Monday, October 10, 2022

Michael Callan obit

Michael Callan, Actor in ‘West Side Story’ and ‘Cat Ballou,’ Dies at 86

The Philadelphia native also starred in 'Gidget Goes Hawaiian' and 'The Interns' and on the sitcom 'Occasional Wife.'

 

He was not on the list.


Michael Callan, the actor and dancer who portrayed Riff in the original Broadway production of West Side Story before starring in such films as Gidget Goes Hawaiian, The Interns and Cat Ballou, has died. He was 86.

Callan died Monday night of pneumonia at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, his daughter Rebecca Goodman told The Hollywood Reporter.

A contract player at Columbia Pictures, Callan made about a dozen movies at the studio, starting with They Came to Cordura (1959), a Western starring Gary Cooper, Rita Hayworth, Van Heflin and Tab Hunter.

On the 1966-67 NBC comedy Occasional Wife, Callan starred as a confirmed bachelor who sets up a woman (Patricia Harty) in an upstairs apartment so she can pose as his wife in order to help him advance at the baby food company where he works. (His boss believes all his execs should be married.)

Perhaps because the premise was a bit risqué for its day, the Screen Gems series was canceled after one season. In real life, Callan and Harty both got divorced and wed in June 1968, but their marriage wouldn’t last much longer than their series. (Fun fact: Vin Scully was the narrator on Occasional Wife.)

After appearing on Broadway in the musicals The Boy Friend and Catch a Star!, the Philadelphia native auditioned for Riff but was told he was “too good-looking” for the part, he recalled in a 2006 interview. Nevertheless, West Side Story director-choreographer Jerome Robbins phoned a year later, asking him to audition again.

“I went to the theater and did my song and dance, and I heard from the back Robbins’ voice saying, ‘Can you do a backflip?’ I just threw a backflip, got lucky, and it worked out,” he said.

He sparkled on stage as the leader of the Jets and led his fellow gang members in the menacing Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim number “Cool.”

Callan portrayed the dancer Eddie opposite Deborah Walley in Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961), then starred as a selfish, strung-out medical resident in the melodrama The Interns (1962). He returned to play Dr. Alec Considine again in The New Interns (1964), this time putting the moves on Barbara Eden and Dawn Wells.

And in the Western farce Cat Ballou (1965), he was memorable as the dashing bandit Clay Boone opposite Jane Fonda and, in an Oscar-winning turn, Lee Marvin.

Martin Calinoff was born in Philadelphia on Nov. 22, 1935. He studied ballet and tap, and dancers who frequented his dad’s luncheonette taught him acrobatics in exchange for free milkshakes.

He was a regular on Horn & Hardart’s Children’s Hour, a local radio program, and by the time he was 15, he was performing in local nightclubs, billed as Mickey Calin.

Shortly after graduating from high school, he came to New York and got a small part in 1954 in The Boy Friend, which marked the American debut of Julie Andrews.

He spent about a year on West Side Story before Joyce Selznick — a talent agent (and niece of Gone With the Wind producer David O. Selznick) who had discovered Tony Curtis and James Darren — saw him on Broadway. He departed for Hollywood, signing a seven-year contract at a starting salary of $650 a week, and Columbia execs changed his name to Michael Callan without telling him.

After roles in They Came to Cordura, The Flying Fontaines (1959) and Because They’re Young (1960), he dusted off his dancing skills in the Cantinflas-starring musical Pepe (1960), directed by George Sidney.

For United Artists’ 1961 adaptation of West Side Story, Riff was portrayed by Russ Tamblyn. Callan had auditioned for his old part as well as that of Tony (Larry Kert on Broadway, Richard Beymer in the movie) but wasn’t hired, perhaps because his Columbia contract contained restrictions. Instead, he was sent to Spain to star in the Jules Verne adventure Mysterious Island (1961).

He then appeared in such films as 13 West Street (1962), Bon Voyage! (1962), the war epic The Victors (1963) and You Must Be Joking! (1965) before trying his hand at series television with Occasional Wife.

Callan played a generous guy with a mysterious job who dates Rhoda (Valerie Harper) on the first season of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and the criminal cyborg Metallo on six episodes of the 1989-92 syndicated series Superboy.

His résumé also included TV appearances on Hazel, That Girl, Love, American Style, Police Story, Charlie’s Angels, T.J. Hooker, One Life to Live and Murder, She Wrote and such movies as Lepke (1975), Double Exposure (1982) and the Farrelly brothers’ Stuck on You (2003).

