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Telly Savalas

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Biography

Best known as the bald-headed, elegantly dressed, hard-as-nails yet lollipop-wielding NYC police Lieutenant "Kojak" (CBS, 1973-77), this talented veteran actor gained life experience with…more

Born

1/21/1924, Garden City, Long Island, New York, USA

Died

1/22/1994

Birth Name

Aristotle Savalas

Gender

Male

Credits

Star (4)

Role
- Kojak
  Lieutenant Theo Kojak [Seasons 1-5]
  - S 6: Ep 5 None So Blind
    3/16/90
  - S 6: Ep 4 It's Always Something
    1/31/90
  - S 6: Ep 3 Flowers for Matty
    1/4/90
  - S 6: Ep 2 Fatal Flaw
    11/30/89
  - S 6: Ep 1 Ariana
    11/2/89
  - + 121 More Credits
- The Witness
  Star
  - S 1: Ep 0 Arnold Rothstein
- The Twilight Zone
  Erich Streator
  - S 5: Ep 6 Living Doll
    11/1/63
- Acapulco
  Mr. Carver
  - S 1: Ep 8 Murder With Love
    4/24/61
  - S 1: Ep 7 Blood Money
    4/17/61
  - S 1: Ep 5 Death Is A Smiling Man
    4/10/61
  - S 1: Ep 6 Fisher's Daughter
    4/3/61
  - S 1: Ep 4 Carbon Copy-Cat
    3/20/61
  - + 3 More Credits
Recurring Role (1)

Role
- Kojak
  Inspector Theo Kojak
  - S 6: Ep 5 None So Blind
    3/16/90
  - S 6: Ep 4 It's Always Something
    1/31/90
  - S 6: Ep 3 Flowers for Matty
    1/4/90
  - S 6: Ep 2 Fatal Flaw
    11/30/89
  - S 6: Ep 1 Ariana
    11/2/89
Guest Star (85)

