Bit part

Joseph Calleia: The bit part actors’ actor from Malta, from Entertainment Articles:

Joseph Calleia was born in Malta on the 4th of August, 1897. His official biography simply says Malta, but some of the people I have interviewed say he was born in the village of Rabat, others Sliema. Joseph had a very good singing voice and actually began his career as a concert singer in England and Paris. He came to Hollywood in 1931 and played the villain, Juan, in My Sin. His slightly menacing persona fit the role perfectly, and he was called upon to play similar characters often until his film career ended in 1963 with Johnny Cool.

Perhaps his most famous role was the villain, Jeff Badger, in My Little Chickadee with W.C. Fields and Mae West. Though IMDb, which calls itself the world’s largest Film Data Base, credits him with 57 films, he played bit parts in many others, including one of my favorites, After the Thin Man.

Although Calleia naturally spent much of his time in Hollywood making movies, he remained true to his native country and returned there as often as possible. The people of Malta appreciated him and started a fan club in the early ‘forties. Unlike many Hollywood actors of the time, he always faithfully answered his fan mail and happily sent autographed pictures to anyone requesting them. Unfortunately for him, his name was probably as little known in his time as it is now. Asked about it, he is reputed to have replied, “Everyone recognizes my face, but no one knows my name.”...