Telly Savalas

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Telly Savalas
Telly Savalas
Birth name	Aristotles Savalas
Born	January 21, 1922
Died	January 22, 1994 Universal City, California, USA

Telly Savalas (January 21, 1922 – January 22, 1994) was a prominent Emmy Award-winning American film and television actor whose career spanned four decades. He was nominated for an Oscar in 1963 for his supporting role in Birdman of Alcatraz. He also starred with Burt Lancaster in The Young Savages and The Scalphunters. For the course of his long career, he was best known for his work playing the title role in the popular 1970s crime drama, Kojak, and for also playing Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service. He co-starred with Angie Dickinson in the 1971 film, Pretty Maids All in a Row.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Early life 3 Pre- and early television work 4 Life before and after Kojak 5 Prolific character actor 6 Acting career 6.1 Kojak 7 Personal life 8 Quotes 9 Deaths of relatives and his own last days 10 Movie roles 11 Trivia 12 External links

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

He was the second oldest of five children born to Greek American parents Christina Savalas, a New York City artist, and Nick Savalas, a Greek restaurant owner, as Aristotelis Savalas in Garden City, New York. He had his first job at age 10 as a newspaper boy, when he constructed a shoeshine stand made of crates. When he entered Sewanhaka High School in Floral Park, New York, he initially only spoke Greek, yet he learned English and graduated in 1940. After graduation from high school, he worked as a lifeguard, but on one occasion, was unsuccessful at rescuing a man from drowning; this would haunt Savalas for the remainder of his life. When he entered Columbia University School of General Studies, Savalas took a variety of courses such as English, radio and psychology. At that time, he fell in love with radio and television, which led to his interest in acting. He graduated in 1948. Savalas also gained life experience with a three-year stint (1943-1946) in the Army during WWII, working for the U.S. State Department hosting the "Your Voice of America" series and then at ABC News before beginning an acting career in his late 30s. Before he would get to any of that, starting at age 28, Savalas's next job was that of a popular radio talk show host at a coffeehouse in New York City. On one of his shows, he invited actress Ava Gardner, to guest-star, on the air, and the two "clicked" as they both enjoyed the longest conversation about a party Ava would ever have.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Pre- and early television work

At first, Telly was an executive director and then senior director of the news special events at ABC, Savalas then became an executive producer for the "Gillette Cavalcade of Sports", where he gave Howard Cosell his first job. Savalas first acted on the TV show Armstrong Circle Theater (1959) and then on the series "The Witness" as Lucky Luciano, where actor Burt Lancaster "discovered" him. Savalas was cast opposite Lancaster's idealistic D.A. in the melodrama The Young Savages (1961). He moved on to play a string of heavies, winning acclaim and an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as the sadistic Feto Gomez in Birdman of Alcatraz (1962). After portraying Pontius Pilate in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), he chose to remain completely bald and this signature look, somewhere between the comic and the ominous, stood him in good stead in the years that followed.

Savalas was memorable in The Dirty Dozen (1967), the seminal ensemble action film by director Robert Aldrich, and reappeared as a different character in two TV movie reprisals. He also appeared as star in two classics, Kelly's Heroes (1970), and The Scalphunters (1968), a western that revealed the absurdity of racism during the Civil Rights movement. His career was transformed with the lead role in the celebrated TV-movie The Marcus Nelson Murders (CBS, 1973) where the pop culture icon of Theo Kojak was born. Savalas polished his hard-boiled image to a brilliant sheen over the long run of Kojak (CBS, 1973-1978). During those years, he co-bought racehorse Telly's Pop, recorded many albums, including "Telly" (1974) and "Who Loves Ya, Baby" (1976) and directed and wrote the film Beyond Reason (1977). After the very popular series ended, Savalas reprised the Kojak persona in several Kojak-based TV-movies, furthering his public canonization. One of Savalas' brothers, George Savalas (known professionally for a time simply as 'Demosthenes') played the character 'Stavros', a sensitive , wild-haired, quiet, comedic foil to Kojak's street-wise humor in an otherwise dark dramatic TV series.

[edit] Life before and after Kojak

Throughout his life, Telly Savalas was a charismatic creative writer, director, and producer. He won the Emmy, the Peabody, and Golden Globe Awards. In 1990, the city of New York declared "The Marcus-Nelson Murders" as the official movie of New York City, and awarded Telly with the Key to the City. He was also a strong contributor to his Greek Orthodox roots through the Saint Sophia and Saint Nicholas cathedrals in Los Angeles, and was the sponsor of bringing electricity in the '70's to his ancestral home, Yeraka, Greece. His mother, Christina, was a world recognized contemporary of Picasso.

