Macdonald Carey
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Bibliography
Notes
It is Macdonald Carey's supple baritone voice which watchers of "Days of Our Lives" have heard for decades intone the opening narration, "Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives."
"Carey has been very open about his decades of alcohol abuse and his quitting on January 8, 1982. He also speaks honestly about the history of his daughter Lisa's mental illness, the progress of her treatment and how for years it "was just another excuse to get drunk". --From People, December 16, 1991.
Biography
Tall, approachable American leading man and character actor who, after enjoying radio success in the late 1930s and Broadway success in "Lady in the Dark" (1941), moved to Hollywood in the 40s and made the extremely enjoyable Anthony Mann "B" film, "Dr. Broadway" (1942). Like George Brent a decade earlier, Carey provided amiable, gentlemanly support to female stars who were generally more dominant and dynamic, including Rosalind Russell, Paulette Goddard, Betty Hutton, Betty Grable, Anne Baxter, Shelley Winters and Claudette Colbert. The leathery, relaxed Carey continued into the 50s, appearing mostly in such modest Westerns as "The Great Missouri Raid" (1951), "Outlaw Territory" (1953) and "Man or Gun" (1958).
Apart from John Farrow's "Wake Island" (1942), Joseph Losey's "The Lawless" (1950) and "The Damned" (1962) and Howard Hawks's "El Dorado" (1967), Carey appeared in largely routine film fare, but Alfred Hitchcock's superb "Shadow of a Doubt" (1943), with its portrait of a small-town American family, would prove prophetic for Carey's work from the 1950s on. Keeping busy in TV as his film career waned, the durable actor showed himself to be ideal for the small screen, embodying sensible family men (typically doctors and lawyers), most memorably as Dr. Tom Horton, a centerpiece of the long-running daytime drama, "Days of Our Lives," from 1965 until immediately before his death in 1994.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1919
Made stage debut at age 6 as Simple Simon in a Mother Goose school play (date approximate)
1936
Was a member of the Old Globe Shakespeare Company
1941
Gained attention on Broadway for his role in the musical drama, "Lady in the Dark"
1942
Made film debut in "Dr. Broadway"
1952
Made TV debut on an installment of ABC's "Celanese Theatre", a dramatization of "Yellow Jack"
1954
Returned to Broadway to appear in "Anniversary Waltz"
1956
Starred in the title role of syndicated TV series, "Doctor Christian"
1977
Played Squire James on TV miniseries, "Roots"
1977
Played the leading role (at age 64) in the science fiction film, "Foes"
1982
Joined Alcoholics Anonymous after years of alcohol abuse
1991
Underwent surgery for a cancerous lung tumor (September 19), left cast of "Days of Our Lives" for two months but returned to the show
Photo Collections
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
It is Macdonald Carey's supple baritone voice which watchers of "Days of Our Lives" have heard for decades intone the opening narration, "Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives."
"Carey has been very open about his decades of alcohol abuse and his quitting on January 8, 1982. He also speaks honestly about the history of his daughter Lisa's mental illness, the progress of her treatment and how for years it "was just another excuse to get drunk". --From People, December 16, 1991.
Carey published three volumes of poetry, including "That Further Hill" (1987).
Recipient of the Knight of the Holy Sepulchre Papal Order (1986)
