Edward Macdonald Carey (March 15, 1913 – March 21, 1994) was an American actor, best known for his role as the patriarch Dr.

Tom Horton Dr. Thomas Horton is a fictional character and patriarch of the Horton family on the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. He was played by Macdonald Carey from 1965 until his death in 1994. Storylines Tom Horton was born in 1910, married his w ...

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

's soap opera ''

Days of Our Lives ''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that streams on the streaming service Peacock. The soap, which aired on the American television net ...

''. For almost three decades, he was the show's central cast member. He first made his career starring in various B-movies of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s (with a few A-picture exceptions like Hitchcock's ''

Shadow of a Doubt ''Shadow of a Doubt'' is a 1943 American psychological thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and starring Teresa Wright and Joseph Cotten. Written by Thornton Wilder, Sally Benson, and Alma Reville, the film was nominated for an Academy ...

''). He was known in many Hollywood circles as "King of the Bs", sharing the throne with his "queen",

Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Golden ...

Biography

Early life

Born in

Sioux City, Iowa Sioux City () is a city in Woodbury and Plymouth counties in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 85,797 in the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Iowa. The bulk of the city is in Woodbury County ...

, Carey graduated from the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is org ...

Iowa City Iowa City, offically the City of Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is the home of the University of Iowa and county seat of Johnson County, at the center of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the time ...

with a bachelor's degree in 1935, after attending the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...

for a year where he was a member of Alpha Delta Phi. He became involved with the drama school at the University of Iowa and decided to become an actor.

Radio and Broadway

Carey toured with the Globe Players. He began to work steadily on radio, including playing Dick Grosvenor on the soap opera '' Stella Dallas'' and Ridgeway Tearle in ''

John's Other Wife ''John's Other Wife'' is an American old-time radio soap opera. It was broadcast on NBC-Red from September 14, 1936, until March 1940. In that month it moved to NBC-Blue, where it ran until March 20, 1942. Overview ''John's Other Wife'' cente ...

'', both in the early 1940s. He was also in ''Lights Out''. Carey was on Broadway in ''

Lady in the Dark ''Lady in the Dark'' is a musical with music by Kurt Weill, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and book and direction by Moss Hart. It was produced by Sam Harris. The protagonist, Liza Elliott, is the unhappy female editor of a fictional fashion magazine ...

'' (1941) opposite

Gertrude Lawrence Gertrude Lawrence (4 July 1898 – 6 September 1952) was an English actress, singer, dancer and musical comedy performer known for her stage appearances in the West End of London and on Broadway in New York. Early life Lawrence was born Gertr ...

, Danny Kaye and

Victor Mature Victor John Mature (January 29, 1913 – August 4, 1999) was an American stage, film, and television actor who was a leading man in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s. His best known film roles include ''One Million B.C.'' (1940), '' My Darlin ...

. His performance led to him receiving a contract offer from Paramount. He later recalled, "1941 was probably the greatest year of my life. I got my first big hit with Lady in the Dark, I got married and I signed with Paramount Pictures. I only wish I could remember it all better." The reason was his alcoholism.

Paramount and World War II service

Carey made his film debut in '' Star Spangled Rhythm'' (1942). Paramount gave him the third lead in ''

Take a Letter, Darling ''Take a Letter, Darling'' is a 1942 American romantic comedy film directed by Mitchell Leisen and starring Rosalind Russell. It was nominated for three Academy Awards; Best Cinematography, Best Score and Best Art Direction ( Hans Dreier, ...

'' (1942), directed by

Mitchell Leisen James Mitchell Leisen (October 6, 1898 – October 28, 1972) was an American director, art director, and costume designer. Film career He entered the film industry in the 1920s, beginning in the art and costume departments. He directed his fir ...

. He followed it with ''

Dr. Broadway ''Dr. Broadway'' is a 1942 American mystery film directed by Anthony Mann (as his directorial debut) and written by Art Arthur. The film stars Macdonald Carey, Jean Phillips, Eduardo Ciannelli, Richard Lane, J. Carrol Naish, Joan Woodbury and ...

'' (1942), which was his first starring role. He had a leading part in ''

Wake Island Wake Island ( mh, Ānen Kio, translation=island of the kio flower; also known as Wake Atoll) is a coral atoll in the western Pacific Ocean in the northeastern area of the Micronesia subregion, east of Guam, west of Honolulu, southeast of To ...