Savalas released several records, the most remembered were his version of "If", that was #1 in Europe for 10 weeks in 1975, and Don Williams' "Some Broken Hearts Never Mend", that topped the charts in 1980.

Many people do not know that Telly was a world-class poker player, degreed in psychology; a motorcycle racer, and lifeguard. He appeared in over 80 movies. In his capacity as Producer for "Kojak", he gave many stars their first break, as Burt Lancaster did for him. He was considered by those who knew him a generous, graceful, compassionate man.

In the late 1970s Telly Savalas narrated three travelogues titled Telly Savalas Looks at Portsmouth, Telly Savalas Looks at Aberdeen and Telly Savalas Looks at Birmingham. These were produced by Harold Baim and were examples of quota quickies which were then a requirement that cinemas in the United Kingdom had to show a share of films produced in the United Kingdom alongside those produced by Hollywood. Excerpts of Telly Savalas Looks at Birmingham can be seen at [1] and [2].

In the 1980s and early 1990s, Telly appeared in commercials for the Players' Club Gold Card.

[edit] Prolific character actor

Prior to being a successful movie star on the big screen, Savalas became one of the most charismatic and beloved character actors of all time during the late 1950s and the 1960s, where he made his very first guest-starring role on an episode of Armstrong Circle Theater, in fact, he appeared on the show, twice. He also made 54 more guest-appearances between 1959-1967 in most of these shows, Naked City, King of Diamonds, The Aquanauts, The Untouchables, Burke's Law, Combat!, The Fugitive, Bonanza, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The F.B.I., and the classic The Twilight Zone episode Living Doll among many others. He also had a recurring role as Brother Hendrickson on the popular crime drama series, 77 Sunset Strip, as his career already launched.

[edit] Acting career

[edit] 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. Savalas himself was quitting smoking and the lollipops may have been his own trick for defeating his habit^{[citation needed]}. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, two years in a row, and won the Emmy in 1974. He was also nominated for Golden Globes, four times in a year, and won between 1975 and 1976. In 1974, prior to starring on Kojak, he also became a singer, proving that he sang just like that of Frank Sinatra, his old pals (Don Rickles and Angie Dickinson) would even watch him sing the songs that Sinatra did. In 1978, after a 5 season run on the air, and 111 episodes, CBS had decided to cancel the show due to low ratings and Savalas wasn't very happy about the show's demise.

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. And also starring on Kojak, was an unfamiliar actor, former train conductor, bartender and waiter from the Queens suburb of Jackson Heights, Kevin Dobson, who played the role of Kojak's trusted and closest young partner, Det. Bobby Crocker. The on-screen chemistry of both Savalas & Dobson would become an instant success of the 1970s, and they remained good friends even after the show's cancellation. For most of the 16 years after Kojak, Dobson kept in touch with Savalas and maintained a close, personal friendship until Savalas's death. Dobson said of his old colleague that the first time he met Telly, both eyes have met and the chemistry was there, and it was, hence, it proved both Telly & Kevin for filming the show. Dobson also said, he was sucking lollipops on the fifth episode after he looked for it at the time Savalas had a Tootsie Roll pop in his shirt. He realized that Savalas was a bald detective sucking lollipops. In addition, Dobson also went on to gain greater fame in the popular prime-time 1980s soap opera, Knots Landing. As a result of Dobson, working on another successful series, he did not appear in the majority of the Kojak TV movies. The only time that both Savalas & Dobson would later be reunited for one last time on-screen, was when they both appeared in the 1990 movie Kojak: It's Always Something, where Kevin's character was a lawyer (similar to the role he played on Knots Landing), instead of a police officer.

[edit] Personal life

Savalas was married three times. In 1948 right after his father's death from bladder cancer, Savalas married his college sweetheart, Katherine Nicolaides. They had a daughter, Christina (named after his mother), (born 1950). In 1957, after Katherine filed for divorce after she found out from Telly that he was running away to flee from creditors. She also urged him to move back to his parents' house during that same year. While Savalas was going broke, he founded the Garden City Theater Center in his native Garden City, New York, area. While Savalas was working with future actors, Marilyn Gardner, a theater teacher, met and fell in love with him. The couple was married in 1960. The following year after the wedding, the couple gave birth to a daughter, Candace (born 1961). A second daughter, Penelope, was born in 1963.

