Michael Callan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michael Callan
Callan in 1970
Born	Martin Harris Calinieff (1935-11-22)November 22, 1935 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	October 10, 2022(2022-10-10) (aged 86) Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other names	Mickey Calin
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1954–2006
Spouse(s)	Carlyn Chapman ​ ​ (m. 1960; div. 1967)​ Patricia Harty ​ ​ (m. 1968; div. 1970)​ Karen Malouf ​ ​ (m. 1975; div. 1984)​
Children	2 (with Chapman)

Michael Callan (born Martin Harris Calinieff) was an American actor. He was born on November 22, 1935, and passed away on October 10, 2022. He became famous for playing the character Riff in the original Broadway show West Side Story. He also starred in many movies for Columbia Pictures, including Gidget Goes Hawaiian, The Interns, and Cat Ballou.

Early Life and Dance Beginnings

Michael Callan was born in Philadelphia into a Jewish family. From a young age, he loved to sing and dance. By the time he was fifteen, he was already performing as a dancer in local night clubs.

When he was seventeen, Callan moved to New York City. There, he started performing under the name "Mickey Calin."

Broadway Star

Callan got his first big acting roles on Broadway. He appeared in the musicals The Boy Friend in 1954 and Catch a Star in 1955. He even performed his dance routines on popular TV shows like The Ed Sullivan Show.

His biggest break came when he was 21 years old. He tried out many times for the role of Riff in the original Broadway production of West Side Story. He finally got the part, and his performance was a huge success. The show ran from 1957 to 1959.

Because of his success on Broadway, movie studios became interested in him. A talent scout from Columbia Pictures saw him perform. Columbia Pictures was looking for new young actors at the time. In June 1958, they signed Callan to a seven-year contract. He changed his stage name from "Mickey Calin" to "Michael Callan."

Movies with Columbia Pictures

Callan in a trailer for Cat Ballou

Columbia Pictures gave Michael Callan his first movie role in They Came to Cordura (1959). This was a big movie starring Gary Cooper. His second film with Columbia was a main role in The Flying Fontaines (1959).

In 1959, Columbia Pictures announced that Callan was one of eleven young actors they planned to make famous. He then starred with Dick Clark and Tuesday Weld in Because They're Young (1960). He also had a small part in the movie Pepe (1960).

Callan could not play his Broadway role of Riff in the movie version of West Side Story because of his contract with Columbia. However, he did dance in the film Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961). He also appeared in the fantasy adventure movie Mysterious Island (1961).

In 1962, Callan played a young troublemaker in 13 West Street. He then reunited with actress Deborah Walley in the family comedy Bon Voyage! for Walt Disney. Back at Columbia, he had a big hit with The Interns (1962), where he played one of four young doctors.

Callan continued to appear in movies like The Victors (1963) and The New Interns (1964). In 1964, Columbia signed him to a new six-picture contract. He also appeared in TV shows like Twelve O'Clock High. After You Must Be Joking! (1965), Callan played the romantic lead in the Western comedy Cat Ballou (1965) alongside Jane Fonda.

Television Roles

After working on 13 films with Columbia Pictures over eight years, Michael Callan got a main role on television. He played Peter Christopher in the NBC Television sitcom Occasional Wife. This show was made by Columbia's Screen Gems.

During this time, Callan was married to Carlyn Chapman, and they had two daughters. He worked long hours filming the TV series. Later, he married Patricia Harty, who played his "occasional wife" in the show.

In 1968, he co-starred in the ABC-TV musical production of Cole Porter's Kiss Me, Kate.

Later Career Highlights

Michael Callan continued to act in many films and television shows. Some of his later movies include The Magnificent Seven Ride, Lepke, and The Cat and the Canary.

He appeared in many popular TV series, such as:

• Hazel
• That Girl
• The Mary Tyler Moore Show
• Ironside
• Charlie's Angels
• Fantasy Island
• The Love Boat
• The Bionic Woman
• Murder, She Wrote (four episodes)
• Love, American Style (eight episodes)
• ER

Callan also produced and starred in his own film, Double Exposure (1982). He occasionally returned to the stage, performing in plays and musicals like The Music Man. His last movie roles were in Stuck on You (2003) and The Still Life (2006).

Awards and Recognition

Michael Callan was nominated for a Golden Globe New Star of the Year Award in 1960 for his role in The Flying Fontaines. The very next year, he won this award for his performance in Because They're Young.

Personal Life and Passing

Michael Callan had two daughters, named Dawn and Rebecca. He passed away from pneumonia on October 10, 2022, in Woodland Hills, California. He was 86 years old.

Selected Filmography