Calarco's hometown is North Bay, Ontario. He married Claire Calarco in 1969.
He taught media and drama classes from 1969 to 2000. His career began when he was working as the Artistic Director of Caruso's Dinner Theatre in North Bay in 1981 and 1982. Claire and Jim Calarco formed Pine Creek Theatre Productions in 1983, producing independent freelance theatre. Calarco was a drama consultant with the Near North School Board of Education prior to retirement in 2000.
After retirement, Calarco focused his career exclusively on film and television.
Film and television
Calarco became a board member of Loon Film Productions and of Nipissing University's Nipissing Stage in 2007. He served as a member of the Theatrical Advisory Committee for Canadore College between 2008 and 2009. Calarco worked through various casting agencies to seek new talent within northern Ontario by promoting original, innovative film development as a spokesperson for the Show Us Your Shorts film competition.
Calarco is a member of ACTRA and the Actors' Equity Association. His most recent works include A Dark Truth, The Riverbank (also known as Tracing Iris) and One Wish. One Wish won the Mexico City International Film Festival's Golden Palm Award and the Canada International Film Festival's Award of Excellence.
In 2010, Calarco established North Star Talent Agency with producer Brigitte Kingsley to better represent actors from northern Ontario. Within the same year he started Real to Reel BG Agency with Kate Adams. In 2011, Calarco started Castnorth, a film and television casting and audition agency.
Calarco's latest movies have been available on Super Channel (Canada), including Dark Rising 1 and 2, A Dark Truth, High Chicago, The Riverbank and The Entitled.
North Bay Nugget was released in September 2013: "Calarco can now add the Northern Flicks Award — top honours in CTV Television Network Best in Shorts competition — to his list of awards from a film that put the spotlight on dementia and Alzheimer's."
Jim's contribution as an actor, producer, writer, director,casting director,music and voice over artist.
1985 Street Smart (film) – Waiter
1988 No Angel - Mayor Ruttan - Caruso Production
1989-1990 Moonlight Shadows – Jonah Rebus (Six episodes)
1991 Ravens Peak - Edison Croft
1992 The Scaganegy Man - Harrison
1999 The Lost Patrol – Nick Delgenio - Pine Creek Production
2001 Picture Claire - Passenger on the train
2001 Soul Food - Senior lawyer (Two episodes)
-2001 The Big Heist - Mobster #2
-2001 The Judge - Prisoner in docket, jailed husband
2002 My Name Is Tanino - Mafia Don
2002 Conviction (2002 film) - Parole Board Chairman James Calarco - Director Kevin Rodney Sullivan
2003 Benchmark - Nick
2003 Into The Sunset - Walt
2005 Shania: A Life in Eight Albums - Tony Barna
2006 That Beautiful Somewhere - Sergeant Mathis - Loon Films Inc
2006 Left Behind (Short) - Joe
2007 That Was Easy (Short) – Man - Pair of Ducks Production
2008 Push (Short) – Doctor Roberts
2008-2011 Météo+ (TV Series) - Homeless Man #1 / Chairman / Commissioner - Charbonneau Production