Callan's later films included The Magnificent Seven Ride, Lepke and The Cat and the Canary. His additional television credits include Breaking Point, Hazel, Ellery Queen, That Girl, The Name of the Game, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Ironside, Marcus Welby, M.D., Griff, McMillan & Wife, Barnaby Jones, 12 O'Clock High, Quincy, M.E., Charlie's Angels, Simon & Simon, Fantasy Island, The Love Boat, The Bionic Woman, four episodes of Murder, She Wrote, and eight episodes of Love, American Style. He also played Hal B. Wallis in My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Legend of Errol Flynn, and Metallo in Superboy.

Callan both produced and starred in his own film, Double Exposure (1982). He also returned, occasionally, to the stage in both straight plays and musicals including Absurd Person Singular, Killjoy, Love Letters, Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah, The Music Man, and George M!. Callan appeared in the Off-Broadway musical Bar Mitzvah Boy in 1987. His later credits included Stuck on You (2003) and The Still Life (2006). His TV credits also include Viper and ER.

Survivors include his daughters, Rebecca and Dawn, whom he had with his first wife, onetime Miss Dallas and Las Vegas showgirl Carlyn Chapman; sisters Sheri and Sandy; grandchildren Michael, Ella and Asher; and a close companion at the MPTF home, Susan.

After he and Harty called it quits in 1970, he was married to Karen Malouf from 1975 until their 1984 divorce.

Partial filmography

 

    Actor

Jason Barry in The Still Life (2006)

The Still Life

Resident

2006

 

Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear in Stuck on You (2003)

Stuck on You

Fox Prexy

2003

 

The Last Road (1997)

The Last Road

1997

 

Jeff Kaake, Heather Medway, Joe Nipote, and Dawn Stern in Viper (1994)

Viper

Albert Corrente

TV Series

1997

1 episode

 

Drake Bell, Billy Drago, and Ron Melendez in Drifting School (1995)

Drifting School

Andrew Morgan

1995

 

Warwick Davis in Leprechaun 3 (1995)

Leprechaun 3

Mitch

Video

1995

 

Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote (1984)

Murder, She Wrote

Phillip SparlingBart MahoneySgt. Nash ...

TV Series

1987–1994

4 episodes

 

Dark Dreams (1993)

Dark Dreams

RAWMcCarthy

TV Movie

1993

 

Gerard Christopher in Superboy (1988)

Superboy

John CorbenMetallo

TV Series

1989–1992

6 episodes

 

Swamp Thing (1990)

Swamp Thing

Larry Kefler

TV Series

1992

1 episode

 

Dragnet (1989)

Dragnet

TV Series

1990

1 episode

 

Richard Belzer and Darlanne Fluegel in Freeway (1988)

Freeway

Lt. Boyle

1988

 

Michael Paré and Michael Beck in Houston Knights (1987)

Houston Knights

Jerome Lavalle

TV Series

1987

1 episode

 

David Hasselhoff in Knight Rider (1982)

Knight Rider

Victor Gavin

TV Series

1986

1 episode

 

Brian Keith and Daniel Hugh Kelly in Hardcastle and McCormick (1983)

Hardcastle and McCormick

Doyle MadisonFrank Kelly

TV Series

1983–1986

2 episodes

 

John Rubinstein and Jack Warden in Crazy Like a Fox (1984)

Crazy Like a Fox

TV Station Manager

TV Series

1986

1 episode

 

Kristen Alderson, Kassie Wesley DePaiva, Erika Slezak, Trevor St. John, and John-Paul Lavoisier in One Life to Live (1968)

One Life to Live

Jack Simmons

TV Series

1985

2 episodes

 

T.J. Hooker (1982)

T.J. Hooker

Father Tommy Connors

TV Series

1985

1 episode

 

Gretchen Corbett, Tony O'Dell, Sam Groom, Chris Hebert, and Jonna Lee in Otherworld (1985)

Otherworld

Billy Sunshine

TV Series

1985

1 episode

 

My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Legend of Errol Flynn (1985)

My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Legend of Errol Flynn

Hal Wallis

TV Movie

1985

 

Elliott Gould, Mary McDonnell, Corinne Bohrer, Conchata Ferrell, Shuko Akune, Lynne Moody, and Bruce A. Young in E/R (1984)

E/R

Dr. Bernie Mailer

TV Series

1984

1 episode

 

The Fall Guy (1981)

The Fall Guy

MontanaTowler

TV Series

1983–1984

2 episodes

 

Young Hearts

Carl Fettis

TV Movie

1984

 

Ricardo Montalban and Hervé Villechaize in Fantasy Island (1977)

Fantasy Island

Amy's StalkerSterling the PlayboyDickie Devereaux ...

