You might know David Canary as Candy, the spirited foreman of Ponderosa. However, the original version of Candy was apparently a lot different from the Candy that we saw on the screen.
According to an interview with the Associated Press, David Canary, who portrayed Candy, revealed the original intent for the character. He said, “Candy originally was a violent character.” Canary also said, “The concept of the role has changed, primarily due to the antiviolence thing.”
While Candy was a fan-favorite character, Canary said that it also would have been entertaining to see the original iteration of Candy. He said, “I’ve gained something because they’ve given me roles that require more acting that have more range to them. But I miss the old incisiveness. I liked the contrast to the Cartwrights. Now I’m Candy Cartwright.” Still, Canary was glad to be a part of the Bonanza family. He commented, “My desire is to stay with Bonanza as long as possible, then split.”
A change in character wasn’t the only thing that Canary was after during his time on the show. He also found himself wishing the show would grow beyond its Western ties. He said, “I want to expand the Bonanza image.” He also confessed, “I’m not a Western man. I don’t consider myself an action man.”
Canary, who had begun as a singer and a performer, expressed, “Let’s face it, I’m really Gene Kelly inside Jack Palance’s body.” Canary was offered the role of Candy in Bonanza after executive producer David Dortort saw him in the film Hombre, and knew he’d be perfect for the role. But before all that, Canary loved to sing. He said, “I started out as a singer. That’s the best-kept secret in Hollywood.”