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