- In addition to playing Candy Canaday on Bonanza (1959), the actor had noteworthy western forbears in his own family. He was a great-great-nephew of Martha Jane Canary, a.k.a. Calamity Jane.
- Portrayed the roles of conniving, mercurial Adam Chandler and his loving, simple-minded twin brother Stuart, on All My Children (1970) since 1983 and received double salary for playing both roles. Was nominated 16 times for a daytime Emmy Award for playing the dual roles and won 5 times.
- During a contract dispute in 1967 between actor Leonard Nimoy and the producers of Star Trek (1966), Canary was a strong contender as a replacement for Mr. Spock.
- Studied karate under Chuck Norris.
- Went to the University of Cincinnati on a football scholarship and graduated as a music major.
- Canary was married to actress Maureen Maloney, with whom he had a son and daughter. Canary also had an older daughter from a previous marriage to Julie Anderson.
- Trained as a singer while at college (majored in voice) and soon acting became his ambition. He followed college performances with summer stock shows and eventually Broadway.
- Made his Broadway debut in José Quintero's production of "Great Day in the Morning" starring Colleen Dewhurst, then came a draft call from the U.S. Army. He entered and won the All Army Entertainment Contest for best popular singer.
- Grew up and attended high school in Massillon, Ohio, playing football for the famed Massillon Tigers of Washington High School before earning a football scholarship and playing varsity at the University of Cincinnati.
- Made guest appearances on two of the longest running prime-time dramas in US television history: Gunsmoke (1955) and Law & Order (1990).
- Performed in a one-man show "Clarence Darrow".
- His brother, John Canary, was also an actor.
- Canary was married to actress Maureen Maloney, with whom he had a son and daughter (Christopher and Katy). He also had an older daughter, Lisa (aka Diamond Canary) , by his first marriage, to Julie Anderson.
- The presenters of the Lead Actor in a Drama Series category at the Daytime Emmys when Canary won were: Douglass Watson and Victoria Wyndham in 1986; Michelle Forbes and Robert Newman in 1988; Peter Barton and Melody Thomas Scott in 1989; Erika Slezak in 1993; and Roger Howarth and Erika Slezak in 2001.
- Has one grandson: Donovan.
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