Charles Clews

Charles Clews

The sone of William George Clews and Maria Scerri, Charles was born in Senglea on the 27th Sep 1919.  He was educated at the Lyceum, Valletta and at the Dockyard Technical College as an Engine Fitter Apprentice.

During World War II Clews was a member of the Dockyard First Aid Squad and was presented with a Certificate (3-Chevrons) for his services.

In the midst of the Second World War, Charles and some friends formed a Concert Troupe, which performed comical shows to the workers at the Dockyard.  The Naval Authorities approved these shows as they heightened the morale of the workers during such a sifficult time.

These shows were becoming increasingly popular, and encouraged by many spectators, Clews together with Nestu Laiviera (later Speaker of the House of Representatives), Fred Underwood, Johnny Catania and Laurie Bellizzi formed Stage Commandos Variety Company and started giving shows in theaters all over Malta.

With "Radio Muskettiere", which he co-founded in 1945 with Catania and Armando Urso, Clews introduced a new kind of humorous hsow and a novel kind of comedy sit-com for Cable Radio, known in those days as Rediffusion and Radio, Series like Toto Tanti, Fredu Frendo Sghendo, Mabbli l-Fabbli l-Kuntistabbli, Ninu u Karmena Abdilla were very popular among the Maltese.

Clews had two very successful tours to Australia, in 1964 with Johnny Navarro and in 1984 with Johnny Catania, where they had shows at the Royal Opera House in Sydney.  He left the Dockyard as a Surveyor and in 1964 started his career as a journalist with the Union Press.  He has also been contributing a humorous column to It-Torca for several years.  He is the author of seven booklets of a humorous nature in Maltese and of a great number of scripts for radio, comedies and sketches, and songs for the stage.  His play Dar Fuq ir-Ramel has been translated into English, and included in Prof. A. J. Arberry's Maltese Anthology.

Clews was chairman, Board of Film and Stage Censors (1955-58) and member, Film and Stage Censors' Board (1971-87).  In 1996 he was awarded the Midalja ghall-Qadi tar-Repubblika (MQR).  The Broadcasting Authority presented him with a Trophy for long service on Stage and Radio in 1998. 

His favorite quote: 
Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery, So cherish today, That's why it's called The Present.

You Tube video -
Sparaw Ghall-Qamar (They shot at the Moon), a humoristic song of the 60's sung by Malta's late comedian, Charles Clews.

Music is copyrighted by its corresponding owners. No infringement of copyright is meant and if it does infringe, please message me and I'll remove it.

Ruzar Briffa - Poet

Rużar Briffa

 (1906 – 1963) was a Maltese poet and dermatologist, and a major figure in Maltese literature.
“I never thought of publishing these poems in a book. Some were written in hard times, others in moments of joy. And I wrote them for myself.” These were the poet’s words as they appeared in his first collection of poetry, Poeżiji, published in 1971 thanks to his second wife Louisette and his friend P. Valentin Barbara’s constant encouragement.

Life

He was known as the poet "of smallness and simplicity". Rużar Briffa studied at the Saint Elmo elementary state school and at the Valletta Lyceum. Having obtained his matriculation certificate, in 1923 he started teaching at elementary schools. In 1924, he began his studies in medicine at the University of Malta and completed them in London in venereology and dermatology. In 1932 he became a specialist in skin diseases. He was known for his humility and his greatheartedness in dealing with his patients, especially those suffering from leprosy.
According to his wife Louisette, he dreamed of beautifying disfigured and suffering patients through his medical work. This aesthetic concern emerges frequently in his literary work, so much so that he was known as the "Poet of Beauty" amongst his contemporaries.
In 1931, together with his friend Ġużè Bonnici, he founded the Għaqda tal-Malti Università, which is active to date, and started issuing the magazine Leħen il-Malti ("Voice of the Maltese").
Rużar Briffa died on 22 February 1963. His full biogra phy was released in 1984 by Professor Oliver Friggieri. The Maltese town of Mosta contains a road named in his honour, Triq Rużar Briffa.

Guze Chetcuti - Poet, Novelist, and Playwright

Novelist, poet and playwright Ġuże’ Chetcuti will be remembered for his significant contribution to the Maltese literature scene, as well as for the love for his country’s language and his involvement in the Akkademja tal-Malti (Maltese Language Academy).

Ġuże’ Chetcuti, was born into a generation of other deeply influential contributors to the Maltese literature scene such as Malta’s National Poet Fr. Karm Psaila, Rużar Briffa and Ġuże’ Aquilina.

Born on the 11th August 1914, Ġuże’ Chetcuti spent several years teaching the Maltese language in schools, while writing a number of novels, including “L-Isqaq”, which formed part of secondary school’s Maltese curriculum for a number of years. Ġuże’ Chetcuti also wrote a number of poems, along with plays for both the stage and television.

Guze Cassar Pullicino

Guze Cassar Pullicino

ĠUŻÈ CASSAR PULLICINO twieled Birkirkara fil-21 ta' Settembru 1921 u daħal fis-servizz ċivili fl-1940 u rtira bħala Direttur fil-Ministeru tal-Industrija fl-1979. Answer CASSAR PULLICINO born Birkirkara on 21 September 1921 entered into the civil service in 1940 and retired as Director in the Ministry of Industry in 1979. Għamel żmien bħala bibljotekarju fil-Fakultà tat-Teoloġija (Fondazzjoni tal-Istudji Teoloġiċi). On a Librarian at the Faculty of Theology (Foundation of Theological Studies). Kien ingħata scholarship mill-British Council għat-taħriġ bħala bibljotekarju f'Leeds u Londra (1950); inħatar Associate of the Library Association (1952); membru tal-Akkademja tal-Malti u membru tal-kumitat tagħha (1942-45) u tal-Għaqda tal-Malti (Università); Assistent Editur tal- Melita Historica (1952-61); u tal- Maltese Folklore Review (1962-73). Was awarded a scholarship from the British Council training as a librarian in Leeds and London (1950); appointed Associate of the-Library Association (1952), member of the Academy of Malta and a member of its committee (1942-45) and of the Association of Maltese (University), Assistant Editor Melita Historica (1952-61) and Maltese Folklore Review (1962-73).

Gabriel Caruana - Artist

Gabriel Caruana is a Maltese born ceramist and sculptor who has exhibited his work in various countries including Great Britain, USA, Germany, Holland and Italy. Gabriel Caruana studied in Malta, Italy and the USA, and also under the well known British artist Victor Pasmore. His works are represented in various collections and Museums both in Malta and in other countries. The Maltese Government honored him with the presentation of a Medal for Artistic Achievement in 1999.

The artist was born in Balzan, Malta in 1929, his career spans thirty years of intensive artistic activity and travels. Early in his artistic career he showed a marked preference for the international modern art movement and as a result the traditional element has never been part of his work. He works in a variety of media exploiting their possibilities to the fullest extent but he truly excels in the medium of ceramics. He was among the pioneers of modern art in Malta and his works have found recognition both in Malta and abroad. He has held solo exhibitions in Malta, England, Italy and Switzerland and has shown his work in group exhibitions in Osaka, Detroit, Munich, Tripoli, London, Israel, Melbourne, and several times in Malta. He has participated several times in the International Competition of Artistic Ceramics in Faenza, Italy and his works can be found at the International Museum of Ceramics of Faenza, at the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, at City of Manchester Art Gallery, and, at the National Museum of Fine Arts Malta. He has a studio in Rome and another one in Malta http://focusonmalteseart.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html