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Telly Savalas

Telly Savalas

Highest Rated: 92% Cape Fear (1962)

Lowest Rated: 0% Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979)

Birthday: Jan 21, 1922

Birthplace: Garden City, New York, USA

Already one of Hollywood's more versatile character actors, equally believable as a stalwart hero or sadistic villain, Telly Savalas later achieved pop-culture immortality as the bald, lollipop-chomping cop "Kojak" (CBS, 1973-78). Savalas had already gained a lifetime of experience with a three-year stint in the Army during WWII, work for the U.S. Information Services and at ABC News by the time he began his acting career in his late-thirties. Spotted in a TV performance by Burt Lancaster, Savalas was cast in the movie star's next two feature films, "The Young Savages" (1961) and "The Birdman of Alcatraz" (1962). From there, it was on to a steady string of appearances, often as the bad guy, in notable films like "The Dirty Dozen" (1967), "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969) and "Kelly's Heroes" (1970). But it was his lengthy run on television as the eponymous police detective "Kojak" that made the actor a bona fide star of truly iconic status, with his tagline of "Who loves ya, baby!" entering the common vernacular, and his clean-shaven head serving as an inspiration to follicley-challenged men everywhere. Although he continued to work in various film projects during and after his series, the role of Kojak was one he would happily return to time and again over the years. Few actors could lay claim to a career as lengthy and diverse as the one enjoyed by Savalas for more than 30 years - fewer still, could bring to life a character as indelible as Lt. Theo Kojak.

Highest rated movies

92% Cape Fear
91% Birdman of Alcatraz 89% The Muppet Movie
82% The Dirty Dozen
81% Horror Express
81% 007 On Her Majesty's Secret Service
79% Kelly's Heroes
78% The Assassination Bureau

Photos

HORROR EXPRESS, Telly Savalas, 1973 THE YOUNG SAVAGES, Telly Savalas, Burt Lancaster, Edward Andrews, 1961 BATTLE OF THE BULGE, Telly Savalas, 1965 CAPRICORN ONE, Telly Savalas, 1978, (c) Warner Brothers THE ASSASSINATION BUREAU, Telly Savalas, 1969 CROOKS AND CORONETS, Telly Savalas, 1969 ESCAPE TO ATHENA, Telly Savalas, 1979, (c) Associated Film Distribution THE INTERNS, Haya Harareet, Telly Savalas, 1962 KELLY'S HEROES, Telly Savalas, 1970 THE MAN FROM THE DINER'S CLUB, Telly Savalas, Cara Williams, Danny Kaye, 1963. THE MAN FROM THE DINER'S CLUB, Telly Savalas, Danny Kaye, George Kennedy (background), 1963 THE SCALPHUNTERS, Telly Savalas, 1968. MACKENNA'S GOLD, Telly Savalas, Camilla Sparv, 1969 THE DIRTY DOZEN, Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas, 1967 THE SCALPHUNTERS, Ossie Davis, Telly Savalas, Burt Lancaster, 1968. ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, George Lazenby, Telly Savalas, 1969 BATTLE OF THE BULGE, second and fourth from left: Telly Savalas, James MacArthur, 1965 MACKENNA'S GOLD, Telly Savalas, Omar Sharif, Gregory Peck, 1968 THE SCALPHUNTERS, Telly Savalas, Burt Lancaster, 1968. BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ, from left: Telly Savalas, Burt Lancaster, 1962

