As a teenager, Malden joined the Karađorđe Choir at Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, where his father produced plays and taught acting. A young Malden took part in many of these plays, which included a version of "Jack and the Beanstalk", but mostly centered on the community's Serbian heritage. In high school, he was a popular student and the star of the basketball team (according to his autobiography, Malden broke his nose twice while playing, taking elbows to the face and resulting in his trademark bulbous nose).