'' (1942), directed by

John Farrow John Villiers Farrow, KGCHS (10 February 190427 January 1963) was an Australian film director, producer, and screenwriter. Spending a considerable amount of his career in the United States, in 1942 he was nominated for the Academy Award for B ...

, a big hit. Carey's career received a boost when borrowed by

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

at Universal to play the romantic lead in ''

'' (1943) with

Joseph Cotten Joseph Cheshire Cotten Jr. (May 15, 1905 – February 6, 1994) was an American film, stage, radio and television actor. Cotten achieved prominence on Broadway, starring in the original stage productions of '' The Philadelphia Story'' and '' Sab ...

and

Teresa Wright Muriel Teresa Wright (October 27, 1918 – March 6, 2005) was an American actress. She was nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress: in 1941 for her debut work in '' The Little Foxes'', and in 1942 for '' Mrs. Miniver' ...

. However the momentum was halted when he enlisted in the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

. He had two months before he left, which enabled him to star in a musical for Paramount, ''

Salute for Three ''Salute for Three'' is a 1943 American Comedy film, comedy musical film starring Macdonald Carey and Betty Jane Rhodes. Plot The singer Judy Ames's agent thinks she might get some favorable and helpful publicity if he can arrange for her to app ...

'' (1943). Carey received his commission in early 1944 and attended fighter director school at Camp Murphy in

Orlando Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures re ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. After school he served with Air Warning Squadron 3 with stints on

Espiritu Santo Espiritu Santo (, ; ) is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of and a population of around 40,000 according to the 2009 census. Geography The island belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region o ...

, Bougainville and

Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...

. In 1947 Carey returned to Paramount. They put him back into leading roles: '' Suddenly, It's Spring'' (1947), directed by Leisen, co-starring

Paulette Goddard Paulette Goddard (born Marion Levy; June 3, 1910 – April 23, 1990) was an American actress notable for her film career in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Born in Manhattan and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Goddard initially began her career ...

; ''

Hazard A hazard is a potential source of harm Harm is a moral and legal concept. Bernard Gert construes harm as any of the following: * pain * death * disability * mortality * loss of abil ity or freedom * loss of pleasure. Joel Feinberg giv ...

'' (1948), again with Goddard; and '' Dream Girl'' (1948), supporting

Betty Hutton Betty Hutton (born Elizabeth June Thornburg; February 26, 1921 – March 11, 2007) was an American stage, film, and television actress, comedian, dancer, and singer. Early life and education Hutton was born Elizabeth June Thornburg on February 2 ...

, directed by Leisen. Carey played Cesare Borgia in '' Bride of Vengeance'' (1948) alongside Goddard, directed by Leisen, but it was a flop. More popular was a Western, '' Streets of Laredo'' (1949), but

William Holden William Holden (born William Franklin Beedle Jr.; April 17, 1918 – November 12, 1981) was an American actor, and one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s. Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film ''Stalag 17'' (1953) ...

was the hero; Carey was the villain. In 1949 he co-starred as "Nick Carraway" in Alan Ladd's version of ''

The Great Gatsby ''The Great Gatsby'' is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts First-person narrative, first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with mysterious mil ...

''. Carey followed this with '' Song of Surrender'' (1949), once again directed by Leisen.

Universal and Fox

Universal borrowed Carey for two films: a Western with Maureen O'Hara, '' Comanche Territory'' (1950), and ''

South Sea Sinner ''South Sea Sinner'' is a 1950 American adventure film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone and starring Macdonald Carey and Shelley Winters. It is a remake of '' Seven Sinners'' (1940). Liberace has a small role. Plot A cafe owner on a South Sea i ...

'' (1950) with

Shelley Winters Shelley Winters (born Shirley Schrift; August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006) was an American actress whose career spanned seven decades. She appeared in numerous films. She won Academy Awards for ''The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959) and ''A Patch o ...

. Back at Paramount he was in a low budget Western, ''

The Lawless ''The Lawless'' is a 1950 American film noir directed by Joseph Losey and features Macdonald Carey, Gail Russell and Johnny Sands. A newspaper editor in California becomes concerned about the plight of the state's fruit pickers, mostly immigrant ...

