Telly Savalas

Aristotelis “Telly” Savalas (January 21, 1922 – January 22, 1994) was an American film and television actor and singer, whose career spanned four decades. Best known for playing the title role in the popular 1970s crime drama Kojak, Savalas was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Birdman of Alcatraz (1962).

His other movie credits include The Young Savages (1961), The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), Battle of the Bulge (1965), The Dirty Dozen (1967), The Scalphunters (1968), supervillain Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), Kelly’s Heroes (1970), Pretty Maids All in a Row (1971) and Escape to Athena (1979). He was easily recognisable with his shaved head and strong features.

Savalas’ most famous role was as the star of the television series ‘Kojak’. Lt Theo Kojak was a bald New York City detective with a fondness for lollipops and whose trademark line was “Who loves ya, baby?” and “Everybody should have a little Greek in them.” Reportedly the lollipop gimmick was added in lieu of having the character smoke, although in addition to indulging his sweet tooth he also smoked heavily onscreen — cigarettes, cigarillos and cigars — throughout the first season episodes.

“Telly Savalas can make bad slang sound like good slang and good slang sound like lyric poetry. It isn’t what he is, so much as the way he talks, that gets you tuning in,” wrote critic Clive James trying to explain some of the great popularity of the show. He was nominated for a Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series two years in a row, winning the Emmy in 1974. He was also nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a TV Drama Series from 1975 to 1978, winning twice, in 1975 and 1976.