NAME: Macdonald CareyRANK: 40
SOAP ROLES: Tom Horton, DAYS OF OUR LIVES (1965-1994); WOMAN IN WHITE (1937), Dick Grosvenor, STELLA DALLAS; Jonathan Hillery, JUST PLAIN BILL; JOHN'S OTHER WIFE (1937); Hickory, YOUNG HICKORY (1937), THE STORY OF ELLEN RANDOLPH
AWARDS:
Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
1990 Soap Opera Digest Award Editor's Choice
1985 Soap Opera Digest Award win for Outstanding Actor in a Mature Role in a Daytime Serial
1984 Soap Opera Digest Award win for Outstanding Actor in a Mature Role in a Daytime Serial
1979 Soapy Award win for Favorite Actor in a Mature Role
1978 Soapy Award win for Favorite Actor in a Mature Role
1976 Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
1975 Daytime Emmy win for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
1974 Daytime Emmy win for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
1973 Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Achievement by Individuals in Daytime Drama
1968 Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Daytime Programming - Individuals
COMMENTS FROM THE PANEL:
Damon L. Jacobs: He played the quintessential grandfather, healer, voice of reason, calm in the storm. No matter what happened to the residents of Salem, or in the days of my own lives, Macdonald Carey's presence emanated a grounding presence that let us all know that everything would be okay in time. My mother watched DAYS while pregnant with me, and to this day there are few sounds that soothe me as effectively as Carey's voice reciting, "Like sands through the hourglass..." It is the mark of a profoundly dignified soul, and glacially talented actor, that his spirit remains alive, vital in Salem, and heard five times a week. Daytime would not have been the same without him, and neither would I.
Alan Carter: Quite simply the heart and soul of an entire show...even decades after his death, his voice is still there...if nothing else, that speaks volumes, no pun intended, about just what an indelible mark he left on the show and the genre.
Roger Newcomb: "Like sands through the hourglass..." So many people, soap fans and non-soap fans, know that phrase and Macdonald Carey's voice. I wish more of the early years of DAYS was available for viewing because it's magical to watch Mr. Carey lead the show. Of course he was excellent all the way through as the decades passed and he supported his children and grandchildren's stories. Tom and Alice Horton were an American institution.
COMMENTS FROM CO-STARS/CO-WORKERS/INDUSTRY:
Patsy Pease: (worked with Carey on DAYS OF OUR LIVES) His presence was enough to put any actor in his place. Respect and admiration are words that come instantly to mind. He'd always throw me though with his wicked sense of humor! Mac and Larry Haines are probably a comedy team in Heaven.
Louise Sorel: (worked with Carey on DAYS OF OUR LIVES) Of course who didn't adore him. We were devastated when he passed. He was such a ladies man and lovely actor. I remember dancing with him at, of all place, the Playboy Club, at some event for DAYS OF OUR LIVES. He was a charmer.
Uh-oh. This list is getting messy already. There is a lot of sentimentality going on here. Yes he was on his show for years. Yes we all know his voice. Was he a great actor? Truly?
ReplyDeleteWow, I thought old Mac would have ended up much higher on the list. He gave some wonderful performances in the early years of the show, as evidenced by his back-to-back emmy awards. I think he also appeared on the "Stella Dallas" radio serial as well.
ReplyDeleteRob, I'm discovering more and more radio gigs for Mac as the day goes on. Wish the radio soap actors were documented in a better way.
ReplyDeleteI love these lists, great idea.
ReplyDeleteI too thought Mr Carey would have been higher up. Two well-deserved Emmys, and just an interesting and well-loved character.
By the way, is it possible to get each judges list of top 50 actors and actresses list that would be fun and interesting.
PS Looking forward to seeing my all-time favourite actor Douglas Watson high up on the list, the man who had the joy of working with 3 of your top 50 actresses. I always loved Mac and Ada scenes especially on Another World
Since I started watching Days around 1990 I missed his heyday on the show but there is one scene that I always remember when I think of him. It takes place Christmas eve and "Tom" was in the hospital. The rest of the Horton family came to visit and decorate the Christmas tree with the ornaments with the family names on them. It was obvious that Mac was not a well man and Days probably wrote "Tom" in a hospital bed because of it. Micky is about to hand an ornament to him to hang, when Tom stops him and says "No you.. do it for me this year." Micky hangs the ornament for him.
ReplyDeleteTom was passing the torch to son Micky at that moment, and Mac was handing the torch to John Clark another original cast member.
Macdonald Carey died 3 months after that scene aired.