Harry Carey, Jr., was a reliable character actor for decades, predominantly appearing in Westerns before his eventual retirement. Born on his parents' 1000-acre ranch near Saugus, in the northwestern part of Los Angeles County, which is now adjacent to Santa Clarita, a large town that did not exist until many years later.
Growing up on the ranch, Carey, Jr., was surrounded by cattle and horses, and due to the presence of a large group of Navajo Indians who worked on his parents' ranch, he learned to speak the Navajo language simultaneously with English.
During World War II, Carey enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served in the Pacific Theater as a Navy medical corpsman. However, he was transferred back to the United States to serve under his father's friend, director John Ford, in producing movies for the Navy and the O.S.S.
After the war, Carey attempted a career in singing but was unsuccessful. He subsequently transitioned into acting, landing small parts before being given the opportunity to work on a motion picture with his father, the John Wayne film Red River (1948). Although they did not share any scenes together, this marked a significant milestone in his career.
Following the death of Harry Carey, Sr., in 1946, John Ford offered Carey, Jr., a leading role in the movie 3 Godfathers (1948),which Ford dedicated to the memory of his friend. Carey, Jr., then became a full-fledged member of John Ford's Stock Company, appearing in many of Ford's epic Westerns over the next two decades.
Carey also starred in a series-within-a-series on TV, The Adventures of Spin and Marty (1955),which was featured as part of The Mickey Mouse Club (1955). His early years were characterized by boyish looks, but he matured into a strong and familiar character actor over the following four decades, acting in numerous films and TV programs throughout his long career.
Carey, Jr., is married to Marilyn Fix Carey, the daughter of actor Paul Fix.
