Tyler McCandless

Captain Tyler McCandless is a fictional character on the American primetime soap opera Capitol. The role was originated by David Mason Daniels in the show's first year but was later taken over by Dane Witherspoon.

Tyler McCandless
CAPITOL character
Portrayed by	David Mason Daniels (1982-1985) Dane Witherspoon (1985-1987)
First appearance	March 29, 1982
Last appearance	March 20, 1987
Profile
Occupation	Air Force captain Sat on Jeffersonia's crime commission
Family Parents Baxter McCandless (father) Clarissa Tyler McCandless (mother) Siblings Wallace "Wally" McCandless (brother) Dr. Thomas McCandless (brother) Matthew "Matt" McCandless (brother) Gillian McCandless (sister) Spouse Julie Clegg Children Allison McCandless (son, with Julie; adopted) Grandparents Judson Tyler (maternal grandfather)

Character history

1982–1985

One of Clarissa McCandless's four strapping sons (the tall, hunky, square-jawed one), Tyler was a painfully moral military captain and easily the dullest character on Capitol.

Unfortunately, most of the show's initial plotlines revolved around Tyler and his star-crossed Romeo & Juliet romance with Julie Clegg, a union complicated by his capture in war torn N'Shoba, Julie's amnesia, and opposition just from about everyone in town. After the two finally made it to the altar in July 1983, Tyler ran for his brother-in-law's Congressional seat, and although he lost the election, he was appointed to a special crime commission that sought to destroy an international crime cartel operating out of the Caribbean. In March 1985, the Pan-Caribbean investigation in full swing, Tyler mysteriously vanished.

1985–1987

Two months later, he was rescued from an Italian monastery where he'd been held captive by Pan-Caribbean criminals. Still tall, hunky, square-jawed, and dull, the new, improved Tyler did possess one attribute...better acting skills.

He and wife Julie quickly made the grievous error of buying their black market baby Allison from Trey's unscrupulous attorney Austin Sinclair. Unbeknownest to Tyler, the adoption had been arranged by Sandy Vincent, chief flunky to crooked Senator Josh Harrington, head of the Pan-Caribbean cartel. Tyler soon found himself having to choose between his new daughter and the criminal investigation to which he'd devoted much of his life. Eventually, he busted Harrington, exposed the cartel, and left to take an Interpol job in Geneva, Switzerland. No one really noticed his absence...including the show's writers, who never bothered to bring him back.