TV Series

1978–1984

5 episodes

 

Last of the Great Survivors (1984)

Last of the Great Survivors

Jerry

TV Movie

1984

 

Desi Arnaz Jr. and Chuck Wagner in Automan (1983)

Automan

Kevin Mayhew

TV Series

1983

1 episode

 

Simon & Simon (1981)

Simon & Simon

Bucky

TV Series

1983

1 episode

 

Chained Heat (1983)

Chained Heat

Martin

1983

 

Double Exposure (1982)

Double Exposure

Adrian Wilde

1982

 

Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson, and Jaclyn Smith in Charlie's Angels (1976)

Charlie's Angels

Darian MasonCass Harper

TV Series

1977–1981

2 episodes

 

Scruples (1980)

Scruples

Alan Wilton

TV Mini Series

1980

3 episodes

 

Blind Ambition (1979)

Blind Ambition

Charles Colson

TV Mini Series

1979

4 episodes

 

Tom Edison: The Boy Who Lit Up the World

Mr. Cramer

TV Movie

1979

 

Honor Blackman, Olivia Hussey, Edward Fox, Michael Callan, Wendy Hiller, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Beatrix Lehmann, Carol Lynley, Daniel Massey, and Peter McEnery in The Cat and the Canary (1978)

The Cat and the Canary

Paul Jones

1978

 

Tony Curtis, Robert Urich, Phyllis Davis, and Judy Landers in Vega$ (1978)

Vega$

Ben Summers

TV Series

1978

1 episode

 

Donner Pass: The Road to Survival (1978)

Donner Pass: The Road to Survival

William Eddy

TV Movie

1978

 

Fred Grandy, Bernie Kopell, Ted Lange, Gavin MacLeod, and Lauren Tewes in The Love Boat (1977)

The Love Boat

Nate Jordan (as Michael Callen)

TV Series

1978

1 episode

 

Record City (1977)

Record City

Eddie

1977

 

The Bionic Woman (1976)

The Bionic Woman

John Bernard

TV Series

1977

1 episode

 

Hunter (1976)

Hunter

Winston

TV Series

1977

1 episode

 

Johnny Staccato (1959)

Delvecchio

Tommy 'Tea Bag' Richards

TV Series

1977

1 episode

 

Jack Klugman in Quincy M.E. (1976)

Quincy M.E.

William Farrell

TV Series

1977

1 episode

 

Switch (1975)

Switch

Arnie (as Mickey Callan)

TV Series

1976

1 episode

 

Ellery Queen (1975)

Ellery Queen

Gary Swift

TV Series

1976

1 episode

 

S.W.A.T. (1975)

S.W.A.T.

Frank Molloy

TV Series

1975

1 episode

 

Medical Story (1975)

Medical Story

Tim Kramer

TV Series

1975

1 episode

 

James Daly in Medical Center (1969)

Medical Center

Dr. Steve Carson

TV Series

1972–1975

2 episodes

 

Buddy Ebsen in Barnaby Jones (1973)

Barnaby Jones

Tim Darnell

TV Series

1975

1 episode

 

Sam Groom in Police Surgeon (1971)

Police Surgeon

Danny ArthurPaul Shaver

TV Series

1973–1975

3 episodes

 

Robert Forster, David Birney, and Richard E. Kalk in Police Story (1973)

Police Story

Tommy GalvinWillieEddie Parent

TV Series

1974–1975

4 episodes

 

David Hartman in Lucas Tanner (1974)

Lucas Tanner

Joe Atkins

TV Series

1975

1 episode

 

Lepke (1975)

Lepke

Robert Kane

1975

 

Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James in McMillan & Wife (1971)

McMillan & Wife

Tommy Brown

TV Series

1975

1 episode

 

The Photographer (1974)

The Photographer

Adrian Wilde

1974

 

Lorne Greene and Ben Murphy in Griff (1973)

Griff

Charles Wellman

TV Series

1973

1 episode

 

Love, American Style (1969)

Love, American Style

(segment "Love and the Single Husband")Mark (segment "Love and the Secret Habit")(segment "Love and the Lady Athlete") ...

