Carey returned to Broadway in "Anniversary Waltz" (1954–55), directed by Moss Hart, which was a big hit and ran for two years. Carey's work was increasingly on the small screen: "The Quiet Gun", "Stage 7", "Science Fiction Theatre", "Hour of Stars", "Celebrity Playhouse", and "The 20th Century Fox Hour". For the latter he appeared as Fred Gaily in a remake of the 1947 film classic, "Miracle on 34th Street", starring Teresa Wright and Thomas Mitchell. He was also in "General Electric Theater", "Screen Directors Playhouse", "The Alcoa Hour", and "Climax!". He did make some features such as "Stranger at My Door" (1956), a Western for Republic Pictures, and "Odongo" (1956) for Warwick Films. In 1956 Carey took over the role of the kindly small-town physician Dr. Christian, a character created in the late 1930s by actor Jean Hersholt on radio and in films. Carey portrayed Dr. Christian on syndicated television for one season. Carey guested on "The Kaiser Aluminium Hour", "The Joseph Cotten Show", "Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre", "Zane Grey Theatre", "Wagon Train", "Studio One in Hollywood", "Playhouse 90", "The Frank Sinatra Show", "Suspicion", "Target", "Pursuit", "Schlitz Playhouse", "The Dupont Show of the Month", and "Rawhide". Carey was in the Western film "Man or Gun" (1958), for Republic. and "The Redeemer" (1959). He played patriot Patrick Henry in "John Paul Jones" (1959), directed by John Farrow who had worked with Carey at Paramount. He appeared in "Blue Denim" (1959). Carey starred as crusading Herb Maris in the 1950s syndicated series "Lock-Up". A total of seventy-eight episodes were made between 1959 and 1961. Carey guest starred on "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", "Moment of Fear", "Thriller" ("The Devil's Ticket"), "The United States Steel Hour", "Insight", "Target", "Checkmate" and "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour". Carey went to England to make the films "The Devil's Agent" (1962_ and "The Damned" (known as "These Are the Damned" in the US) (1963), for director Joseph Losey.