Telly Savalas
Telly Savalas (January 21, 1924 – January 22, 1994) was a Greek-American actor. He was best known for his work on the Kojak television series, and for playing Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Personal history
Savalas was born Aristotelis Savalas in Garden City, New York to Greek parents, Nicholas and Christina Savalas. He served in World War II after he dropped out of Columbia University, where he was studying psychology. He was honourably discharged with a Purple Heart disability. During the early 1950s, Savalas worked for ABC Radio and eventually became the executive producer of his own popular talk show, "Telly's Coffee House". It was not until he was in his thirties that he decided to turn to acting.
Telly was well known for being totally bald. Up until the mid-1960s, he had what his family termed a halo—a ring of curly hair along the back and sides of his head. He eventually decided to shave off the remaining hair when he began playing in movies. Telly maintained that style for the rest of his life.
In the early 1990s, Savalas contracted bladder cancer, ultimately succumbing to the disease in 1994, only a day after he turned 70, in Universal City, California. He was interred in Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles.
His younger brother, George Savalas, was also an actor in films and on TV; George Savalas died at the age of 58 in 1985 from leukemia.
He is the stepfather of Nicollette Sheridan of Desperate Housewives He is also the godfather of Friends star Jennifer Aniston, with whom he shared Greek roots.
In addition, he was a keen poker enthusiast, finishing in 21st place in the 1992 $10,000 World Series of Poker.
Acting career
Kojak
Undoubtedly Savalas' most famous role was that of the tough detective Kojak on television. Lt. Theo Kojak was a bald New York City detective who had a fondness for lollipops and whose trademark line was, "Who loves ya, baby?" Reportedly the lollipop gimmick was added in lieu of having the character smoke, a habit that fell out of vogue among TV series in the 1970s.
Telly portrayed Kojak in the following shows;
- The Marcus-Nelson Murders (1973) (TV) The pilot for the Kojak TV series.
- Kojak (1973–78) TV Series
- Kojak: The Belarus File (1985) (TV)
- Kojak: The Price of Justice (1987) (TV)
- Kojak: Ariana (1989) (TV)
- Kojak: Fatal Flaw (1989) (TV)
- Kojak: None So Blind (1990) (TV)
- Kojak: It's Always Something (1990) (TV)
- Kojak: Flowers for Matty (1990) (TV)
Telly's brother George played the recurring role of Detective Stavros.
Movie roles
His silver screen career usually involved him being cast as the quintessential villain in such films as: Mad Dog Coll (1961), Cape Fear (1962), Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), Battle of the Bulge (1965), Genghis Khan (1965), Beau Geste (1966), The Dirty Dozen (1967), The Assassination Bureau (1969), On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), Kelly's Heroes (1970), Escape to Athena (1979), and Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979).