Michael (aka Mickey) Callan gained fame at the age of 21 when he originated the role of Riff in the Broadway production of West Side Story. For several years, Callan specialized in similar roles on TV and films, while pursuing a second career as a nightclub singer. His gift for light comedy was first exploited in Disney's Bon Voyage (1962), then further refined in his performance as Jane Fonda's amour in Cat Ballou (1965). While Callan was co-starring with Patricia Hardy in the 1967 sitcom Occasional Wife, the two became husband and wife in real life as well as "reel" life. In 1982, Michael Callan both produced and starred in Double Exposure.