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All My Children Cast Members Share Sentiments On The Death of David Canary

Courtesy/ABC

It has been a heartbreaking day for the daytime community to learn that their beloved David Canary (All My Children’s Adam & Stuart Chandler) had died at age 77.

Throughout the day, numerous All My Children cast members have posted tweets and messages on social media upon learning the news of this five-time Daytime Emmy-winning actor’s passing.  Canary died last week in Connecticut. Below are just a sampling, and On-Air On-Soaps will continue to bring you more reactions from colleagues and cast members of Canary’s as they come in.

Debbi Morgan (Angie) tweeted:  “OMG! I’m just hearing that my fellow castmate , the legendary David Canary passed away & I’m beyond heartbroken! Will miss u so much, David! My heart goes out 2 the Canary’s. David was one of the kindest & humble spirits I’ve ever had the good fortune of working with. God Bless!”

Jacob Young (Ex-JR Chandler, now Rick, B&B) posted on Instagram:  “David, you were a mentor a friend and of course a father to me. I have learned so much from you. You taught me how to be a better actor and better gentleman. The world just lost one of the greatest. I will miss you so. I love you.”

Courtesy/ABC

Susan Lucci (Erica) posted on Instragram:  “I just learned the news that the wonderful David Canary has passed away–I saw it posted on Kelly Ripa”s site. My deepest and heartfelt sympathy to his wife Mo and his children, Christopher and Katie. Rest in peace, David–you warm and generous, talented and fabulous man, actor and friend! I am so grateful to have known you–and to have had the privilege of sharing the AMC stage with you! I will never forget you. ❤️”

Melissa Claire Egan (Ex-Annie, now Chelsea Y&R): “I was so lucky to know him,work with him,even marry him on tv. David Canary was a love,a kind gentleman, & true talent.”

Vincent Irizarry (Ex-David, now Deimus, DAYS) posted:  “Too soon. Oh, way too soon… What a dear, dear man; a true gentleman in every sense of the word. So saddened by the loss of this wonderful man and great talent. To work opposite him, as much as I had been privileged to do throughout all those years, was synonymous to watching a master class in progress. The living embodiment of the term consummate professional, but even more important, a gentle spirit and soul; kind and generous to all he came into contact with. I will forever remember you lovingly, Mr. Canary, with equal parts gratitude and unending respect, blessed as I was to have had the joy of knowing you and working beside you. Thank you for making our world a much more beautiful place… RIP ‪#‎DavidCanary‬”

Alicia Minshew (Kendall) tweeted:  “My heart is sad. I had the great privilege of working with this beautiful,talented man. Sending love to his family. ”

Ricky Paull Goldin (Jake) tweeted:  “Such a beautiful gentle human being. RIP I’m heartbroken! To know him was to love him… ”

Kelly Ripa (Hayley) tweeted:  “So sad to learn of the passing of the great David Canary. A incredibly talented actor. A wonderful man. I was lucky to know you.”

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Ex-Kendall) tweeted:  “#rip #DavidCanary You were the epitome of class. It was a joy and an honor to call you a colleague.”

John Callahan (Edmund) posted on facebook: : “I am saddened by the passing of fellow AMC cast mate David Canary .. He was the consummate actor.. Talented , humble , classy , and a friend to all.. My deepest sympathies to Maureen & your family .. He not only entertained millions; he showed hundreds of actors how to perform with grace … RIP”

Jordi Vilasuso (Ex-Griffin) tweeted:  “I had the privilege of working with on AMC. A force on screen and a man to admire. Thank you for your talent and kindness.”

Lauren Holly (Ex-Julie ) tweeted: “RIP David Canary. You taught me so much, I was privileged to have you as an example.

ABC released this statment Tuesday night: “For more than two decades David Canary defined daytime drama on ABC.  Our hearts go out to his family and we mourn his passing.”

What do you think of the reactions and thoughts shared by of some of the most notable from the cast of All My Children, who worked with David Canary during his extraordinary run in Pine Valley?  Share your thoughts below!

