All My Children
All My Children Icon David Canary Passes Away At Age 77
Courtesy/ABC
A sad day in soapland. Reports began to surface on Tuesday following the release of an obitituary in the Wilton Bulletin that five-time Daytime Emmy winning actor David Canary passed away of natural causes on November 16, 2015, at The Greens at Cannondale in Wilton, Connecticut.
Daytime fans, of course, recall Canary’s accomplished and powerful performances as twins Adam and Stuart Chandler on ABC’s beloved and iconic All My Children.
Canary first appeared on All My Children as Adam in 1983 and received five outstanding actor Daytime Emmy Awards and 16 nominations through 2001. He retired from acting in 2010, but returned to play the Chandler brothers for several days before the show’s emotional September 2011 finale. It was an incredible run and Canary left an indellible mark in his almost 27 years with the daytime soap opera.
Canary was also best known in primetime for his role as Candy on Bonzanza which he played until 1972. In the soaps, David went to play Steven Frame on Another World and also appeared throughout his career in roles on:The Doctors, Peyton Place, and Search For Tomorrow.
Survivors include his wife of more than 33 years, Maureen; children Christopher and Kathryn; brother John; and grandson Donovan. Funeral services will be private for immediate family. A memorial tribute is planned for a date to be determined. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association’s David Canary Memorial Fund.
Share your thoughts and remembrances on the passing of this All My Children legend David Canary in the comment section below!
What a wonderful actor/man acting to him was like breathing it was effortless RIP Mr. Canary you earned it!
We sometimes forget that David Canary was only about 44 years old when he first appeared on AMC. As often is the case with these silver haired foxes, we are fooled by their prematurely white hair. The same can be said of John Slattery who played Roger on Mad Men. He actually isn’t much older than Jon Hamms (Don Draper).
Canary was a genius–a true gifted actor who lit up the room with his crackling energy just from entering it. The fact that he could play the over achieving, triple A, control freak of a business man named Adam Chandler while simultaneously playing Adam’s gentle, artistic brother Stuart speaks volumes about his acting prowess. Adam and Stuart were polarized opposites, One really believed that Stuart and Adam were two different people and we oft forgot that these two distinctly different characters were being played by one man.
Here’s how good David Canary was–Michael E Knight (Tadd Martin) said that Canary was so good, so subtle, that one could just almost barely tell when Adam was impersonating Stuart. His affectations were subtle but distinguishable by the observant and appreciative viewer.
I have been missing David Canary since AMC was canceled and miss him all the more knowing he has passed.
Thank you for all that you’ve given us, David Canary. Yes, I am afraid I am crying a bit about it–I grew up watching this man.
Oh Harry you and I agree on so much as an older viewer we have seen the best this new group of actors have a lot to learn DC never made it about him one year he won the Best Actor award he grabbed Susan Lucci lifted her up and swung her around I will never forget it a generous soul he always made it about the show it was never about him. I had always hoped I would see him again on a show as a person who is going thru a family member with Alzheimers which I am under the assumption he had I feel what the family is feeling.
He will be missed!
I had mentioned this under a different subject…another great loss in the entertainment industry!
Miss You muchDavid, RIP!!!
RIP Mr. Canary.
I am so sorry to get this news. He was a wonderfully talented actor. In addition to All My Children, I fondly remember his performances in Bonanza and Peyton Place.
Thank you David Canary for sharing your incredible talent with all of us fans. God bless you always. Rest in Peace.
I remember him on ‘Bonanza’ repeats and my sister is going to have a fit about this news. She loved him on ‘All My Children.’
R.I.P. David Canary.
Adam Chandler you brightened my days for 26 years. So sad you had to go. May God bless you like you blessed me .
Condolences to his family and friends. I am sure he touched many lives with his flawless performances throughout his long career.
R.I.P. Mr. Canary. My condolences to his family and friends.
He was a humble, gentle soul, more like Stuart than Adam in many ways. I was gutted to learn of his passing. My prayers are with his family and all the people who were lucky enough to work alongside him.