'' (1950) directed by

Joseph Losey Joseph Walton Losey III (; January 14, 1909 – June 22, 1984) was an American theatre and film director, producer, and screenwriter. Born in Wisconsin, he studied in Germany with Bertolt Brecht and then returned to the United States. Blackliste ...

. Back at Paramount he was a villain to Ray Milland in ''

Copper Canyon Copper Canyon (Spanish: Barrancas del Cobre) is a group of six distinct canyons in the Sierra Madre Occidental in the southwestern part of the state of Chihuahua in northwestern Mexico that is in size. The canyons were formed by six rivers tha ...

'' (1950), directed by John Farrow. At Paramount he was Jesse James in ''

The Great Missouri Raid ''The Great Missouri Raid'' is a 1951 American Western film directed by Gordon Douglas and written by Frank Gruber. The film stars Wendell Corey, Macdonald Carey, Ellen Drew, Ward Bond, Bruce Bennett, Bill Williams and Anne Revere. The film w ...

'' (1951) and was in '' Mystery Submarine'' (1950) at Universal. Carey supported

Red Skelton Richard Red Skelton (July 18, 1913September 17, 1997) was an American entertainer best known for his national radio and television shows between 1937 and 1971, especially as host of the television program ''The Red Skelton Show''. He has stars ...

at MGM in '' Excuse My Dust'' (1951). At 20th Century Fox Carey supported

Betty Grable Elizabeth Ruth Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. Her 42 films during the 1930s and 1940s grossed more than $100 million; for 10 consecutive years (1942–1951) she reign ...

in ''

Meet Me After the Show ''Meet Me After the Show'' is a 1951 Technicolor musical film starring Betty Grable and released through 20th Century Fox. The film was one of Grable's last musical films for Fox during her box office reign of the past decade. Plot Delilah Lee ...

'' (1951) and

Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert ( ; born Émilie Claudette Chauchoin; September 13, 1903July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway productions during the late 1920s and progressed to films with the advent of talking pictures ...

in '' Let's Make It Legal'' (1951). He went back to Universal for ''

Cave of Outlaws ''Cave of Outlaws'' is a 1951 American Western film directed by William Castle and starring Macdonald Carey and Alexis Smith. It was also known as ''The Cave''. Plot In 1880, Pete Carver is part of a gang that robs a train of gold. They flee ...

'' (1951) Carey began appearing on television in episodes of ''

The Christophers The Christophers are a Christian inspirational group that was founded in 1945 by Father James Keller. The name of the group is derived from the Greek word ''christophoros'', which means "Christ-bearer". Although the founders were Maryknoll prie ...

'', ''

Celanese Theatre ''Celanese Theatre'' is an anthology television series which aired from October 3, 1951, to June 25, 1952, on ABC. Concept The series arose from the Playwrights' Repertory Theater of Television with its focus on adapting stage plays to televis ...

'', ''

Hope Chest A hope chest, also called dowry chest, cedar chest, trousseau chest, or glory box is a piece of furniture traditionally used by unmarried young women to collect items, such as clothing and household linen, in anticipation of married life. Th ...

'', and ''

Lux Video Theatre ''Lux Video Theatre'' is an American television anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1957. The series presented both comedy and drama in original teleplays, as well as abridged adaptations of films and plays. Overview The ''Lux Vid ...

''. He continued to appear in films like ''

My Wife's Best Friend ''My Wife's Best Friend'' is a 1952 American comedy film directed by Richard Sale, starring Anne Baxter and Macdonald Carey, with Catherine McLeod in the titular role. It was produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Plot Virginia Mason (A ...

'' (1952), at Fox with Anne Baxter; ''

Count the Hours ''Count the Hours!'' is a 1953 crime film noir directed by Don Siegel, featuring Macdonald Carey, Teresa Wright, John Craven, and Jack Elam.. Plot The bodies of farmer Fred Morgan and his housekeeper are found. Suspicion falls on hired hand Geor ...

'' (1953), with Teresa Wright at RKO; ''

Hannah Lee ''Hannah Lee'' (also known as ''Outlaw Territory'' and ''Hannah Lee: An American Primitive'') is a 1953 American Western film directed by Lee Garmes and John Ireland. It was originally filmed in stereoscopic 3-D Pathécolor using the twin-Ca ...

'' (1953), a Western with John Ireland; '' It's Everybody's Business'' (1953), and ''

Málaga Málaga (, ) is a municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 578,460 in 2020, it is the second-most populous city in Andalusia after Seville and the sixth most pop ...

