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 Edward Macdonald Carey (March 15, 1913 – March 21, 1994) was an American actor, best ...

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 The 1950s (pronounced nineteen-fifties; commonly abbreviated as the "Fifties" or the " '50s") (among other variants) was a decade that began on January 1, 1950, and ended on December 31, 1959. Throughout the decade, the world continued its re ...

and

1960s File:1960s montage.png, Clockwise from top left: U.S. soldiers during the Vietnam War; the Beatles led the British Invasion of the U.S. music market; a half-a-million people participate in the 1969 Woodstock Festival; Neil Armstrong and Buzz ...

(with a few A-picture exceptions like Hitchcock's '' Shadow of a Doubt''). He was known in many

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...

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 Gold ...

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 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 organized into 12 co ...

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 institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...

for a year where he was a member of

Alpha Delta Phi Alpha Delta Phi (), commonly known as Alpha Delt, ADPhi, A-Delt, or ADP, is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity. Alpha Delta Phi was originally founded as a literary society by Samuel Eells in 1832 at Hamilton College in C ...

. 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'' center ...

'', both in the early 1940s. He was also in ''Lights Out''. Carey was on Broadway in '' Lady in the Dark'' (1941) opposite Gertrude Lawrence,

Danny Kaye Danny Kaye (born David Daniel Kaminsky; yi, דוד־דניאל קאַמינסקי; January 18, 1911 – March 3, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, singer and dancer. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, and ...

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 Darli ...

. 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'' (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 f ...

. 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 Ar ...

'' (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 T ...

'' (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 '' Shadow of a Doubt'' (1943) with Joseph Cotten and Teresa Wright. 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 c ...

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

. After school he served with Air Warning Squadron 3 with stints on Espiritu Santo, 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 ''Suddenly, It's Spring'' (some sources list the title without a comma) is a 1947 comedy film directed by Mitchell Leisen. It stars Paulette Goddard and Fred MacMurray. The story is set in 1945, at the end of World War II. Goddard and MacMurray ...

'' (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. Substances, events, or circumstances can constitute hazards when their nature would allow them, even just theoretically, to cause damage to health, life, property, or any other interest of value. The probab ...

'' (1948), again with Goddard; and '' Dream Girl'' (1948), supporting Betty Hutton, directed by Leisen. Carey played

Cesare Borgia Cesare Borgia (; ca-valencia, Cèsar Borja ; es, link=no, César Borja ; 13 September 1475 – 12 March 1507) was an Italian ex-cardinal and ''condottiero'' (mercenary leader) of Aragonese (Spanish) origin, whose fight for power was a major i ...

in ''

Bride of Vengeance ''Bride of Vengeance'' is a 1949 adventure film set in the Italian Renaissance era, directed by Mitchell Leisen. Plot Lucrezia Borgia's brother Cesare Borgia has her second husband Prince Bisceglie killed in order to marry her to Alfonso I d' ...

'' (1948) alongside Goddard, directed by Leisen, but it was a flop. More popular was a Western, '' Streets of Laredo'' (1949), but William Holden was the hero; Carey was the villain. In 1949 he co-starred as "Nick Carraway" in

Alan Ladd Alan Walbridge Ladd (September 3, 1913 – January 29, 1964) was an American actor and film producer. Ladd found success in film in the 1940s and early 1950s, particularly in films noir and Westerns. He was often paired with Veronica Lake ...

'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 narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby ...

''. Carey followed this with ''

Song of Surrender ''Song of Surrender'' is a 1949 drama film directed by Mitchell Leisen and starring Wanda Hendrix and Claude Rains. Plot Cast *Wanda Hendrix as Abigail Hunt *Claude Rains as Elisha Hunt *Macdonald Carey as Bruce Eldridge *Andrea King as Phylli ...

'' (1949), once again directed by Leisen.

Universal and Fox

Universal borrowed Carey for two films: a Western with

Maureen O'Hara Maureen O'Hara (; 17 August 1920 – 24 October 2015) was a native Irish and naturalized American actress and singer, who became successful in Hollywood from the 1940s through to the 1960s. She was a natural redhead who was known for pl ...

, '' Comanche Territory'' (1950), and '' South Sea Sinner'' (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'' (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. Blacklisted ...

. Back at Paramount he was a villain to

Ray Milland Ray Milland (born Alfred Reginald Jones; 3 January 1907 – 10 March 1986) was a Welsh-American actor and film director. His screen career ran from 1929 to 1985. He is remembered for his Academy Award and Cannes Film Festival Award-winning ...

in '' Copper Canyon'' (1950), directed by John Farrow. At Paramount he was

Jesse James Jesse Woodson James (September 5, 1847April 3, 1882) was an American outlaw, bank and train robber, guerrilla and leader of the James–Younger Gang. Raised in the " Little Dixie" area of Western Missouri, James and his family maintained st ...

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 ...

'' (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'' (1951) and Claudette Colbert in ''

Let's Make It Legal ''Let's Make It Legal'' is a 1951 American comedy film made by Twentieth Century-Fox, directed by Richard Sale (director), Richard Sale and produced by Robert Bassler from a screenplay by I.A.L. Diamond and Hugh Herbert, F. Hugh Herbert, based on ...

'' (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 t ...

'' (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'', '' Hope Chest'', 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'' (1952), at Fox with

Anne Baxter Anne Baxter (May 7, 1923 – December 12, 1985) was an American actress, star of Hollywood films, Broadway productions, and television series. She won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe, and was nominated for an Emmy. A granddaughter of Fr ...

; ''

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 Georg ...

'' (1953), with Teresa Wright at RKO; '' Hannah Lee'' (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 po ...