-2008 Alea jacta... et tout le reste - Homeless Man #1
-2008 Vox pop - Homeless Man #1
-2009 Une culture attend pas l'autre - Commissioner
-2011 Hollywood North - Chairman
2010 Medium Raw: Night of the Wolf (TV Movie) - News Reporter #1 - Defiant Empire
2010 The Kids in the Hall: Death Comes to Town (TV Mini-Series) - Townsperson #1
-2010 Death Checks In - Townsperson #1 James Calarco
2010 It Started with Rabbits (Short) - Dr. Carlino - Pair of Ducks Production
2011 Edwin Boyd: Citizen Gangster - Priest Nathan Molando
2011 High Chicago - Frank Alfons
2011 Dark Rising: The Savage Tales of Summer Vale (Video) - The Priest - Director Andrew Cymek
2011 Dark Rising 2: Summer Strikes Back! (Video) - The Priest
2011 I'm Yours (film) - Bus Station Attendant (uncredited)
2011 The Entitled - Detective (uncredited)
2011 Running Mates - Garrettesville Mayor - Buck Productions
2011 One Wish (Video short) – Walter (Walt) - Last Best Hope Production
2011 The House (Short) – Husband - Pair of Ducks Production
2012 The Riverbank aka Tracing Iris - Mayor Jack Stubbs - The Film Works Inc.
2012 Les Bleus de Ramville (TV Series) - Dr. Egervari - Carte Blanche Production
-2012 Commotions - Dr. Egervari
2012 Morning Zombies (Short) - Janitor - Film North – Huntsville International Film Festival
2012 A Dark Truth, aka The Truth – Robert
2013 Strangers (Short) – Bill
2013 Hard Rock Medical (TV Series) - Jason Cahill
-2013 Diamonds and Dust - Jason Cahill
-2013 Gratitude - Jason Cahill
2013 Be My Valentine (TV Movie) - Carney Jim Callarco
2014 The Captive – Manager - Director Atom Egoyan
Music and voice over
2002 The Morning Song (music video)
2012 Boys Will Be Boys (Short) - Narrator
2011 The Entitled - Stand-in
2006 That Beautiful Somewhere - Casting Associate
2011 Dark Rising 2: Summer Strikes Back! (Video) - Extras Casting
2011 I'm Yours (film) - Extras Casting
2012 The Riverbank - Northern Ontario Casting Associate
2012 Still Mine - Extras Casting
2013 Hard Rock Medical (TV Series) – Casting Associate
2013 Dark Rising: Warrior of Worlds (TV Series) - Season's Change & The Trankartak - Northern Casting
2007 That Was Easy (Short) - Casting Director
2011 Dark Rising – Background Casting Director
2011 Dark Rising 2: Summer Strikes Back! (Video) - Casting Director
2006 That Beautiful Somewhere - Unit Manager
2011 Dark Rising 2: Summer Strikes Back! (Video) - Unit Production Manager
2007 That Was Easy (Short) - Screenplay Writer
2011 One Wish (Short) - Writer
2011 The House (Short) - Writer
2013 Strangers (Short) - Writer
2007 That Was Easy (Short) - Producer
2011 One Wish (Short) - Executive Producer
2011 The House (Short) - Producer
2013 Strangers (Short) - Executive Producer
2011 One Wish (Short) - Director
2011 The House (Short) - Director
Calarco won the Quonta Best Actor award in 1973 and in 2008 was inducted into the Northern Ontario Entertainers Hall of Fame. Many of Calarco’s recent shorts have been nominated for awards, some as finalists, and his movies won many festival awards.
1973 How The Other Half Lives – Best Actor Quonta Festival - Frank
2007 That Was Easy – Best Screenplay from Music and Film in Motion Awards, Nomination and finalist from Music in Film and Motion Festival
2008 Inducted into the Northern Ontario Entertainers Hall of Fame
2011 The House - CTV Best In Shorts: Film North: Finalist, Mexico City International Film Festival: Silver Palm Award, ICFILMS (Milan): Top Twenty finalist
2012 One Wish - Mexico City International Film Festival: Golden Palm Award, Canada International Film Festival: Award of Excellence
2013 Strangers – Mexico City International Film Festival: Bronze Palm Award, Canada International Film Festival: Award of Excellence, Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival Northern Flicks Award and winner at The Rimini Italy Film Festival
1973 How The Other Half Lives - Frank – Best Actor at Quonta Festival
1981-82 Artistic Director of Caruso's Dinner Theatre
1983 Claire and Jim Calarco formed Pine Creek Theatre Productions performing freelance theatre
2000 Retired and began working exclusively in Film and Television
2007 That Was Easy – Best Screenplay
2008 Started Real to Reel BG Agency with Kate Adams
2008 Inducted into the Northern Ontario Entertainers Hall of Fame
2010 Established North Star talent Agency with Producer Brigitte Kingsley in order to represent Northern Ontario Actors
2011 The House - CTV Best In Shorts: Film North: Finalist, Mexico City International Film Festival: Silver Palm Award, ICFILMS (Milan): Top Twenty finalist
2011 Established Castnorth, a film and Television casting and audition agency
2012 One Wish - Mexico City International Film Festival: Golden Palm Award, Canada International Film Festival: Award of Excellence
2013 Strangers – Mexico City International Film Festival: Bronze Palm Award, Canada International Film Festival: Award of Excellence, Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival Northern Flicks Award and winner at The Rimini Italy Film Festival
