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