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Oh, my gosh!!!! Still so young. Many of the AMC cast ‘hung’ out at COPPOLA’S restaurant, in the city. He was such a nice friendly human being. May he rest in peace….so sad.

So very sad . Adam Chandler was a staple . My friends who dont even know soap operas know who he was . RIP David

RIP. In addition to AMC, I remember him as “Candy” on BONANZA.

Me Too! Guess our age is showing.

So sorry to hear. As far back as my memory goes, I knew Adam Chandler; I watched Adam when I was 12 years old. And now over 20 years later, I still miss seeing him. On the reboot, he seemed like he wasn’t himself and I wondered how he was health wise. He is missed.

I didn’t develop an appreciation for Bonanza until I was an adult but certainly grew fond of his portrayal of Candy. I knew him mainly as Adam/Stuart Chandler. Very saddened by this news.

My first impressions of David Canary on AMC was back MANY years ago when Cady McClain had first come on AMC and there was the triangle between Adam/Dixie/Tad. Even when you hated Adam for his actions, or loved Stuart because of his kind heartedness, David Canary was a masterful performer. He made you laugh, cry, rage and care for the characters he played. So sorry to see you go.

David Canary didn’t win 5 Emmy awards by accident. He was enormously talented and a pleasure to watch, which I did since his debut in the ’80s. He used to say that Adam was just misunderstood, with a twinkle in his eye, to justify Adam’s actions. The truth is, it’s hard to make the audience like or root for a villain, but Mr. Canary found a way for the audience to connect for Adam and at least like him, even if we didn’t like what he was doing all the time. He was brilliant. I don’t think Daytime will see his kind again.

This is terribly sad. David Canary is a true legend. His performances from 1987-around 1990 proved that he could anything. ANYTHING. He could reduce an audience to tears, and make them overcome with compassion for Stuart. He could induce terror and anger as Adam. He was my favorite AMC actor.

I’d love to hear from some of the AMC stars who worked much more extensively than those quoted above. Cady McClain, Julia Barr, Susan Lucci, Michael E Knight…. you know, the heart and soul of AMC. Those are the actors I always loved seeing Mr Canary work with.

Susan Lucci is quoted above, Mindy. I like Vincent Izzery’s comments the most–he nails it beautifully.
Michael E Knight does not have a Twitter account but I am sure he has something lovely and poignant to say. Knight once spoke of Canary’s acting ability as being brilliant and a marvel to behold. In particular, MEK spoke of watching Canary play Adam who was pretending to be Stuart. Adam, the savvy, high powered, domineering CEO of a Fortune 500 company, was well adept at impersonating his sweet, innocent and gentle twin brother Stuart. However, some slip of the tongue, some Adam mannerism would slip through alerting the observant viewer that this was Adam, not Stuart. Or sometimes, Adam would forget to tuck in the left collar into his sweater vest the way Stuart did. I had read somewhere that the shirt collar/vest idea was David Canary’s. Yes, David Canary could play subtle (something of which many of our current soap actors are unable to do) and we will not see his like again.

A consumate actor, warm, funny and a mentor to so many. He leaves us all with heavy hearts.

It was my privilege to have known this kind,talented,extraordinary man.A great creative talent and a great man.One of the greats in soap opera history.

Wonderful actor. He was so touching as Stuart…the way he personified that gentle soul and then morphed into Adam. Great duel roles.

As for his castmates reactions…wow! I don’t remember reading such heartfelt, consistent sentiments….kind, gentleman, beautiful, gentle…he was have been truly something…RIP….

Should read…must have been

Mr. Canary could never play a “typical villain” because his heart always came through…as Adam. Stuart just took that personal warmth further. It was clear he defined “gentleman” and I’m glad to know he was such a wonderful example to his colleagues. God bless his family as we, his fans quietly smile at the memory of such integrity.

