Joseph Calleia

Joseph Calleia, a Maltese actor who was 'one of Hollywood's giants during the golden era of the silver screen', died 30 years ago today. Charles Mizzi writes that Calleia was in constant demand by the powerful Hollywood studios for over thirty years during the 40's up to the early 60's but became a recluse following his retirement in Malta:

..At his funeral there were only a handful of friends and relatives, including a cousin, Dr. Censu Tabone and the other Maltese film star, tenor Oreste Kirkop. His death hardly made any news in Malta, except an inside page report and a photo of his casket at the cemetery in the Times of Malta. Ironically, his death was splashed with great prominence on the RAI Italian news bulletin of the day. The Italians tried to take the credit. Confusingly, because he played so many parts of a Sicilian, RAI stated that Calleia was a famous Italian film star, but died in Malta..

Calleia bought a villa in Sliema, which most probably was one of the first to be installed with an elevator and air conditioners. He became a recluse as he was never a good mixer with people he never met. At later years in his life, he was often seen stopping for a tea or a coffee in some run down bar always by himself. He dressed humbly and sometimes stopped shaving for weeks.

Calleia retired in Malta at the age of 66. Few people can claim that they know him well. "He was a very reserved man. When people stopped him, his conversations were short and usually ended abruptly. He never liked publicity after he retired and he was only interviewed once on the then Rediffusion cable by Victor Galdes. He made only one public appearance - when he attended a Valletta fiesta and went out in a balcony to salute a crowd who were chanting his name.

However, when the Maltese tenor Oreste Kirkop went to Hollywood to make the "Vagabond King", Calleia called him to offer him all the help he needed. He asked him to stay at his villa not to stay in hotels, as "both of us are Maltese". His last major film was "The Alamo" in 1960, although he played a small part in his last film "Johnny Cool"(1963), before retiring in Malta for good..

Three of Joseph Calleia films were withheld by the local censors of the time and were never shown in Maltese cinemas. Joseph had a part of a priest in the film titled "Full Confession" that was banned in Malta. In 1936, while taking part in the film "Tough Guy" Joseph Calleia came out with the idea to sing a Maltese folklore ballad called "Ah Lilek tal-Gallerija". It was a ballad that he knew, when with other boys from Rabat he used to sing under the trees of Buskett gardens. MGM studios were skeptic that this ballad may have a copyright, and were afraid they will be sued for payment. But after accepting Calleia assurances that no copyright existed, Calleia was allowed to sing. It was the first and only time a ballad in Maltese was heard in a Hollywood movie. Joseph sang the Maltese ballad with boy actor Jackie Cooper, who today is a retired actor...

Calleia's grave; Calleia movies on VHS and DVD; TimeOut Filmography; Calleia by John Anderson