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet 62% Sons of Norway Theo Kojak (Character) - 2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rose Against the Odds George Parnassus (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet 0% Backfire! Most Evil Man (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet 0% Mind Twister Richard Howland (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet Kojak: It's Always Something Inspector Theo Kojak (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Kojak: Flowers for Matty Inspector Theo Kojak (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Kojak: None So Blind Inspector Theo Kojak (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Kojak: Fatal Flaw Theo Kojak (Character) - 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet Kojak: Ariana Kojak (Character) - 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Hollywood Detective Harry Bell (Character) - 1989
No Score Yet 43% Faceless (Los Depredadores de la Noche) (Les Prédateurs de la Nuit) Unknown (Character) - 1989
No Score Yet 8% The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission Maj. Wright (Character) - 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet Kojak: The Price of Justice Kojak (Character) - 1987
No Score Yet 30% The Dirty Dozen: The Deadly Mission Maj. Wright (Character) - 1987
20% 55% GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords Magmar (Voice) $531.9K 1986
No Score Yet 60% Kojak: The Belarus File Lieutenant Theo Kojak (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet 84% Alice in Wonderland The Cheshire Cat (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet 38% The Cartier Affair Phil Drexler (Character) - 1984
12% 45% Cannonball Run II Hymie Kaplan (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet My Palikari Unknown (Character) - 1983
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fake Out Lt. Thurston (Character) - 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hellinger's Law Nick Hellinger (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story Cretzer (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet 33% Blood Barrier Frank Cooper (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet 32% Escape to Athena Zeno (Character) - 1979
0% 21% Beyond the Poseidon Adventure Captain Stefan Svevo (Character) - 1979
89% 88% The Muppet Movie El Sleezo Tough (Character) - 1979
65% 58% Capricorn One Albain (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet Beyond Reason Dr. Nicholas Mati (Character),
Director
- 1978
No Score Yet 9% Killer Force Webb (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Question of Answers Lt. Theo Kojak (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet 62% Inside Out Harry Morgan (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet Scenes From a Murder Ranko Drasovic (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet 60% Massacre at Fort Holman Maj. Ward (Character) - 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Chinatown Murders Lt. Theo Kojak (Character) - 1974
58% 50% Lisa and the Devil Leandro (Character) - 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Marcus-Nelson Murders Lt. Theo Kojak (Character) - 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet She Cried Murder Inspector Joe Brody (Character) - 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Killer Is on the Phone Ranko Drasovic (Character) - 1972
No Score Yet 20% Crime Boss Don Vincenzo (Character) - 1972
No Score Yet 40% Pancho Villa Pancho Villa (Character) - 1972
81% 53% Horror Express Captain Kazan (Character) - 1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet El Desafío de Pancho Villa Unknown (Character) - 1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet Redneck Memphis (Character) - 1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet Sonny & Jed Sheriff Franciscus (Character) - 1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet Visions... Lt. Phil Keegan (Character) - 1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet Clay Pigeon Redford (Character) - 1971
No Score Yet 15% A Town Called Hell Don Carlos (Character) - 1971
8% 48% Pretty Maids All in a Row Captain Sam Surcher (Character) - 1971
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mongo's Back in Town Lieutenant Pete Tolstad (Character) - 1971
79% 88% Kelly's Heroes MSgt. Big Joe (Character) - 1970
No Score Yet 60% The Family Al Weber (Character) - 1970
40% 46% Violent City (The Family)(Città violenta) Unknown (Character) - 1970
78% 69% The Assassination Bureau Lord Bostwick (Character) - 1969
No Score Yet 11% Land Raiders Vince Carden (Character) - 1969
20% 67% Mackenna's Gold Sgt. Tibbs (Character) - 1969
81% 64% 007 On Her Majesty's Secret Service Blofeld (Character) - 1969
No Score Yet 40% Crooks and Coronets Herbie Haseler (Character) - 1969
No Score Yet 62% They Only Kill Once Emil Dietrich (Character) - 1968
No Score Yet 68% Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell Walter Braddock (Character) - 1968
70% 58% The Scalphunters Jim Howie (Character) - 1968
82% 90% The Dirty Dozen Archer J. Maggott (Character) - 1967
No Score Yet No Score Yet Cosa Nostra, Arch Enemy of the FBI Ed Clementi (Character) - 1967
No Score Yet No Score Yet Beau Geste Sgt. Maj. Dagineau (Character) - 1966
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Watchman Ramon Castillo/Raymond Castle (Character) - 1966
71% 74% The Slender Thread Dr. Joe Coburn (Character) - 1965
No Score Yet 38% Genghis Khan Shan (Character) - 1965
63% 67% Battle of the Bulge Sgt. Guffy (Character) - 1965
42% 64% The Greatest Story Ever Told Pontius Pilate (Character) - 1965
50% 44% Johnny Cool Vincenzo "Vince" Santangelo (Character) - 1963
No Score Yet No Score Yet Love Is a Ball Dr. Christian Gump (Character) - 1963
No Score Yet 43% The Man From the Diner's Club Foots Pulardos (Character) - 1963
92% 86% Cape Fear Charles Sievers (Character) - 1962
91% 84% Birdman of Alcatraz Feto Gomez (Character) - 1962
40% 33% The Interns Dr. Dominic Riccio (Character) - 1962
No Score Yet 30% Mad Dog Coll Lt. Darro (Character) - 1961
50% 52% The Young Savages Police Lt. Gunderson (Character) - 1961

TV

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Commish Tommy Collette (Guest Star) 1992-1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet Tales of the Unexpected Joe Brisson (Character) 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet The French Atlantic Affair Unknown (Character) 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet Alice Unknown (Guest Star) 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet Kojak Lt. Theo Kojak (Character),
Director
1973-1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Carol Burnett Show Guest 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet Cimarron Strip Unknown (Guest Star) 1967
No Score Yet No Score Yet Garrison's Gorillas Unknown (Guest Star) 1967
100% No Score Yet The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Unknown (Guest Star) 1967
No Score Yet No Score Yet Combat! Unknown (Guest Star) 1964 1967
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Fugitive Dan Polichek (Guest Star) 1964-1966
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Virginian Colonel' Bliss (Guest Star) 1966
No Score Yet No Score Yet Bonanza Unknown (Guest Star) 1965
92% 96% The Twilight Zone Erich Streator (Character) 1963
No Score Yet No Score Yet 77 Sunset Strip Brother Hendricksen (Guest Star) 1963
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Dakotas Jake Volet (Guest Star) 1963
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Untouchables Unknown (Guest Star) 1961 1963
No Score Yet No Score Yet Cain's Hundred Unknown (Guest Star) 1962
No Score Yet No Score Yet Ben Casey George Dempsey (Guest Star) 1961