Joseph Calleia

Joseph Calleia

JOSEPH CALLEIA d1975. Maltese born actor, singer on the stage and in films, radio and television. After serving in the British Transport Service during World War I he went to the United States and began his career on the stage, initially in musical comedy, but later in such notable original Broadway productions as Broadway (1926) / The Front Page (1928) / The Last Mile (1930) and Grand Hotel (1930). He became a star with the play Small Miracle (1934), his first real role as a heavy, before he was put under contract by MGM. Calleia excelled as the villain in Hollywood films, but he fought against typecasting and created a succession of darkly mysterious characters edged with humour including in ; Algiers (1938) / Five Came Back (1939) / Golden Boy (1939) / The Glass Key (1942) and Gilda (1946). During World War II he led the Malta War Relief organization in the US. After the war he continued to work steadily in motion pictures & television and he starred in the 1948 London stage premiere of Arthur Miller's Tony Award-winning play All My Sons. His performance in Orson Welle's 1958 film Touch of Evil is regarded as one of the best of his career. He died aged 78 on October 31st 1975.

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Joseph Calleia

Reference Number. 8995A

£60.00

An original vintage autograph book page, clearly signed in ink by Joseph Calleia

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Joseph Calleia

Reference Number. 8995

£95.00

A rare original vintage photocard, clearly signed in ink "To Douglas sincerely Joseph Calleia".

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