Telly Savalas

Telly Savalas
Name	Telly Savalas
Caption	Savalas in 1974
Birth name	Aristotelis Savalas
Birth date	21 January 1922
Birth place	Garden City, New York, U.S.
Death date	22 January 1994
Death place	Universal City, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, singer
Years active	1959–1994
Spouse	Katherine Nicolaides (m. 1948; div. 1957), Marilyn Gardner (m. 1960; div. 1974), Julie Hovland (m. 1984)
Children	6, including Candice Savalas
Alma mater	Columbia University

Telly Savalas was an American actor and singer best known for his iconic portrayal of the lollipop-sucking police detective Theo Kojak on the television series Kojak. His distinctive bald head, deep voice, and charismatic presence made him one of the most recognizable figures in American television during the 1970s. Savalas also enjoyed a significant career in film, earning an Academy Award nomination for his role in Birdman of Alcatraz and appearing in major productions like The Dirty Dozen and the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Early life and education

Aristotelis Savalas was born in Garden City, New York, to Greek immigrants; his father owned a restaurant. He served in the United States Army during World War II and was wounded in action. Following his military service, Savalas pursued higher education, earning a degree in psychology from the Columbia University School of General Studies. He initially worked for the State Department as a news editor for the United States Information Agency before transitioning to acting.

Career

Savalas began his entertainment career as an executive director and producer for the ABC news series The Big Story. His acting breakthrough came with a role on the television series The Witness, leading to his film debut in The Young Savages. He gained critical acclaim for his performance as Feto Gomez in Birdman of Alcatraz, which brought him an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe Award. Savalas became a familiar face in Hollywood with roles in films such as The Greatest Story Ever Told, The Dirty Dozen as Archer Maggott, and as the villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service. His defining role came in 1973 with the CBS police drama Kojak, which ran for five seasons and earned him an Emmy Award and two Golden Globes. He also released several music albums, including the spoken-word hit "If".

Personal life

Savalas was married three times: to Katherine Nicolaides, Marilyn Gardner, and Julie Hovland. He had six children, including actress Candice Savalas. A charismatic and well-known figure in Las Vegas, he was a frequent performer and guest in the city's casinos and showrooms. Savalas was also an avid golfer and maintained a high public profile, often appearing on talk shows like The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Death and legacy

Telly Savalas died on January 22, 1994, in Universal City, California, from complications of urinary tract cancer and prostate cancer. He was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills). His portrayal of Theo Kojak remains a landmark in television history, and the character is often cited as one of the great American television detectives. The series Kojak has enjoyed enduring popularity in syndication and through home video releases. In 1996, he was posthumously awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Filmography

A selected list of Savalas's film and television work includes *The Young Savages (1961), *Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), *The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), *The Dirty Dozen (1967), *The Scalphunters (1968), *On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), *Kelly's Heroes (1970), *Pretty Maids All in a Row (1971), *Kojak (1973–1978), *The Muppet Movie (1979), and *Cannonball Run II (1984).

Awards and nominations

Savalas received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for Birdman of Alcatraz. He won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1974 for Kojak. He also received two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama for his work on Kojak and was nominated for several other Golden Globe and Emmy Award honors throughout his career.

Category:American male television actors Category:American film actors Category:1922 births Category:1994 deaths