Role
- One Hit Wonders
  Himself (archive footage)
  - S 1: Ep 17 VH1's One Hit Wonders Presents: Star Tracks
    1/18/03
- The Commish
  Tommy Colette
  - S 2: Ep 17 Out of Business
    2/27/93
  - S 2: Ep 16 Family Business
    2/20/93
  - S 2: Ep 11 The Frame
    12/19/92
- One On One With John Tesh
  Himself
  - S 1: Ep 71 December 17, 1991
    12/17/91
- James Bond, Jr.
  Ernst Stavro Blofeld S.P.E.C.T.R.E. No. 1
- Live! with Kelly
  Himself
  - S 2: Ep 45 November 3, 1989
    11/3/89
- The Arsenio Hall Show
  Himself
  - S 2: Ep 34 October 26, 1989
    10/26/89
- J.J. Starbuck
  Guest Star
  - S 1: Ep 12 Gold From The Rainbow
    12/5/87
- The Equalizer
  Brother Joseph Heiden
  - S 3: Ep 2 Blood & Wine (2)
    9/23/87
  - S 3: Ep 1 Blood & Wine (1)
    9/23/87
- The Academy Awards
  Himself - Performer
  - S 59: Ep 1 The 59th Annual Academy Awards
    3/31/87
  - S 46: Ep 1 The 46th Annual Academy Awards
    4/2/74
- The Primetime Emmy Awards
  Himself
  - S 38: Ep 1 The 38th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
    9/21/86
- The Flintstones
  Himself
  - S 7: Ep 9 The Flintstones' 25th Anniversary Celebration
    5/20/86
- Late Night With David Letterman
  Guest (cameo)
  - S 4: Ep 42 Show #0549
    5/13/85
- Aspel & Company
  Himself
  - S 2: Ep 10 Felicity Kendal, Telly Savalas, Mike Yarwood
    3/16/85
- The Love Boat
  Guest Star
  - S 8: Ep 20 Scandinavia Cruise: Girl of the Midnight Sun/There'll Be Some Changes Made/Mr. Smith Goes to Stockholm (2)
    2/2/85
- Tales of the Unexpected
  Joe Brisson
  - S 4: Ep 12 Completely Foolproof
    6/21/81
- The Academy Awards
  Himself - Presenter
  - S 52: Ep 1 The 52nd Annual Academy Awards
    4/14/80
  - S 51: Ep 1 The 51st Annual Academy Awards
    4/9/79
  - S 48: Ep 1 The 48th Annual Academy Awards
    3/29/76
- Alice (1985)
  Himself
  - S 4: Ep 1 Has Anyone Here Seen Telly?
    9/23/79
- The Muppet Show
  El Sleezo Tough
  - S 1: Ep 2 The Muppet Movie
    6/22/79
- Dick Clark's Live Wednesday
  Guest
  - S 1: Ep 4 October 19, 1978
    10/19/78
- The Mike Douglas Show
  Himself
  - S 16: Ep 112 February 24, 1978
    2/24/78
  - S 16: Ep 23 October 5, 1977
    10/5/77
  - S 14: Ep 148 March 24, 1976
    3/24/76
  - S 14: Ep 111 Week of February 16, 1976
    2/16/76
  - S 14: Ep 48 November 5, 1975
    11/5/75
- The Bob Hope Show
  Himself
  - S 28: Ep 4 The Bob Hope Special From Palm Springs
    2/13/78
  - S 26: Ep 3 Joys: A Comedy Whodunit
    3/5/76
- Dean Martin Celebrity Roast
  Himself
  - S 5: Ep 2 Frank Sinatra
    2/7/78
  - S 2: Ep 2 Telly Savalas
    11/15/74
  - S 1: Ep 17 Don Rickles
    2/7/74
- The Hollywood Squares (1966)
  Himself
  - S 12: Ep 37 January 16-22, 1978 (2)
    1/16/78
- Circus of the Stars
  Ringmaster
  - S 1: Ep 2 SPECIAL #2
    12/5/77
- Battle of the Network Stars
  Host
  - S 2: Ep 1 Special #3
    11/4/77
- Battle of the Network Stars
  CBS Team Captain
  - S 1: Ep 2 Special #2
    2/28/77
  - S 1: Ep 1 Special #1
    11/13/76
- Dinah!
  Himself
  - S 2: Ep 119 March 5, 1976
    3/5/76
  - S 2: Ep 102 February 11, 1976
    2/11/76
  - S 1: Ep 12 November 5, 1974
    11/5/74
- The Carol Burnett Show
  himself
  - S 8: Ep 5 with Telly Savalas and The Smothers Brothers
    10/12/74
- The Dean Martin Show
  Himself
  - S 9: Ep 17 Don Rickles (Celebrity Roast)
    2/8/74
- The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
  Himself, cameo appearance
  - S 4: Ep 7 Show 50 - Jim Nabors, Telly Savalas, Lassie
    10/24/73
- The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
  Guest Star
  - S 4: Ep 2 Show 45 - Danny Thomas, Telly Savalas
    9/19/73
- The Dick Cavett Show
  Himself
  - S 5: Ep 68 December 29, 1970
    12/29/70
  - S 4: Ep 112 June 9, 1970
    6/9/70
- The Red Skelton Show
  Guest Star
  - S 20: Ep 12 The Stagecoach Hijack
    12/14/70
- The David Frost Show
  Himself
  - S 2: Ep 221 July 9, 1970
    7/9/70
- The Merv Griffin Show
  Himself
  - S 6: Ep 2 September 3, 1968
    9/3/68
  - S 14: Ep 162 May 5, 1977
    5/5/77
  - S 12: Ep 218 August 1, 1975
    8/1/75
  - S 11: Ep 74 December 19, 1973
    12/19/73
  - S 11: Ep 27 October 9, 1973
    10/9/73
  - + 1 More Credits
- Cimarron Strip
