His brothers were John and Hilary Glenn Canary. John also acted in All My Children once.

Football Star

David was a talented football player in high school. He played as an "end" on both offense and defense for Massillon Washington High School. He graduated in 1956. In 1991, his school honored him as a "Distinguished Citizen."

He earned a football scholarship to the University of Cincinnati. He played football there from 1957 to 1959. He even won an award for being the best lineman on the team for two years.

Beyond Football

Even though he was good at football, David also studied singing. He got his degree in music in 1960. The Denver Broncos football team picked him in a draft in 1960. But David thought it was a strange choice because he wasn't very big or fast. He decided to follow his dream of acting instead.

Acting Career

After college, David moved to New York City to become an actor. He served two years in the United States Army. While in the Army, he even entered an entertainment contest. After his service, he moved to Los Angeles to keep acting.

Early TV and Movies

David had a regular role in the TV show Peyton Place. Then, in 1967, he became very well known for the Western series Bonanza. That same year, he was in the classic Western movie Hombre with famous actors like Paul Newman. He also appeared in an episode of Gunsmoke and the movie The St. Valentine's Day Massacre.

Joining Bonanza

David Dortort, the creator of Bonanza, saw David Canary in Hombre. He thought David was amazing and cast him as Candy Canaday, the new ranch foreman. Dortort said that when David was on screen, "there's nobody else on the screen." David left Bonanza for a short time in 1970 because of a contract issue. But he came back in 1972. He said he loved Bonanza, even though filming in Nevada could be very hot!

Stage and Soap Operas

David Canary also performed on stage. He was on Broadway in a play by Tennessee Williams. He also sang in many musical shows like Kismet and Man Of La Mancha.

His first daytime TV role was on Search for Tomorrow. He also had roles on The Doctors and Another World.

All My Children Fame

On New Year's Eve in 1983, David joined the cast of All My Children. He played the character Adam Chandler. He became very popular in this role. He retired from full-time acting in 2010, but he often returned to the show. He even came back for the final episode of All My Children on ABC in 2011. In 2013, he played Adam again when the show started making online episodes.

Other Appearances

David Canary also made guest appearances on many other TV shows. These included Law & Order, Touched by an Angel, and Hawaii Five-O. He also appeared in the movie Atomic Train.

David was known for being friendly with his fans. He would meet fans at Disney resorts and sign autographs. He also visited the Ponderosa Ranch in Lake Tahoe, which was a tourist spot based on Bonanza.

Personal Life

David Canary was married to Maureen Maloney. They had a son named Chris and a daughter named Kate. He also had another daughter, Lisa, from his first marriage to Julie M. Anderson.

Death

David Canary passed away on November 16, 2015, at the age of 77. He died of natural causes in Wilton, Connecticut. He had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease some years before.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

David Canary won five Daytime Emmy Awards for being the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He was nominated 11 other times for this award.