'All My Children' Legend David Canary Dead at 77

David Canary

Legendary actor David Canary, who came in at #2 in the We Love Soaps 50 Greatest Soap Actors of All-Time countdown in 2010, passed away of natural causes on November 16, at The Greens at Cannondale in Wilton, Connecticut.

David Hoyt Canary was born on August 25, 1938 in Elwood, Indiana to the late Hillary Canary and Lorena Heal. Growing up in Massillon, Ohio, David played football for the famed Massillon Tigers of Washington High School before earning a football scholarship and playing varsity at the University of Cincinnati, graduating with a major in music.

After turning down an offer to play professional football for the Denver Broncos in the first year of their existence, Canary took off for New York City to pursue his passion for acting. He was met with much success in theatre, doing summer stock, regional theatre, on and off Broadway productions, both musicals and straight plays. During his Broadway debut of "Great Day in the Morning," with Colleen Dewhurst, Canary was drafted into the United States Army. After two years of service, he resumed his acting career and soon found himself in Los Angeles, where he began to work in film and television. He appeared in Hombre with Paul Newman, The Saint Valentine's Day Massacre with Jason Robards and Shark's Treasure with Cornel Wilde, to mention but a few.