  Beau
  - S 1: Ep 4 The Battleground
    9/28/67
- Garrison's Gorillas
  Wheeler
  - S 1: Ep 1 The Big Con
    9/5/67
- Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre
  Mueller
  - S 4: Ep 23 Don't Wait For Tomorrow
    4/19/67
- The F.B.I.
  Ed Clementi
  - S 2: Ep 26 The Executioners (2)
    3/19/67
  - S 2: Ep 25 The Executioners (1)
    3/12/67
- Combat!
  Jon
  - S 5: Ep 18 Anniversary
    1/24/67
- The Pat Boone Show
  Himself
  - S 1: Ep 12 November 1, 1966
    11/1/66
- The Fugitive (1963)
  Keller
  - S 3: Ep 20 Stroke of Genius
    2/1/66
- The Virginian
  Colonel Bliss
  - S 4: Ep 17 Men with Guns
    1/12/66
- Run for Your Life
  Istvan Zabor
  - S 1: Ep 5 How to Sell Your Soul for Fun and Profit
    10/18/65
- Bonanza
  Charles Hackett
  - S 6: Ep 29 To Own the World
    4/18/65
- The Fugitive (1963)
  Victor Leonetti
  - S 2: Ep 25 May God Have Mercy
    3/16/65
- Burke's Law
  Balakirov [aka Richard Goldtooth]
  - S 2: Ep 22 Who Killed The Man On The White Horse?
    2/17/65
- The Rogues
  General Hector Jesus Diaz
  - S 1: Ep 4 Viva Diaz!
    10/4/64
- Combat!
  Guest Star
  - S 3: Ep 2 Vendetta
    9/22/64
- Kraft Suspense Theatre
  Roman Castillo
  - S 1: Ep 26 The Watchman
    5/14/64
- Breaking Point
  Vincenzo Gracchi
  - S 1: Ep 30 My Hands Are Clean
    4/27/64
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
  Philadelphia Harry
  - S 2: Ep 23 A Matter of Murder
    4/3/64
- Arrest and Trial
  Santo
  - S 1: Ep 27 The Revenge Of The Worm
    3/29/64
- Channing
  Guest Star
  - S 1: Ep 20 A Claim To Immortality
    2/26/64
- Burke's Law
  Charlie Prince
  - S 1: Ep 21 Who Killed His Royal Highness?
    2/21/64
- Kraft Suspense Theatre
  Beret
  - S 1: Ep 16 The Action of the Tiger
    2/20/64
- The Fugitive (1963)
  Polichek
  - S 1: Ep 18 Where the Action Is
    1/28/64
- Burke's Law
  "Fakir" George O'Shea
  - S 1: Ep 11 Who Killed Purity Mather?
    12/6/63
- 77 Sunset Strip
  Guest Star
  - S 6: Ep 4 5 (4)
    10/11/63
- Grindl
  Mr. Hartman
  - S 1: Ep 1 The Gruesome Basement
    9/15/63
- Empire
  Tibor
  - S 1: Ep 27 Arrow in the Sky
    4/9/63
- The Dakotas
  Guest Star
  - S 1: Ep 13 Reformation At Big Nose Butte
    4/1/63
- The Eleventh Hour (1962)
  Ben Cohen
  - S 1: Ep 21 A Tumble from a High White Horse
    2/27/63
- Alcoa Premiere
  Mario Lombardi
  - S 2: Ep 9 The Hands of Danofrio
    11/29/62
- Cain's Hundred
  Harry Remmick
  - S 1: Ep 24 Savage in Darkness
    3/27/62
- Ben Casey
  Officer George Dempsey
  - S 1: Ep 12 A Dark Night for Billy Harris
    12/18/61
- The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor
  Ben Willis
  - S 3: Ep 10 Escort
    12/15/61
- Dick Powell Show
  Sgt. Marius
  - S 1: Ep 11 Three Soldiers
    12/5/61
- Cain's Hundred
  Frank Neehan
  - S 1: Ep 10 In The Balance
    11/28/61
- The Untouchables
  Matt Bass
  - S 3: Ep 5 The Matt Bass Scheme
    11/9/61
- King of Diamonds
  Massis
  - S 1: Ep 10 Stop Johnny King!
    11/7/61
- The New Breed
  Dr. Buel Reed
  - S 1: Ep 4 To None A Deadly Drug
    10/24/61
- King of Diamonds
  Jerry Larch
  - S 1: Ep 1 Wizard Of Ice
    9/5/61
- Here's Hollywood
  Himself
  - S 1: Ep 45 June 20, 1961
    6/20/61
- The Untouchables
  Wally Baltzer
  - S 2: Ep 20 The Antidote
    3/9/61
- The Aquanauts
  Paul Price
  - S 1: Ep 17 The Aquanauts: The Storm Adventure aka Stormy Weather
    2/8/61
- The United States Steel Hour
  Guest Star
  - S 8: Ep 9 Operation Northstar
    12/28/60
- Naked City
  Gabe Hody
  - S 2: Ep 5 To Walk In Silence
    11/9/60
- The Armstrong Circle Theatre
  Dieter Wisliceny
  - S 12: Ep 1 Engineer of Death: The Eichmann Story
    10/12/60
- Diagnosis: Unknown
  Guest Star
  - S 1: Ep 3 Gina, Gina
    9/6/60
- The Armstrong Circle Theatre
  Father Pire
  - S 11: Ep 2 35 Rue du Marche
    10/28/59
- Sunday Showcase
  Cotton
  - S 1: Ep 5 Murder and the Android
    10/18/59
- The Twilight Zone
  Erich Streator
- The Armstrong Circle Theatre
  Charles Rogan
  - S 10: Ep 13 The Sound of Violence: The Jukebox Rackets
    4/29/59
- The Armstrong Circle Theatre
  Guest Star
  - S 10: Ep 9 House of Cards
    2/18/59
  - S 10: Ep 6 And Bring Home a Baby
    1/7/59
Special Guest Star (1)