His grace and talent and acting was masterful. There are few roles in Soaps, a handful, 5 that have been embrassed by fans and actors,that are irreplaceable, his portrayal if Adsm/Stuart Chandler is among them that define true acting genius.He was such an actor and this was such a role. We will cherish his legacy and be ever grateful for his family for giving us such a talented man . may the angel sing and greet him in his new home, may his family be blessed and comforted in their loss for such a wonderful father, son, husband.
Dear Carlos-
What a beautiful tribute you wrote. Heartfelt ans smart, I thank you for posting it. That he kept those roles in tandem for so many years was miraculous!
Very sad news, he will be missed. Thanks for the many years of entertainment on AMC!!!
how sad, truly one of the best actors around, rest in peace Mr. Canary.
rest in heavenly peace david canary aka “silver fox”
This is indeed sad news. Mr. Canary was a joy to watch on AMC. And he must have been a wonderful man with whom to work and to be friends. The tributes are heartfelt and genuine.
They do not make actors that that anymore! He was masterclass in acting and raised the bar of the soap genre.
Thank you for sharing your gift with us, Mr. Canary!
I really enjoyed him on AMC, especially as Stuart. He seemed like a very nice man and loving spirit. I liked seeing the pics of him on AMC and Bonanza.
I thought it was really impressive that he was trending on Twitter worldwide for at least 4 hours, and even got as high as #6!
I hope his last years were peaceful. He was the absolute best actor on daytime.
Thank you David Canary for being a great actor in a great soap that brought so much fun to my life for so many years. You will be missed. I always hoped I would see you again one day.
This breaks my heart. I loved and could not wait to see AMC to see this wonderful actor. My mom and myself loved him…well Mr. Canary if you run into my mom she will be ecstatic to meet you…RIP…miss you terribly!!!
He was excellent as both Adam and Stewart. He even took part in the short-lived Prospect Park reboot of the show, although he wasn’t on it very often. He was one of those actors who “owned” a role. I couldn’t see anyone else playing Adam Chandler, not only because Mr. Canary played the part for so long, but because he created an indelible impression while doing so. I watched ALL MY CHILDREN for more years than I care to admit to – this man was truly a gifted actor. R.I.P. and thank you for all the wonderful memories.
My parents and I used to watch David on “Bonanza” when it originally aired, and then I found him on “AMC” and continued to be enchanted by his performances over the years. There wasn’t any emotion he wasn’t capable of doing extremely well, and he deserved all of his Emmy nominations and statues.
I agree 100% with what Harry has already stated so beautifully about David’s contribution to the TV medium, and AMC in particular. His star will now shine in the heavens.
[I really hope we don’t hear of a third death from amongst the soap community; the actors’ families and fans have lost enough.]
I’m wondering what Robin Christopher has to say about David’s passing. I always loved the two of them as father and daughter and was highly disappointed when Adam turned out not to be her bio father in order to facilitate her move to Port Charles.
Bless You David Canary! Rest In Peace! 🙂
All My Children
‘All My Children’ Movie Writers for Lifetime Revealed: Ron Carlivati, Jamey Giddens and Leo Richardson
This week began and as reported with a spotlight article on Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos and how their production entity, Milojo, has been teeing up the All My Children reboot with Lifetime.
The L.A. Times featured the married couple, co-hosts of Live with Kelly and Mark, and former All My Children cast members (where they met and fell in love) about their plans to bring two All My Children movies to Lifetime and how they are working with the Agnes Nixon estate to make it come to fruition,
On Wednesday, it was revealed by Daytime Confidential, that All My Children reboot producer, Andrew Stearn handpicked none other than Ron Carlivati (ex-head writer, One Life to Live, General Hospital and Days of our Lives) and Jamey Giddens (who is the new co-head writer of The Young and the Restless, following his tenures on the writing teams of Beyond the Gates and Days of Our Lives), as the two scribes who will bring the first of two of Kelly and Mark’s All My Children movies to the page.
Photo: IMDb
RON CARLIVATI AND JAMEY GIDDENS CONFIRM THEIR BOARDING THE ALL MY CHILDREN MOVIE PROJECT
The second installment is said to be written by primetime writer Leo Richardson whose credits include: Star, Katy Keene and more recently the Penn Badgley (ex-Phillip Chancellor IV, The Young and the Restless) starring series, You.