TV Series

1969–1973

8 episodes

 

Malachi Throne in Frasier, the Sensuous Lion (1973)

Frasier, the Sensuous Lion

Marvin Feldman

1973

 

The ABC Afternoon Playbreak (1972)

The ABC Afternoon Playbreak

Steve

TV Series

1973

1 episode

 

The F.B.I. (1965)

The F.B.I.

John Prentiss Harry Springer William Dean ...

TV Series

1966–1972

4 episodes

 

The Magnificent Seven Ride! (1972)

The Magnificent Seven Ride!

Noah Forbes

1972

 

James Brolin, Robert Young, Barbara Sigel, and Elena Verdugo in Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969)

Marcus Welby, M.D.

Greg Robbins

TV Series

1972

1 episode

 

Honeymoon Suite

TV Series

1972

 

Funny Face (1971)

Funny Face

Ken

TV Series

1971

1 episode

 

Raymond Burr and Barbara Sigel in Ironside (1967)

Ironside

Cpl. William Eller

TV Series

1971

1 episode

 

Edward Asner, Valerie Harper, and Mary Tyler Moore in The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970)

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

Chuck Pelligrini

TV Series

1971

1 episode

 

The Name of the Game (1968)

The Name of the Game

Tommy CrailRonnie

TV Series

1970

2 episodes

 

Michael Callan and Christopher Connelly in In Name Only (1969)

In Name Only

Steve Braden

TV Movie

1969

 

Marlo Thomas in That Girl (1966)

That Girl

Bobby Miller

TV Series

1969

1 episode

 

Journey to the Unknown (1968)

Journey to the Unknown

Greg Richards

TV Series

1968

1 episode

 

Kiss Me Kate (1968)

Kiss Me Kate

Bill Calhoun'Lucentio'

TV Movie

1968

 

The Felony Squad (1966)

The Felony Squad

Ticer Edwards

TV Series

1968

1 episode

 

Occasional Wife (1966)

Occasional Wife

Peter Christopher

TV Series

1966–1967

30 episodes

 

12 O'Clock High (1964)

12 O'Clock High

Capt. Tony PowellSgt. Jim Driscoll

TV Series

1964–1966

2 episodes

 

You Must Be Joking! (1965)

You Must Be Joking!

Lieutenant Tim Morton

1965

 

Jane Fonda, Lee Marvin, Michael Callan, Nat 'King' Cole, Dwayne Hickman, Stubby Kaye, and Tom Nardini in Cat Ballou (1965)

Cat Ballou

Clay Boone

1965

 

Whitney Blake, Shirley Booth, Bobby Buntrock, and Don DeFore in Hazel (1961)

Hazel

Kevin

TV Series

1964

1 episode

 

The New Interns (1964)

The New Interns

Dr. Alec Considine

1964

 

Breaking Point (1963)

Breaking Point

Gregory Costain

TV Series

1964

1 episode

 

Dr. Kildare (1961)

Dr. Kildare

Charles Devereaux

TV Series

1964

1 episode

 

Senta Berger, Romy Schneider, Melina Mercouri, Jeanne Moreau, Rosanna Schiaffino, and Elke Sommer in The Victors (1963)

The Victors

Eldridge

1963

 

Ben Gazzara and Chuck Connors in Arrest and Trial (1963)

Arrest and Trial

Pfc. George Valdez

TV Series

1963

1 episode

 

Nick Adams, Michael Callan, Haya Harareet, Anne Helm, James MacArthur, Suzy Parker, and Cliff Robertson in The Interns (1962)

The Interns

Dr. Alec Considine

1962

 

Bon Voyage! (1962)

Bon Voyage!

Nick O'Mara

1962

 

13 West Street (1962)

13 West Street

Chuck Landry

1962

 

Mysterious Island (1961)

Mysterious Island

Herbert Brown

1961

 

Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961)

Gidget Goes Hawaiian

Eddie Horner

1961

 

Pepe (1960)

Pepe

Dancer

1960

 

Because They're Young (1960)

Because They're Young

Griff Rimer

1960

 

The Flying Fontaines (1959)

The Flying Fontaines

Rick Rias

1959

 

Gary Cooper, Rita Hayworth, Van Heflin, Richard Conte, Tab Hunter, Michael Callan, and Dick York in They Came to Cordura (1959)

They Came to Cordura

Pvt. Andrew Hetherington

1959

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