Biographie
William Henry Callahan, a dancer and performer, was born on August 23, 1926, in New York City, the son of a real estate businessman. He entered show business at 13 after taking dance lessons and landed a small role in a musical stage comedy. In 1943, he made his Broadway debut in Cole Porter's "Something For The Boys" starring Ethel Merman. The next year, he featured in "Mexican Hayride" alongside Bobby Clark and June Havoc.
In 1946, Fox talent agents noticed Callahan while he was a specialty dancer in the Broadway musical "Call Me Mister" with Betty Garrett. Brought to Hollywood as a potential dancing counterpart to Van Johnson, he returned to Broadway to perform opposite Mary Martin in "Annie Get Your Gun" when no film roles materialized. He eventually appeared in his only film, "Chicken Every Sunday" (1949), in a non-singing role, billed eighth. The studio favored Dan Dailey as the leading man and dancer, and Fox quickly lost interest in Callahan.
Returning to New York, Callahan performed in musicals including "As the Girls Go" with Bobby Clark, "On Your Toes," and "Top Banana" (as a replacement in Phil Silvers’ show). He also created a nightclub act and frequently appeared on variety shows such as "The Jack Carter Show," "The Steve Allen Show," "The Kate Smith Hour," "Cavalcade of Stars," "Arthur Murray Party," "The Paul Whiteman Revue," "The Ken Murray Show," "This Is Show Business," and "Guest House." In 1953, he was cast in the Broadway musical "Two's Company," starring Bette Davis. This production marked the end of his dancing career.
In 1952, Callahan married Eleanor Rao, an heiress, and left show business to join her father’s company, Arc Construction. Rising to executive vice president and treasurer, he helped lead the company, which employed over 600 people. The couple maintained two New York estates in Scarsdale and New Rochelle and had three children. However, Callahan eventually misused company funds for personal expenses and gifts for himself and multiple mistresses. After embezzling millions, he fled to the West Indies with Wendy McDade, a mistress 21 years his junior, before facing trial. Without divorcing Eleanor, Callahan married McDade on January 9, 1981.
For unknown reasons, Callahan and McDade secretly returned to the U.S., settling in Chicago in early March 1981. On March 18, both were found shot execution-style near Lake Michigan in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Their double murder remains unsolved.