Richardson also wrote for three years on the U.K.’s long-running soap, EastEnders. All My Children revival fans will recall Richardson’s name was attached as the writer for the first incarnation of the All My Children movies, entitled, Pine Valley.
Ron Carlivati took to X and confirmed he is indeed boarding the All My Children movie project. Carlivati shared, “So excited to share this news! Thanks to Andrew Stearn, Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos, Albert Bianchini and the Agnes Nixon estate for entrusting Jamey Giddens and me with the first of two planned All My Children movies for Lifetime! Stay tuned!”
Photo: Jeremy Smith/imageSPACE
Jamey Giddens confirmed DC’s announcement by taking to his account on X and expressing, “I’ve been booked and busy in 2026. Thanks to Andrew Stearn, the Agnes Nixon estate, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos for entrusting Ron Carlivati, and me with the first of two planned All My Children movies for Lifetime!”
Some fans seemed to question how Giddens could be writing for the first All My Children movie at Lifetime, when he is the new co-head writer at The Young and the Restless with Dan O’Connor. Jamey answered that head on via X and explained, “We turned in our All My Children script months ago. My sole focus as of this past Monday, is Genoa City, Wisconsin! #YR”
ERICA KANE, MARIA SANTOS AND HAYLEY AND MATEO SANTOS TO APPEAR IN THE ALL MY CHILDREN MOVIE REVIVAL?
In the planned stories, Susan Lucci’s Erica Kane and Eva LaRue’s Maria Santos will be two characters whose lives we will get to see for the first time since the series was canceled by ABC back in 2011 after 41 years on the air. As well, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos confirmed they will make brief appearances on-screen; one could assume as Hayley and Mateo Santos.
“It’d be wonderful to give the fans something that they’ve been yearning for so many years,” shared Mark Consuelos to the LA Times. “All My Children gave me my family. I met my wife there. It gave me my start in the business. It gave us so much. It would be a dream to be able to give back.”
So, what do you think of Ron Carlivati and Jamey Giddens getting nod to write the All My Children movie #1 script and Leo Richardson #2? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
All My Children
‘All My Children’ Revival Updates: Lifetime EVP Speaks on Why Proposed Movies are Great Fit, Mark Consuelos Wants To ‘Give Back’ to Fans
The All My Children revival via movies at Lifetime is still in the works from former series stars and marrieds, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, through their production company, Milojo.
The co-hosts of Live with Kelly and Mark were featured this week in a Los Angeles Times article which detailed their efforts to bring some of the citizens of Pine Valley back to your screens.
As previously reported, and reaffirmed by the L.A. Times, the All My Children movies will be set in the present day and focus on what beloved characters such as Erica Kane (Susan Lucci) and Maria Santos Gray (Eva LaRue) are doing now. In addition, Kelly Ripa confirmed that she and Mark Consuelos will also appear on screen briefly most likely appearing in their signature soap roles as Hayley and Mateo Santos.
Photo: ABC
ALL MY CHILDREN MOVIES BRING NOSTALGIA THAT CAN BE MADE TO FEEL NEW AGAIN
Elaine Frontain Bryant, executive vice president and head of programming for A&E, Lifetime, and Lifetime Movie Network said of the All My Children reboot, “Lifetime is always interested in shows that kind of tap into a powerful nostalgia that can be made fresh for today’s audience. There’s a whole generation of women that have missed these stories and these characters.”
As for working with Kelly and Mark on the Lifetime movie versions of the soap, “They’re exactly the kind of partners you want at a brand,” expressed Bryant. “They’re trusted voices because every day they’re talking to their audience, which, a lot of times, is our audience. They bring a real credibility and have an authentic point of view. You meet Kelly and Mark and kind of what you see is what you get, and I think they bring that same authenticity to their development standards.”
Albert Bianchini, executive producer for Milojo, says he knows All My Children is so wildly popular with the fans of daytime. That was punctuated when seeing it in person, and how the energy was off the charts back in January of 2025 when Kelly participated along with Susan Lucci, former head writer, Lorraine Broderick and casting director, Judy Blye Wilson in a conversation with Andy Cohen at the 92nd Street Y in New York City.