'' (1954) with Maureen O'Hara. Carey returned to Broadway in '' Anniversary Waltz'' (1954–55), directed by

Moss Hart Moss Hart (October 24, 1904 – December 20, 1961) was an American playwright, librettist, and theater director. Early years Hart was born in New York City, the son of Lillian (Solomon) and Barnett Hart, a cigar maker. He had a younger brother ...

, which was a big hit and ran for two years.

Television

Carey's work was increasingly on the small screen: '' The Quiet Gun'', '' Stage 7'', ''

Science Fiction Theatre ''Science Fiction Theatre'' was an American science fiction anthology television series that was produced by Ivan Tors and Maurice Ziv and originally aired in syndication. It premiered on April 9, 1955 and ended on April 6, 1957, with a total of ...

'', '' Hour of Stars'', '' Celebrity Playhouse'', and ''

The 20th Century Fox Hour ''The 20th Century Fox Hour'' is an American drama anthology series televised in the United States on CBS from 1955 to 1957. Some of the shows in this series were restored, remastered and shown on the Fox Movie Channel in 2002 under the title ' ...

''. For the latter he appeared as Fred Gaily in a remake of the 1947 film classic, ''

Miracle on 34th Street ''Miracle on 34th Street'' (initially released as ''The Big Heart'' in the United Kingdom) is a 1947 American Christmas comedy-drama film released by 20th Century Fox, written and directed by George Seaton and based on a story by Valentine Davi ...

'', starring

and Thomas Mitchell. He was also in ''

General Electric Theater ''General Electric Theater'' was an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations. Radio After an audition show ...

'', ''

Screen Directors Playhouse ''Screen Directors Playhouse'' (sometimes written as ''Screen Directors' Playhouse'') is an American radio and television anthology series which brought leading Hollywood actors to the NBC microphones beginning in 1949. The radio program broadcas ...

'', ''

The Alcoa Hour ''The Alcoa Hour'' is an American anthology television series that was aired live on NBC from 1955 to 1957. The series was sponsored by Alcoa. Overview Like the ''Philco Television Playhouse'' and ''Goodyear Television Playhouse'' that had prec ...

'', and ''

Climax! ''Climax!'' (later known as ''Climax Mystery Theater'') is an American television anthology series that aired on CBS from 1954 to 1958. The series was hosted by William Lundigan and later co-hosted by Mary Costa. It was one of the few CBS progra ...

''. Carey managed a single, starring turn as a young professor traveling cross-country in the fifth season of ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was ren ...

'' ("Coyote Moon") as well. He did make some features such as '' Stranger at My Door'' (1956), a Western for Republic Pictures, and ''

Odongo ''Odongo'' or ''Odongo Adventure on the African Frontier'' is a 1956 British Warwick Films CinemaScope African adventure drama film directed by John Gilling and starring Rhonda Fleming, Macdonald Carey and Juma. The screenplay concerns a white ...

'' (1956) for

Warwick Films Warwick Films was a film company founded by film producers Irving Allen and Albert R. Broccoli in London in 1951. The name was taken from the Warwick Hotel in London.Broccoli, Albert R., Zec Donald. ''When the Snow Melts''. Boxtree. 1998 Their f ...

Dr. Christian

In 1956 Carey took over the role of the kindly small-town physician Dr. Christian, a character created in the late 1930s by actor

Jean Hersholt Jean Pierre Carl Buron (12 July 1886 – 2 June 1956), known professionally as Jean Hersholt, was a Danish-American actor. He is best known for starring on the radio series '' Dr. Christian'' (1937–1954) and in the film '' Heidi'' (1937).Obitu ...

on radio and in films. Carey portrayed Dr. Christian on syndicated television for one season. Carey guested on '' The Kaiser Aluminium Hour'', '' The Joseph Cotten Show'', ''

Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre ''Fireside Theatre'' (also known as ''Jane Wyman Presents'') is an American anthology drama series that ran on NBC from 1949 to 1958, and was the first successful filmed series on American television. Productions were low-budget and often based ...

'', ''

Zane Grey Theatre ''Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre'' is an American Western anthology television series that was broadcast on CBS from October 5, 1956, until September 20, 1962. Format Many episodes were based on novels by Zane Grey, to all of which Four Star F ...

'', ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...

'', ''

Studio One in Hollywood ''Studio One'' is an American anthology drama television series that was adapted from a radio series. It was created in 1947 by Canadian director Fletcher Markle, who came to CBS from the CBC. It premiered on November 7, 1948 and ended on Sept ...

'', ''

Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' was an American television anthology series, anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology dr ...

'', '' The Frank Sinatra Show'', ''

Suspicion Suspicion is a feeling of mistrust. Suspicion(s), The Suspicion, or Suspicious may also refer to: Film and television Film * ''Suspicion'' (1918 film), an American silent film directed by John M. Stahl * ''Suspicion'' (1941 film), an American ...

'', ''

Target Target may refer to: Physical items * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artillery, f ...

'', '' Pursuit'', ''

Schlitz Playhouse ''Schlitz Playhouse of Stars'' is an anthology series that was telecast from 1951 until 1959 on CBS. Offering both Television comedy, comedies and Dramatic programming, drama, the series was sponsored by the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. The ti ...

'', ''

The Dupont Show of the Month ''DuPont Show of the Month'' was a 90-minute television anthology series that aired monthly on CBS from 1957 to 1961. The DuPont Company also sponsored a weekly half-hour dramatic anthology series hosted by June Allyson, ''The DuPont Show with Ju ...

'', and '' Rawhide''. Carey was in the Western film ''

Man or Gun ''Man or Gun'' is a 1958 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Albert C. Gannaway and written by Vance Skarstedt and James J. Cassity. The film stars Macdonald Carey, Audrey Totter, James Craig (actor), James Craig, James Gleason, ...

'' (1958), for Republic. and ''

The Redeemer ''The Redeemer'' is a special, 4-issue comic mini-series published by ''Warhammer Monthly'', Games Workshop's monthly comic collection. It was written by veteran British comic writer Pat Mills. Set on the Hive World of Necromunda, The Redeemer c ...

'' (1959). He played patriot

Patrick Henry Patrick Henry (May 29, 1736June 6, 1799) was an American attorney, planter, politician and orator known for declaring to the Second Virginia Convention (1775): " Give me liberty, or give me death!" A Founding Father, he served as the first an ...

in ''

John Paul Jones John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 July 18, 1792) was a Scottish-American naval captain who was the United States' first well-known naval commander in the American Revolutionary War. He made many friends among U.S political elites ( ...

'' (1959), directed by

who had worked with Carey at Paramount. He appeared in ''

Blue Denim ''Blue Denim'' is a 1959 film based on a Broadway play by writer James Leo Herlihy. It starred Carol Lynley and Warren Berlinger who reprised their stage roles. 17-year-old Brandon deWilde appeared in his first "adult" role as the male lead Arth ...

'' (1959).

''Lock Up''

Carey starred as crusading Herb Maris in the 1950s syndicated series '' Lock-Up''. A total of seventy-eight episodes were made between 1959 and 1961. Carey guest starred on ''

'', ''

Moment of Fear ''Moment of Fear'' is an American anthology television series. It was broadcast by NBC, depicting people unexpectedly placed in peril. It debuted 1 July 1960 and ran eight new episodes through 9 September. It featured appearances by E. G. Marsha ...

'', '' Thriller'' ("The Devil's Ticket"), ''

The United States Steel Hour ''The United States Steel Hour'' is an anthology series which brought hour long dramas to television from 1953 to 1963. The television series and the radio program that preceded it were both sponsored by the United States Steel Corporation (U. S ...

'', ''

Insight Insight is the understanding of a specific cause and effect within a particular context. The term insight can have several related meanings: *a piece of information *the act or result of understanding the inner nature of things or of seeing intu ...

'', ''

Checkmate Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game. In chess, the king is ...

'' and ''

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was re ...

''. Carey went to England to make the films ''

The Devil's Agent ''The Devil's Agent'' (german: Im Namen des Teufels) is a 1962 drama film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Peter van Eyck, Marianne Koch, Christopher Lee and Macdonald Carey. It was a co-production between Britain, West Germany an ...

