Charlie Callas
Charles " Charlie" Callas ( born December 20, 1924 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, † January 27, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada ) was an American actor and comedian.
Life
Callas served during the Second World War in the United States Army. Then he initially began a career as a drummer and toured with the bands of Tommy Dorsey and Claude Thornhill. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, he stated in 1982 that his former fellow musicians had recognized his talent as a comedian and had encouraged him to embark on this new career path. From 1962, he appeared as a stand-up comedian. He had his first television appearance in the following year. He was so successful that he was hired by Frank Sinatra for the opening act. Both came up in the 1980s on together. Through his many appearances on television shows such as The Merv Griffin Show, Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show, and Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts, he learned many other comedians and film-makers know through which he also received roles in feature films. So he came to a meeting with Jerry Lewis on a role in his next film A frogman on the hook. In addition, he has appeared in numerous films of Mel Brooks and spoke in the original English version of Disney's Pete's Dragon, the role of the eponymous monster.
Between 1975 and 1978, he starred opposite Eddie Albert, Robert Wagner and Sharon Gless in the crime series The Two with the rotation in 71 episodes of the role of Malcolm Argos. Later he performed each in a guest role in Wagner's hit series Hart to Hart in Cagney & Lacey, and with Sharon Gless. He was also frequently as a prominent guest on television shows such as The Hollywood Squares on the screen.
Callas was a widow and had two sons; his wife died in 2010.