© Steven Bergman/AFF-USA.COM Credit: AFF/Alamy Live News
“I’ve never seen a crowd like that in my life. People were lined up around the block, recalled the Bianchini. “Everyone wanted to know, ‘When is (All My Children) coming back? We want more.’ We got to see that in real life and Kelly got to feel it in real life, and it made so much sense. I just know that the minute it gets out in the world, people will want more and more and more. There’s just a love there.”
Kelly Ripa added that they are, “working closely with Bob and Sarah Nixon, who are also serving as producers.” She recalled, “She (Agnes Nixon) was so far ahead of her time. She covered topics that weren’t being covered. It was extraordinary the audiences that the show drew, and she served them real stories that were affecting Americans across the country but weren’t necessarily being represented anywhere.”
“It’d be wonderful to give the fans something that they’ve been yearning for so many years,” shared Mark Consuelos. “All My Children gave me my family. I met my wife there. It gave me my start in the business. It gave us so much. It would be a dream to be able to give back.”
THE CANCELLATION AND STOPS AND STARTS OF ALL MY CHILDREN REBOOTS
All My Children aired on ABC from 1970 to 2011. It got a second chance at life when Prospect Park resurrected the show and brought it to The OnLine Network and Hulu for one season in 2013.
Recently, the series made a return through the estate of Agnes Nixon and is streaming internationally on BEONDTV and through their partnership with PlutoTV Canada with episodes starting in 1995. Fans hope original episodes will some day soon be available in the U.S. as well, but that could prove more difficult since ABC owns the rights to the episodes stateside.
Now 13 years later, while there is no word yet on a definitive production start date to the two movies at Lifetime, all the people involved seemed determined to make it come to life.
So, what do you think of the executive vice-president of Lifetime and LMN being enthusiastic about Kelly and Mark’s All My Children movie revivals? Are you wanting to see this come to fruition? Kelly and Mark seem to have made this a very high priority. Do you hope that by 2027 we might be able to get this to the finish the line and into production? Weigh-in via the comment section.
Starting on May 1, All My Children fans in Canada will be able to see classic episodes of the beloved former ABC soap opera when they stream on Pluto TV Canada.
Pluto TV picked-up the All My Children Channel that the Nixon family has created in partnership with BEONDTV +. The show which aired for 41 years on ABC and ended on the network in 2011, had so many memorable storylines and characters; the least of which is the enduring run of Erica Kane played by soap icon, Susan Lucci.
As previously reported, starting with episodes from the year 1995, which was the 25th anniversary of the soap. Pluto TV Canada viewers will be able to catch 8 episodes on repeat per day. With the success of the venture, the Nixons are hopeful that they will bring viewers many more years of the show to come.
Photo: ABC
Sarah Nixon, producer, shared with Michael Fairman TV exclusively, “We are thrilled that Pluto TV has launched All My Children in Canada! Let’s hope the engagement from our incredibly loyal fans across the border will encourage ABC to bring it to the U.S.! We share what Aggie (Agnes Nixon) always felt, that it is the enthusiasm and love from the fans that has kept this legacy beloved and relevant – to this day!”
In addition, 0ne week ago, during Susan Lucci’s visit to Los Angeles promoting her book La Lucci, she was joined by her former Pine Valley castmates, Rebecca Budig (ex-Greenlee, AMC, now Taylor, B&B) and Eva LaRue (ex-Maria, AMC) and the trio posed for a pic. At that time, LaRue shared via Instagram, “NEW All My Children channel streaming classic episodes 24/7 now on Pluto TV Canada! Fingers crossed to watch soon on Pluto US.”
That was also confirmed this week by TV Watercooler’s Jeevan Brar who took to X and expressed, “The All My Children channel begins streaming this Friday, May 1 on Pluto TV Canada.
So, Canadian viewers, excited about Pluto TV’s All My Children channel? United States fans, hopeful from Sarah’s message that perhaps soon, we can see the beloved soap once again as well? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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