Ah, that’s sweet and true.
I remember Stuart’s first love Cindy, who later died of AIDS.
They had a very touching and romantic love story. I do believe that AMC was the first soap to deal with the subject of AIDS.

OMG! I am shocked. It is so sad to lose such a fantastic, artistic actor . I have welcome David into my house every episode since 1977 when I used to record it on the Betamax tape. My condolences to his family both on screen and off. I’m sure all of your hearts are breaking by this knowledge, all I can say is that time does heal all wounds . He is in the pearly gates of heaven is overlooking all of us with such love. Bless you David and thank you for bringing us such great joy.

From ABC…”For more than two decades David defined daytime drama on ABC.”…No one can be another David Canary, but hopefully, maybe, ABC will will understand and use their tribute statement to really bring back into our soaps what many of us have been missing the last few years.

Tears and smiles for what David/Adam/Stuart brought me.

Wow what a great loss for daytime he was such a great actor you could hate him or love him he will be missed rip David canary/Adam chandler

There have been two great gentleman actors of daytime television one was Douglass Watson the other David Canary. Talent and class.

David was an incredible talent and from everything I’m reading about him a loving and inspiring person. May he rest in peace.

David was truly a talented actor with a true love and passion for the business . He will truly be missed by all who had the privilege to either watch him on screen or come in contact with him on stage.

What a great actor he was. I still miss Adam/Stuart. He played both so effortlessly sometimes I had to remember it was the same actor not two different actors.

RIP David. I remember watching you from your first day on AMC until your last…makes me miss AMC all over again.

On a side note, with Tyra Banks leaving FABLife, ABC should take a queue, cancel this show, and bring back a soap. The network should have never canceled AMC and OLTL. My first suggestion would be to bring back these shows. However, with Prospect Park in that mix, I doubt that would ever happen – and will there ever be any resolution to this? So, why doesn’t ABC just create a new soap set in Pennsylvania in a fictitious town that was close to Pine Valley (AMC) Llanview (OLTL) and Corinth (Loving)? That way, should there ever be any resolution to the ABC/PP mess, then former characters of those show could perhaps show up on this new soap.

I could not agree more…on EVERYTHING you said!!! 26 years of AMC for me and this is what we are left with??? BRING BACK THE REAL AMC!!! #RIP #DavidCanary…SO sad!! Where did they all go?

I so agree with both of you. AMC and OLTL should have never been exited from the scene. Nothing has worked out well since. Just awful choice. ABC should settle or pay out Prospect Park and bring both soaps back. Such fine acting from David Canary. He put just the right spin on Adam and Stuart. Yet we also got to see his softer side and how much he loved Stuart and his children, wives. You could be mad at Adam but he would always do or say something to redeem himself. RIP David Canary. Thanks for the memories and reminding us all how much we miss All My Children. “Sigh”

THIS IS A REAL LOSS…FROM BONANZA TO ALL THE CHILDREN AND ALL HE DID…A TREMENDOUS GIFTED ACTOR….ONE OF A KIND…….HE WILL BE MISSED BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN..

If you watch stage or screen performances long enough, you quickly learn to determine the good actors from the bad, the adequate ones from the excellent, and then you can surely recognize The Great Ones. Mr. Canary was one of the Great Ones.

He was Daytime’s Brando- blessed w/ serious Swagger & sincere Sensitivity. His Adam/Stuart portrayals were like a Master Class in the Craft of Acting. His range was evident in the number of Emmy awards he won. And, like Brando, you only had to see him once to remember his impact. He was THAT Great!

My deepest condolences to his family. RIP, Sir.

Great post, Lin. He was so good that he made it look easy which is high praise indeed.

Thanks, Harry. Agreed, the man made it look easy. But to mesmerize the public for so many years is no small feat. This was his astonishing ability. He will be missed & remembered.

One of the most talented soap stars to grace our screens. Condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

So Sad, RIP David Canary. Condolences to your Friends& Family.. “The man with the white hair” My Grandma use to say in our Dine’ Language. Love you David 🙁

Loved the dual roles he played,the forceful Adam Chandler,the kind Stuart.
Sad to hear of his death,he brought enjoyment to my afternoons.Thank you sir,God bless you and your family!!!