'' (1954) with

. Carey returned to Broadway in '' Anniversary Waltz'' (1954–55), directed by Moss Hart, which was a big hit and ran for two years.

Television

Carey's work was increasingly on the small screen: ''

The Quiet Gun ''The Quiet Gun'' is a 1957 American Western (genre), Western film directed by William F. Claxton and written by Eric Norden and Earle Lyon. The film stars Forrest Tucker, Mara Corday, Jim Davis (actor), Jim Davis and Kathleen Crowley. It is ba ...

'', ''

Stage 7 ''Stage 7'' is a 30-minute American TV drama anthology series that was broadcast on CBS from December 12, 1954, through September 25, 1955. This program premiered in December 1954 with the title ''Your Favorite Playhouse'' with all episodes being ...

'', '' Science Fiction Theatre'', '' Hour of Stars'', ''

Celebrity Playhouse ''Celebrity Playhouse'' is an American anthology series that aired on Syndication from September 1955, to June 1956. Episodes were repeats of dramas that were originally shown on ''Schlitz Playhouse of Stars''. ''Celebrity Playhouse'' was produce ...

'', 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 Teresa Wright 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'', ''

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 prece ...

'', 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 r ...

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

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures Corporation (currently held under Melange Pictures, LLC) was an American motion picture production-distribution corporation in operation from 1935 to 1967, that was based in Los Angeles. It had studio facilities in Studio City a ...

, and '' Odongo'' (1956) for Warwick Films.

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'', ''

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'', ''

Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' was an American television 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 drama series of th ...

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

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, fi ...

'', '' Pursuit'', '' Schlitz Playhouse'', ''

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'' (1958), for Republic. and '' The Redeemer'' (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 a ...

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'' (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'', ''

Thriller Thriller may refer to: * Thriller (genre), a broad genre of literature, film and television ** Thriller film, a film genre under the general thriller genre Comics * ''Thriller'' (DC Comics), a comic book series published 1983–84 by DC Comics i ...

'' ("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 intui ...

'', ''

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''. Carey went to England to make the films '' The Devil's Agent'' (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 drama ...

'', ''

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'', 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. He appeared as Mr. Edwards in the 1963 episode "Pay the Two Dollars" of the NBC education drama series, '' Mr. Novak'', 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'', '' 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 Lassie is a fictional female Rough Collie dog and is featured in a short story by Eric Knight that was later expanded to a full-length novel called '' Lassie Come-Home''. Knight's portrayal of Lassie bears some features in common with another ...

'', 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 typ ...

''.

''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 tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from transformed, mali ...

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. ...

, 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 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?'' (1975), '' McMillan & Wife'', '' 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, Tatto ...

'' 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 ...

, 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 ''American Gigolo'' is a 1980 American neo-noir crime drama film written and directed by Paul Schrader, and starring Richard Gere and Lauren Hutton. It tells the story about a high-priced escort in Los Angeles (Gere) who becomes romantically ...

'' (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'', 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 seri ...

''. 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, Calif ...

, 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 let ...

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

. He is buried at

Holy Cross Cemetery Holy Cross Cemetery may refer to: United States California * Holy Cross Cemetery (Colma, California) *Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California * Holy Cross Cemetery (Menlo Park, California) * Holy Cross Cemetery (Pomona, California) *Holy ...

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 ...

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

Selected filmography

*'' Star Spangled Rhythm'' (1942) – Louie the Lug in Skit *'' Take a Letter, Darling'' (1942) – Jonathan Caldwell *''

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

'' (1942) – Lt. Bruce Cameron *'' Shadow of a Doubt'' (1943) – Detective Jack Graham *'' Salute for Three'' (1943) – Buzz McAllister *''

'' (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 *''

'' (1949) – Cesare Borgia *'' Streets of Laredo'' (1949) – Lorn Reming *''

'' (1949) – Nicholas 'Nick' Carraway *''

'' (1949) – Bruce Eldridge *'' Comanche Territory'' (1950) – James Bowie *'' The Lawless'' (1950) – Larry Wilder *'' South Sea Sinner'' (1950) – William Jacob 'Jake' Davis *'' Copper Canyon'' (1950) – Deputy Lane Travis *'' Mystery Submarine'' (1950) – Dr. Brett Young *''

'' (1951) – Jesse James *'' Excuse My Dust'' (1951) – Cyrus Random, Jr. *'' Meet Me After the Show'' (1951) – Jeff Ames *''

'' (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 *'' Odongo'' (1956) – Steve Stratton *'' Man or Gun'' (1958) – 'Maybe' Smith / Scott Yancey *''The Redeemer'' (1959) – Jesus Christ (voice) *''

'' (1959) – Patrick Henry *'' Blue Denim'' (1959) – Major Malcolm Bartley, Ret. *'' The Devil's Agent'' (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 *'' Who Is the Black Dahlia?'' (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 ''Stranger in Our House'' is a 1978 American television horror film directed by Wes Craven and starring Linda Blair, Lee Purcell, Jeremy Slate, Jeff McCracken, and Jeff East. It is based on the 1976 novel '' Summer of Fear'' by Lois Duncan. Th ...

'' (1978, TV Movie) – Professor Jarvis *'' The Rebels'' (1979, TV Movie) – Dr. Church *''

'' (1980, TV Movie) – Dr. Arthur Castor *''

'' (1980) – Lawyer *''Access Code'' (1984) – Senator Williams *'' It's Alive III: Island of the Alive'' (1987) – Judge Watson

Radio appearances

Awards

* Daytime Emmy Awards **(1974) Daytime Emmy Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series for ''

'' **(1975) Daytime Emmy Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series for ''

'' * Soap Opera Digest Awards **(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