Macdonald Carey

Tom Horton on NBC's soap opera Days of Our Lives. For almost three decades, he was the show's central cast member, winning two Daytime Emmy Awards.

Macdonald Carey studied at University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of Iowa and Phillips Exeter Academy. The recorded working language is English. The field of work recorded is acting. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are Western. Distinctions recorded are star on Hollywood Walk of Fame.

• Name — Macdonald Carey • Birth Name — Edward Macdonald Carey • Born — 15 March 1913 • Birthplace — Sioux City, Iowa, U.S. • Died — 21 March 1994 • Place of death — Beverly Hills, California, U.S. • Burial Place — Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California, U.S. • Education — University of Wisconsin–Madison University of Iowa • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1938–1994 • Children — 6, including Lynn Carey • Partner — Lois Kraines (1973–1994) (his death) • Relatives — Aras Baskauskas (grandson)

Edward Macdonald Carey was born on March 15, 1913 in Sioux City, Iowa. He graduated from the University of Iowa in Iowa City with a bachelor's degree in 1935, after attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison for a year where he was a member of Alpha Delta Phi. He became involved with the drama school at the University of Iowa and decided to become an actor.

Carey toured with the Globe Players. He began to work steadily on radio, including playing Dick Grosvenor on the soap opera Stella Dallas and Ridgeway Tearle in John's Other Wife, both in the early 1940s. He was also in Lights Out. Carey was on Broadway in Lady in the Dark (1941) opposite Gertrude Lawrence, Danny Kaye and Victor Mature. His performance led to him receiving a contract offer from Paramount. He later recalled, "1941 was probably the greatest year of my life. I got my first big hit with Lady in the Dark, I got married and I signed with Paramount Pictures. I only wish I could remember it all better." The reason was his alcoholism.

While still a featured player in films, Carey began appearing on television in episodes of The Christophers, Celanese Theatre, Hope Chest, and Lux Video Theatre. As time went on, Carey's work was increasingly on the small screen, including appearances on The Quiet Gun, Stage 7, Science Fiction Theatre, Hour of Stars, Celebrity Playhouse, and The 20th Century Fox Hour, where he appeared as Fred Gaily in a remake of the 1947 film classic, Miracle on 34th Street, starring Teresa Wright and Thomas Mitchell. He was also featured on General Electric Theater, Screen Directors Playhouse, The Alcoa Hour, and Climax!. Carey managed a single, starring turn as a young professor traveling cross-country in the fifth season of Alfred Hitchcock Presents ("Coyote Moon") as well.

In 1956, Carey took over the role of the kindly small-town physician Dr. Christian, a character created in the late 1930s by actor Jean Hersholt on radio and in films. Carey portrayed Dr. Christian on syndicated television for one season. Carey guested on The Kaiser Aluminium Hour, The Joseph Cotten Show, The Jane Wyman Show, Zane Grey Theatre, Wagon Train, Studio One in Hollywood, Playhouse 90, The Frank Sinatra Show, Suspicion, Target, Pursuit, Schlitz Playhouse, DuPont Show of the Month, and Rawhide. Carey was in the Western film Man or Gun (1958), for Republic. and The Redeemer (1959). He played patriot Patrick Henry in John Paul Jones (1959), directed by John Farrow who had worked with Carey at Paramount. He appeared in Blue Denim (1959).

Carey starred as crusading Herb Maris in the 1950s syndicated series Lock-Up. A total of seventy-eight episodes were made between 1959 and 1961. Carey guest starred on Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Moment of Fear, Thriller ("The Devil's Ticket"), The United States Steel Hour, Insight, Target, Checkmate and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. Carey went to England to make the films The Devil's Agent (1962) and The Damned (1963), for director Joseph Losey. In the first season of The Outer Limits, Carey starred in the episode titled "The Special One". He was also in The Dick Powell Theatre, Kraft Mystery Theatre, and Arrest and Trial, Carey supported Sandra Dee in Tammy and the Doctor (1963). He guest starred in the 1964–1965 sitcom The Bing Crosby Show on ABC. He appeared as Mr. Edwards in the 1963 episode "Pay the Two Dollars" of the NBC education drama series, Mr. Novak, starring James Franciscus. He could also be seen on Burke's Law, Branded, Kraft Suspense Theatre, Run for Your Life, Ben Casey, Lassie, and Bewitched.

• Illustration — Cast 1971 photo of Days of Our Lives (L–R): Edward Mallory, Denise Alexander, MacDonald Carey and Susan Flannery Carey played Tom Horton on Days of Our Lives from its first episode in 1965. Carey said he took the show "because I couldn't get a movie at the time". He continued as Tom Horton until his death from lung cancer in Beverly Hills, California, in 1994. During this time, Carey suffered from a drinking problem, and eventually joined Alcoholics Anonymous in 1982. A longtime pipe smoker, he was seen in many films and early episodes of Days of Our Lives with it. He was ordered by his doctor to quit in September 1991 after having to take a leave of absence from Days in order to remove a cancerous tumor from one of his lungs. He returned to the show in November of that year. He is most recognized today as the voice who recites the epigraph each day before the program begins: "Like sands through the hourglass, so are the Days of Our Lives." From 1966 to 1994 he would also intone, "This is Macdonald Carey, and these are the Days of Our Lives." (After Carey's death, the producers, out of respect for Carey's family, decided not to use the second part of the opening tagline.) At each intermission, his voice also says "We will return for the second half of Days of Our Lives in just a moment". Since the Horton family is still regarded as the core of Days of Our Lives, his memory has been allowed to remain imprinted on the show by leaving the voice-overs intact. He also served as voice-over for the very first PBS ident, in which he said "This is PBS... the Public Broadcasting Service."

