Entertainer. A popular comedian of the 1960s and 1970s, he was widely known for his rubber facial expressions, voice characterizations and trademark nervous stuttering. Born in Brooklyn, he served with the U.S. Army during World War II (WWII), before beginning his career in entertainment, initially as a drummer with such bandleaders as Tommy Dorsey, Claude Thornhill and Buddy Rich. During the 1950s, Callas began performing stand-up comedy, and backed top Las Vegas acts including Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis and Frank Sinatra; he later became identifiable for his appearances on "Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts." TV guest spots followed on many programs including "The Monkees," "Love, American Style" and "The Love Boat," He had a recurring part as Malcolm Argos on the series "Switch" (1975 to 1978). He frequented "The Tonight Show," however an incident with Johnny Carson in which Callas shoved the legendary TV host in an attempt to get laughs when his performance was failing led to his permanent banning of further appearances. In addition to television, he had a role in the film "The Big Mouth" (1967), lent his voice to the Disney adventure picture "Pete's Dragon" (1977), and became associated with Mel Brooks as he appeared in "Silent Movie" (1976), "High Anxiety" (1977) and "History of the World: Part I" (1981).
Entertainer. A popular comedian of the 1960s and 1970s, he was widely known for his rubber facial expressions, voice characterizations and trademark nervous stuttering. Born in Brooklyn, he served with the U.S. Army during World War II (WWII), before beginning his career in entertainment, initially as a drummer with such bandleaders as Tommy Dorsey, Claude Thornhill and Buddy Rich. During the 1950s, Callas began performing stand-up comedy, and backed top Las Vegas acts including Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis and Frank Sinatra; he later became identifiable for his appearances on "Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts." TV guest spots followed on many programs including "The Monkees," "Love, American Style" and "The Love Boat," He had a recurring part as Malcolm Argos on the series "Switch" (1975 to 1978). He frequented "The Tonight Show," however an incident with Johnny Carson in which Callas shoved the legendary TV host in an attempt to get laughs when his performance was failing led to his permanent banning of further appearances. In addition to television, he had a role in the film "The Big Mouth" (1967), lent his voice to the Disney adventure picture "Pete's Dragon" (1977), and became associated with Mel Brooks as he appeared in "Silent Movie" (1976), "High Anxiety" (1977) and "History of the World: Part I" (1981).
Bio by: C.S.
Advertisement
See more Callas memorials in:
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
