David Canary RIP Bonanza/All My Children

Soap star David Canary died of natural causes on Nov. 16 at the age of 77, according to the Wilton Bulletin.

Canary is perhaps best known for his role on "All My Children," playing twin brothers Adam and Stuart Chandler for close to three decades. Fans of the actor will likely also remember his role on "Bonanza" as Candy Canaday.

The Emmy-winning actor began his career in the early 1950s and announced his retirement in 2010.

Canary is survived by his wife Maureen Maloney and their two children.

 

Remember him from Bonanza. RIP

 

Rest easy, Mr. Canary.

I'm not proud of it, but I did watch All My Children once upon a time. David Canary was the best of them all. A truly great actor.

 

RIP David. You will be truly missed.

 

My favorite role by him and the one I always identify him with is the Paul Newman film "Hombre", one of my favorite films, saw it at the theatre upon it's initial release. Paul smashes a shot glass of whiskey into his face with the butt of his rifle for making fun of his Native American friends. Then later he shoots him in the face a few times. Now they are both gone. In fact, all the major stars of the film along with director Martin Ritt are all gone now. The remaining living stars are actresses Barbara Rush <88>and Margaret Blye <73>.

 

Always enjoyed his work, loved him in the dual role of Adam/Stuart Chandler.

 

R.I.P "Candy"

 

Of loved his portrayal of "Candy" on Bonanza. RIP Mr. Canary

 

RIP

 

He was great in Bonanza. I also remember him appearing in a Gunsmoke episode from around that same period. Fine actor. RIP.

 

RIP. I know him only from Bonanza but I guess I saw him on the soap opera while flipping channels sometimes and I was surprised. He had an interesting time with Bonanza, starting in a stressed circumstance for the show, leaving in a salary/career dispute, then agreeing to come back to save or extend the show after Dan Blocker passed, and Canary then got the salary and billing he wanted (good for him). With no explanation within the show of why he left or why he returned, as if he was still there on the Ponderosa but the camera (or opening credits) just didn't find him for a few years. He'll be known and seen forever mostly for his work in Bonanza, and his work there is a very good legacy.

 

growing up I remember seeing him all the time on my mom's soaps, but several years ago I saw the two-part episode of Gunsmoke he starred in called "Nitro." Canary played a broke young man who found that his steady hands enabled him to handle nitroglycerin. IIRC, he hooks up with some train robbers (or something) who need a guy to extract nitroglycerin for them and Canary decides to do it in order to make enough money to hold onto his girlfriend. It was actually a fairly heartbreaking episode.

 

Growing up in the 80s, Mom would watch "All My Children" every day. When David Canary was first introduced is when I was able to get into the show, too. Adam and Stuart were far and away my favorite characters on the show. The multiple Daytime Emmys he won through the years were well deserved.

R.I.P.

 

I've read that Canary and Michael Landon did not get along, just as Landon did not get along with Guy Williams during his brief time on the show (this coming from Williams himself). Supposedly there was friction between Landon and Barry Coe while shooting his one episode, an even earlier attempt to add another "brother" to the cast.

It seems Landon made things difficult for any addition to the cast, as he resented any possible focus away from himself.

 

Yes, the Guy Williams thing is something. After I learned that, I watched his episodes again, and you can see Landon is cool toward Williams even on the film. But also I think Williams' character didn't really fit. I think Landon was as much against Williams as he was with the writers and network and creator trying to force-fill the hole left by Roberts with a not quite right "family" character, as well as for losing some screen and story focus on himself. If I'm right (I might be completely wrong) in all of that I think I mostly side with Landon. I mean nothing against Williams here, on screen it seems he did his best and very well in the awkward situation.

David Canary's "Candy" was a much better fit to fill space in the show within the original concept. I am guessing but I think Landon was less difficult with Canary - "Candy" was not an equal and not a character "of the family" but a hired hand character in Landon's view of the concept. The money and billing was the problem Canary couldn't agree with (maybe Landon was silently involved with that and also maybe Canary didn't care about whether Landon was involved), so he moved on, professionally, with head held high. Then he did come back, and he fit right in, and had more respect, and even gratitude, from all quarters - and more money! A very professional and ethical man, well liked and respected.

(compare to that original "brother" who left and bad mouthed the show even though they tried to babycoddle him to stay, only to eventually come back to TV in a mediocre series with a ripoff title just for money)

 

I do not know if Canary and Landon got along during Bonanza, but I do remember that Canary did pay tribute to Landon after he passed away. So whatever problems they may have had(if any) they were long gone by the time Michael died.

 

On All My Children he was a great nemesis for Palmer Cortlandt - another of my favorite soap stars played by James Mitchell. They had some good long-running story lines back in the '80's.

 

He was great as Adam. Stuart was a little too sweet, very admirable, but the Pigeon Hollow, West Virginia feuds of Adam and "Pete Cooney" were great.

 

I remember when Stuart was first introduced he was living in the hidden passageways of Chandler Mansion and portrayed as borderline pyscho. His character transformed into the one you describe later on. Those early days of Adam, Stuart, Ross (played by Robert Gentry), Joanna the housekeeper and Skye were edge of your seat cliffhanger storylines.

 

I hope he finds peace at the big Ponderosa in the sky.

 

I saw the news of his death earlier, but I missed the Bonanza connection. I wondered how he looked so familiar when I never watched All My Children. Hate to see him go.