I wasnt a huge fan but he was definitely an ABC/AMC icon. Very sad to see these daytime actors passing, there wont be anyone to replace them.

He was the best daytime actor I ever saw, should have won more than five Emmys. He was most certainly a kind and humble man. I hope he was at peace.

Was very sad hearing of David Canary’s passing. Loved him on AMC. How he mastered and swept the Daytime Emmys playing Adam and Stuart. Two very distinct characters of which he nailed perfectly, day after day…. RIP Mr. Canary.

All My Children; my first soap… hooked line and sinker….

the rivalry between two of the best actors to grace this genre: David Canary and James Mitchell… with all the wives and kids inbetween

and that’s keeping in character…. WOW
I especially love this site when the actors thoughts are shared… that we may get an insight to these WONDERful actors

3 things stand out; that; are just, not used readily

1. humble
2. kind
3. priviledged

“kind” is what I marvel at

what an innate being to have this trait

with this show being my first and long lasting pasttime… Adam and Stuart Chandler will forever be etched in my memory banks

you had the tough minded… at the outset… corporate mogul
you had the tender sensitive loving… Stuart… that made you cry openly and honestly

from the time of his debut to his retirement… he showed

just have to prop; two of Adam wives that I absolutely loved ; Erica and Brooke
just have to prop; two of Stuart wives that I LOVE; Cindy and Marian

“David Canary”

He came into our homes and entertained us with his unique portayal of the Chandler twins. The sentiment here shows that he was a wonderful man. It is a very sad day . This must be hard on all of you. too . RIP David

I loved David Canary. Such a great actor. RIP my friend.

He is the male legend of daytime royalty as erika slezak of One life to live is to the leading ladies of daytime. Rest in peace David

I gret actor who handled 2 parts for years. Good role model for others. I’m not an actor nor a soap fan but I remember watching bonanza with my grandmother. She said he was on her stories. I saw him act each time my wife watched the AMC shows and my mom and my sisters. Drove me nuts with soaps but he was a good actor. Got me thru some days when I was ill on the couch and my mom would watch this stuff. Great man sad to see him go.

All My Children

Carol Burnett Talks About Being a Superfan of ‘All My Children’ on ‘Live with Kelly and Mark’

In a heartfelt reunion, of sorts, the one and only Carol Burnett appeared on Monday March 25th episode of Live with Kelly and Mark.

Burnett had first met Kelly Ripa (Hayley) and Mark Consuelos (ex-Mateo) back when they all appeared on All My Children together. Carol played Verla Grubbs first in 1983 and then again in the 90’s.

Host Kelly Ripa (ex-Hayley, AMC) noted to Burnett that “we go back a long time”. She also described Burnett’s character of Verla Grubbs, “extraordinary in every way.”

Carol’s love for All My Children is well-documented, hence legendary soap creator, Agnes Nixon, created the role of Verla for Burnett.

Photo: ABC

Speaking on how her passion for All My Children began, Carol told Kelly and Mark, “It started with my kids. They would watch at noon. I said, ‘What are you guys doing?’ I sat down and I started to watch and I got hooked!”

When Carol’s family decided to travel through Europe during one summer, the comedic legend recalled thinking, “How am I going to last if I don’t know what’s going on in Pine Valley?” She revealed she had a friend, “who sent me a telegram to the (different hotels) on Fridays to bring me up to date.”

Photo: ABC

In a hilarious moment from the segment, Carol recalled receiving a late night telegram while in Lake Cuomo when there was a knock at her hotel room door from the hotel manager who was shaking.

Carol related what it said, “Erica is still in a coma. Mark slipped again and ran away from rehab.” As Kelly and Mark broke into laughter, Burnett continued, “Chuck has learned that Donna is carrying his baby, who was once a hooker.”

Check out Carol explaining how she became an AMC Superfan below.