Carey continued to act in other productions during his run on Days. He had roles in Gidget Gets Married (1972), The Magician, Ordeal (1973), Owen Marshall, Counsellor at Law, Who Is the Black Dahlia? (1975), McMillan & Wife, Police Story, Switch, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, Fantasy Island and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. He later appeared in many all-star television miniseries, such as Roots, The Rebels, The Top of the Hill and Condominium. He was in the films Foes (1977), End of the World (1977), and Summer of Fear (1978), and had a small part in American Gigolo (1980). Carey was in the TV movie The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything (1980) and the films Access Code (1984) and It's Alive III: Island of the Alive (1987). He guest starred on Finder of Lost Loves, and Murder, She Wrote. His last non-Days role was in A Message from Holly (1992). Carey did the onstage introduction for the "Stars of the Days Of Our Lives" and musical artist/director Ricky Dee at the Greek Theatre (1992).

Carey was married to Elizabeth Heckscher from 1941 until their divorce in 1969. They had six children: Lynn, Lisa, Stevens, Theresa, Edward Macdonald Jr., and Paul. Later, he dated Lois Kraines. The couple remained together from 1973 until Carey's death. His grandchildren include Ellie Diamond and Vytas and Aras Baskauskas. He has a godson, Maurice Heckscher. Carey was a Roman Catholic, and a member of the Good Shepherd Parish and the Catholic Motion Picture Guild in Beverly Hills, California. In September 1991, Carey had a cancerous tumor surgically removed from his lung. Carey died on March 21, 1994, six days after his 81st birthday. He is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.

• Star Spangled Rhythm (1942) – Louie the Lug in Skit • Take a Letter, Darling (1942) – Jonathan Caldwell • Dr. Broadway (1942) – Dr. Timothy Kane Dr. Broadway • Wake Island (1942) – Lieutenant Bruce Cameron • Shadow of a Doubt (1943) – Detective Jack Graham • Salute for Three (1943) – Buzz McAllister • Suddenly, It's Spring (1947) – Jack Lindsay • Variety Girl (1947) – Himself • Hazard (1948) – J.D. Storm • Dream Girl (1948) – Clark Redfield • Bride of Vengeance (1949) – Cesare Borgia • Streets of Laredo (1949) – Lorn Reming • The Great Gatsby (1949) – Nicholas 'Nick' Carraway • Song of Surrender (1949) – Bruce Eldridge • Comanche Territory (1950) – James Bowie • The Lawless (1950) – Larry Wilder • South Sea Sinner (1950) – William Jacob 'Jake' Davis • Copper Canyon (1950) – Deputy Lane Travis • Mystery Submarine (1950) – Dr. Brett Young • The Great Missouri Raid (1951) – Jesse James • Excuse My Dust (1951) – Cyrus Random, Jr. • Meet Me After the Show (1951) – Jeff Ames • Let's Make It Legal (1951) – Hugh Halsworth • Cave of Outlaws (1951) – Pete Carver • Count the Hours (1953) – Doug Madison • Hannah Lee: An American Primitive (1953) – Bus Crow • Fire Over Africa (1954) – Van Logan • Stranger at My Door (1956) – Hollis Jarret • Odongo (1956) – Steve Stratton • Man or Gun (1958) – 'Maybe' Smith / Scott Yancey • Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1959) (Season 5 Episode 4: "Coyote Moon") as Professor • The Redeemer (1959) – Jesus Christ (voice) • John Paul Jones (1959) – Patrick Henry • Blue Denim (1959) – Major Malcolm Bartley, Retired • The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962) (Season 1 Episode 8: "House Guest") as John Mitchell • The Devil's Agent (1962) – Mr. Smith • The Damned (1962) – Simon Wells • Stranglehold (1963) – Bill Morrison • Tammy and the Doctor (1963) – Dr. Wayne Bentley • Daniel Boone (1965) - Henry Pitcairn • Gidget Gets Married (1972, ABC Movie of the Week) - Russ Lawrence • Who Is the Black Dahlia? (1975, TV Movie) – Captain Jack Donahoe • Foes (1977) – McCarey • Roots (1977, TV Mini-Series) – Squire James • End of the World (1977) – John Davis • Stranger in Our House (1978, TV Movie) – Professor Jarvis • The Rebels (1979, TV Movie) – Dr. Church • Condominium (1980, TV Movie) – Dr. Arthur Castor • American Gigolo (1980) – Lawyer • Access Code (1984) – Senator Williams • It's Alive III: Island of the Alive (1987) – Judge Watson

• Year — Program — Episode/source • 1952 — Stars over Hollywood — Under a Lucky Star • 1952 — Stars in the Air — Suddenly, It's Spring • 1953 — Stars over Hollywood — I Found Glenda Roberts • 1953 — Cavalcade of America — Bless This House • 1953 — Cavalcade of America — Dangerous Mission • 1953 — Stars over Hollywood — A Bunch of Keys