Joseph Calleia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joseph Calleia
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Joseph Calleia in 1942
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Joseph Alexander Caesar Herstall Vincent Calleja
August 4, 1897 Notabile, Malta
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| Died | October 31, 1975 (aged 78) |
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| Years active | 1918–1963 |
| Spouse(s) | Eleanor Vassallo (married 1929–1967) |
Joseph Calleia (born Joseph Alexander Caesar Herstall Vincent Calleja; August 4, 1897 – October 31, 1975) was a famous actor and singer. He was born in Malta but became an American citizen. He performed on stage, in movies, on radio, and on television.
After serving in the British Transport Service during World War I, he moved to the United States. He started his career on stage in musical comedies. Later, he starred in popular Broadway plays like Broadway (1926) and The Front Page (1928). Joseph Calleia became a big star with the play Small Miracle (1934). This was his first major role playing a "bad guy." Because of his success, he signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to make movies.
Calleia was very good at playing villains in Hollywood films. However, he didn't want to play only bad guys. He worked hard to create interesting characters that were a mix of mysterious and funny. You can see this in movies like Algiers (1938) and Gilda (1946). During World War II, Calleia helped lead the Malta War Relief organization in the U.S. He also traveled to entertain soldiers. After the war, he kept acting in movies and on TV. His performance in Orson Welles's 1958 film Touch of Evil is considered one of his best.
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Early Life and Career Beginnings
Joseph Alexander Caesar Herstall Vincent Calleja was born on August 4, 1897. He was born in a place called Notabile (now Mdina) in Malta. His father was an architect. Joseph went to St. Julian's and St. Aloysius Colleges. When he was 12, he used Christmas money to buy harmonicas. He started a local band that earned a lot of money.
His father sent him to London to study engineering. But Joseph used his good singing voice to perform in music halls. He sang Scottish songs in traditional clothes. At first, he used his mother's maiden name, Joseph Spurin, because his father didn't approve of his acting.
In 1914, Joseph joined the British Transport Service. After traveling the world, his ship was attacked in the English Channel. He was in the hospital for three months. After that, he was honorably discharged from service. He moved to the United States in 1917.
Becoming a Stage Star
When he first arrived in the U.S., Joseph didn't have a job. He sang for the Red Cross and the military. He also volunteered for the American Tank Corps. He started his stage career after World War I. He had some small success in vaudeville shows. To earn money, he worked at a department store and washed streetcars at night. During the day, he looked for acting jobs.
Joseph's first speaking role on stage was in The Broken Wing (1920). This was a Broadway comedy. He played a Mexican farmer who sang and played the guitar. Joseph wrote the music for the song "Adelai." The song became popular and earned him good money. The Broken Wing was a big hit. After its run in New York, Joseph also performed in the London production.
After the London show closed, Joseph visited Malta. He and his father made up. His father asked him to use his real last name. So, he started being billed as Joseph Spurin-Calleia.
In 1925, Joseph Calleia performed his first concert in New York City. Critics said he had a "pleasant and attractive" voice. He sang Italian songs and some of his own music.
In 1926, Calleia got his first important stage role in the hit play Broadway. He played a waiter. This play was very famous for showing life behind the scenes in a theater. Joseph also worked as the stage manager for the company. He even helped set up ten other versions of Broadway in the U.S. and other countries.
He then had many successful roles in Broadway plays. He played a newspaper reporter in The Front Page (1928). He was a convicted murderer in The Last Mile (1930). He also played a mysterious chauffeur in Grand Hotel (1930). Joseph Calleia became a true star with the play Small Miracle (1934). In this play, he played a "pleasant murderer." This role helped him move to Hollywood.
Hollywood Career and World War II Efforts
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Joseph Calleia signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). His contract allowed him to take six months off each year to keep working on stage. Even though he had made a few films before, MGM promoted his first film with them, Public Hero No. 1 (1935), as his movie debut. His acting in this film was called one of the year's best.
Calleia was very good at playing "bad guys" in movies. But he wanted to play more complex characters. He said he wanted roles where he wasn't "all bad and not all good." He created many interesting characters in films. These included Algiers (1938), Five Came Back (1939), and Gilda (1946).
In 1938, his performance as Inspector Slimane in Algiers was highly praised. In 1939, he played a heroic priest in Full Confession.
Joseph Calleia became an American citizen in November 1941. During World War II, he helped lead the Malta War Relief organization in the United States. His childhood home in Malta was destroyed in 1942. His family had to hide underground in ancient catacombs because of constant bombings.
He also traveled to entertain American soldiers in 1943. He went on a long trip to North Africa, including Malta. He had not visited Malta since 1922. He and his group performed two shows a day and visited hospitals. They gave six shows in Malta.
After the war, he continued to act in movies for another 20 years. He also starred in the London stage premiere of Arthur Miller's play All My Sons in 1948. Critics loved his performance. His role as Pete Menzies in Touch of Evil (1958) is seen as one of the best of his career. He played the partner of a corrupt police captain. His acting showed how his character slowly realized the truth and had to make a difficult choice.
Joseph Calleia retired in 1963 and moved back to Sliema, Malta. His wife, Eleanor, passed away in 1967. Joseph Calleia died on October 31, 1975, at the age of 78. He was buried in the family vault in Paola, Malta.
Theatre Highlights
Joseph Calleia had many important roles in Broadway plays. Some of his most notable performances include:
- The Broken Wing (1920) – His first speaking role, where he also composed the song "Adelai."
- Broadway (1926) – A major role that helped him become known.
- The Front Page (1928) – A popular play where he played a newspaper reporter.
- The Last Mile (1930) – A dramatic role as a convicted murderer.
- Grand Hotel (1930) – Where he played a mysterious chauffeur.
- Small Miracle (1934) – The play that made him a star and led to his Hollywood career.
- All My Sons (1948) – A critically acclaimed performance in London.
Film Highlights
Joseph Calleia appeared in many films throughout his career. Some of his memorable movie roles include:
- Public Hero No. 1 (1935) – His first major film role with MGM.
- Algiers (1938) – A highly praised performance as Inspector Slimane.
- Five Came Back (1939) – Where he played a condemned anarchist.
- Golden Boy (1939) – Another role showing his range.
- My Little Chickadee (1940) – A comedy with Mae West.
- The Glass Key (1942) – A film noir classic.
- Gilda (1946) – A famous film noir where he played a detective.
- Touch of Evil (1958) – Considered one of his best performances.
- The Alamo (1960) – A historical drama.
Legacy
Joseph Calleia was honored after his death by the Malta postal service. They released two special stamps in 1997. In 2005, a statue of Calleia was placed in his birthplace in Malta. This was thanks to a 15-year-old boy named Eman Bonnici.
Images for kids
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Joseph Calleia in The Broken Wing (1920)
See also
In Spanish: Joseph Calleia para niños