Role
- The Untouchables
  Leo Stazak
  - S 4: Ep 14 The Speculator
    1/8/63
Director (1)

Role
- Kojak
  Director
  - S 5: Ep 22 In Full Command
    3/18/78
  - S 4: Ep 22 Kiss It All Goodbye
    2/22/77
  - S 3: Ep 9 Over the Water
    11/9/75
  - S 2: Ep 25 I Want to Report a Dream
    3/9/75
  - S 2: Ep 14 The Betrayal
    12/15/74

Trivia and Quotes

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Trivia
ADD TRIVIA
- Telly had 9 hobbies: golfing, swimming, collecting luxury cars, spending time with his family, reading romantic books, watching football, traveling, horse racing and gambling.
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- His son, Nick Savalas's half-sister, Nicolette Sheridan and former Kojak co-star, Kevin Dobson, both starred in the popular 1980s soap opera, Knots Landing.
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- Telly was quitting smoking at the time of Kojak and decided to substitute cigarettes with lollipops, which became the trademark of the character. He also did this to draw attention away from his missing finger, lost in combat during World War II.
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Quotes
ADD QUOTES
- Telly Savalas: (on being offered the role of Kojak) I'll do The Marcus Nelson Murders, but I don't want to do a series. How can I do the one role? I mean, I have to varify my life. My life is a variety, I can't be stuck with one character. It won't sell.
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- Telly Savalas: (about diamonds being displayed in various places of the world) Proof that diamonds are a girl's best friend, would be displayed only in the most select museums in the world.
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- Telly Savalas: (on Clint Eastwood) Off-screen Clint is articulate and intelligent, not quiet or laconic like the cowboys and GI's he plays in films.
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