David Canary Passed Away

Earlier today, it was announced that soap legend David Canary passed away on November 16, 2015. His family posted an obituary for the five-time Daytime Emmy winning actor on a local news website for Wilton, Connecticut.

Obviously, I'm saddened by the news as I watched him on daytime for many years like a lot of other people. If I had to guess, I doubt my first exposure to him was on some random rerun of a primetime series. Of course, what I most remember him for was playing those two very different brothers: "All My Children" as Adam and Stuart Chandler. Adam was as dark, as Stuart was light. Stuart loved his brother when no one else would and that was beautiful. Most of my Adam memories have to do either with his daughter Hayley (Kelly Ripa) or while in a romance with someone much younger like Dixie or Gloria (a forgotten character to many, but she miscarried Adam's daughter.) He was with a multitude of different sorts of actresses and somehow made it work. Stuart on the other hand, was a "heart" character on AMC. The character was so non-threatening that he was used to educate and show acceptance to those with AIDS in the 80s. (This was one of the first stories I saw on AMC, though I must admit only if I was at home from school.) Having Stuart be killed by a drugged Adam was something that offended many people at the time and still bothersome. Before the end of AMC on television, Stuart's death was erased, which made me glad. Adam also found happiness with Brooke again though in the online series it was threatened. (I like to imagine that Adam and Brooke are reunited and all is well. Stuart also is having a good life too.) Hopefully if people have the time and ability to find some old clips to see why Mr. Canary's work was so important to so many who watched and/or worked with him on "All My Children". (He also appeared on "The Doctors", "Search for Tomorrow" and "Another World", but most of that work is either lost or not easily available.)

I send positive thoughts to those who love David Canary. I'm hoping that his family gets solace in this time. There is a fund at the Alzheimer's Association website where you can donate to their charity in his name. The earliest note was from November 20, so perhaps the weekend slowed everyone down from gaining this knowledge. To donate click here. His funeral is private, but information on an upcoming memorial will be available by his family.