One of his earliest roles was Lt. (jg) Bob Perry in John Wayne's Operation Pacific.

Carey also made appearances in films such as I Was a Communist for the FBI (1951), This Woman Is Dangerous with Joan Crawford (1952), The Nebraskan (1953), Calamity Jane with Doris Day (1953), They Rode West (1954), Pushover (1954), Mister Roberts (1955), The Long Gray Line (1955), and Port Afrique (1956).

[6] He played the character Dr. Simon Battle, gunfighter turned doctor in the outstanding 1961 episode of The Rifleman S3 E33 "Death Trap".

In a following 1962 episode, "Johnny Brassbuttons", Carey plays Marshal Frank Nolan assigned to bring back to justice a Native Indian accused of conspiracy to commit murder.

In the 1970 tv series, Ironside, he guest starred with Vera Miles in a multi-part episode titled “Goodbye to Yesterday.” In 1971, Carey guest-starred on the landmark fifth installment of All in the Family, playing Steve, an ex–professional football player friend of Archie Bunker's, who tells Archie he is gay.

[7] Carey joined the cast of One Life to Live in 1980, originating the role of ruthless business tycoon Asa Buchanan.

During his time portraying the patriarch of the Buchanan family, he became one of the most often-married characters in daytime television.

In late March 2007, Carey was announced to be leaving One Life to Live, turning down an offer to go to recurring status with the show.