'' (1962) and '' The Damned'' (known as ''These Are the Damned'' in the US) (1963), for director

. He was also in '' Stranglehold'' (1962), In the first season of '' The Outer Limits'', Carey starred in the episode titled " The Special One". He was also in ''

The Dick Powell Theatre ''The Dick Powell Show'' is an American television anthology series that ran on NBC from September 26, 1961, until September 17, 1963, primarily sponsored by the Reynolds Metals Company. Overview The series was an anthology of various dramas ...

'', ''

Kraft Mystery Theatre ''Kraft Television Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series running from 1947 to 1958. It began May 7, 1947 on NBC, airing at 7:30pm on Wednesday evenings until December of that year. It first promoted MacLaren's Imperial Chees ...

'', and ''

Arrest and Trial ''Arrest and Trial'' is a 90-minute American crime/legal drama series that ran during the 1963-1964 season on ABC, airing Sundays from 8:30-10 pm Eastern. Overview The majority of episodes consists of two segments. Set in Los Angeles, the fi ...

'', Carey supported

Sandra Dee Sandra Dee (born Alexandra Zuck; April 23, 1942 – February 20, 2005) was an American actress. Dee began her career as a child model, working first in commercials, and then film in her teenage years. Best known for her portrayal of ingén ...

in ''

Tammy and the Doctor ''Tammy and the Doctor'' is a 1963 Eastmancolor romantic comedy film directed by Harry Keller and starring Sandra Dee as Tambrey "Tammy" Tyree and Peter Fonda (in his film debut) as Dr. Mark Cheswick. It is the third of the four Tammy films. Pl ...

'' (1963). He guest starred in the 1964–1965 sitcom '' The Bing Crosby Show'' on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

. He appeared as Mr. Edwards in the 1963 episode "Pay the Two Dollars" of the NBC education drama series, ''

Mr. Novak ''Mr. Novak'' is an American television dramatic series starring James Franciscus in the title role as a high school teacher. The series aired on NBC for two seasons, from 1963 to 1965. It won a Peabody Award in 1963. Synopsis The series follows ...

'', starring

James Franciscus James Grover Franciscus (January 31, 1934 – July 8, 1991) was an American actor, known for his roles in feature films and in six television series: '' Mr. Novak'', '' The Naked City'', '' The Investigators'', '' Longstreet'', '' Doc Elliot'', ...

. He could also be seen on '' Burke's Law'', '' Branded'', ''

Kraft Suspense Theatre The ''Kraft Suspense Theatre'' is an American television anthology series that was produced and broadcast from 1963 to 1965 on NBC. Sponsored by Kraft Foods, it was seen three weeks out of every four and was pre-empted for Perry Como's '' Kraft ...

'', '' Run for Your Life'', ''

Ben Casey ''Ben Casey'' is an American medical drama series that aired on ABC from 1961 to 1966. The show was known for its opening titles, which consisted of a hand drawing the symbols "♂, ♀, ✳, †, ∞" on a chalkboard, as cast member Sam Jaff ...

'', '' Lassie'', and ''

Bewitched ''Bewitched'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series that originally aired for eight seasons on ABC from September 17, 1964, to March 25, 1972. It is about a witch who marries an ordinary mortal man and vows to lead the life of a typic ...

''.

''Days of Our Lives''

Carey started playing Tom Horton on ''

'' in 1965. He says he took the show "because I couldn't get a movie at the time". He ended up playing it until his death from

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissue (biology), tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from tran ...

Beverly Hills, California Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. B ...

, in 1994, six days after his 81st birthday. During this time, Carey suffered from a drinking problem, and eventually joined

Alcoholics Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international mutual aid fellowship of alcoholics dedicated to abstinence-based recovery from alcoholism through its spiritually-inclined Twelve Step program. Following its Twelve Traditions, AA is non-professi ...

in 1982. A longtime pipe smoker, he was seen in many films and early episodes of ''Days of Our Lives'' with it. He was ordered by his doctor to quit in September 1991 after having to take a leave of absence from ''Days'' in order to remove a cancerous tumor from one of his lungs. He returned to the show in November of that year. He is most recognized today as the voice who recites the epigraph each day before the program begins: "Like sands through the hourglass, so are the ''Days of Our Lives''." From 1966 to 1994 he would also intone, "This is Macdonald Carey, and these are the ''Days of Our Lives''." (After Carey's death, the producers, out of respect for Carey's family, decided not to use the second part of the opening tagline.) At each intermission, his voice also says "We will return for the second half of ''Days of Our Lives'' in just a moment". Since the Horton family is still regarded as the core of ''Days of our Lives'', his memory has been allowed to remain imprinted on the show by leaving the voice-overs intact. He also served as voice-over for the very first

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...

ident, in which he said "This is PBS ... the Public Broadcasting Service."