In 1969, while working on the movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Savalas met another woman (Sally Adams). Several years later, Sally gave birth to their child Nicholas Savalas (born February 24, 1973). Gardner filed for divorce from Savalas in 1974. His stepdaughter, (Adams' daughter, Nicollette Sheridan of Knots Landing and Desperate Housewives fame, born November 21, 1963) is an actress, and his goddaughter, (Jennifer Aniston of Friends fame, born February 11, 1969), is also an actress.

In 1977 during his last season of Kojak, he met and fell in love with Julie Hovland, a travel agent from Minnesota. They were married in 1984 and had two children together, Christian and Ariana. Julie and Telly were married until his death on January 22, 1994. Christian Savalas legally changed his name to Christo Savalas in 2002. Christo Savalas is a singer and songwriter. Ariana Savalas is an actress and singer. Julie Savalas is an inventor and artist.

Telly Savalas was the best friend of fellow Greek-American actor, John Aniston, and he served as god father to his daughter, Friends actress, Jennifer Aniston.

[edit] Quotes

Telly as Kojak: "Who loves ya, baby?" (Source: tellysavalas.com)

Telly: "We're all born bald, baby!" (Source: tellysavalas.com)

Telly as Kojak: "What kind of fool sets up his own self? A fool like you, sucka."

Telly as Kojak: "Tweet tweet little birdy."

Telly 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." (Source: A&E Biography)

Telly on when wanted to act for money: "Someday, they're going to find me out and send me home." (Source: A&E Biography)

Telly on the Player's Club card: "You my friend can use some fun. Big fun!"

[edit] Deaths of relatives and his own last days

After Savalas came back to reprise his role on Kojak in the 1980s, he started losing close relatives. George Savalas, his brother who played Detective Stavros on the original Kojak series, died in 1985 of leukemia; he was 60. And 4 years later, Christina, his mother who had always been his best friend, a supporter, and a devoted parent, died in 1989. Later that year, Savalas was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He refused to see a doctor until 1993, when he didn't have much time to live. While fighting for his life, he continued to star in many roles, including a recurring role on The Commish. Savalas died on January 22, 1994, one day after his 72nd birthday. He died of complications of prostate cancer at the Sheraton-Universal Hotel in Universal City, California. He was interred at the George Washington section of Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California. Julie's and Telly's family were joined by the many mourners at a funeral in a Roman Catholic Church, including those of, Angie Dickinson, Nicolette Sheridan, Jennifer Aniston, Sally Adams, Frank Sinatra, Don Rickles, and several other Telly's Kojak co-stars, Kevin Dobson, Dan Frazer & Vince Conti. His first two wives, Katharine and Marilyn, arrived with their own children, as did his third wife, Julie. Brother Gus attended the funeral, but longtime friend Burt Lancaster didn't attend the funeral because of his own failing health. He died just 9 months after Savalas' death.

[edit] Movie roles

His silver screen career usually involved him being cast as the quintessential villain in such films as:

• The Young Savages (1961),
• Mad Dog Coll (1961),
• Birdman of Alcatraz (1962),
• The Man from the Diner's Club (1963),
• The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965),
• Battle of the Bulge (1965),
• The Slender Thread (1965)
• Genghis Khan (1965),
• Beau Geste (1966),
• The Dirty Dozen (1967),
• The Scalphunters (1968),
• The Assassination Bureau (1969),
• On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969),
• Land Raiders (1969),
• Crooks and Coronets (1969),
• MacKenna's Gold (1969),
• Violent City (1970),
• A Town Called Bastard (1971),
• Pancho Villa (1972),
• Scenes from a Murder (1972),
• Horror Express (1973),
• Lisa and the Devil (1973),
• A Reason to Live, A Reason to Die (1973),
• Inside Out (1975),
• Escape to Athena (1979),
• Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979).
• Cannonball Run II (1984)

Other movie roles that Savalas didn't play the quintessential villains were:

• Cape Fear (1962),
• Love is a Ball (1963),
• The New Interns (1964),
• The Slender Thread (1965),
• Sol Madrid (1968),
• Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (1968),
• Kelly's Heroes (1970),
• Pretty Maids All in a Row (1971),
• Capricorn One (1978).

[edit] Trivia

- In the British comedy show Black Books, Bernard does a "party piece" entitled "Belly Savalas", in which he does a mysterious movement (which is never shown) with a cocktail kebab and his naval, followed by the line (albeit drunkenly slurred) "Who loves ya, baby?".

[edit] External links

• Savalas.TV - Who loves ya, baby?
• TellySavalas.com
• Telly's Players' Club Gold Card commercial - Via YouTube
• Telly Savalas at the Internet Movie Database
• Telly Savalas at TV.com

Preceded by Donald Pleasence

Official James Bond villain actor 1969

Succeeded by Charles Gray