Later in little theaters in Tennessee and Texas, he had the leading male roles in the plays, "The Valiant," "First Lady," and the part of Hildy Johnson, the reporter in "The Front Page."
But after working for a time as a press representative for the Playwright Company in New York City, he left the theater and pursued his academic and writing career.
[1] Callahan worked as a writer for newspapers in Tennessee and Texas and as New York City correspondent of The Dallas Morning News, eventually writing a syndicated column.
His publishers include McGraw-Hill, Little-Brown, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Bobbs- Merrill, William Morrow, Cornwall Books, as well as New York and Penn State University Presses.
He wrote and directed three plays based on his early acting career and served as chairman of the Folklore Division of the American Studies Association.
The North Callahan Collection includes manuscripts of many of his books, reviews, lecture notes, tests, and related teaching material.