Other appearances

Carey continued to act in other productions during his run on ''Days''. He had roles in ''

Gidget Gets Married ''Gidget Gets Married'' is a 1972 American made-for television comedy film produced by Screen Gems for ABC. It was written by John McGreevey, directed by E.W. Swackhamer and starred Monie Ellis as Gidget. Plot Now that Jeff has completed his ...

'' (1972), '' The Magician'', '' Ordeal'' (1973), '' Owen Marshall, Counsellor at Law'', ''

Who Is the Black Dahlia? ''Who Is the Black Dahlia?'' is a 1975 television film about the true crime unsolved murder of 22-year-old Elizabeth Short. ''Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide'' gives the film an Above Average rating, and states "… this atmospheric crime drama is i ...

'' (1975), ''

McMillan & Wife ''McMillan & Wife'' (known simply as ''McMillan'' from 1976–77) is an American police procedural television series that aired on NBC from September 17, 1971, to April 24, 1977. Starring Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James in the title roles, the ...

'', '' Police Story'', ''

Switch In electrical engineering, a switch is an electrical component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit, interrupting the electric current or diverting it from one conductor to another. The most common type of ...

'', ''

The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries ''The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries'' (re-titled ''The Hardy Boys'' for season three) is an American television mystery series based on the ''Hardy Boys'' and ''Nancy Drew'' juvenile novels. The series, which ran from January 30, 1977, to Janu ...

'', ''

Fantasy Island ''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. Gu ...

'' and '' Buck Rogers in the 25th Century''. He later appeared in many all-star television

miniseries A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format h ...

, such as ''

Roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusing ...

'', '' The Rebels'', ''The Top of the Hill'' and ''

Condominium A condominium (or condo for short) is an ownership structure whereby a building is divided into several units that are each separately owned, surrounded by common areas that are jointly owned. The term can be applied to the building or complex ...

''. He was in the films '' Foes'' (1977), '' End of the World'' (1977), and '' Summer of Fear'' (1978), and had a small part in '' American Gigolo'' (1980). Carey was in the TV movie '' The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything'' (1980) and the films '' Access Code'' (1984) and '' It's Alive III: Island of the Alive'' (1987). He guest starred on ''

Finder of Lost Loves ''Finder of Lost Loves'' is an American drama series aired by the ABC network during the 1984–1985 season. Synopsis After Cary Maxwell's (Anthony Franciosa) wife Kate dies, he decides to set up a private detective agency specializing in reu ...

'', and ''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...

''. His last non-''Days'' role was in '' A Message from Holly'' (1992). Carey did the onstage introduction for the "Stars of the Days Of Our Lives" and musical artist/director Ricky Dee at the Greek Theatre (1992)

Writings

Carey wrote several books of poetry, and a 1991 autobiography, ''The Days of My Life''. For his contribution to television, Carey has a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

, at 6536

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...

Personal life

Carey was married to Elizabeth Heckscher from 1943 until their divorce in 1969. They had six children: Lynn, Lisa, Stevens, Theresa, Edward Macdonald Jr., and Paul. Later, he dated Lois Kraines. The couple remained together from 1973 until Carey's death. His grandchildren include Ellie Diamond and Vytas and

Aras Baskauskas Aras Vydunas Baskauskas ''(Lithuanian: Baškauskas)'' (born September 26, 1981) is an American yogi, musician, and reality TV personality who won '' Survivor: Panama'' and competed in '' Survivor: Blood vs. Water''. He releases his music under th ...

. He has a godson, Maurice Heckscher. Carey was a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

, and a member of the Good Shepherd Parish and the Catholic Motion Picture Guild in

. He is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in

Culver City, California Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. Founded in 1917 as a "whites only" sundown town, it is now an ethnically diverse city with what was called the "third-most d ...

, alongside a space already set aside for his daughter Lisa.

