| Joseph Calleia was born in Malta on the 4th of | | | | probably as little known in his time as it is now. |
| August, 1897. His official biography simply says | | | | Asked about it, he is reputed to have replied, |
| Malta, but some of the people I have interviewed | | | | "Everyone recognizes my face, but no one knows |
| say he was born in the village of Rabat, others | | | | my name."One of his favorite roles was Buldeo in |
| Sliema. Joseph had a very good singing voice and | | | | the 1942 version of The Jungle Book, starring |
| actually began his career as a concert singer in | | | | Sabu. Buldeo as an old man tells a tourist about |
| England and Paris. He came to Hollywood in 1931 | | | | the jungle and the time when a young boy was |
| and played the villain, Juan, in My Sin. His slightly | | | | orphaned and raised by wolves. Calleia liked playing |
| menacing persona fit the role perfectly, and he | | | | the much older man and found getting made up |
| was called upon to play similar characters often | | | | to be enjoyable, though most actors and |
| until his film career ended in 1963 with Johnny | | | | actresses of the time hated the process. He also |
| Cool. Perhaps his most famous role was the villain, | | | | liked his role in A Touch of Evil, playing a friend of |
| Jeff Badger, in My Little Chickadee with W.C. | | | | the corrupt Sheriff, Orson Welles. He felt it |
| Fields and Mae West. Though IMDb, which calls | | | | showed a vulnerability that was lacking in so many |
| itself the world's largest Film Data Base, credits | | | | of his roles.Joseph Calleia returned to Malta to |
| him with 57 films, he played bit parts in many | | | | retire and died on Halloween in 1975. His fan club is |
| others, including one of my favorites, After the | | | | still in existence and has several hundreds of |
| Thin Man.Although Calleia naturally spent much of | | | | members around the world. In July of 1997, the |
| his time in Hollywood making movies, he remained | | | | government of Malta issued issued a set of two |
| true to his native country and returned there as | | | | stamps in his honor.John Anderson is a Maltaphile |
| often as possible. The people of Malta appreciated | | | | who is interested in every aspect of the ancient |
| him and started a fan club in the early 'forties. | | | | island's culture and history. His novel, The Cellini |
| Unlike many Hollywood actors of the time, he | | | | Masterpiece, which was written under the |
| always faithfully answered his fan mail and happily | | | | penname of Raymond John, borrows deeply from |
| sent autographed pictures to anyone requesting | | | | three of its most important periods--the 16th |
| them. Unfortunately for him, his name was | | | | Century, World War II and the present. |