Now, let us know, did you enjoy Carol as Verla Grubbs? What show do you consider yourself a Superfan of? Tell us in the comment section.

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All My Children

Malachy McCourt, ‘Ryan’s Hope’ and ‘All My Children’ Actor, Dead at 92

If you watched Ryan’s Hope through its 14-year-run, you know that Kevin the bartender became a beloved “member’ of the Ryan clan on the defunct ABC daytime drama series. The character of Kevin MacGuiness became so loved by the fans because of the actor who portrayed him, Malachy McCourt.

Sadly, according to his wife Diana McCourt to The New York Times, Malachy passed away on Monday from a heart condition and battling cancer. The actor was 92-years-old.

Playing Kevin on Ryan’s Hope was not much of a stretch for McCourt, because in his lifetime, he was the owner of 1950s Irish pub Malachy’s on Third Avenue in Manhattan. Known as one of the city’s great story-tellers, patrons from longshoremen to the actor Richard Harris would stop in and talk all things Irish with . On Ryan’s Hope, Kevin was best friends to “Ryan’s Bar” owner, Johnny Ryan (Bernie Barrow) and he tried to keep Delia (Ilene Kristen) on the straight and narrow.

Photo: ABC

In his soap opera career, McCourt also was widely-known for his role of Father Clarence McCourt on All My Children especially come Christmastime. Was Clarence, actually St. Nick? That was always the proverbial question. McCourt also appeared on the New York soaps: One Life To Live, Search For Tomorrow and Another World. Other roles included: Devil’s Own, Brewster’s Millions, The Molly Maguires, and Starman, to name 

Later in 2006, Malachy ran for governor of the state of New York as a Green Party candidate. He tackled social issues of the time including being an advocate for gay and lesbian groups to march in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Photo: ABC

McCourt’s childhood was recounted within his brother Frank McCourt’s Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir Angela’s Ashes, which detailed their mother’s attempt to raise the four of their surviving seven children in poverty in Limerick, Ireland. Later, Malachy wrote his own memoirs: 1998’s Monk Swimming, and 2000’s Singing My Him Song.

Malachy is survived by his aforementioned wife, Diana, daughter Siobhan McCourt; sons Malachy Jr., Conor and Cormac; stepdaughter Nina Galin; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandson.

Share you remembrances and condolences for Malachy McCourt via the comment section, but first check out this scene from a 1983 episode of “Ryan’s Hope” featuring the late actor with Ilene Kristen.

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All My Children

‘Live with Kelly and Mark’s’ Annual ‘After the Oscars’ Show Brings Backstage Interviews, Fashion Review and Red Carpet Arrivals from Movie’s Biggest Night

Monday morning, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos took to the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood for the talk show’s annual Oscar post show.

However, this time it would be Consuelos’ first time as the co-host of ‘Live’ for an Oscars episode. Mark took over the gig from Ryan Seacrest to team with his wife back in April of 2023 and since then the show has seen a ratings spike hitting several all-time highs.

The After the Oscars show opened with a tribute to the movies were the former All My Children stars took on iconic roles from: Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct to Barbie and Ken in Barbie, to the Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller role’s in the romantic comedy Something About Mary and more.

Courtesy/DisneyABC

During After the Oscars, Kelly and Mark were shown in clips backstage as the first stop for the newly-anointed Academy Award winners including: Finneas and Billie Eilish and Da’Vine Joy Randolph. The Bachelor host, Jesse Palmer was the talk show’s guest correspondent who spoke to the nominees, and celebrities as they were entering the Dolby Theatre on Sunday night.

Singer Andy Grammar took to the stage and performed on Live’s  After the Oscars show as well, and Project Runaway’s Elaine Welteroth shared her thoughts on the night’s Oscar fashion.

You can watch the full ‘Live with Kelly and Mark After the Oscars’ show below, plus the full movie parody below that. Now let us know, what do you think of Kelly and Mark’s first post-Oscar show together on ‘Live’? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

 

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