Selected filmography

*'' Star Spangled Rhythm'' (1942) – Louie the Lug in Skit *''

'' (1942) – Jonathan Caldwell *''

'' (1942) – Dr. Timothy Kane aka Dr. Broadway *''

'' (1942) – Lt. Bruce Cameron *''

'' (1943) – Detective Jack Graham *''

'' (1943) – Buzz McAllister *'' Suddenly, It's Spring'' (1947) – Jack Lindsay *''

Variety Girl ''Variety Girl'' is a 1947 American musical comedy film directed by George Marshall and starring Mary Hatcher, Olga San Juan, DeForest Kelley, Frank Ferguson, Glenn Tryon, Nella Walker, Torben Meyer, Jack Norton, and William Demarest. It was ...

'' (1947) – Himself *''

'' (1948) – J.D. Storm *'' Dream Girl'' (1948) – Clark Redfield *'' Bride of Vengeance'' (1949) – Cesare Borgia *'' Streets of Laredo'' (1949) – Lorn Reming *''

'' (1949) – Nicholas 'Nick' Carraway *'' Song of Surrender'' (1949) – Bruce Eldridge *'' Comanche Territory'' (1950) – James Bowie *''

'' (1950) – Larry Wilder *''

'' (1950) – William Jacob 'Jake' Davis *''

'' (1950) – Deputy Lane Travis *'' Mystery Submarine'' (1950) – Dr. Brett Young *''

'' (1951) – Jesse James *'' Excuse My Dust'' (1951) – Cyrus Random, Jr. *''

'' (1951) – Jeff Ames *'' Let's Make It Legal'' (1951) – Hugh Halsworth *''

'' (1951) – Pete Carver *''

'' (1953) – Doug Madison *''Hannah Lee: An American Primitive'' (1953) – Bus Crow *'' Fire Over Africa'' (1954) – Van Logan *'' Stranger at My Door'' (1956) – Hollis Jarret *''

'' (1956) – Steve Stratton *''

'' (1958) – 'Maybe' Smith / Scott Yancey *''The Redeemer'' (1959) – Jesus Christ (voice) *''

'' (1959) – Patrick Henry *''

'' (1959) – Major Malcolm Bartley, Ret. *''

'' (1962) – Mr. Smith *'' The Damned'' (1962) – Simon Wells * '' Stranglehold'' (1963) – Bill Morrison *''

'' (1963) – Dr. Wayne Bentley *''

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyond the we ...

'' (1965) Henry Pitcairn *''

'' (1975, TV Movie) – Captain Jack Donahoe *''Foes'' (1977) – McCarey *''

'' (1977, TV Mini-Series) – Squire James *'' End of the World'' (1977) – John Davis *'' Stranger in Our House'' (1978, TV Movie) – Professor Jarvis *'' The Rebels'' (1979, TV Movie) – Dr. Church *''

'' (1980, TV Movie) – Dr. Arthur Castor *'' American Gigolo'' (1980) – Lawyer *''Access Code'' (1984) – Senator Williams *'' It's Alive III: Island of the Alive'' (1987) – Judge Watson

Radio appearances

Awards

Daytime Emmy Awards The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (N ...

**(1974)

Daytime Emmy The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (N ...

Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series for ''

'' **(1975)

Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series for ''

'' *

Soap Opera Digest Awards ''The Soap Opera Digest Awards'', originally known as ''The Soapy Awards'' when introduced in 1977, is an awards show held by the daytime television magazine ''Soap Opera Digest''. History 1977 until 1983 The Soapy Awards were an award presen ...

**(1984)

Soap Opera Digest Award ''The Soap Opera Digest Awards'', originally known as ''The Soapy Awards'' when introduced in 1977, is an awards show held by the daytime television magazine ''Soap Opera Digest''. History 1977 until 1983 The Soapy Awards were an award presen ...

Outstanding Actor in a Mature Role in a Daytime Serial for ''

'' **(1985)

Outstanding Actor in a Mature Role in a Daytime Serial for ''

'' **(1990) Soap Opera Digest Editors Choice award

References

;Bibliography *

External links

* * *
Photographs and literature
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carey, Macdonald 1913 births 1994 deaths Deaths from lung cancer in California Burials at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City 20th-century American male actors NBC network announcers Paramount Pictures contract players American male radio actors American male film actors American male television actors American male soap opera actors Days of Our Lives Daytime Emmy Award winners Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series winners United States Marines United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II Actors from Sioux City, Iowa University of Iowa alumni University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni Catholics from Iowa Knights of the Holy Sepulchre Western (genre) television actors