In Memory of Actor Michael Callan ('West Side Story’ & ‘Cat Ballou’): 2 Years After His Tragic Death

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It's been two years since actor Michael Callan died at 86 from pneumonia in Woodland Hills, CA on October 10, 2022. This is his story.

A Closer Look

Michael Callan was born Martin Harris Calinieff on November 22, 1935, in Philadelphia, PA, the son of Catherine "Kitty" (Schiff) and Louis Calinieff. His father was born in New York and his mother was born in Maryland, both to Russian Jewish immigrants.

Callan commenced his entertainment career as a comic and dancer in Philly nightclubs. He billed himself as "Mickey Calin," and eventually entertained at established venues such as the Copacabana and in various Las Vegas showrooms.

Callan eventually relocated to New York, where in 1954 he won a dancing role in what became his Broadway debut: The Boyfriend, starring Julie Andrews.

The following year, Callan appeared in a second Broadway musical, Catch a Star.

That production led to Callan's big break, playing "Riff" in the original 1957 New York production of West Side Story. He would be disappointed in not being cast in the feature film adaptation of that famed Story. Though the original stage version made stars out of Carol Lawrence and Larry Kert, Callan caught the eye of Columbia Pictures executives.

By now, he was formally known as Michael Callan, but not as a singer or dancer, but as a dramatic actor with a teen idol status.

For example, in 1959, Callan was cast in They Came to Cordura, which co-starred Tab Hunter, who along with those like Troy Donahue, was also a teen idol.

In 1961, Callan made quite a splash in the sci-fi/fantasy pic, Mysterious Island, based on the Jules Verne novel.

In 1966, Callan met and eventually married actress Patricia Harty, while both were starring in the TV series Occasional Wife. The couple had two daughters and eventually divorced.

The handsome actor later made TV guest appearances on sitcoms like The Doris Day Show and in other programs like The Interns and Love, American Style.

Conclusion

In the latter part of his career, Michael Callan he continued to act, in live stage productions like Clara, which was presented in Culver City, California.

However, he never quite achieved the acting status as an adult that he once enjoyed earlier in his career.